My first Gallery Selection

My excitement at being selected

Standing next to my 2 paintings in The Old Lock Up Gallery on Saturday was such a thrill. My first selection for my paintings, not as part of a group.

Autumn Equinox and Rising had both been chosen to form part of the Open 24 exhibition in the most characterful gallery in Cromford in Derbyshire.

Finding my way

The town is set within the Peak District and should be about a 2 hour drive from my home in Lancashire, although missing my junction exit extended that. Grateful for my sat nav, I finally descended down ‘The Hill’ and into Cromford through heavy mists that had formed a damp covering, smudging edges of buildings and softening colours to tones of warm grey.

After a lunch in the Greyhound I set out to find the gallery. Calling in at the local hardware shop, with it’s wares distributed across the pavement felt like stepping back in time. Woven baskets and trugs, buckets and a coal scuttle amongst other things. The hardware shopkeeper wasn’t sure where the gallery was so I kept heading back up The Hill.

A blackboard at the edge of an alley pointed the way.

Back in time

Stepping into the alley was like stepping back in time. A track led onto a courtyard where cottage back gardens and bigger houses set further back all converged. Higgledy-piggledy rooves, painted wooden shutters and garage doors with blacksmith forged strap hinges.

Off to the right was a cobbled path and little fairy lights that led the way. Round the corner and up deep stone steps I paused at the teal painted door. Taking a deep breathe, I turned the handle and stepped inside.

What a wonderful space!

I was warmly greeted by Rachael the gallery owner, any nerves quickly faded away.

The room was bright and warm despite the grey wet weather outside. High vaulted ceiling, white textured stone walls and track lighting above along with windows and Velux’s and a real fire burning in the stove created a lovely welcoming ambience. Through the mullioned windows were views from various aspects of the town and the hills beyond.

The reason we came

And then there was the art. Such a varied selection from 35 artists.

The galleries ethos centres around humanity and art with meaning. Figurative, abstract, florals, still life, landscape and portrait. All beautifully displayed in groupings that harmonised and enhanced colours and subject. There was something to see on every surface and yet there was space to breathe and appreciate each of the pieces individually.

And the room was full of heart

The room felt full of love. A room full of art lovers and artists and art. We were all there to celebrate that which had come from the heart.

Meeting some of the other artists was such a treat and of course we all talked art. We discussed our stories of our art and being artists and of being a member of Art Tribe (were your ears burning Louise Fletcher?!) We left feeling we’d made new friends and buoyed up by our afternoon in an old lock up.

The exhibition runs until the 3rd March and all the entries can be seen online at Open 24 Online Gallery

Finally

I’ll leave you with the 2 poems I wrote to accompany my paintings:

RISING

Everything is rising
Temperatures..... rising
Sea levels............rising
Wild weather.......rising
Threat of war.......rising
Moon rising over the inky depths below

Oh to be a bird to rise above
Trusting.......this planet will keep on turning
Adjusting.....what will be will be
Flying.........worry no more
Diving.........into oceans blue
Existing .........in tranquillity

AND

AUTUMN EQUINOX

The drawing in of days begin,
Nights lengthening, Indigo
Harvest Moon
The South South West winds do blow
North west too

Brambles and berries and Rose hips
Nature's larder is plentiful
Time to prepare, to hunker down
Hibernation not far away
Too soon, the long flight is starting

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Thank you.

Sue x