This weekend the River Dwellers exhibition opened at the Ferini Art Gallery, Pakefield.
Tucked behind the sea front, in an airy, bright downstairs gallery, the exhibition showcases work by members of Waveney & Blyth Arts responding to this year’s theme – River Dwellers. Otters and kingfishers are favourite subjects but the works also feature river habitats and riverside activities, herons, ospreys and fish – and even a few people. Paintings, felted birds, wood engraving, stained glass and textiles are all represented. Artists include Fern Spring, Kate Batchelor, Ruth Wharrier, Margaret Parsons, Claire Dowson and Mark Baker. Friends and Waveney & Blyth Arts members gathered to raise a toast to the river dwellers.
The exhibition is free to visit and the artwork is for sale. Open until 22nd July 2018 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 11am-4pm.
Ferini Art Gallery, 27-29 All Saints’ Road, Pakefield, Lowestoft, NR33 0JL
Be inspired by the art and produce your own poetry or written work responding to an individual piece, the overall theme, or an aspect of river dwelling. Suffolk Poetry Society’s Beth Soule is leading another of her gallery based workshops on Thursday 5th July. Explore the wildlife and habitats of the river; think about the people who live on and by the water, people from the past, people from today. Reed-cutters, eel catchers, sailors, fishermen. Learn about the myths and ancient beliefs associated with the river. Click through to this page for more details – but hurry – it’s next week:
https://waveneyandblytharts.com/river-dwellers-poetry-workshop/
Have you sat and watched the river, paddled its rippling course, swum into its weed-winding depths or just been inspired by our river landscapes conference, the artwork at the Ferini or Beth’s workshop. Do you have thoughts to share about river dwellers –human or not; elusive wildlife or the willow and alder trees that line the river banks, showing their seasonal colours. Does the river move you to write? There are only six weeks left to submit your river based poetry for our competition. All the rules and information you need are on this page:
https://waveneyandblytharts.com/river-dwellers-poetry-workshop/
We look forward to reading and Dr Jos Smith, from the University of East Anglia, will spend his late summer weeks making his selection. The three short-listed poems will be read at our Arts & Eats event – Crossing the River – on Thursday 20 September.
Let the river be your guide this summer.