AN exciting major new exhibition celebrating the diversity and excellence of six artists who live in or near Bude opened at The Castle, Bude on Saturday, April 1.

The exhibition is the brainchild of artist Irene Jones, who reached the gradual realisation that although she had previously exhibited at The Castle, a group of her friends and fellow artists, who are successful and acclaimed in the wider art world, had not exhibited in their local town.

In 2015 she organised her first collaborative exhibition and after contacting The Castle’s wedding, galleries and events co-ordinator, Nicky Vanderstelt, Irene is delighted to bring an amazing second collaboration of five painters and a sculptor of driftwood to a local audience.

Irene said: “Until The Castle opened its two galleries in 2007, there was really nowhere in Bude for local artists to exhibit. The Castle is a building very close to my heart, it has a thriving exhibition programme and I’m so pleased to be able to contribute to that.”

Each contributing artist has their own style and all are very well known outside the local area.

Prize winning artist Kevin Hughes was elected in 2000 to the Royal Institute of Painters of Watercolour, his main medium, although he works occasionally in pastels and oils.

He has exhibited in a number of prestigious galleries in both London and New York.

Ric Hyde works mainly in oils and acrylic and has paintings in private collections around the world.

John Bilsland has made his career as an exhibition designer and has exhibited at the John Moores, Liverpool, the Folio Society in London as well as being a part of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition for many years.

Exciting young artist, Jay Jones, uses inks, layers of paint and varnish to gradually obscure her original sources and recombines them to make new compositions. She is a full time art teacher.

Lynn Muir works in recycled wood, mainly driftwood collected from local beaches. Her work is difficult to categorise, but her free-standing painted figures are three dimensional illustrations.

A collaboration with Irene Jones, ‘Not of Our Time II’, takes place in the Willoughby Gallery and Blanchminster Room at The Castle, Bude from Saturday, April 1, until Thursday, April 27. The Castle is open daily from 10am to 5pm and entry is free.