July marks a special 20th anniversary for Sladers Yard Gallery and Cafe in West Bay. The Gallery opened in 2006 with an exhibition of Alex Lowery’s paintings. The warehouse had been converted by furniture maker Petter Southall into an art gallery and showroom for his furniture. Petter’s sensitive conversion provides a stunning backdrop, with his furniture enhancing every exhibition. Combining boat-building with fine cabinetmaking, he creates practical, original pieces from ethically sourced solid timber, built to age beautifully.
Artists who came to that first show included David Inshaw, whose spectacular paintings of West Bay made an extraordinary solo show in 2007. Both David and Alex Lowery have continued to work with the gallery ever since, and both have solo shows this year. In 2014, Philip Sutton RA moved to Bridport and held his first Sladers Yard solo show that year. His sixth solo show at Sladers Yard will be in 2027, when he will be 98.
The acoustics of the timber and stone interior are exceptional, and live music performances with dinner have been a highlight. The jazz quartet, including the legendary Alan Barnes, David Newton and Ian Smith, has played at Sladers more than any other and returns on Saturday the 18th of July for another memorable evening. A celebratory exhibition bringing together work from many of the artists who have exhibited there over the last twenty years opens on the 11th of July.
For more information, visit: https://sladersyard.co.uk.
