Own Art On The Road | South West England

As most of the year has been spent in lockdown, we’re understandably a bit restless! We want to explore, see the sights, and stop off at our lovely member galleries on the way.

But don’t worry, with things still up in the air, we don’t want to put anyone at risk, so we’re inviting you to Own Art’s virtual road trip #OwnArtOnTheRoad. Here’s the chance to see the sights with us and window shop from the safety of your own laptop or phone!

We’re starting off with the South West of England, so put your virtual seatbelts on and get comfy.

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Cornwall

Let’s make a start at Cornwall Contemporary, just one from our wonderful selection of stunning Cornish contemporary galleries on the Own Art scheme. From here, we’ll meander north to duck and dive into a few more Cornish treats, such as Lighthouse Gallery, Leach Pottery, The Customs House Gallery, Beside the Wave Gallery in Falmouth, and Tregony Gallery in Truro. No need to umm and aah if you see some artwork you like, they’re all on the Own Art scheme and offer monthly, interest-free payments!

Just in time for a virtual pit stop at Newquay Zoo! (You may have guessed by now that time is not an issue when it comes to virtual road trips). Newquay Zoo is a conservation charity, so the work they do is to ensure that some of their beloved species’ futures are secured. Also, you can virtually tickle penguin – if you want ?

Now we can head over to Porth Beach and check out the local B&Bs – we’re due a bit of a rest up before we head on over to the next county!

Devon

Hello Devon! We’re coming for you! First stop: The Eden Project in Bodelva. We’ll stock up on some snacks and grab some coffees for a trip over to the Artmill Gallery & Framing Centre to get some of our newly purchased artworks framed.

Recommendation: “Definitely recommend a visit to Burgh Island Hotel and call in to see us on the way! @brownston_gallery. Brownston Gallery, Modbury” – The Brownston Gallery

After a much-needed rest, we’ll journey over to Woodlands Family Theme Park for some bonding – shall we head to the water slides first, or have a look at what shows they have on?

I fancy some more artwork, it’s a good thing Dart Gallery and White Space Art are en route towards Dartmoor National Park, as well as The Bowie Gallery, Cotehele National Trust and The Devon Guild of Craftsmen – we’re spoilt for choice and they’re all offering interest-free, monthly payments on the artwork we love! So fill up your virtual baskets and let’s take some artwork home with us!

Right, get your cameras ready for the next stop: Exeter Cathedral, one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture. ?

Before we set off for Dorset, I just quickly want to pop into Erin Cox Jewellery to treat my road trip companions to some bespoke, fairtrade treats. Don’t worry about the cost, they’re on the Own Art scheme so I’ll just ask about applying inside. I’ve heard great things about the Plant Cafe, so let’s grab a bite to eat and set off.

Dorset

Now we’ve been fed, I think we should make the most of the weather and head over to Chesil Beach. We could have a walk to virtually stretch our legs – let’s take our time and take some photos because it’s only a 35-minute drive to the Portland Bill Lighthouse.

A short distance from these two beautiful British sites is Cove Gallery, which displays a fabulous collection of original paintings and limited edition prints, as well as handmade glass, ceramics and bronze sculptures from a host of outstanding British artists and makers. 

It’s only a short application process to purchase through Own Art, so that gives us plenty of time to head over to Corfe Castle – “a battle-scarred survivor with a turbulent past” – and check out the wonderful sights!

Guess where we’ll be virtually spending the night – we have something a little bit different for you: Monkey World! They offer accommodation, so we can have a day with the primates, followed by a rest up before moving onto Somerset!

Somerset

Welcome to Somerset! We’re just driving through Taunton and think we should do some virtual window shopping. It’s a good thing Polka Dot Gallery has a wonderful display – let’s pop in and get a better look.

Now buckle up, because we have a bit of a journey to head over to Bristol. The Clifton Suspension Bridge is a beauty. In fact, Clifton offers some wonderful walks, so let’s take in some of the scenery before we make our way to the busy a vibrant Bristol Town centre. There, we will be greeted by some friendly faces: Portside Gallery, Royal West of England Academy (RWA) and Diana Porter.

Bath is the perfect destination for weather as nice as this (this is still virtual, so we’ll make sure the weather is always beaming on this virtual road trip). Set in the World Heritage city of Bath is Red Rag Gallery, which specialises in the work of living British artists, selling original paintings, limited edition prints and bronze sculpture. Let’s be proper tourists and visit the Roman Baths, dating back to AD43, what a treat!

Wiltshire

First stop in Wiltshire? Well, it has to be Stonehenge: World Heritage Site and best known prehistoric monument. We can discuss how we think it was created – personally, I think it was aliens.

It is also sandwiched between two Framemakers Galleries: Salisbury and Marlborough branches.

Which is perfect for our route, as we’ll be heading North and into our last county of South-West England…

Gloucestershire

…Gloucestershire! Home of the famous Cheltenham Racecourse, which, in turn, is home to Fresh: Art Fair, where we can peruse the thousands of affordable artworks and undiscovered talents.

We’re in for a treat as we make our last stop of South-West England through the Cotswolds, famous for quintessentially English market towns and villages. The area also boasts some wonderful Own Art galleries for us to enjoy, such as The Moreton Gallery, John Davies Gallery, and Trinity House Paintings.

Our next stop will be London, so get in touch to give us your travel tips!