WHILE many people are thinking about putting their feet up when they reach their 60s, artist Kathryn Harrison has instead embarked on a new venture.

She has opened T’auld Lass Gallery, in the Craft Workshops at Hutton-le-Hole on the North York Moors, fulfilling a childhood dream. While she has had a lifelong interest in art, always painting and drawing as a child and holding her first ever exhibition when she was 14, she didn’t get to go to art college in Scarborough until she was 47.

Kathryn has spent the past few years teaching art at Whitby, and plans to carry on with groups and one to ones in the gallery. Originally she trained as a nursery nurse in infant schools and after marrying her husband Dave she worked on their farm as and when needed.

After his death she worked on the farm full time until she went back to nursery nursing, eventually becoming a self employed art teacher which is when she started her degree at art college.

The Northern Farmer:

She said: “People can come and see me most days, the T’auld lass will be in the gallery painting, it’s been wonderful opening my own place. I am thrilled to bits. I’ve been meeting people from all over the country, and all over the world.”

Kathryn’s husband was a shepherd and she often used their beloved Scottish black faced sheep in her paintings. She also produces hand painted silk scarves and ties with her work printed on mugs, coasters, bags and cards.

From Glaisdale, Kathryn says she is often asked which paintings are hers – they all are – because she produces different styles.

“I paint very traditionally in water colour, but then I also produce contemporary and abstract art in acrylic ink, so people tend to think they’re painted by different people but I like to do different styles. I’m so pleased to finally have my own gallery, it really is a dream come true,” added Kathryn.

As for the unusual name of the gallery Kathryn said many farmers used to call their wives “our lass”. “As a farmer’s widow I thought by now Dave would be calling me the old lass,” she added.