A DALE artist has organised her first solo exhibition for more than 30 years and hopes her “vibrant and colourful” work will be a hit when it goes on show.
Angie Townsend, from Barningham, will be a familiar name to many in Teesdale and especially to Mercury readers of old.
Ms Townsend, who has had a long and varied creative career from teaching art to designing textiles, was the Mercury’s gardening correspondent nearly two decades ago when she was busy designing and creating innovative and tranquil plots.
After a break of more than three decades she is hosting a solo exhibition of her work titled Meet the Artist, at Barningham Village Hall, on Sunday, September 8, from 11am until 4pm.
She said: “I’m inspired by the stunning landscapes of the area and especially upper Teesdale.
“I’m drawn by the rise and fall of the land, the movement of the sun and shadow and I portray this in my own little way with vibrant colour, the bolder the better.”
The show is a culmination of a year’s work, during which she has moved from pencil drawings to mixed media artwork.
She added: “Back in the 70s and 80s I used to work mainly work with pencil, but I found it easier to paint when I started getting back into it. I used a mixture of acrylic paint, watercolours and inks, depending upon the look I am trying to achieve.”
It is the first solo exhibition Ms Townsend has embarked on for 36 years. Two years ago she joined Teesdale ArtNet to gain back confidence from such a long absence.
Since then she has contributed work to several collaborative exhibitions at The Station, in Richmond, and in Masham. However, she is still nervous after such a long break.
There will be about 30 paintings on display during the day and Ms Townsend said she will be working on more paintings in situ in the hall.
She said: “It’s nice to do this in the village hall and if it goes well it could lead to more shows at other village halls through the dale.”
