Gathering

Gathering; Hill Farming – People, Animals and Landscape, 2004 – 2005

VARC initiated and raised additional funding to make the project Gathering happen.

In Gathering VARC commissioned photographer Kate Bellis and sculptor Sally Matthews to visit Highgreen over a 15 month period 2004-2005 to spend time with farming families in Tarset and to record the nature of hill farming, people, animals and landscape over the seasons. Kate and Sally worked closely with local people and produced a series of photographs , drawings and sculptures.  They also led workshops that enabled local residents of all ages to be involved in the project.

At the end of the project a set of Kate Bellis’ hand-made prints was given to Bellingham Heritage Centre to add to their photographic archive as a public resource.
Exhibition & Book

Gathering culminated in a touring exhibition and book. The exhibition was shown at the following venues:

Highgreen, Tarset
28 August – 4 September 2005

Queens Hall Arts, Hexham
10 September – 22 October 2005

Collins Gallery, Glasgow
26 November – 23 December 2005

Robert Sandelson Gallery, Cork Street, London
9 January – 3 February 2006

Since this official tour the exhibition has also been shown by Kate Bellis and Sally Matthews in Derbyshire and in Brecon, Wales.

The book Gathering, 80 pages, full colour with images of photographs, drawings and sculptures and an essay be Michael Simmons is available at special price of £15.50. Visit our shop to get more information on the book and place an order.

Gathering was funded by VARC, Arts Council England, Northumberland National Park’s Sustainable Development Fund and Gordon Opportunities for Local Development (GOLD) with valuable support also from Queens Hall Arts Hexham and LITTORAL and The Hill Farming Initiative.