AS almost 1,000 artists prepare to open their doors to the public for Oxfordshire Artweeks, photographer Jane Stillwell has gone behind the scenes to discover what inspires some of the painters, sculptors, designers and potters taking part. 

Mrs Stillwell, of Great Rollright, said: “I took my camera out into the villages around Banbury and Chipping Norton to discover the activities that provide the inspiration for our local designer-makers.

“All the artists were delighted to be involved – although taking photos on the hoof was quite a challenge at times.

“I photographed over 40 local artists in their own environments.

“When I went to meet many of them I didn’t know what to expect when I got there.

“I hadn’t met many of them before and then, from a quick chat, had to capture their passion and inspiration with a sense of fun and that twinkle in their eye.”

As a result, artists are captured doing everything from riding a hobby horse to hugging trees and cows and wearing masks.

Artweeks is Oxfordshire’s largest visual arts festival, a three-week celebration in May each year of the county’s artistic and creative talent, and the UK’s oldest and biggest Open Studios event.

Almost 1,000 artists open the doors to their homes and studios and welcome the public to see their creations and watch them work.

And last year approximately 100,000 people visited nearly 500 exhibitions and events across the county. All exhibitions are free.

The trampolinist

When she’s not making ceramic and glasswork Sally Lyon, 46, can often be found bouncing away happily on her five-year-old son Joe’s trampoline. She said: “This will be my fourth Artweeks and when Sally said she wanted to photograph me doing something fun, I jumped on the trampoline and before I knew it she had snapped away.

“Artweeks is a great scheme and I get a lot of enjoyment out of people coming along, looking at my work and telling me what they think of it. “This has been a hobby while Joe has been small, but now he is going to school I want to expand and I’m hoping Artweeks can also help with that.”

The rocking horse riders

Pauline Nolan and Wendy Todd are exhibiting together this year, with an acrylic and embroidery collection called Fantasy and Fabrication at Wendy’s garden studio in Churchill and were inspired by one of the garden’s “residents”.

Pauline, 60, said: “When Jane Stillwell asked to photograph us we chose the hobby horse in Wendy’s garden to pose with because it is fun and that’s what we think our exhibition is too.

“This is my first time and Wendy’s second Artweeks and we are very excited about taking part. “We haven’t actually seen the photograph yet, but are very much looking forward to going along as soon as the exhibition opens.”

The tree hugger

Sculptor Chris Townsend is photographed hugging a giant oak tree near the 16th century farm gallery at Crown Farm in Ascott-under-Wychwood where he creates steel sculptures of trees.

He said: “I actually made the jump into becoming a professional artist through Artweeks in 1999 and I’ve been exhibiting in it ever since. I was born in Milton-under-Wychwood and I suppose you could say I’m trying to recreate the ancient forest of Wychwood in steel, so it made sense to have me hugging a tree – although I think some of the photos look quite rude!”

The pot smoker

Crabby Taylor from Chipping Norton is a Raqu ceramicist which means that after creating her beautiful pots she leaves them to smoulder in a dustbin for several days... hence the risqué apron she was wearing when photographed.

When she’s not creating beautiful pots she can be found working behind the bar at Chipping Norton Theatre. She said: “The apron was a Christmas present from my daughter Saskia and I love it – and as I’m 58 you could say I was one of the original pot smokers!

“I have been involved in Artweeks for 14 years now and enjoy the diverse mix of artists who take part. “Art, for me, should be fun and so Jane’s exhibition was also great to be part of.”

The wine bar mums

Susan Frater and Kate Wilson are exhibiting their work at the new WineBear fine wine shop in Chipping Norton and decided to put themselves on display too – in the shop window. Mrs Frater, 42, a mum-of-two and drama teacher at Blessed George Napier School in Banbury, said: “When Jane took our picture from outside, people started to stop to see what was going on, which was quite amusing.” The women have called their exhibition Fragments. Mrs Frater said: “Both of us have children – I have two and Kate has four. I create my handcast pewter jewellery and Jane paints in the fragments of time we have available to us.”

The marmalade maker

Artweeks stalwart’ Anuk Naumann can be seen in her Great Rollright kitchen making marmalade, an activity that inspired the painting Making Marmalade which will be hanging alongside her photograph. She said: “Like many people I dread having my photograph taken but Jane is a great friend and put me at ease. “I chose to be photographed making marmalade because my paper collage features marmalade jars and a cat sitting on a table.” Mrs Naumann has been exhibiting in Artweeks for more than 20 years and is a former Chipping Norton Artweeks coordinator. She added: “There are a number of us exhibiting in Great Rollright this year and we hope many people visit us.”

The details

Oxfordshire Artweeks 2013 will run from Saturday, May 4, to May 27 and is organised into three geographical areas.

These are: City Exhibitions: Saturday, May 4, to Monday, May 12 South Oxfordshire Exhibitions: Saturday, May 11, to Sunday, May 19 North Oxfordshire Exhibitions: Saturday, May 18, to Monday, May 27 Jane Stillwell’s Artweeks Taster exhibition is at Chipping Norton Theatre from May 4 to 16.

For more information on all the artists taking part in Artweeks, see artweeks.org