Bittersweet Daze - Opening Event Friday 8th November 6.00pm - 7.15pm

Kitty L M McKay -originally from Leicestershire, is a North-East based artist

currently working in the intersection between painting and sculpture.

Mckay takes monochromatic memories of leisure and transforms them into bold

nostalgic works.

Using plasticine, McKay conveys the playfulness of forgotten leisure and attempts to physically reconstruct memories as the mind would.She uses archival material, collective memories, and personal archives as reference.

Her works are bright, textured and colourful, bringing a feeling of melancholic joy for

times gone. She is particularly drawn to lost ‘Third Spaces’ places where communities

came together away from domestic and working settings. These spaces are

becoming less and less accessible to the British public

In this series Mckay explores the duality of loss and hope found in lost lidos dotted

around the U.K. From Tynemouth’s old coastal pool, to a Welsh Village’s lido these sites

were once widespread across the U.K. then slowly fell out of favour. Despite their

atmosphere of decay, there is a poetic nature to their lost grandeur and the ghosts of

recreation that haunt them.

BENEATH SHADOWED WOODS - Opening Event Friday 6th September 6pm - 7.15 pm

“The hope that the seasons offer … Even in a seemingly dormant state, changes are happening underneath, and in a while, everything will come to life again” A note from my sketchbook - January 2021

The inspiration for Beneath Shadowed Woods began during 2020 - a time few of us will forget. I moved to a new house in a small village with an ancient woodland, where I would walk almost daily. I would then return home and paint in sketchbooks at my dining table in the weeks and months before I could return to my studio. I would spend hours just painting layers and layers, trying to capture the feeling and atmosphere of the woodland and something of the experience of that time. Then came Storm Arwen later in 2021 and the devastation of the woodland and forests in Northumberland and beyond. The impact on our landscape was clear for all to see. Like many others, the tiny scrap of woodland in my village changed dramatically. 

Though these paintings feel dark, to me, they reflect the beautiful, earthy, mysterious atmosphere of the woodland and undergrowth. Trees allow us to feel as rooted and grounded as they are—a chance to pause, observe, and connect with nature and ourselves.

Opening Event Friday 28th June between 6pm and 7.30pm.

Art Rack Preview and celebration event Friday 28th June   6 pm - 7.30 pm

ArtRack 24 celebrates the creative community who meet each week at Dry Water Arts 

The philosophy behind ArtRack  is  to facilitate and diversify cultural encounters in Amble;  giving space, place and recognition to the skills and talents of our community

There will be  a wide array of works from across age ranges and works created by people living with dementia/cognitive impairment and those who identify as neurodiverse

There will be free drinks and nibbles  AND excitingly a prize draw to  win a workshop of your choice.

There are two ways to enter:

1.Let us know you are coming by commenting on our Facebook post

2.Come along and add your name to the draw on the night

Please note you will need to be present at the draw for your entry to be valid.  Names will be put into an “artistic beret” to  be drawn at 7pm on the night. 

 Julia Aston of Amble Development Trust will be delving into the Artistic beret to find out who the lucky winner is   

Exhibition open - Wednesdays 11am - 2pm (other times by arrangement - we are a vibrant working creative space - please contact to arrange)

Opening Event : Friday 7th June 6pm- 7.30pm

Tell It How It is - An exhibition that pays homage to the lived experience of carers in the UK

This exhibition aims to capture your attention by utilising the well known form of positive affirmation signs that have become so much part of mainstream culture. Things like  Love Life Laughter or  Living my best life.

 We asked carers to subvert  this aspirational lifestyle form to inform people of  what life is really like if you are a carer.

Successive governments have promised and then failed to address the crisis in care. Everyone knows the system is broken and scarily anyone of us and yes that includes you could become a carer.

It involves giving up freedoms you took for granted and more often than not huge amounts of stress emotionally and financially

Art is not just about painting and beauty, at its best art can inform educate  and motivate us into action

We urge you to come to the “ Tell it as it is “ exhibition and to see and feel what it is like to be a carer

During Careres week the Dry Water team are offering FREE workshops for registered carers - check out the pop up event page for information.

Igor Tavares - Phases Within The Cycle

Opening Event : Friday May 10th 6pm - 7.30pm

Exhibition open - Wednesdays 10am - 2pm (other times by arrangement - we are a vibrant working creative space - please contact to arrange)

Igor Tavares is a multidisciplinary artist who graduated with a BA in Illustration at Newcastle College University Centre. He works across various art forms, including dance, performance, poetry, photography, and film. The purpose of his work is to incite change, both personally and spiritually, in the audience. Tavares uses abstraction to explore dimensions beyond the figurative, which opens up and expresses thoughts and lived experiences.

Igor continues to push his boundaries, exploring his Portuguese, African heritage, and spirituality through drawing, painting, and performance.

Opening Event: 8th March 6pm to 7.30pm 

Exhibition open - Wednesdays 11am - 3pm (other times by arrangement - we are a vibrant working creative space - please contact to arrange)

A Conversation With Sarah Bradford 22nd  March 6.30 - 7.30pm

An opportunity to hear more about Sarah’s work and ask questions in a relaxed and informal atmosphere gently facilitated by Paula and Frances - Refreshments are available.

Opening Event - 9th February 6pm - 7.30 pm 

Exhibition open - Wednesdays 11am - 3pm (other times by arrangement - we are a vibrant working creative space - please contact to arrange)

A textile exhibition by Northumberland Artist Britney Fraser

Opening Event - 12th January 6pm - 8pm - Everyone Welcome 

Britney’s practice is rooted in her family’s mining heritage as well as working class culture; more specifically, the trade industry. She highlights  untold, overlooked and undervalued labour within society by transforming materials associated with manual labour. Community Services  brings together two bodies of work In Conversation & In The Shadows exploring the visibility of Northumberland’s working voices.