A fun Northumberland Open draws a crowd to Woodhorn
Region's creativity on show
The appeal of an open exhibition – all-comers welcome, amateur or pro, no theme – was again evident at Woodhorn Museum on Thursday night as the preview evening drew a big crowd, eager to see what the region’s creative folk have been up to.
The downside of a preview: all those people to obscure the view and offer up multiple social distractions.
The upside: all those people to chat to, a glass of wine, of course, but also a first chance to buy and see the red dot of ownership stuck beside the submission of choice.
It didn’t take long for the year’s winning submission to the Northumberland Open to get its red dot, some discerning soul proving to be as quick off the mark as a greyhound out of the trap.
Sunderland photographer Andy Martin was doubly delighted, to have won a competition that seemed doomed to lie beyond his grasp and then to sell his winning image, The Circus and the Graveyard.
It’s a very distinctive view of Peterlee, a circus ‘big top’ peeking above the far wall of the graveyard of the title.
“I took it in 2024 but it almost didn’t happen,” he recalled.
“I saw the same scene in 2023 and tried a few times to photograph it but the conditions weren’t right and I gave up.
“In 2024 I was back by accident and there was the circus again, in the same position next to the graveyard. Everything aligned that night.”
Andy shot on film rather than with a digital camera and relied largely on available light, although applied a touch of red to the gravestones to bring out the detail.
“That was probably taken at about 11pm in June 2024 but I must have shot off three or four rolls of film during the hours before and after. That was the moment it all came right.”
He could, of course, have entered the photograph last year – except last year he was up to his eyes preparing for the fabulous Coal Face exhibition in which his portraits of retired miners, done using the Victorian tintype photographic technique, accompanied text by award-winning writer Dr Louise Powell.
A touching tribute to men who worked underground, it proved a popular attraction at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens.
But finally Andy had time to enter the Northumberland Open and it was just as well he did because he impressed the selectors, artist Narbi Price, Liz Ritson of North East Museums (which runs Woodhorn) and Wendy Scott, culture lead at Northumberland County Council.
It was, Andy said, “an honour and a privilege to win”.
Explaining the judges’ choice, Narbi Price said: “Andy Martin’s winning photograph has a brilliant combination of factors.
“Not only is it excellently executed technically and formally, but the intense colours and harmonious composition draw us into the coal-black humour of the jarring juxtaposition.”
This year’s Northumberland Open features 568 artworks by 280 artists, so allow yourself a fair bit of time to look round.
There are submissions in a variety of media, including ceramics, textiles, oil paints and various sculptural materials. All tell of a region bursting with creativity, as Wendy Scott pointed out.
The Northumberland Open, she said, “demonstrates the enormous creative talent we have here in the county.
“Exhibitions like this provide an accessible opportunity for artists at all stages of their careers to exhibit side by side and on an equal footing.
“It also allows local people to be able to support local artists by purchasing their original artworks”
Submissions by four artists were highly commended.
They were A Seat Left Warm by Annie Kennerley, Scarred Earth by Clare Money, a photograph from his Up the Dancers series by Joseph Wilson and This Green and Pleasant Land by Katherine Rousselange.
One more prize is still to be decided.
Visitors can vote for their favourite piece winner of the People’s Choice Award to be announced at the close of the exhibition.
The Northumberland Open, which really is one of the fun events of the North East cultural year, opens to the public on Saturday, February 14 and runs until Sunday, May 10.
For more information go to the Woodhorn website.