GALLERIES Workshops, exhibitions, talks and more at Creative Peninsula

The Ards Peninsula, various locations

Until August 31

People talk of place and time, serendipity and chance, the often accidental bringing together of people in one location, resulting in, generally, something wonderful.

The beautiful Ards Peninsula is such a place, attracting artists, crafters and makers from around the world to its shores and inland pastures.

For the past 18 years, they have been coming together to produce something quite wonderful — The Creative Peninsula.

Over the next month, spread across 23 locations, there will be approximately 66 events, ranging from the expected exhibitions through tours to talks, demonstrations, workshops and open studios.

A great number of readers will be very familiar with this annual event and no doubt will be attending a number of the locations, but for those of you who have never been, please give it serious consideration.

At the time of writing many of the tours and workshops are selling out fast — a great sign — and I would encourage you to visit the website, www.visitardsandnorthdown.com/events/creative-peninsula-2019 or call the Ards Art Centre to check availability.

The open studio weekend is a must for art lovers. The opportunity to visit the workplace — the creative cauldron — of any artist is always a privilege and here you can meet and talk with ceramicists, glass artists, wood turners, spinners, weavers, jewellery designers and, of course, painters.

With 28 workshops on offer, why not try out botanical printing on linen, felting a vessel, Tiffany glass making or turning a garment image into a silhouette?

The professional and aspiring professional creative is not forgotten, with a series of professional development opportunity lectures and discussions on offer.

I have enjoyed this festival of creativity from the beginning, and the tours, exhibitions, workshops and studio visits have all delivered above expectation. I cannot emphasise enough the uniqueness of this opportunity and when combined with the Open House Festival in Bangor, we are doubly blessed in the field of creativity.

Elizabeth Baird