Dudley's first open exhibition

THIS summer Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust is staging its very first Open Exhibition, that is an opportunity for everyone to get involved, whether they exhibit regularly or have never displayed an art work anywhere before.

The open exhibition is all about celebrating creative people from a diverse range of practices, backgrounds and subjects, that will be exhibited between Monday 17th and Monday 18th September 2017, with Holly Wain, Heritage Activities Assistant at Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust explaining:

Amazed at the entries

“We’re amazed by the entries to our open exhibition. We have such a brilliant range of works which really do celebrate the creative talents of our local community. We hope that visitors come to support this exhibition and enjoy the fantastic display”.

Artworks range from drawings inspired by the limestone caverns and historical engravings, to studies of wildlife, canal scenes (both local and further afield), photography, portraiture, the everyday, landscapes, and architecture.

There is also a vast range of media including pencil, chalks, watercolours, oils, acrylics, hand printed Vinyl cuts, knitting and crochet, felt and embroidery, and hand quilting.

First time exhibiting

For several of the entrants, this will be their first time exhibiting. Many of the works displayed are by local people who have grown up by the Black Country Canals and feel a connection to Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust and our local heritage. Linda Thornton’s beautiful textile art work ‘Christmas on the Cut’ is inspired by her childhood in Oldbury in the 1950s. She loved to walk along the canals with her grandad.  She loves seeing canal boats decorated with flowers in summer time and cosy in winter, topped off with a Christmas tree.

Over the next eight weeks, visitors will be able to view original artworks for free in the Waterside Gallery at Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust’s visitor centre, the Portal.