Gallery

The Gardens Gallery, in the Proscenium Building, Montpellier Gardens, is a popular venue for local artists to show their work. The exhibitions always have free admission and are very varied. At the moment an exhibit entitled 'The World Through our Eyes' is on at the gallery. Three local artists - Sara Chardin, Amy Blacker and Gez Browning - are displaying their landscape paintings and photography.

Banksy Artwork

Today's little offering from the Banksy exhibit at Bristol Museum shows just a small selection of his artwork and stencil drawings. I have loads of photos that I could have shown you but these are a few of my favourites. Hope you like them too. If you want to see some of the animatronics check yesterdays post and come back tomorrow to see some statues with a difference.

"When you go to an art gallery you are simply a tourist

looking at the trophy cabinet of a few millionaires."
Banksy

_

Hoarding Art

As I mentioned yesterday the hoardings surrounding the construction site that is Hotel Kandinsky have been brightened up with art. The paintings have been created by local school children and some, like this one, are really good. I like how they've been 'framed'.

_

Painting and Decorating

You've got to feel for this chap, painting the front of Cavendish House. The strip of black that he is sprucing up stretches the full length of the store front, about 100 feet. And all he had to paint it with was a small brush! When I took this photo he had done about five feet, not much more to go then!
_

Open Air Art

Every summer the Imperial Gardens, behind the Town Hall, plays host to the Open Air Art Exhibition. The event runs for four weeks, and each week each of the 25 different panels display a different artists work. The artists are made up of people who belong to local art clubs or people who paint for a living. All of the paintings and drawings are for sale, with the money going directly to the artists. It is a great opportunity for locals to showcase their work and each week there is always something new to see. When Phoebe and I had a look last week we were surprised at how high the standard was, there were several pictures that even I would have paid out for!

Do you have anything like this where you live?

Axiom Mural

This colourful mural is on the wall of the now defunct Axiom Arts Centre, as featured yesterday. The painting is in good condition seeing as its been off limits for the past six years. I poked my camera through the gate to get this photo! I'm not really sure what its all about. Any ideas? I love the green elephant at the far end! Hope it brightens your day.

Art Gallery & Museum

Here it is then, Cheltenham's Art Gallery & Museum. Not very large, or even impressive to look at, but inside its very interesting. The Art Gallery was built in 1899, adjoining the Library on the left, after former Cheltenham Member of Parliament Baron de Ferrieres gave his collection of 43 old master paintings to the town. In 1907 a Museum was opened on the top floor. Although the building is the original I think the front must have been remodelled as it seems a bit too modern for 1907! (I've just checked - it was replaced with an extension in 1989.) Its free to visit the Gallery and inside there are numerous exhibitions and displays including an excellent history of Cheltenham, Dutch artwork, Jewellery and Costumes, and the award winning Arts and Crafts exhibit. The Museum links into the Library, giving more space for display, although a lot of the artifacts are in storage and can be viewed by appointment. Last year the Gallery ran a competition to design a new extension to the building, to be built to the right of the photo, replacing an area used as a meeting room. See the winning design at http://www.cheltenhammuseum.org.uk/buildingforanewfuture/winner.html. Through its 100 year history the Art Gallery & Museum has had its successes and its failings but the future looks bright. I can't wait to see inside the new look building once construction is completed!