In summer 2008, The Art House staged its Inaugural exhibition at The Art House exhibition REALISE which celebrated the dedication, commitment, and talent of The Art House members while marking a milestone in the organisation’s history: the opening of The Art House workspace.
The exhibition showcased a unique timeline of creativity, with one piece of artwork representing each year of The Art House’s existence since 1994. Members were invited to submit work that reflects their artistic journey, whether it was created in the year they joined or more recently to symbolise that pivotal time.
REALISE was a celebration to the vibrant community of artists who helped shaped The Art House over the founding years – before the charity had a physical building. TAH was formed in Halifax in 1994 by a small group of artists in response to a severe lack of accessible studio space and other facilities for artists in the region.
Right from the very start, the long-term goal was to eventually see a new accessible studio building for artists built in West Yorkshire. Over those 14 years, the initial group of artists grew into a national network of over 250 practicing artists. Along with tirelessly fundraising towards The Art House’s Capital Project, the organisation has run a wide variety of projects such as exhibitions, art fairs, mentoring schemes, professional development training and residencies.
This exhibition not only celebrated the realisation of a long-held dream in the opening of The Art House building but highlighted the fact that the building would not have been possible without the initial vision and the continued commitment of a network of members.
Participating artists and the year they represented include:
1994 Pat Sutcliffe, 1995 Michelle Leon, 1996 Paula Tod, 1997 Josephine Gornall, 1998 Sally Barker, 1999 Jane Fielder, 2000 Jane Foale, 2001 Tony Fisher, 2002 Kate Sully, 2003 John Cutriss, 2004 Margaret Gosley, 2005 Bruce Hardwick and Lynn Critchlow, 2006 James Kowacz, 2007 Alma Tischler-Wood
Michelle Leon, Curve, 2007
Tony Fisher, Dark Crossing, 2007
Margaret Gosley, Once Upon a Time, 2006
