Leigh Artists

December 4, 2014 by Joanna Harrison

Leigh's vibrant, contemporary arts scene is at the heart of the town's character.

Painters, potters, sculptors and photographers continue to be drawn to Leigh, feeding off its creative atmosphere, drawing inspiration from the estuary environment and enjoying the encouragement of a community who value their work.

For a week in June each year, the Leigh Art Trail brings all these elements together, showcasing local talent in the town's shops, cafés and galleries, as well as putting on workshops for children and running competitions in schools to develop the next generation of artists.

The fantastic Art Trail Auction, hosted by Mark Stacey and giving bidders the chance to grab a pre-Christmas bargain, has become a key date in Leigh’s social calendar. The event moved to a new home for 2014 at Leigh Road Baptist Church.

Leigh’s arts scene is kept buzzing for the rest of the year by a core of professionals with premises dotted about the town.

Internationally renowned potter and Art Trail co-founder Richard Baxter works out of studios in Old Leigh, giving people the opportunity to buy his ceramic pieces, as he puts it, “straight from the kiln”.

Richard shares the space with wife Kate, a sculptor and mixed-media artist, and another Leigh favourite Sheila Appleton, whose expressive paintings and drawings, not to mention witty conversation, have been delighting visitors for years.

Landscape painter Howard Robinson opened Gallery 3 on Leigham Court Drive in 1996 after gaining scores of new admirers during the Leigh Art Trail. “I was blown away by that first experience of putting my soul on the wall,” explains Howard, whose work is inspired by a passion for nature.

The ever-changing estuary environment also stirs the imagination of mixed-media artist Emma Bell, whose glorious gilded seascapes can be found at Faux Gallery (70 The Broadway).

Two doors down at No 66, photographer Mark Taylor captures the daily dramas in Old Leigh like nobody else. Mark’s work enjoyed such a great response on the 2013 Art Trail that BelleRose Flower Boutique have displayed and sold his pictures ever since. A full range can be found at leighonseaphotography.co.uk

Finally, the Estuary Gallery Co-operative (2 Belton Corner) is open on Saturdays and offers a chance to see the diverse work of seven professional artists under one roof. Adrian Lane, Ian James, Josephine James, Terry Sibson, Jonathan Trim, Susan Allen and John Harwood display a terrific range of pieces in oil, acrylic, watercolour, egg tempera and photography.