Les Journées des Peintures 2023

Les Journées des Peintures 2023 in Saddleworth.

Every 4 years artists from the US, Switzerland, France and the UK, visit Saddleworth to paint outdoors and exhibit their work each evening at the Saddleworth Museum and Gallery. In 2023 this took place from Sunday the 2nd to Friday the 7th July with many of the artists arriving on Saturday 1st July

In April an appeal was launched.

The organiser, Helen Campbell at criblane@googlemail.com , organised the painting days at various locations and evening meals and events culminating in a farewell dinner at the Saddleworth Musuem on Friday 7th July. Helen also needed:-

Help to accommodate the visiting artists – this involves bed and breakfast and as a thank you the artist gives you a piece of their work.
People willing to pick up guests and take back guests from Manchester airport.
Help hang works of art, assemble gift packs, take photos and organise packed lunches

Saddleworth residents responded magnificently and all the artists were successfully housed for the week

Local artists were invited to join the group on their painting days at:-

Sunday-around Tunnel End Marsden
Monday-around the Cross Keys/Church, Uppermill
Tuesday-Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Wednesday-around Dobcross
Thursday-around Dovestone reservoir
Friday-around canal and Uppermill village

On Saturday 1st July a group assembled to meet one of the flights arriving at Manchester airport and then transer the artists to thier respective hosts in Saddleworth. This group were also involved in transporting the artists on Saturday 8th.

Helen briefed the group at Saddleworth Museum early on Sunday 2nd July, the completed works were hung at the end of each day and on rainy days the group painted indoors at the Saddleworth Museum canal side community gallery .