Basking in the bright blooms and longer days of spring, we send our most cheerful greetings to you all. After much anticipation, this month the gallery is delighted to open ‘Sean Durkin: Art for All!’, its very first solo exhibition of work by contemporary artist Sean Durkin. Opening on Friday the 20th of May and running until Sunday the 5th of June, the show shines a light on England’s industrial past and the untold stories of the proud working people who raised its foundations. Resolutely declaring and asserting the egalitarian nature of fine art, Sean’s newest collection is truly for all to enjoy. For those too eager to wait for the opening, preview catalogues will also be available upon request; so be sure to register your interest with a member of gallery staff to receive this exclusive first look at the collection.

Echoing the playful spirit of Sean Durkin’s work, the exhibition has incorporated some sensational opportunities and quirky surprises. On Saturday, the 21st of May from 12:00-2:00pm, visitors will have the chance to meet Sean and discuss the exhibition, his work and his inspirations. While there is no need to book, we would highly recommend marking your calendars now, so as to not miss out on this exceptional event. In addition to this special day, we are also thrilled to reveal that in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the gallery has specially commissioned Sean to paint a large, Jubilee-themed centrepiece for the show. But rather than be released at the opening, the painting will be unveiled at the crescendo of the Jubilee weekend, just as the exhibition comes to a close. As Sean’s work so powerfully celebrates community and collective memory, the gallery could think of no better artist to mark this momentous occasion in modern British history.

In other exciting news, this month the gallery is also delighted to welcome the work of contemporary artist Louise Hepworth-Wood. A Yorkshire artist with electric creative flair and bold, unrestrained vision, Louise creates dynamic work that is nothing short of show-stopping. Her abstract paintings hum with tangible energy, hypnotically pulling the viewer into an alternate plane of vivid colour and movement. Combined with their substantial scale, Louise’s paintings are striking statement pieces for any contemporary collection.

In addition to new work from Louise Hepworth-Wood and Sean Durkin, the gallery has also received an invigorating collection of new work from Edward Hersey, Richard Telford, Natalie Stutely, Alex Hill, Raymond Campbell and Carl Whitfield. Visit our Recently Acquired page to view these and any other new additions that may arrive throughout the month.

We wish you the very best and look forward to welcoming you to the gallery soon.