Small Treasures Christmas Exhibition at Gallery 33, Scarborough

 

The Small Treasures Christmas Exhibition opens in Scarborough on Friday 7 November 2025 at Gallery 33 and continues in the run up to Christmas. 

Hippystitch Fabric Necklaces

I shall have a selection of items in the exhibition. Expect to see some colourful and some Christmassy things...

Festive Holly Brooches

Gallery 33 is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11.30am to 3.30pm at 33 Newborough, Scarborough. It is easy to find as it is on the main street a bit beyond M&S.

Colourful Button Brooches

You'll find some super things there - hope you get a chance to go.  Why not combine your visit with a swim in the sea, a trip to the Stephen Joseph Theatre (SJT) or coffee/lunch at Greensmith Coffee.  Also, it's an easy journey by train from York.

Creatures of the Deep - Old Parcels Office Artspace, Scarborough - July 2025

Julie Bailey, Wendy Galloway & Nikki White &  Blueberry Academy

 

I didn't have time to write about this exhibition at the Old Parcels Office Artspace when it was on but it was such a colourful, joyful exhibition I thought you might like a look even though you can't go and see it.  Creatures of the Deep was created by six community groups paired with local artists.  Many were inspired by a visit to SEA LIFE Scarborough.

Inspired by the seabed and coral reefs, and a trip to Sea Life Scarborough, Julie Bailey, Wendy Galloway & Nikki White & Blueberry Academy made an undersea landscape full of texture and colour using recycled materials (see above).  The Blueberry Academy provides support for young people and adults with learming differences. 

Caroline (Bobby) Hick & SPARKS PROJECT 

Caroline Hick worked with 3 groups (Eastfield Crafters, Barrowcliff Social & SAGE) from the SPARK (Solving Problems And Real Kickstart Solutions) PROJECT inspired by the lifecycle of jellyfish...

Caroline (Bobby) Hick & SPARKS PROJECT 

Charlotte Hill & Cross Lane Hospital

Charlotte Hill worked with staff and patients at Cross Lane Hospital to create creatures of the deep using waste materials.  Cross Lane Hospital provides mental health care...

Charlotte Hill & Cross Lane Hospital

Simon Doughty worked with people at the Rainbow Centre which provides support to people who are homeless, vulnerable or in crisis. They chose to create an octopus which doesn't show up on radar and is thus "invisible" which is how the people at the centre think they are perceived by others...

Simon Doughty & the Rainbow Centre

Carol Eves worked with the refugee community to create a shoal of fish from textile waste.  Some participants were very accomplished at sewing and others were novices.  Participants were encouraged to design their own fish, some incorporated symbols or techniques from their homeland...

Carol Eves & SHOAL

Dan Parker worked with the Gallows Close Youth Group.  After a trip to SEA LIFE Scarborough they decided to work in small groups to create their favourite sea creatures...

Dan Parker & Gallows Close Youth Group

There's often something interesting going on at the Old Parcels Office Scarborough.  Check it out!

Untangled Threads, Totems & More - Scarborough Art - July 2024

Untangled Threads - The Butterfly Effect
Colourful Stitchbook Collective Members' Squares

From mid June to early August, Scarborough Art is in full flow.  It is a festival that takes place across various venues in the town, showcasing the work of the creative community.  I popped along in late July and just visited a couple of venues...

Untangled Threads - The Butterfly Effect - Birds

The first was Untangled Threads which runs collaborative textile projects and is led by Helen Birmingham, a talented mixed media textile artist.  The current project is The Butterfly Effect and the aim is to create a large-scale textile art installation which will represent Mother Nature, and show how, with very small changes and co-operation by us all, she can ultimately win the battle over the misuse and depletion of the earth’s resources.  It is also a charity fundraiser for Mind, the charity working for better mental health.

Untangled Threads - The Butterfly Effect
Colourful Stitchbook Collective Members' Squares

Untangled Threads has a committed community - the Stitchbook Collective, a subscriber group, who produce fabulous textile work under Helen's guidance.  Now in its 5th year, their current project is The Butterfly Effect.  Members have already been making colourful squares which will go to making up the skirt of Mother Nature's dress along with other slow stitched pieces.

Untangled Threads - The Butterfly Effect
Bird

This will flow into an entangled mossy bank populated with flora and fauna.  Helen is already working on birds and bugs that the Collective can make (or you can buy a kit here)...

Untangled Threads - The Butterfly Effect
Bugs

Untangled Threads - The Butterfly Effect
Butterflies & Flowers

The bodice of the dress will be covered in butterflies which will be wired so they seem like they are moving.  You can join in the project by subscribing to The Stitchbook Collective here or you can buy a pack to make two butterflies or two flowers and keep one and donate one to the project here. Money from each kit is donated to Mind and sale of the brooches at a later date will raise more money for them.  I can't wait to see the finished installation!

Untangled Threads - The Butterfly Effect

One of the Collective's previous projects was Primordial Soup. This was inspired by Helen's DNA textile work. Two ideas which are explored in the work are Homophily (the tendency to form friendship networks with people of similar occupations, interests and habits), and also the science of basic genetics where the letters C, G, A & T represent the nucleotides which pair to form the structure of DNA...

Untangled Threads - Primordial Soup

I also visited the Old Parcels Office (OPO) Artspace.  They had an exhibition - Totems - which displayed giant sculptures made by a variety of community groups led by different artists. These were wonderful.  I particularly liked the work that Julie Bailey, Wendy Galloway and Nikki White had made with the Blueberry Academy.  The Blueberry Academy provides specialist support to young people and adults with learning difficulties, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs.  They had made two Totems.  A magical tree, focusing on the healing power of nature, and a cityscape, symbolising how we have become more insular in recent years, where homes can be both a place of refuge and security but also isolation...

 

Blueberry Academy

Katie Gill, working with activity co-ordinators Debby Hill & Lucy McGuire, and patients of Esk Ward at Cross Lane Hospital also produced two Totems.  Cross Lane Hospital provides mental health care to people in Scarborough.

Made from cardboard boxes, packaging, newspaper, pva glue and brightly coloured paint they produced a number of symbols that represented what community meant to them.  For example rainbow - acceptance, dove - peace & unity, teapot - comfort from having a cuppa and a chat, tree - support, heart - kindness & love, peas in a pod - being together, never lonely...

Cross Lane Hospital

Also on at the OPO Artspace was Mary-Ann Stevens - Sometimes I feel So Happy, Sometimes I Feel So Sad.  Her unconventional, quirky sculptures are made of papier-mâché and explore women's identity, expectations and representation. Here are some to give you a flavour of Mary-Ann's work...

Mary-Ann Stevens - Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town, Gloria, Edith & Scooter Girl
(clockwise from top left)

After the exhibitions, a swim and a long walk, I very much enjoyed a latte and a slice of lemon meringue at the Clock Cafe.  If you go to the cafe, remember to take cash as they don't have a card machine! 

Lemon Meringue & Latte at the Clock Cafe, Scarborough

Scarborough is a good day out and there are lots of events and places to visit.

Open Exhibition 2024 - The Old Parcels Office Artspace, Scarborough

Lynne Chapman - Ruby (detail)

Yesterday I went, with some friends, to see the third Open Exhibition at The Old Parcels Office Artspace in Scarborough.  Eighty works were selected from over 400, representing both established and emerging artists from across the North and further afield.  The exhibition closes tomorrow (Sunday 10 March 2024 - 11am to 4pm) so why not take a trip to Scarborough and take a look.  Here are some of my favourites...

Lynne Chapman's dress - Ruby, seemed awash with memories...

Lynne Chapman - Ruby 

Janine Baldwin - Melting III - was a glorious mixed media collage, which had won the Open 2024 2D prize...

Janine Baldwin - Melting III

Shirley Vauvelle's Beast and Blue Bird made from porcelain and driftwood also caught my attention...

Shirley Vauvelle - Beast and Blue Bird 

I loved both of Jon O'Connor's works - both acrylic and mixed media on a wood panel...

Jon O'Connor - Urbanism #1

Jon O'Connor - Power of the Vend

I liked the simplicity of Petra Ingham's House on the Hill - Purple & Yellow...

Petra Ingham - House on the Hill - Purple & Yellow 

I am always drawn to textile works, so apart from Lynne Chapman's Ruby there was also Linda Harvey's Middleport Wall, using stitched, printed and hand dyed fabrics...

Linda Harvey - Middleport Wall

Isobel Blockley's Lungs - breathing becomes difficult, utilising fabric, stitch, digital print and ink pencils...

Isobel Blockley - Lungs - breathing becomes difficult

Mary Whitehouse's Waste Age Coat made from waste wool remnants...

Mary Whitehouse - Waste Age Coat

and Shirani Bolle's You are not what you think which was a very vibrant punch needle piece using yarn, thread, sequins & beads on monks cloth... 

Shirani Bolle - You are not what you think (detail)

My final two choices are Louise Bass's Departure (acrylic on board)...

Louise Bass - Departure

and Lindsey Tyson's mixed media Roadworks 2...

Lindsey Tyson - Roadworks 2

It was great to look around the exhibition.  It would have been even better if there had been a little bit of info about each piece.  The Old Parcels Office Artspace is right by the railway station, in the carpark, so don't miss it!

Scarborough North Bay

Why not finish off your trip with a with a dip in the sea, a walk along the promenade, a trip round the castle, a visit to Anne Bronte's grave or some fish & chips!

Anne Bronte's Grave

Scarborough's a great day out!