Margaret Rhodes, Peter Veitch and Suzanne Williams all graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from the University of Sunderland in 2014. They have been active in the arts over many years and share a passion for drawing inspiration from local sources but each adopts their own distinctive approach to their work.
The artwork on display forms part of the ‘To Bewick and Back – From Cherryburn into History’ project, developed by the University of Sunderland’s WALK research group, which celebrates the life and work of the noted naturalist and engraver Thomas Bewick. His book “History of Birds” is of local interest in Teesdale as he visited Wycliffe in 1791 to use Marmaduke Tunstall’s ornithological collection as reference material.
Source material for the original project and now for this “Bewick Sidewalk” exhibition was gathered through a number of public walks following routes along the river Tyne which would have been familiar to Thomas Bewick. The works provide highly individual responses to the Bewick archive, the ecology and landscape of the Tyne valley and discussions with fellow walkers.
