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8 Visual Arts January and February 2026 HOPE BOURNE: ‘A LIFE OUTSIDE’ Until 10 January Somerset Rural Life Museum, Chilkwell Street, GLASTONBURY, BA6 8DB. Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm. £10 / £8 / £4.75. 01458 831197 / srlm.org.uk . See page 7. ‘RADIANCE’ Until 10 January Sladers Yard, WEST BAY, Bridport, DT6 4EL. Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 4.30pm. 01308 459511 / sladersyard.co.uk. “Paintings and prints by Louise Balaam Martyn Brewster, Vanessa Gardiner, Howard Phipps, and Alfred Stockham, furniture and works in wood by Petter Southall., and ceramics by Lise Herud Braten, Emily Myers, Derek Matthews, Barbara Gittings, Björk Haraldsdóttir, Gabriele Koch, Yo Thom, Sue Ure and more...” JO LATHWOOD: ‘DOWN THE HATCH’ Until 11 January Galleries 1 and 2, East Quay, Harbour Road, WATCHET, TA23 0AQ. 10am - 5pm. 01984 263103 / eastquaywatchet.co.uk. JOHN L. HARRIS: ‘WHERE DRAWING TAKES ME ‘ Until 17 January The Pound Arts Centre, Pound Pill, CORSHAM, SN13 9HX. Monday - Friday 9am - 9.30pm, Saturday 9am - 4pm. 01249 701628 / poundarts.org.uk . ‘UN/COMMON PEOPLE: FOLK CULTURE IN WESSEX’ Until 18 January Poole Museum, 4 High Street, POOLE, BH15 1BW. 10am - 5pm. poolemuseum.org.uk . “This major touring exhibition celebrates the rich traditions, seasonal customs, and everyday creativity of Wessex, past and present. Expect over 100 fascinating objects, immersive fi lms, and a beautifully illustrated folk song and story map - all capturing the spirit of Wessex through the seasons.” Journey: Two Artists, One Studio “Four years ago, two acclaimed artists embarked on a project which would change the way each of them worked. Successful portrait painter Binny Mathews had the idea of painting another artist at work, observing their most private creative moments and recreating the atmosphere of absolute concentration within the studio. She approached her friend the sculptor Clare Trenchard who agreed for one month on condition there would be no talking and no lunching (they are both tremendous talkers and lunchers.) The arrangement continued for four transformational years. Sculptor Clare Trenchard – whose spirited sculpture in bronze captures the essence of animals and wild hare-humans – gradually began to explore making human fi gures in ceramic inspired by Moroccan travellers and nomadic people in harsh landscapes. The electrifying Representatives are taller than life-size with fl apping robes, headdresses and unde fi ned faraway faces. In maquette they are also a delight whether gathering in groups or single. Clare’s drawings revel in the distinctive humorous, decorative qualities of travellers on donkey, old women gossiping in the marketplace, fi gures in the dust and wind. While other drawings de fi ne the thrilling fi gures she has developed as sculpture.” 17 January - 7 March: Sladers Yard Gallery, West Bay Road, WEST BAY, Bridport, DT6 4EL. Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm. 01308 459511 / sladersyard.co.uk . BINNY MATHEWS ‘ORANGE RHYTHM’ (Oil on canvas, 61 x 91cm, 2025) *EVOLVER_147_SB.qxp_Evolver_2025 16/12/2025 20:48 Page 8