On Friday, I watched a group of three artists prepare their work for the gallery wall at Poulton Library. It’s a large, rectangular grey shape which faces you as you walk through the doors of this bustling community portal. As the artists discussed whether to group the work according to theme, size or colour, the locals milled between the bookshelves, tapped at PCs, read newspapers in the corner or knitted by the window. The knitting group was a happy surprise and the seven or eight ladies who sat around a table covered in balls of colourful wool chatted happily about family and local matters as the morning progressed. Little children picked up large, colourful picture books. Librarians patiently answered questions and rearranged books on shelves and, every so often, the sound of a nail being hammered into that large grey wall rang around the building.
After a few hours of careful deliberation and tireless attention to spirit levels, the gallery wall was festooned with the visual spoils of many months’ work. The current exhibition is the work of Anne-Marie Ciotkowski, Joyce Mills and David Nickson, a trio of artists who have known each other for some years through a life-drawing class in Blackpool. Their work is a wonderfully diverse collection of vibrant colours and more quiet, still studies. The gallery wall began attracting attention as soon as the hammer was rested on the floor.
Poulton Library welcomes local artists to display their art on this wall and also in a new display case, for three-dimensional pieces. Currently, ceramicist Jacquie Cross is exhibiting her adorable canine ceramics and gifts in this case. Anyone interested in exhibiting can email the team at [email protected]. Anne-Marie and Joyce are also exhibiting at the Brabins Gallery in Chipping for anyone interested in seeing a larger collection of their work. The work on display at Poulton is for sale and is individually priced.
The current exhibition will be on display until 25 October.
All photography courtesty of David Nickson.
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