The Mercer Art Gallery — Attraction in England

A fab small gallery. One of many hidden gems when visiting Harrogate.

I was privileged this weekend to be in Harrogate to catch and take in The Annual Open Event at The Mercer Gallery and, as usual, this well thought out and beautifully curated show came up trumps, in my far from humble opinion. I. S. Massie's "Whitby" was nice if a tad overpriced, thought I; but Sarah Whitton's magnificent "Ambassador's Curtain" at five grand had gained a red sticker. And though Neil Bolton had the first prize, and was also sold at £1050, the cheapest of his three oils, I'm afraid none of them did it for me. What did I like? Well, first of all, Ruth Fitton's almost classical "Whisper in My Ear" ... and then "Teatime at Betty's", a charming small Oil & Wax effort (slightly naive and in a silly frame) by Julie Cross took my fancy ... along with other exhibits like the "Straiths" oil, D. Allen's "Oak Study" and the two "Arles Market" & "Cafe Tabac" mixed media renditions and further, perhaps, a spattering of the rest. The main joy, though, was in the fun and yet fairly serious setting of such a gripping indictment to the effort of not only those involved in the administration and aesthetic side of all such undertakings but also the bounteous inherent talent in such a crowd of participants ... and the ever increasing attention duly given and received year after year in this modestly wonderful...

Visited this wonderful gallery on a blustery December morning that obviously kept most people out of town. Very quiet in the well lit, well planned main gallery (formerly the Victorian assembly rooms), so the friendly, clued-up staff were able to talk to us about the New Light touring show by Northern artists, and about the interesting history of this lovely community artspace. The selling exhibition, which is a temporary show closing at the end of December 2024, comprised many high quality works, mostly by artists with whom we were not familiar - always a bonus. The work was well hung and we spent a good hour there. We'll definitely put the Mercer on our itinerary next time we're in the area. It's a credit to the town and to the art lovers of North Yorkshire who help to make it...

What a beautiful building to exhibit Liz West's H.A.P.P.Y exhibition. As you enter through the gorgeous doors and past the foyer, the Promenade Room invites you to immerse yourself in the main exhibit Our Colour Perception. Against the backdrop of Cherry Seraph's Sunlight in A Major, you feel immediately welcomed into a warm, colourful and thought provoking space. The Happy Lab behind the exhibit is wonderful for children and teens.

The artwork was delightful and the gallery space is beautiful. Entry free (donations welcome), plenty of loos, a baby changing area and a...