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Meet the Artists
Stitch Unbound
Saturday 1 August - 11am-3pm
You are warmly invited to drop in and meet some of the Stitch Unbound artists. Step inside their creative world and learn about the processes behind their work - from appliqué and collaged textiles to mixed-media work, weaving and exquisite embroideries.
Participating artists
Ali Pickard, Alison Holt, Alyssa Robinson, Anne Kelly (11am to midday), Isobel Currie, Jan Beaney, Jean Littlejohn, Jill Walker, Pauline Kiernan, Suzette Smart* * * * * * * * * * * * Shropshire Guild of Designer Makers
Saturday 8 August - 11am-3pm
Meet some of the talented local artists who make up the Guild. Discover exceptional craftsmanship and be inspired by their work.
Participating artists
Amanda Hillier, Jill Bagnall, Robert and Janet Shelton and moreWednesday 12 August - 10am-2pm : Jane Hunter & Jenny O'Leary
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Our Stitch and Craft exhibitions will be running until Saturday 29 August, so there's still ample time to plan a visit. Also, it's good to welcome and catch up with returning visitors who may want to spend more time with their favourite pieces.
'Stitch Unbound Summer 2026' Discover the innovation and creativity of contemporary textile art. Captivating images and the stories behind them will linger long after your visit.   A Pigeon called Cher Ami and Mary of Exeter
Collage and stitch by Suzette Smart
Two extraordinary homing pigeons
Cher Ami served with the US Army Signal Corps during World War I. In particular, he is credited with carrying a message that saved members of the 77th Division who had become trapped behind German lines during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in October 1918. Cher Ami survived the war, and for his heroic service was awarded the French Croix de Guerre.
Mary of Exeter flew many military missions during World War II, flying top-secret messages across the English Channel back to her loft in Exeter. She was awarded the Dickin Medal (animal gallantry award) in November 1945 for her valour, despite being injured on three occasions. In addition, she survived a Luftwaffe bomber attack on her Exeter pigeon loft.
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Shropshire Guild Of Designer MakersHandcrafted works span more than ten traditional craft disciplines, whilst showcasing contemporary designs.
Susan Mulcock explores in felted wool the beauty of birch trees through the seasons.
Says Susan: There's an avenue of birch trees where I go bird-watching that I find fascinating as they change with every season and time of day. So I'm always looking to capture not just the visual changes in the trees but also playing with the background and exploring the variations in light, weather and atmosphere. These are all themes I'll continue to explore.
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World Embroidery DayThursday 30 July - 11am-3pm
You're invited to bring your sewing projects into the gallery where we'll have space set up among the Stitch Unbound exhibition to work on your own projects - All welcome.
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A Way of Seeing with Reg Turrell
BARBED BARRIER
I came across a field full of impenetrable thistles. Their threatening needle-sharp leaves stopped me in my tracks - and it occurred to me that this was an ideal subject for scratching into paint, a technique known as sgraffito.
Using a broad stiff brush, I applied a thick layer of gesso. Once dried, this would allow me to scratch into the paint, revealing the white underneath. Perylene Green with Green Gold watercolour and Purple Lake acrylic ink were chosen to further enhance my impression of an unsettling scene.
I used a fine scalpel blade on the flower heads. A more robust blade made deeper cuts into the gesso to emphasise the spiky leaves and potential wounds they could inflict. Finally, I used a Stanley knife blade to scrape paint away from the ridges of the gesso. This was done to create more movement in the painting.
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 Engagement newsWillow director Anthony Smith and language teacher and artist Rebecca Stockburn celebrate their engagement during their recent romantic vacation on the Côte d'Azur. With sunshine and blue skies above them, Anthony popped the question in time-honoured fashion on bended knee - and Rebecca said Yes.
Rebecca and Anthony met as students at Aberystwyth University. While their subsequent careers took them in different directions - and often many miles apart - they remained friends, and have been together now for 10 years. Says Anthony, 'I wanted to do something special - and all at once felt the time was right.'
Congratulations to the happy couple!  
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Thanks to our summer work experience students
Local student James settled in brilliantly during his recent work experience placement at the gallery - and did a great job helping to prepare for the opening of our July/August exhibitions. A big thank you, James - you could not have been more helpful. We wish you the very best as you continue your studies.
Many thanks also to Rory for the excellent research he carried out during his recent placement - alongside greeting visitors and occasional café duties. Rory, you definitely have a knack for organisation, and it was a pleasure having you with us. Again, we wish you every success in your future endeavours.
The gallery welcomes work experience enquiries from students and job-seekers, especially those with an interest in art. We can offer a variety of tasks and rôles with the aim of building hands-on skills - such as exhibition set-up, visitor reception, marketing and arts-related administration. For initial enquiries, please contact us by email.
We also welcome school visits, and offer a range of creative learning activities for different age groups to allow young people to make the most of their visit. Again, please email us in the first instance to find out more.
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Art & Craft Workshops
Please see our website for details and booking
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Our Shop and Café
In our shop, see a wide range of work made by local artists and craft makers. Buy original contemporary art, cards, prints, ceramics, jewellery and textiles, along with work in wood, metal and glass. Also enjoy lunch or a bit of light refreshment in our café.
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Upcoming Exhibitions
ReMix Exhibition, ‘Arrivals and Departures’
Textile and mixed-media collective
Saturday 5 September to Saturday 24 October
Textile 21 Exhibition
Contemporary textile/mixed-media group
Saturday 5 September to Saturday 24 October
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Other local events and information
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Enjoy a nostalgic train ride on our local heritage railway, starting from Oswestry's Grade II-listed Victorian station building. The 1.75-mile route takes passengers to Weston Wharf's period station, café, picnic area and children's activity area. Also check out local attractions Stonehouse Brewery and Weston Pools. Back at Oswestry, visit the award-winning Cambrian Railway Museum.
Click here for timetable and here for tickets
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OSWESTRY INDEPENDENT CINEMA See regular screenings at Maona Cinema
Visit www.maonacinema.com for details and bookings
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HERMON ARTS Click HERE for upcoming music events
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Art World
'Andy Warhol : Art Star'
At Wolvethampton Art Gallery until 4 October
Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was one of the most influential American artists to emerge in the post-war period, his work reimagining what art could be at a time of immense social, political and technological changes. Warhol’s fascination with fame, celebrity and commercial culture produced some of the most recognisable images in 20th-century art.
This major exhibition includes both famous and lesser-known drawings, screenprints, paintings and photographs from the 1950s-80s, including images of Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, Elizabeth Taylor and the famous 32 ‘Campbell’s Soup' canvasses - each of the latter depicting a can of said soup in a different flavour. First exhibited in July 1962 in Los Angeles, the works marked a breakthrough for Pop Art, and challenged traditional distinctions between fine art and commercial imagery.
Pictured: Campbell’s Soup (1968), Courtesy Wolverhampton Art Gallery, © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Inc Striking portraits of celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor reflect Warhol's fascination with the glamour, excessiveness, worship and fragility of celebrity culure. The famous 'Liz' series showcases the actress against vividly-contrasting backgrounds.
Pictured: Liz (1965), Courtesy Tate and National Galleries of Scotland, © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Inc
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 A vibrant, not-for-profit art space packed full of contemporary artworks from local and national artists. We host exhibitions, art classes, craft fairs and other community-focused events - bringing together creative individuals and art lovers from our local communities and beyond.
CONTACT US
Tel: 01691 657575
email: willowgalleryoswestry@gmail.com
Website: willowgalleryoswestry.org
Facebook: Willow
Address: 56 Willow Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1AD
Gallery/Café open Tues-Sat 10am-4pm (3.30pm café last orders)
Closed: Sundays/Mondays/Bank HolidaysEditor: Hilary Moorcroft
August 2026
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