About…

Frances Payne & Midnight Moon Studio

“Taking inspiration from myth, folklore and the natural world, I  am an Artist, Illustrator and Printmaker who works across a mix of media. I love a good story and am enthralled by the power words have to conjure up beautiful imagery and nestle themselves into our minds” . Frances Payne created Midnight Moon Studio to serve as an umbrella outlet for her original artworks & illustrations as well as her unique giftware items and design work. She works from her studio in the Yorkshire Dales, near Harrogate in the UK. She also teaches Art & Design at York College.

Education

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Lifelong Learning. OUTSTANDING. Huddersfield University, UK. 2018.
  • Masters Degree in Creative Practice. MERIT. Harrogate College of Art, UK. 2016.
  • HE Diploma in Visual Culture & Communication. The Open University, UK. 2013.
  • Foundation Studies in Art & Design. York St John University, UK. 2003.

Exhibitions

  • Zinc (Frances Payne Solo Exhibition), Harrogate, UK. 2020.
  • Nidderdale Open Studios. Nidderdale, UK. 2013 – 2018, 2020.
  • Verge (Group Show). Rural Arts, Thirsk, UK. 2019.
  • PAWA Studio Exhibition (Group Show). Tresillian Art Centre. Nedlands, Western Australia. 2019.
  • Hidden Landscapes (Collaborative Group Exhibition). Inspired by Gallery. Danby, UK. 2018.
  • Bards, Idols and Liars (Collaborative Group Exhibition). Leeds City Library. Leeds, UK. 2017.
  • Imaginarium (Frances Payne Solo Exhibition). Harrogate Library & Harrogate Theatre. Harrogate, UK. 2016 & 2017.
  • Mercer Gallery Open. Mercer Gallery. Harrogate, UK. 2015.
  • The Way Through The Woods (Featured Artist). Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge, UK. 2015.
  • Celebration of HOST (Featured Artist). Huddersfield Train Station. Huddersfield, UK. 2014.
  • Leyburn Festival of Arts (Group Show). Leyburn, UK. 2012.
  • HOST Art Walk (Open Studios). Bagshaw Museum. Batley, UK. 2011.
  • Art in the Pen (Panel selected art show). Skipton Auction Mart. Skipton, UK. 2009, 2012 & 2014.
  • The Art Collective @ Brimham Rocks. National Trust. UK. 2007 – 2010.
  • The Art Collective @ Salsa Posada. Harrogate, UK. 2006 – 2011.

Storytime…

An Unexpected Journey….

My masters degree in Creative Practice took me on an unexpectedly deep journey of self discovery.

I initially started the MA, somewhat naively thinking, it would be a way to develop my arts practice in new ways; academic enquiry and contextualisation prompting interesting explorations and connections, and subsequently new lines of creative enquiry. Well of course, this played a huge part in the process, but believe it or not, this is a total oversimplification of how the journey would actually play out. In short, I was totally unprepared for how personal, how deep into the dusty and forgotten corners of my mind the MA process of enquiry and contextualisation would actually delve.

I found myself revisiting the recurring nightmares of my childhood, long forgotten dreams and I encountered fragments of stories deeply embedded in my subconscious, woven into my understanding of my place in the world. I came to a place of conscious acknowledgment that my own journey and story had, and still was, influencing my creative and personal choices.

In creating the series of work ‘Imaginarium’ that would become my final show for the MA, I also wrote a story. The story is about me but I have been told numerous times that the story is one that many can relate too. The story and the artwork created for the exhibition are reflections of each other. That said, I think they stand just as strong on their own as they do together.

Remember, getting lost is part of the journey. So make sure to enjoy it wherever you can.