Gallery opens on Friday (From Northwich Guardian)

Gallery opens on Friday

9:42am Thursday 7th February 2013 in News

A BUNDLE of long lost letters discovered in a Cheshire antique shop have inspired a new exhibition in Northwich.

The unusual and thought-provoking display, called The Lightfoot Letters, is a fusion of textile art, poetry and social history put together by Northwich poet Angela Topping and Warrington artist Maria Walker.

It is the first exhibition to be held at the Visual Arts Centre (VAC) gallery, in the former Connexions building in Brunner Court, near Northwich Library.

Maria, a former art and design student from Mid Cheshire College, bought the letters on a whim and five years later met Angela Topping, only to discover that the letters were written by Angela’s grandparents.

Inspired by this coincidence Maria and Angela decided to collaborate artistically and stage an exhibition of textiles, art and poetry.

The letters were written during 1923/4 by members of the Lightfoot family, living near Widnes, to their daughter, Frances, who had gone to live in Manchester with an aunt.

The letters portray an intimate picture of the life of a working class family.

The exhibition runs from February 9 to March 15.

The gallery will be open daily except Wednesdays and Sundays and admission is free.

For more information about VAC visit visualartscheshire.blogspot.co.uk.

• A flower bower of poetry is being created for the new gallery by families working with Hartford artist Michael Troy.

Michael has been helping parents and children from Northwich children’s centres decorate flower shapes with images and words to celebrate family relationships.

These flowers will be linked together to hang around the doorway of the VAC gallery in welcome.