OPENING DAY

Saturday afternoon saw the launch of the exhibition proper.

We'll try to put a proper review in next week's "Gallery Thoughts"

Over 180 people attended the preview event including two presenters from Bolton FM, our local radio station.

The project had had good coverage in the Bolton News during the week and at one stage we hoped we'd get TV coverage from Granada Television (but the weather turned and the planned filming session with artists on allotment sites had to be cancelled).

At the launch the most frequently used term about the exhibition was "accessible", people understood what it's about, could relate to the work and were emotionally engaged by much of it. A number of visitors commented on the fact that it had made them feel better and reminded them of the joy and pleasure that gardening and food growing can bring.

Some felt drawn into the exhibition by Margaret Jackson's bright "Honeysuckle" and "Sunflower" paintings and then lead on into the main body of the exhibition by Janet Brady's large charcoal drawing of a man sitting outside his shed which hangs on the far wall .

Kevin Shipley's photographs are a major draw, the characters are well known and recognised. Similarly Steph Shipley's video and images from Shepherd's Cross St Allotments attract an interested crowd. There are appreciative comments about Ros Davis' "Winter Beauty". Maggie Hargreaves growing table attracts a lot of interest, while the true plot-holders spend ages on Margaret Jackson's allotment diaries. One early visitor wanted to carry off Carol Barlow's stained glass piece "Trespassers will be composted!"

Finally, Jennifer Gilmour and Susan Syddall's textile hangings based on Florence Avenue make a real statement and it's very much worth your time listening to their recordings of plot-holders on site there. The remark about showing carrots is worth a trip in itself.

Some reactions are interesting: Visiting site committee men seem particularly drawn to Dorothy Ellin's piece "Conflict" - does this tell us something? Some people seemed affected by David Jackson's piece "Rabbit". One visitor commented of Maggie Hargreaves "Shed" that he'd wanted to see inside that shed for thirty years but he'd never been allowed a glance!

No images yet, if you want to know what it looks like - then come along to neo:gallery27 - Thursday to Sunday 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. - and see for yourself.

PS The free "Allotment Ice Cream" was an undoubted success, served up by David doing his act as an itinerant ice cream seller (see Jason's picture on Twitter) complete with blue and white jumper, apron and straw hat.

PPS A number of visitors said that they had been surprised to find an art gallery like neo:gallery27 in the centre of Bolton, it had altered their perceptions of the town. Others said they'd made a special journey to see the exhibition as they "didn't really come into the town centre much these days".