Sculpture

Gatepost has news about the artists and makers C&C showcase online and in our exhibitions. To receive notification of C&C's exhibitions subscribe to the newsletter using the sign up form by clicking here.
  • Open Studio at The Crypt

    Rosie Phillips meets with visitors to discuss her paintings
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Students from Writer's Bloc creative writing group Norwich School
    Students from Writer's Bloc creative writing group Norwich School
    Rosie Phillips began her residency at Norwich School on January 10th. She has welcomed pupils, teachers, school staff, caretakers to the studio and during this last week from February (5th to the 7th), Rosie has welcomed forty visitors, from the school's student groups like a creative writing class (Writer's Bloc), to visiting Norwich-based artists and collectors at a series of open days. She has talked about her work, what inspires her, how she selects her sitters, her interest in their background stories, and she has answered their questions to the best of her ability.
  • EASTinternational: Unpacking the Archive | East Gallery

    Discourse about an exhibition series and its legacy
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Photography: courtesy of East International Archive (Artist Gustav Metzger and Professor Lynda Morris)
    Photography: courtesy of East International Archive (Artist Gustav Metzger and Professor Lynda Morris)
    Paul and I attended a discussion event on Saturday 9 December, held at East Gallery, Norwich. It was a discourse about the legacy and archive of EASTinternational, a series of annual contemporary art exhibitions held throughout Norwich Art School during the summer recess. These were large, multi-generation exhibitions, that took place over nearly two decades and produced much of the documentation and art related ephemera, which has formed the basis of the current exhibition:

     

    EASTinternational: Unpacking the Archive
     

    2 December 2023 – 3 February 2024 | East Gallery

    Exhibition curated by Candice Allison with Charlie Denning

    Discourse curated by writer and critic Jonathan P. Watts

     

    EASTinternational: Unpacking the Archive is the first in a series of exhibitions and research events aimed at reflecting on the legacies, networks, and impact of the EASTinternational exhibitions. The exhibition presents the archive as a living site of knowledge production.
  • The Gallery at Butley Mills Studios, Suffolk

    The Wanderer – group exhibition inspired by the Anglo-Saxon elegy
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    The Gallery at Butley Mills Studios, Suffolk
    On the first frosty day this autumn we visited The Wanderer, a group exhibition inspired by the Anglo-Saxon elegy of the same name at The Gallery, @butleymillsstudios, before it closes on the 6th December.
  • Gallery visit: Laurence Edwards

    Recumbence - Norwich School, Cathedral Close, The Crypt Gallery
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Gallery visit: Laurence Edwards
    Recumbence is a solo exhibition of sculpture by Suffolk based sculptor Laurence Edwards, centred upon his studies for a single male  figure, in bronze, laying horizontally, his head slightly raised, hanging to one side, as if examining his own predicament. Because of the subject and its context in a crypt, within the Cathedral Close of Norwich Cathedral, we read the figure as Christ, laid out flat, entombed, lifeless. A powerful subject.
  • Ceramic forms imbued with a true sense of place

    Marsh Mud Glazed Vessels by Ella Porter
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Ceramic forms imbued with a true sense of place
    Drawing upon the unique landscape of Stiffkey Salt Marshes; this collection of works reflect on a sense of this special place through memories of coastal walks and observations of the landscape shifting and changing through seasons.
  • Sean Scully: Smaller Than The Sky

    Exhibition of Sculpture and Painting at Houghton Hall, Norfolk
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Crate of Air 2018 by Sean Scully, detail view
    Crate of Air 2018 by Sean Scully, detail view
    Sean Scully's solo exhibition of sculpture and painting Smaller Than The Sky is dispersed throughout the house and grounds of Houghton Hall, from 23 Apil to 29 October. It is the latest in Houghton Hall's series of world-class exhibitions by international contemporary sculptors.
  • Off the blocks with East to East

    Art and Craft with an Asian Influence
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Off the blocks with East to East
    And we're off...
    We have begun installation in the Stables at Houghton Hall. Here are a few glimpses of the inspiring new work included in the exhibition East to East, opening on Sunday 23 April.
  • Gallery Visit: Lucie Rie, Kettle's Yard, Cambridge

    The Adventure of Pottery: 4 March - 25 June, 2023
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Lucie Rie vase with leaf design
    Lucie Rie vase with leaf design
    We were in Cambridge last week and got to see the Lucie Rie exhibition at Kettle's Yard House and Gallery, Cambridge. The exhibition is free and if you are interested in mid-century ceramics, the assembled work is breathtaking. It opened 4 March, and runs until 25 June, 2023.
  • Spotlight: Nessie Stonebridge

    Capturing Raw Nature
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Nessie Stonebridge working in her studio
    Nessie Stonebridge working in her studio
    Nessie Stonebridge's paintings depict the explosive energy of rural Norfolk's avian splendor, where her studio is based. A flash of light, feathers, beaks; a vortex of vitality, blood, life and death!
  • Sean Scully Exhibition Coming Soon

    Opens 23 Apil – 29 October, 2023
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Crate of Air, 2018. ©Sean-Scully. Courtesy the artist and YSP (Yorkshire Sculpture Park). Photo © Jonty-Wilde
    Crate of Air, 2018. ©Sean-Scully. Courtesy the artist and YSP (Yorkshire Sculpture Park). Photo © Jonty-Wilde
    It is a rare moment for art audiences in the UK as internationally acclaimed artist Sean Scully opens a solo exhibition of his sculpture and paintings, displayed throughout the house and grounds of Houghton Hall, Norfolk. Scully has exhibited internationally, during a long career. Smaller Than The Sky will be one of the visual art events of the year in East Anglia.
  • Spotlight: Liz McGowan

    Absence: Norfolk Chalk Reef
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Absence: Norfolk Chalk Reef – No. 1, Liz McGowan
    Absence: Norfolk Chalk Reef – No. 1, Liz McGowan
    Liz McGowan is an artist who works with natural and found materials, creating responses to particular environments through installation, sculpture, drawing and conversation. She exhibits her work nationally and carries out creative interventions in the environment at locations throughout Norfolk.
  • Spotlight: Victoria Fenn

    New table top sculpture for 2023
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Crown III, 2023
    Crown III, 2023
    Victoria Fenn is a sculptor exploring memories and landscape motivated by her personal connection to the Cambridgeshire Fens, where she grew up on the family farm.
  • Gallery visit: BIG WOMEN

    Firstsite: 20+ women artists curated by Sarah Lucas
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Gallery visit: BIG WOMEN
    It is not without irony that the exhibition BIG WOMEN, including more than twenty leading women artists, is taking place at Firstsite, Colchester in the heart of Essex, the home of the misogynistic Essex joke.
  • Living the Dream

    Preparing for the year ahead with all its challenges and opportunities
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Living the Dream
    We have witnessed fantastic night skies like this recently - this one painted by Norfolk-based artist, Claire Cansick. Work like this reminds us of the natural beauty surrounding us but also represents the opportunity to lift our gaze to see beyond the everyday. Can we really live the dream?
  • Compendia Guide 2022/23

    C&C are in on the inside track guide to Norwich and Norfolk
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Compendia Guide 2022/23
    Compendia is a new, comprehensive guide to independent businesses and organisations,that make Norwich and Norfolk so unique and such a great location to live. It includes Contemporary and Country. The guide features the best places to find culture, art, eat, drink, go shopping, for sleep and healing in Norwich and Norfolk.
  • Makers' Mark

    Handmade objects crafted for the home
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Makers' Mark
    Our winter 2022-23 programme begins with a selection of handmade pieces made by makers that complement each other and have been designed specifically for a domestic setting. All items are  original works, by well-established makers and available for sale. Perfect timing for those looking for a one-of-kind Christmas gift.
  • Avant Gardeners Concludes

    End of season at Houghton Hall Stables
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Avant Gardeners Concludes
    As the Dahlias tip over into each other, drawn down with the weight of their heads, and we de-install Andrew Jones's wonderful kinetic sculptures in the walled garden, we are thankful to have reached the end of the summer season at Houghton Hall Stables.
  • Spotlight: James Gladwell

    Stitching a line, and then another
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Artist James Gladwell, visiting Avant Gardeners at Houghton Hall Stables
    Artist James Gladwell, visiting Avant Gardeners at Houghton Hall Stables
    'A line will take us hours maybe; Yet if it does not seem a moment's thought, our stitching and unstitching has been naught.'

    William Butler Yeats
  • Gallery Visit: Liz McGowan

    The spirit wraps around me: nature as a second skin, 12 June - 25 August
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Liz McGowan traversing the River Nar wearing one of her cloaks, detail of a photograph by Harry Cory Wright
    Liz McGowan traversing the River Nar wearing one of her cloaks, detail of a photograph by Harry Cory Wright
    Environmental artist Liz McGowan asks questions of us about how we may relate to our surroundings, in her current exhibition at Stapleford Granary, Cambridge.
  • Gallery Visit: Ernst Gamperl

    At Houghton Hall, Norfolk, until 25 September
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Ernst Gamperl installation in the Stone Hall Houghton Hall
    Ernst Gamperl installation in the Stone Hall Houghton Hall
    Four years ago the sculptor and master wood turner, Ernst Gamperl, took delivery of a gift from the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley. It was an oak tree, recently felled, thought to be one of the trees already present when the Houghton Hall Estate was first established three hundred years ago, in 1722 by Sir Robert Walpole.
  • Second week of River's Edge exhibition

    Showcasing artists and makers from East Anglia
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Second week of River's Edge exhibition
    This is week two of C&C's current exhibition River's Edge at BallroomArts, (Formerly known as The Peter Pears Gallery) - at 152A High Street Aldeburgh. Situated just back from the beach and off the main high street.
  • River's Edge: Shoreline Finds

    Sculpture by Jack Wheeler and Beth Groom
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Installation of sculpture by Jack Wheeler, River's Edge
    Installation of sculpture by Jack Wheeler, River's Edge
    Jack Wheeler and Beth Groom are sculptors who met at Norwich Art School (NUA) while they were still undergraduates. The pair have since carved out their separate careers. Jack as a Carpenter specialising in bespoke carpentry, hand-built timber buildings and Beth as an Art Therapist working in a care facility for people with learning difficulties, Along side these activities they work together as artists on their creative projects.
  • Exhibition opening for River's Edge

    C&C at BallroomArts, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Legend 13, Aldeburgh, by Ed Lee, River's Edge at BallroomArts, Suffolk
    Legend 13, Aldeburgh, by Ed Lee, River's Edge at BallroomArts, Suffolk
    A huge thank you to Ben of Fishers Gin and his team at @fishersgin and Claire and her team at Aldeburgh Outside Catering who made our private view @ballroomartsaldeburgh last night go so well, providing refreshing smoked gin cocktails and delicious canapés. Our River's Edge pop-up exhibition runs for the first two weeks of the Aldeburgh Festival @brittenpearsarts in Snape and throughout the Suffolk coast. The Courtyard Gallery at BallroomArts contains art and handmade items by artists and makers from across East Anglia, all have a connection to the East Anglian landscape.
  • River's Edge: Emily Mayer's Bird Sculptures

    A tribute to the life and work of Emily Mayer (November 1960 – April 2022)
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Eel Catcher (2004/7) 50.5 x 47 x 40 cm Steel, plastic, copper.
    Eel Catcher (2004/7) 50.5 x 47 x 40 cm Steel, plastic, copper.
    We had hoped to be presenting the sculptor and taxidermist Emily Mayer's beautifull bird sculptures in Suffolk, while she was in recovery from cancer. Sadly as the deadline for the exhibition approached we received the news that Emily's cancer had returned and just a few weeks later that she had died on 1st April 2022.
    We would like to thank the artist, John Locker, her husband for allowing us to show Emily's work in the exhibition and for access to her archive, to display a small selection of her beautiful bird sculptures.
  • River's Edge: Exhibition Launch

    Group exhibition at BallroomArts, Aldeburgh
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    River's Edge, Jack Wheeler's installation at BallroomArts
    River's Edge, Jack Wheeler's installation at BallroomArts
    C&C's latest pop-up exhibition at BallroomArts, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, is opening Tuesday 7 June at 10am, taking place in both gallery spaces. The Courtyard Gallery, at ground level contains a group exhibition comprising more than twenty artists who have a strong connection with the Suffolk coast and the landscape of East Anglia.The first floor ballroom houses bird sculptures by the late Emily Mayer, new sculpture by Jack Wheeler and Beth Groom.
  • Additions to the Houghton Hall Contemporary Art Collection

    New additions make a visit to Houghton even more memorable for 2022
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Tony Cragg installation at Houghton Hall 2021
    Tony Cragg installation at Houghton Hall 2021
    Making a day out rediscovering the wonders of the main house after being closed for two years due to COVID restrictions gives visitors an opportunity to fall in love with the art inside the house and outside in the gardens and parkland again.

  • River's Edge exhibition in Aldeburgh, Suffolk

    BallroomArts 7 to 19 June 2022
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    River's Edge exhibition in Aldeburgh, Suffolk
    Coinciding with the first two weeks of Aldeburgh Festival this year, is an exhibition of new paintings by Kate Giles, with sculpture by Jack Wheeler, Beth Groom and the late Emily Mayer. They are joined by artists and makers who have a strong connection to East Anglia and its coastal landscape.
     
    BallroomArts; The Ballroom / Courtyard Gallery, Aldeburgh, Suffolk: 7 to 19 June 2022

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    The Granary Gallery: C&C's pop-up in Norwich
    We are looking forward to welcoming you to C&C's Open Weekend of our pop-up event on the second floor Granary Gallery, The Granary, Bedford Street, Norwich this weekend, from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 April (10.30am to 4.30pm). The artists and makers in our spring installation "It's All Happening Here" have been selected for a capsule collection:
  • The Granary Gallery, Norwich / C&C – Spring 2022

    Norwich's newest pop-up art space opens April 1
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    The Granary Gallery, Norwich / C&C – Spring 2022
    We are delighted to be establishing a new space for showing art and the handmade at The Granary Gallery, Bedford Street, Norwich on 1 April.  The new pop-up art gallery has been established in partnership with Jarrold, Norwich's flagship department store.

  • Studio visit: Carolyn Brookes-Davies

    Exploring sculptural potential of the natural and the handmade
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Studio visit: Carolyn Brookes-Davies
    We visited Carolyn Brookes-Davies recently in her studio in North Norfolk. Carolyn combines recycled paper, seashell, wood and metal to explore and create sculptural constructions of manipulated natural forms, constructing three dimensional objects by conscious sourcing, gathering, collecting and assembling her material.
  • Avant Gardeners

    New C&C exhibition will open 1 May 2022
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Avant Gardeners
    Our next exhibition Avant Gardeners will be in the Stables at Houghton Hall, from 1 May until 25 September 2022. It will celebrate the horticultural and cultivated landscape behind and beyond the garden wall.
  • New Raku book

    Contemporary Raku by Stephen Murfitt
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Contemporary Raku by Stephen Murfitt
    Contemporary Raku by Stephen Murfitt

    Stephen Murfitt has compiled a new publication on the Japanese ceramic firing technique - Raku.

    'The opportunity to put together this book for the Crowood Press became a welcome project and a creative focus away from the relentless depressing news on Covid during the lockdowns.'

    C&C will be including Cambridgeshire-based Stephen Murfitt's recent Raku fired pots in our pop-up exhibitions for the first time this year.

  • Making the most of what's fresh and new for '22

    New work arriving for our online store
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Making the most of what's fresh and new for '22

    In preparation for our 2022 events we have been making visits to a few new artists and makers we will be working with this year, discovering the many beautiful pieces in production that we will be available through our events planned for late spring and later during the summer.

  • Studio visit: Steven Will and Annie Turner

    Ceramic open studio, Suffolk
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Studio visit: Steven Will and Annie Turner
    In preparation for our summer programme of events for 2022 we took the opportunity to visit Steven James Will and Annie Turner during their pre-Christmas open studio event in late November. While both work in ceramics and conveniently share a building, they could not be more different from one another in terms of outcome.
  • Gallery visit: 528Hz Love Frequency

    Chris Levine at Houghton Hall
    Paul Barratt, Director and Curator at Contemporary and Country by Paul Barratt
    Molecule of Light by Chris Levine, 2021
    Molecule of Light by Chris Levine, 2021
    On a warm October evening we went to the first public showing of 528Hz Love Frequency a series of immersive light installations by Chris Levine at Houghton Hall.
  • Autumn Collection 2021

    Colin Self prints included among collection of art and the handmade from across East Anglia
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Autumn Collection 2021
    Autumn is upon us and I am listening to Marianne Faithfull and Warren Ellis' new album of orchestrated spoken poetry called "She Walks in Beauty" with sleeve and promo imagery provided by Norwich-based pop artist Colin Self. We are currently showing Colin's series of limited edition prints including some that feature on the album in our current pop-up exhibition at Houghton Hall.


  • Spotlight: Esmond Bingham

    The language of things
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Spotlight: Esmond Bingham
    Suffolk-based sculptor Esmond Bingham works across a variety of media both 2D and 3D and on scales ranging from the environmental to the miniature. Although essentially non-representational his work is concerned with the physical, emotional and psychological language and the creative potential of everyday preocupations and materials.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    (left to rIght) artists Katarzyna Coleman and John Kiki and curator Sarah Lowndes
    (left to rIght) artists Katarzyna Coleman and John Kiki and curator Sarah Lowndes
    We made a much anticipated journey to Great Yarmouth yesterday to see the inaugural show in the new YARE GALLERY situated on the South Quay. Titled WEATHERING: NEW ART FROM EAST ANGLIA, it features  the work of the "Yarmouth 5", artists Katarzyna Coleman, Bridget Heriz, John Kiki, Emrys Parry and Brüer Tidman plus works by other artists from this side of the county of Norfolk. Including Molly Thomson, Esmond Bingham and others. We are currently showcasing the work of several of these artists in our pop-up exhibition Rock Paper Scissors at the Stables at Houghton Hall.

  • Bank Holiday at Houghton Hall

    Houghton Hall Horse Trials final day
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Installation 28 May, foregrounding Kathryn Hearn's Flail & Lay Large Vessel 2, 2021
    Installation 28 May, foregrounding Kathryn Hearn's Flail & Lay Large Vessel 2, 2021
    We will be open this coming Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday. Be sure to come and say hello when visiting the Tony Cragg sculpture exhibition, as well as the permanent collection, walled garden and the popular Houghton Horse Trials.
  • Rock Paper Scissors opens

    Art and objects produced with their making in mind
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Painting the gates at Houghton Hall by Elaine Pamphilon ©2021
    Painting the gates at Houghton Hall by Elaine Pamphilon ©2021
    We're opening the doors to our latest pop-up exhibition encompassing art and handmade objects fashioned with the process of their making in mind. We are welcoming visitors from Wednesday19th May, until September 26. Come and discover beautiful, dynamic and thought provoking works from more than 40 exhibitors.
    Visit the website for opening times and ticket prices to enter the Houghton Hall estate and to gain entry to the Tony Cragg sculpture exhibition:Houghton Hall Book Tickets
  • Spring Salon - #1

    Living with art and the handmade
    Spring Salon - #1
    We are publishing a series of images from collections we are currently putting together for clients. Here is the latest Spring Salon installation showing new work by Norwich based artists working with paper (Joni Smith and Ruth Howes) as well as Molly Thomson who creates these delicious constructed boards that sing with colour through her use of multiple layers of poured paint.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    C&C's next exhibition will be Rock Paper Scissors
    Contemporary and Country’s exhibition Rock, Paper, Scissors encompasses art and handmade objects fashioned with the process of their making in mind. It will run alongside the exhibition by Tony Cragg, opening at Houghton Hall, Norfolk on 19 May and closing 26 September, 2021. Tickets to enter the Houghton Hall Estate are on sale from 19 April (entrance to the Stables will be part of the entrance fee)
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Creative moves for 2021
    We are delighted to continue to work with a selection of established and new artists and makers in 2021. We are also working hard in reaching out to new creative talent from our area, east of England. Some are struggling to keep up their practice under the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions but many are working on creative expressions of hope.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Happy New Year
    Many thanks to all the artists and makers we have worked with over the past year. We also send our best wishes for a creative year ahead with all the challenges we face together. Happy New Year to our supporters for a prosperous and healthy 2021.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Supporting fundraiser for East Anglia Children's Hospice (EACH)
    Having supported East Anglia's Children's Hospices for a number of years for the Nook Campaign, through to on-site fundraising during our 2018 season at Houghton Hall, we are delighted now to have been able to help source artworks from artists' C&C work with to donate towards their next fundraising auction to be held in February / March 2021. More details will follow early 2021.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Hoping for a great Christmas and a creative 2021
    Very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all our friends, customers and those artists we've met and worked with over this past year. Join our mailing list and be the first to hear about our 2021 events or add something unique to your home from our Anglian Collection.
  • Spotlight: Roger Hardy

    Humanity embodied in form by sculptor Roger Hardy
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Spotlight: Roger Hardy
    As Suffolk-based sculptor Roger Hardy says "As individuals we have a great desire to project our own humanity and emotions onto the most primitive human form". This is certainly true of Roger's many sculptures now available as part of our Anglian Collection.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Revisit our recent pop-up's virtual walk-through
    Revisit our pop-up via our walk-through tour or view our "Anglian Collection" via our website - see link in bio. Pick up something to grace your home or delight a loved one this Christmas.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    New works arrive at our Houghton Hall pop up
    We are delighted to present more new work in our pop up at Houghton Hall. From beautiful design for the home with Katharina Klug's ceramic creations; to amazing handmade paper cut works by Ruth Howes; to breathtaking large photographic art by Gareth Hacon and new painted landscapes from Kate Giles. We are also pleased to have installed new sculptures by Jonathan Clarke.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Keron Beattie nominated for Holt Art Prize
    We are delighted that Keron Beattie, currently showing in our pop up in the stables at Houghton Hall, has been nominated for the Sir John Hurt and Sworders Art Prize, Holt Festival this year. Keron  gained a First Class BA (Hons) in Contemporary Art and Design (2016) and a MA Fine Art with Distinction (2018) from NUA. His work for A Fine Balance is concerned with the natural world under pressure including disconnection with nature and natural cycles.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Over 25,000 visitors and hundreds of sales later...
    As we expand our work with artists and makers from East Anglia we are entering the second half of our pop up event alongside Anish Kapoor at Houghton Hall, Norfolk - open until November 1.  At the time of writing there have been over 50,000 visitors on site and we have secured over 300 sales for local artists and makers. As works are purchased and taken away we are able to fill gaps to keep our exhibition fresh - making sure that any return visit will not disappoint!
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Putting paint to canvas
    The painters we are showing in A Fine Balance at Houghton Hall Stables, capture the splendor of the natural landscape; depict the beauty of coastal reaches; open fields, fens and woodland. Some work in an abstract style while others are more figurative in representing the landscapes they see and wish to convey.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Take a walk-through tour of our exhibition A Fine Balance
    We would love to see you in person to show you the works by local artists in A FINE BALANCE - running alongside the Anish Kapoor exhibition at Houghton Hall this summer. You can visit us online too… take a virtual tour of our exhibition with hot spots that link through to each artist on our online shop, so you can see each work that interests you in detail.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Deep and lasting connections
    Our latest e-newsletter presents more about some of the artists we are showcasing in our online showroom. Colin Self is born and bred in Norfolk while painter and printer Peter Wylie was born in Lowestoft and continues his fascination with the Suffolk landscape and the North Sea. Katargyna Coleman and Roger Hardy moved from London to Norfolk and Suffolk respectively. All find ways of articulating a sense of belonging and have uncovered and maintained a deep connections with our region.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Rachael Long in her studio, 2020
    Rachael Long in her studio, 2020
    Rachael Long is an award-winning artist with many public commissions across the UK including "Lifeboat Horse" at Wells next to the Sea. We are delighted to be showcasing her smaller sculptures of horses and deer in our current online showroom.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Getting Through this Together
    Amidst this current crisis we are all trying to find a positive way forward. Whether you, your friends and family are working from home or just trying to catch up with family matters, we hope our e-newsletters will help make things during this extraordinary time feel just a little bit better. Join our mailing list to keep in touch as we reveal more about our showcase online.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Taking A Fine Balance online
    As some of you will already know, our showcase #finebalance will not open at Houghton Hall until this current health crisis has abated. However you can still support our artists by viewing and buying their work online to nurture the cultural talent across our region.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Sculptural Collection 2020
    There are a number of local sculptors we are showcasing in our online showroom. Each artist has chosen a medium through which to express their particular point of view. From stone, forged iron, steel and aluminium to wood, textiles, glass and lead.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    A Creative Weekend in Norwich
    Join us at Art Fair East - St Andrews Hall, Norwich. From 29 Nov to 1 Dec 2019 (PV on 28 Nov) See website for opening times and details of all the exhibitors we will be showcasing at this event. Drop an email via the website if you want to come to the Private View on Thursday 28 November (6pm-9pm)

  • Animal Instincts

    The sculptural mastery of Christopher Marvell
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Animal Instincts
    Christopher Marvell's works impose themselves as seemingly blunt facts, but on deeper reflection they initiate a subtle dialogue that cajoles us to contemplate not only the relationship between human and animal, but also between the human/animal archetype and the human/animal condition itself. We are showcasing his sculpture and drawings in our pop-up exhibition in the stables at Houghton Hall until 29 September 2019.

  • Bridget Heriz – bringing forms to life

    Creating objects filled with emotions: joy, fear, stillness, movement, agitation and excitement
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Bridget Heriz – bringing forms to life
    Bridget Heriz trained at Goldsmiths College and Ravensbourne College of Art and Design (1973-77), after which she returned to Suffolk to work at Clock House Fine Art Studios. She moved to Great Yarmouth in 2002. After a period working with traditional methods to evolve an earthy and spirited approach to figurative sculpture, Bridget has returned to experimenting with constructions using wire and card or balsa wood.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Figures by Keron Beattie
    Figures by Keron Beattie
    Keron Beattie gained a First Class BA (Hons) in Contemporary Art and Design (2016) and a MA Fine Art with Distinction (2018) from Norwich University of the Arts (NUA). His work is concerned with drawing elements together, reversing fragmentation, remaking and bringing a sense of wholeness to disparate materials, changing or transforming them into objects that display their component parts without apology.

  • Kinetic art by Andrew Jones at Houghton Hall Stables

    Introducing the work of sculptor Andrew Jones
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Andrew Jones, kientic sculptor, Houghton Hall 2019
    Andrew Jones, kientic sculptor, Houghton Hall 2019
    We are all set to showcase the work of Cambridgeshire-based kinetic sculptor Andrew Jones. his work relies on mainly linear elements balanced and articulated to move simply in the wind, light or strong. When visiting Houghton Hall this year you will find some of Andrew's kinetic sculptures in the walled garden.

  • Jonathan Clarke joins us for FESTIVAL 2019

    Welcoming Jonathan to show with us at Houghton Hall in our pop up called Festival
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Jonathan Clarke, in his studio 2019. Picture by Paul Vater
    Jonathan Clarke, in his studio 2019. Picture by Paul Vater
    Jonathan Clarke was born in 1961 in Suffolk, UK, where he continues to work today. At the age of 16 he took up an apprenticeship with his father, the sculptor Geoffrey Clarke (RA). He has works on commissions across the country including Colchester, Ely Cathedral, St James' Square, London and Southwell Minster.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Collections
    Take a look at our "Collection Guides". If you have someone who is particularly difficult to buy for, a Norfolk by Design Gift Voucher may be the answer - our Gift Vouchers are redeemable online or at our forthcoming pop up events throughout 2019.

  • Margaret Mellis - pioneer and mentor

    Discovering more about one of Damien Hirst's early inspirations
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Margaret Mellis
    We are showing four works by the late Margaret Mellis at our Houghton Hall pop-up event this year. She concluded a productive artistic career based in Suffolk, where she brought order to chaos in her playful assemblages. Before her death in 2009, Damien Hirst, an early admirer of her work remarked in 2001, “Why hasn’t someone noticed Margaret Mellis’ contribution to British art?” On this evidence it is time the British art establishment addressed his challenge.

  • Meet Dan Meek

    Stonecarver
    Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Slate wall plaque by Dan Meek
    Dan Meek, is a Norfolk based stone carver and letter cutter and is acclaimed for his memorials, commemorative plaques and ground-breaking conceptual sculptures. We showcased Dan's work at our recent Pop-Up event at Houghton Hall where his work sold very well. He continues to produce sculptural pieces and we hope to be showing more of his work in upcoming events in 2018.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Shauna Richardson, Crochetdermy®
    Shauna Richardson, Crochetdermy®
    Shauna Richardson's new crochetdermy piece called "The Wolf and the Lamb" has been shortlisted for the prestigious John Ruskin prize 2017. Winners will be announced on Tuesday 20th June at the Millennium Gallery, Sheffield. The shortlist exhibition, Master of all Trades, will be on display from 21st June – 8th October 2017.
  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Richard Long's sculpture in the Stone Hall at Houghton Hal;l
    Richard Long's sculpture in the Stone Hall at Houghton Hal;l
    We are proud to be opening our latest exhibition alongside one of the most important exhibitions by celebrated Turner Prize-winning British artist, Richard Long, opening on Sunday 30 April 2017 at Houghton Hall, North Norfolk.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Norfolk Line, Richard Long at Houghton Hall, 2017
    Norfolk Line by Richard Long at Houghton Hall, 2017
    Our next pop up event opens in the Stables at Houghton Hall this spring and continues throughout the summer. We will be featuring a selection of Norfolk’s finest artists and craftspeople to coincide with a solo exhibition by renowned British artist Richard Long located within the gardens and park.

  • Paul Vater, Director of Contemporary and Country by Paul Vater
    Into the Woods, December 2016
    Into the Woods, December 2016
    INTO THE WOODS
    2-4 December, 2016
     
    We are delighted to announce the dates for our forthcoming showcase of Norfolk’s finest artists, designer-makers and craftspeople. The exhibition is a pre-Christmas survey of work produced or sourced from Norfolk and the eastern region. Thank you to our sponsor, Norfolk Country Cottages.