Seascape artist Carolyn Coles
SOUTH Bank Studios artist Carolyn Coles and PICA Studios ceramicist Emily Stubbs will be on hand from 11.30am to 2.30pm at Saturday’s opening of The Sky’s The Limit, their joint exhibition with wildlife sculptor Karen Fawcett at Pyramid Gallery, Stonegate, York.
“I will be happy to serve you a glass of wine or non-alcoholic prosecco,” says gallery curator and owner Terry Brett.
After studying art and illustration in the early 1990s, Carolyn has exhibited artwork in York, Leeds, London, Derby, Manchester and Hereford in solo and shared shows, selling work internationally too.
She has worked in the creative industry for more than 30 years within adult education, graphic design and illustration and now paints full time from her studio with a group of 19 artists at Southlands Methodist Church, Bishopthorpe Road, South Bank.
Fishing For Dinner, by Carolyn Coles, on show at Pyramid Gallery from Saturday
Described by Terry as “a painter of gorgeous seas and skies”, Carolyn has chosen seascapes as her primary subject matter and likes to capture atmosphere, usually with a leaning towards dark and moody, and generally on a larger scale.
Carolyn’s love of the seaside and nature in general is reflected in her painting. Utilising a range of styles, her new collection is mostly impressionistic: “This allows the viewer to interpret their own story and pull their own memories back into play,” she says.
“I’m interested in recreating a feeling, an essence. I love being by the sea or in the hills. It’s a tonic. The noise, everything, just soaks into me. I like to be playful, bold and subtle in my work, which is mostly acrylic on stretched canvasses.”
Like Carolyn, Emily Stubbs has been selected to take part in York Open Studios 2026 on April 18 & 19 and April 25 & 26. She is a founding member of PICA Studios, an artist-led studio collective of 23 artists, makers, writers and thinkers in an 18th-century printworks building in Grape Lane, and exhibits her contemporary ceramics in exhibitions, events and galleries around the UK.
Ceramicist Emily Stubbs
“Through my work, I explore the playful relationship between form and surface decoration,” she says. “The vessel is my primary interest, created by building and collaging slabs of textured clay together.
“Drawing inspiration from my 2D paper collages and sketches, I translate this process into clay, building up layer upon layer of slips and glazes. The finished vessels have a similar graphic quality to them, with bold colour, strong line and intuitive mark making.”
Karen Fawcett is committed to creating life-like sculptures using the British countryside and coast as her inspiration. “The sculptures are created from detailed study and visual observation of the subject, and with reference to an actual specimen where possible,” she says.
Blue Fragmented Vessel, by Emily Stubbs
“They are hand crafted and finished to a very high level of detail; each piece is therefore individual and unique. I aim to capture not just the look, but also the spirit or personality of the subject, making it appear much more alive – as though it could move at any moment.
“My sculptures are not only unique and affordable works of art, but also bring a piece of the natural world directly into your home. All my works are either signed on the underside, or where this is not possible I use a stamp of the ‘K’ logo to ensure it is an authentic piece.”
The Sky’s The Limit will run until mid-March. Look out too for work by Pyramid Gallery’s Jeweller of the Month, Kate Rhodes, from Hebden Bridge. Gallery opening hours are: 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.
Wildlife sculptor Karen Fawcett