Want to get ‘Arty Farty’? Gill can help

Since then, Gill has made a career out of art, spending time both in the UK and France. She runs ‘Arty Farty’ workshops in Water End, on topics ranging from Willow weaving and felting to lino printing and painting.

Now you can visit her studio and see her work for yourself - and maybe sign up for a workshop to get in touch with your own creative side. Gill will be taking part in Bucks Art Weeks, which is the county’s largest visual arts festival - and it’s free to visit!

Every year in June the bright yellow signs go up around Buckinghamshire and its borders, and visitors can drop in on all the artists and makers taking part. This year there are over 300 painters, potters, glassworkers, printmakers, jewellers, sculptors, photographers, textile workers and others showing their work and processes.

As a visitor you might decide to visit artists on your doorstep and to consider buying work made very locally. Other visitors plan tours around their area using a town art trail, fuelled by a morning coffee or afternoon tea (many venues offer refreshments in exchange for a donation to charity).

Why not join other adventurous visitors who plan a trip further afield? The free festival directory and website has a map of the locations of creatives county-wide. Consider a day trip to North Bucks, the Vale of Aylesbury or the Chilterns and get to know the area through its artists and makers, combining lunch or a walk.

By going to the website www.bucksartweeks.org.uk you can decide on your stop-offs by looking at the online gallery belonging to each artist or maker, and check opening dates and times, parking, access and whether it’s a working studio with demonstrations. Keep an eye on social media for updates too: @bucksartweeksofficial. Or if you’d like to find out more about Gill and her studio, visit www.gillmastersart.com.