Day 3: Brilliant felting workshop from Sponge Tree

By guest blogger Nicky Solloway

Enjoyed a fantastic workshop in Ben Rhydding this morning with the lovely Nicola from Sponge Tree. The theme was Felting a Yorkshire Landscape and around 15 people came along.

This is one of my pieces and my first attempt at felting. I'm sure my technique needs plenty of work but hey, it was great fun and Nicola made it all seem so straight forward. I can't wait to buy my own wool tops and bamboo mats to do some more at home.

Day one opens with a great buzz

By guest blogger Nicky Solloway

It's the first day of the 2013 Trail and so far, so great. The bunting and banners are up and a stash of green arrows point the way to venues around town.

The artists I've spoken to today report a steady stream of people popping in who have all been very complimentary. 

Just a reminder that community artists Sponge Tree are set to spin their magic with a drop-in family workshop at Ilkley Bandstand on Saturday. Come along and make something wacky out of recycled books - only £2 per person. The fun starts at 10am and goes on until 4pm. See you there!

Generous offers from local businesses

By guest blogger Nicky Solloway

From half-price taxis to cut-price coffee, we've got some lovely offers from local businesses to help make Ilkley Art Trail 2013 an even greater experience!

The new owner of Avanti, Carl Doyle has very kindly offered 20% off eat-in food and drink for the five days of the Trail plus a 20% discount on takeaway coffee and hot drinks to anyone who presents a programme. Surely an offer we can't refuse....how many coffee stops can we squeeze in!? For those who haven't been before, Avanti is in the middle of Ilkley on The Grove promenade, just off Brook Street.

Meanwhile Italian coffee shop La Stazione is offering to decorate your latte or cappuccino with a free Ilkley Art Trail logo during the five-day Trail. Manager Max says he has been practicing and now has the chocolate logo down to a fine art!

And if you need a taxi to get from venue to venue, Ilkley Taxis have kindly stepped in to offer half price fares around town on production of a programme. You can book your cab by calling 601110 or look out for the taxis with the IAT car magnet. 

There's only one fly in the ointment, or should that be in the beer? We were hoping to be able to offer a pound off your first pint at the soon to open Flying Duck brewery pub. But unfortunately, through unforeseen circumstances,  it won't be open by mid-October. Sorry about that folks, but you can still enjoy a cuppa...!

Pic by Anna Nolan

Welcome to the third Ilkley Art Trail 9- 13 October

We're getting to ready to roll out our fantastic new programme for this year's Trail which starts in just five weeks.

Look out for our lovely turquoise brochures around town to start plotting your route to some of Yorkshire's finest art!

Artists will be opening their homes and studios and we will also be displaying in some more unusual venues including at a dentist's, a vet's, an osteopath's and in a shed.

Watch this space....