The Curtain Descends in final show at Village Gallery, York, after five years

Curtains To Village Gallery, by Suzanne McQuade

AS the title indicates, The Curtain Descends will be the last exhibition at Village Gallery, Colliergate, York.

“After five and a half years, more than 40 main exhibitions and the showcasing of work by 100-plus local artists, we’ll be closing our doors on Saturday, April 15,” says gallery co-owner and curator Simon Main. “The end of the shop lease and old age creeping up has sadly forced the decision.”

For the final show, Simon and Helen Main have invited ten 2D artists who have exhibited there previously to return for the March 7 to April 15 farewell.

Jim’s Garage, by Julie Lightburn

A range of styles, disciplines and media are on show: watercolours by Lynda Heaton, Jean Luce and Suzanne McQuade; oils and acrylics by Paul Blackwell, Julie Lightburn, Malcolm Ludvigsen, Anne Thornhill and Hilary Thorpe; pastels by Allen Humphries and lino and woodcut prints by Michael Atkin.

These artists are complementing those whose work is already on show: oils by Glynn Barker; the digital art of Fiona Calder; ceramics by Meg Ashley and Kit Hemsley; fused glass work by Ruth Foster; wood turning by Ralph Shuttleworth and sculpture by Edward Waites.

“With the support of all these artists, this final exhibition period will be a sale, with everything in store being reduced, so do drop in, support these artists and grab a bargain,” says Simon.

Breezy Day On Cowes Seafront, by Hilary Thorpe

In addition to its regularly changing art exhibitions and craftwork displays, Village Gallery  has featured new and old Lalique glass and crystal (as York’s official stockist for new pieces), along with  new and old jewellery.

“We’ll continue to deal in and sell both Lalique and jewellery, with this part of the business being moved to the Antique Centre on Stonegate (yes, even the new in an antique centre!), so it’s not a complete goodbye,” says Simon.

In addition, the online store at www.village-on-the-web.com will continue to serve. Village Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, until April 15.

Old Houses, Staithes, by Jean Luce

Fylingdales Group of Artists celebrates Yorkshire in Blossom Street Gallery show

From Limpsey Gate Lane, August, by Sue Slack

THE Fylingdales Group of Artists is exhibiting at Blossom Street Gallery, Blossom Street, York, until November 30.

Formed in 1925 in Denton Hawley’s studio in Robin Hood’s Bay with eight members and a mission to exhibit Yorkshire pictures: a modus operandi that prevails to this day. 

Through the decades, members included Algernon Newton, Roland Hill, Florence Hess, Albert Pile, Fred Williams, Will Taylor, William Dealtry and many more.

Whitby Abbey, Standing Proud, by Ann Thornhill

Twelve members are contributing 31 works to the Blossom Street Gallery exhibition, consisting mainly of paintings in oils, acrylics, gouache and limonite.

Two pieces by Paul Blackwell are in pastel; Angie McCall has incorporated collage in her mixed-media work and linocut, wood engraving, etching and aquatint printmaker Michael Atkin features too.

On show alongside them are works by David Allen, fellow Royal Society of Marine Artists member and past president David Howell, Kane Cunningham, John Freeman, Linda Lupton, Don Micklethwaite, Bruce Mulcahy, Sue Slack and Ann Thornhill.

Gallery opening hours are 10am to 4pm, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Rocky Shore In Sun, by Bruce Mulcahy, at Blossom Street Gallery, York