A couple of days ago I was lucky enough to view the inspiring new exhibition by Swindon Museum & Art Gallery which uses Creative Wiltshire and items collected as part of the project as its theme.

‘Creative Wiltshire: Celebrating modern art and design from Swindon and Wiltshire’ brings together drawings, ceramics and sculpture from modern artists with links to the county. It aims to celebrate the beauty of the Wiltshire landscape, the vibrancy of Swindon’s urban life and the skills connected to the county.

True to its word, the exhibition instils in the visitor a sense of the beauty in the landscape through the beauty of the pieces and their craftsmanship. I was excited by the mix of art forms, their setting cleverly designed to complement the variety of items on show.

The exhibition features new acquisitions by Ken White, David Rolt and Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie alongside work by Howard Hodgkin, Sasha Wardell, Paul Ruddall and Desmond Morris.

It is a delight to see such a variety of the creativity of Wiltshire brought together for the first time; a refreshing and unmissable combination.

Admission is free of charge and the exhibition runs from 11 April to 1 July, opening hours Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.

Julie Davis

Creative Wiltshire Project