Local artist has exhibition at the Castle

Bude artist Stuart Napier, together with members of support staff and teachers from the art department at Budehaven Community School, opened his ‘With a Twist/Catch my Drift’ art exhibition at the Willoughby Gallery, Bude Castle on 5th February.

Stuart, 35, a University of Plymouth graduate in graphic design and currently a learning support assistant at the school, has been displaying artwork locally on numerous occasions over the last few years.

From participating within the Bude Art Society’s summer exhibition or regularly having paintings on display at Bude’s contemporary gallery ‘Seventh Wave’, he has began to gain the recognition that has led to several commissions.

Over the past seven years he has been promoting recycled and imaginative creativity with the ppupils at Bude Junior School during their annual Year 5 Beach day. 

Stuart collects found material and turns Summerleaze into a giant canvas when organising a wide variety of sand-sculptures and beach mosaics.

Drawing much of his inspiration from local landmarks, Stuart has developed a twisted, swirling, bold and bright painting style. He also creates full size driftwood guitars sourced from pallets washed ashore on beaches and coves around Bude, and psychedelic silhouettes of rock ‘n’ roll icons which he paints directly onto discarded vinyl records.

The majority of Stuart’s work, and the work of his colleagues, will be available to purchase. The Castle Heritage and Visitor Centre is open from 11am - 4pm daily, with admission to the exhibition being free of charge.

The exhibition will run until 20th February.