Northumberland Holiday Guide 2009
The Art of the
MATTER
What is it about Northumberland that inspires such a diverse range of artists?
mary ann rogers, the art tour
Visitors to the county will notice what a varied landscape vivacious? Far from it. Northumberland has always had a
it is. From deserted beaches to vast forests, this part of
reputation for its creative streak, and in the past decade art
the world was named by David Bellamy as ‘Britain’s last
has really come to the fore. Old farm buildings have been
wilderness’. Yet the remnants of Hadrian’s Wall, which
redeveloped and turned into rural galleries, as at the Blagdon
plough their way through the heart of the county, bear the
Gallery in Seaton Burn and at Fifiefofum, the studio of
hallmarks of early civilisation. Furthermore, visit any number
international artist Sue Moffitt and a large gallery showcasing
of our delightful market towns, and you will find civilisation
the work of many of the north’s best artists.
is alive and well in Northumberland, and often served with a
It is not just disused barns brought to life: the fantastic English
cappuccino.
Heritage property Belsay Hall has long intrigued visitors as the
magnificent exterior of the building is revealed as simply a shell
Whatever it is that attracts artists to the area, there is no
once inside. Such was the inspiration for curator Judith King,
denying their impact. Whether you are walking in the woods,
who now works with English Heritage and the Arts Council
relaxing by the sea, or enjoying village shopping, there is public
to bring some of art and design’s most famous names to
art at every turn. For a largely rural area, you may be surprised
Belsay. In 2004, the FAB exhibition encouraged internationally-
by how much art seeps into every day life and how much it
recognised fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen
enriches local communities.
and Stella McCartney to step out of their comfort zones and
create pieces of fine art. McCartney’s ‘Lucky Spot’, a horse
Of course, from anywhere in Northumberland you are not far
made from a dazzling 7,000 suspended Swarovski crystals,
from the bustling arts scene of NewcastleGateshead, where
was widely acclaimed by the world’s press and may return for
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and The Laing Art
another visit in 2009.
Gallery are two of the leading public galleries, but perhaps
more exciting is the sheer number of spectacular galleries Just as art has breathed life into archaic stately homes
Northumberland offers – often in the most unlikely of places. and redundant farms, it has also been used as a symbol
Northumberland may not have the vast network of galleries of regeneration. At Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, the UK’s first
you’d find in a metropolis, but does this make it any less permanent offshore sculpture, Couple, by Sean Henry, not
56 www.visitnorthumberland.com
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