A WEEKLY art club’s work is one of three new exhibitions which open at a gallery this month.

The May offering at The Bob Abley Gallery at Spennymoor Town Hall opens on Saturday, May 9 and runs until Saturday, May 30.

Greeting visitors on the Gallery Stairs will be pieces by Bowburn Art Group, which began in Newton Aycliffe to promote health, wellbeing and learning for all.

Public funding was secured to keep it going at Bowburn Community Centre every Tuesday.

One of the group’s organisers, Janice Young said: “Our members say that the group is fun, friendly, lively and caring.

“It is a good learning environment, we learn from each other with a chance to try out new ideas and new media.

“It is somewhere to switch off from everyday worries or to share them with sympathetic friends.

“It is wonderful to see new members come and tentatively try out things and then blossom and develop as artists.”

In the main gallery will be an exhibition by Gary Smith, of Durham, a former coach painter apprentice with United Bus Company who became a graphic designer.

He works in a variety of mediums including oils, pastels and watercolours and his ‘new nostalgia’ collection is based on memories of childhood and growing up.

Eric Thompson, who lives in Spennymoor and grew up in Shildon, will display original watercolours and giclee prints including watercolours on a new media from Japan known as Yupo paper in The Robert Heslop Room and Gallery Corridor.

The gallery is open Monday to Friday, noon to 4pm, and Saturday, 10am to 2pm, entry to the exhibitions are free.