Black Swan Arts Gallery, Frome

Well, the Tuesday of half term brought down heavy rain - we decided to stay indoors reading books, doing crosswords, playing Monopoly and generally just having a restful time listening to the rain splashing on the windows whilst we were all snug inside.

On Wednesday we headed for Frome to go and see the "SMILE" exhibition at the Black Swan Arts Gallery there. Although I didn't have access to a computer I had our old laptop with me which is pathetically slow but was able to  look at a few blogs before my patience ran out and I abandoned the laptop completely. I managed to see the Hen House blog and decided that as it was only about an hours travel to Frome we would make a day of it!

I liked the charity box above (not part of the exhibition) where you drop a coin into the birds' mouth and it comes out of his bottom with the words "pass it on"!

All the exhibitors were British and some of the work was simply stunning. The above is from Abbott and Ellwood and is called "Lost Parents". There they are waiting in the tent for someone to pick them up! Don't they look a bit sheepish about getting lost!

These two look as if they are set for an adventure.

Really impressive was the work of the ceramic artist Craig Mitchell. This work was a vase - very creative indeed!

The delightful papier mache designs of the ever so talented Julie Arkell. I had not heard of Julie Arkell until  I started looking at people's blogs on the net. She is quite a popular lady out there in blogland. Seeing her creations close by you can understand why.

This little welsh lamb - just wonderfully whimsical. It was sold - being Welsh if it hadn't been I would have been sorely tempted.

A few more of this talented lady's works for you to feast your eyes on.

Makes you want to head for that old newspaper, make some glue and get cracking.

One of the best of her works was Stanley and these two delightful lady rabbits. It looks as if some quarrel has been going on - one rabbits apron is embroidered with the words "It's all because of Stanley" and the other with the words "Missing Stanley." Clearly Stanley had been up to some mischief, which led to him being ostracised!

Our Daughter near the wonderful driftwood work of Robert Race.

The recycled metal and fabric work of Lucy Casson.

After some lunch at the Gallery we looked around the shop - I purchased a book about Julie Arkell and Craig Mitchell to discover some more about these hugely talented individuals.

We then walked around the town - window shopping. There were some lovely shops selling vintage stuff.

Later in the week we went for another walk in the Devon countryside and on Saturday we made our way to Forde Abbey to view the lawn which was carpeted with crocuses - FANTASTIC!

I will show you more next time.

Until then.

June.