Somerset Arts Week gave us the perfect opportunity to get out and find some new local art.

We love to show off the local talent in the area, and we have been bowled over by the incredible art that we have seen over the last few weeks as part of Somerset Open Studios and 10 Parishes Festival.

Having enjoyed looking at many fabulous pieces of artwork we settled on six stunning paintings that have made their way straight onto The Cottage Beyond’s walls.  

We have also picked up a beautiful ceramic vase, made by the talented Antonia Myatt, whose paintings we already have in TCB; commissioned a map by Victoria Ward, and we are in talks with the wonderful Caronline McMillan Davies on a collaborative project for the new year.

Tilly Willis is based just over the hill in Bathealton and is an incredible artist creating an extremely varied range of artwork in oil and watercolour. This gorgeous landscape is now at home in the sitting room showing off the beautiful rolling hills around us on a crisp winters morning.

New to us this year is Caroline McMillan Davey, a well established somerset artist who immerses herself in her local environment.  We fell in love with many of her oil paintings, which so captured the streams, ponds and woodlands nearby, and also fell in love with some of the incredible animals she paints.  This hare is right at home in the snug, and we hope to show off some more of her work in the new year.

Up at White Post in a small studio we found the lovely Whispering Wild.  Lucy takes time to get inside the character of the creatures she depicts, and we couldn’t resist this intricate badger.  Like something out of Beatrix Potter, she appears to stand at a signpost to The Cottage Beyond, with an abundance of autumn in the air.  We just love it!

Based on the Quantock hills is Clare DuVergier who produced ‘Mist over the Combe’ an atmospheric watercolour that sits beautifully in the sitting room.  Clare predominantly paints landscapes, and she also teaches classes from her studio introducing people to the wonderful world of watercolour in a warm and supportive environment.

David Simonson is relatively new to painting, having focused on photography until relatively recently.  He now enjoys depicting landscapes and coastscapes of the Westcountry, playing with the shifting hues and shades of light.  We fell in love with his painting of the somerset levels with the Tor in the distance.

Last but not least we have this regal Buzzard by Philip Dudman.  Phil creates striking images of birds and landscapes using predominantly acrylic on paper or board.  This Buzzard, watching out under the light of the Winter Wolf Moon can be found on the landing upstairs; we love seeing buzzards soaring over our fields, of which this is a great reminder.

With these new additions hanging on the walls we now have at least 11 different local artists on display throughout The Cottage Beyond.  Its hard to believe we have space for more, but we will continue to search out gems, as the breadth and wealth of inspirational, colourful pieces is incredible!