Welcome to Bils & Rye, a contemporary fine art gallery in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK. We specialise in sculpture, modern British ceramics and slightly abstract paintings. Our passion for art is boundless as is our energy for connecting art with collectors.
We open with a fresh show of new works with lots of new sculptures arriving over the next few weeks. 2020 was an unusual year with the gallery shut more than open. Relocating to Harrogate was always a dream and one we realised as the first lockdown was lifted. The two subsequent lockdowns haven't dampened our spirits though and sales remained strong through all the closed days! So much so, it did cross our minds to move to an online model, this was quickly dropped given the lovely space we found in the heart of Harrogate!
2021 sees the gallery embark on the ambition to become carbon neutral. We already use recycled and recyclable packaging for all deliveries and pick our partners with care and the environment in mind. For example, we have moved to BULB for our electricity supply as they source from 100% green providers. Feel free to ask us more about them as the process is simple and we both can benefit from a referral or click the highlighted link!
There will be a focus on artists who are producing the standard of work we desire whilst doing so in an environmentally responsible way. Sophie Capron is a great example of this, creating her paintings from unused paints gifted to her and often on recycled materials. She uses a mixed media approach to many of her pieces, including fabrics that have been discarded.
As we all know, ceramics are key to the gallery, albeit in smaller numbers since the relocation. Ceramics come from the ground and anyone who has ever dug up their garden or allotment will know they often return to the ground at the end of their useable life. We think this is a pretty green way to use the earth's resources particularly if approached in a sensible way. Potters and ceramicists seem to be above average when it comes to sense, recycling much of their waste and being conscious of the valuable resources they use.
As an avid listener to Radio 4, I learned recently that rare when it comes to the earth resources doesn't necessarily mean there is a shortage. It is more often commercial or political that the items are hard to obtain or expensive. It really is a weird world we live in! More updates shortly via our new NEWS page that will also feature introductions to the new artists we have lined up!