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“Landscape is what we make of it”.

We absorb the landscape through its sights, its sounds and our senses. We observe its present and glimpse its past. But we construct it from the thoughts and emotions we bring.

The Humber Estuary is rich with places to go to: to think, to draw, to remember. The broadening skies, the relentless shifting and eroding tides, the industry of ships, of docks, of power generation, all watched by vibrant wildlife.

But this is just a start. All is riddled with marks and memories of its past: the concrete gun emplacements falling into the sea; forts rusting in the estuary, the memorabilia of a whaling industry. Then there is personal history: my mother, born and raised in Cleethorpes, catching the ferry to Hull; and great uncle, Captain Ernest Fall, with a naval history going back to the Battle of Jutland.

This makes me think how places change in mood and spirit as times change and eras pass. Beauty becomes threat. Turmoil becomes tranquillity. The stillness and cries of curlew are interrupted by bombing raids. The North Sea winds turn to drive an offshore army. The rhythmic tide becomes a tidal surge.

All this becomes a reason to search for the landscape of the Humber Estuary.

But there is something else. I saw the sun setting over the Estuary. It turned the landscape into an inferno. I thought of other histories being acted out on the horizon: the sacking of Troy, the destruction of Palmyra. I don’t know why, I just did.

Stephen Todd

2019

Re-Tellings is a solo exhibition by Grimsby-based artist Sue Stone whose work is inspired by people, place and time. Hand embroidery plays a big part in Sue’s work sometimes mixed with machine stitch and/or paint and there are also some digital prints and new iPad drawings.

The pieces in this exhibition are part of an ongoing series of narratives inspired by memories; both the artist’s own and those of others. Members of the public were invited to take part by sharing memories of themselves and their relationships in the form of anecdotes, and images and Sue has now collected stories from all over the world.

The common link in this particular selection of work is that of family and friendship. Many of the stories focus on relationships between family members; the bonds between siblings and cousins, mothers and daughters, grandparents and grandchildren. But there are also tales of imagined journeys and that illusive dream of a Desert Island.

Then there’s the epic chronicle of the artist’s own life story told in a series of self-portraits one for each year of the artist’s life so far. 3 new self-portraits bring the installation up to date.

Sue Stone is an exhibiting member and former Chair (2013 – 2018) of the internationally renowned 62 Group of Textile Artists and a Fellow of the Uk Society of Designer Craftsmen. Since 2006 her work has been exhibited widely throughout the UK and Europe, and in Japan, Pakistan and the USA.

Throughout the summer in the Box Gallery we are showcasing work from makers who are influenced by the sea.

Featuring in Coastal are ceramics by Tregear Pottery from the Isle of Wight, Rebecca Harvey from St Ives, Pru Green from Essex and Dianne Cross from Yorkshire. A new collection of work by Tony Bellars of King’s Lynn brings a bright splash of colour, looking at his fishing boats and gulls you can almost smell the salt air and hear the unmistakable cry of the gull.

This month in the Box Gallery we are celebrating everything nautical with a range of makers from around the UK. Their pieces aim to represent the fun of the ocean and the curious creatures that live within it.

We have a range of ceramics and prints to transport you back to the seaside or give you gift inspiration for that perfect someone who is never far from the beach. So why not come and visit the Craft Gallery today and start your holiday early with a piece from our exhibition, transforming your home into your very own seaside escape.

Here are just a few of the pieces we have on offer in the exhibition.

You are probably wondering why we have a boat within the Box Gallery exhibition!

Not only does it match this month’s nautical theme in the gallery it also promotes Barton’s Heritage Open Days and the free tours taking place from September 14 to September 22 in the neighbouring Barton Haven Shipyard.

Don’t forget to book your free ticket today along with many more events on offer at The Ropewalk.

Selected by Rob Moore and Melvyn Petterson, this biennial exhibition aims to show the best of our region’s printmakers.

Situated on the rugged south coast of the Isle of Wight, Tregear Pottery produces a beautiful range of handmade stoneware pottery. Each piece is made from fine white stoneware clay. The work is hand decorated in a variety of designs – all drawing their inspiration and influences from the exceptional beauty of the surrounding landscapes.

Trained in Kyoto, Japan, in porcelain throwing, Neil’s passion for pottery has seen his work travel across the globe. He continually pushes and challenges the work at Tregear Pottery, refining glazes, developing new designs and expanding the studio. Neil has been awarded with a number of grants, international show selections, and other accolades for the quality of his work. The work is sold in several galleries and shops on the Isle of Wight as well as many well-known outlets across the mainland and now at The Ropewalk. Come in to the Craft Gallery during the month of June and admire the coastal bliss that Neil Tregear’s pottery creates.