‘Darkness visible’ is an exhibition of charcoal and pastel images by Kevin Parker, drawing upon his interest in the flora and landscapes of the English-Scottish border region. The work is borne out of his close relationship with its woodlands and forests and the charcoal residue produced from their wood. The drawings, or ‘inter-views’, translate between what he sees and the invention of images in response to the medium of charcoal and the subjects he deals with.

According to the Nordic and Germanic scholar Francis Gentry crossing the ‘Dark Forest’ signified ‘penetrating the barriers between one world and another’ in Norse tradition. The focus of his work is concerned with traversing borders. The ‘location’ of these borders is sited between the artistic and geographic. Kevin thinks of geographic more in terms of how the poet Seamus Heaney put it in his introduction to Beowulf; something ‘emotional and imaginative', and less a 'clear map-sense of the world.' In ‘Darkness visible’ Kevin attempts to explore the vagaries of borders.

Body Attitudes - September 21st - October 21st 2019 

 Preview evening - September 20th 6pm - 8pm

Walter Matthews has been an embedded artist with Grand Gestures Dance Company for eight years.

His work captures the quality of dancers improvising, composing and connecting with each other.

“I am not concentrating on any kind of accuracy or realism in this work but rather the feeling of moving together. Oils are my favourite medium, particularly thick impasto's on textured surfaces. My Influences and style are mainly in forms of Expressionism. I have  exhibited at The Baltic  Arch16 Café Gateshead and Shieldfield Art Works Newcastle. This is my first solo show. “ - Walter Matthews 2019

'Earthworks' is an exhibition of analogue photography and printmaking by Amber Brown, celebrating the Northumbrian allotment and its cultural landscape. Through a marriage of techniques such as large and medium format analogue photography, combined with zinc etching, Amber aims to create links between the physical, laborious, rewarding processes of art and gardening. Since August 2018, Amber has been working with multiple local spaces such as Amble West Avenue allotment, Percy Drive allotment and Tommys Field in Morpeth - this is a project that so far has been ethnographic and will hopefully continue, collaborating with more people to raise awareness and praise our local green spaces as the seasons change.

'Earthworks' has also been supported by Grow Wild after being awarded a Youth Project Award, in association with the National Lottery Community Fund and the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew. The project was shortlisted in the top 10 finalists at Belgrade Photo Month 2019, and shortlisted in the Astaire Art Prize 2019.

The exhibition will then be open every Wednesday from 3:30-5pm until July 17th. Viewings at other times by arrangement, subject to the schedule of Dry Water.