WINDERMERE Fine Art Gallery has unveiled a new end-of-year exhibition, featuring work by some of the UK’s finest artists.

These include the latest prize-winners from the highly-acclaimed annual exhibition of the prestigious Royal Institute of Oil Painters, one of the highest accolades in British art. Among celebrity guests at the prize-giving were Opposition leader Keir Starmer, as well as host Tim Benson, President of the ROI, and Vice President Adebanji Alade.

Artists – now on show at Windermere Fine Art Gallery – were from the illustrious ‘Northern Boys’ painting group exhibiting at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London.

The gallery is also exhibiting work by ROI member Amanda Coleman, winner of the ROI’s Alan Gourley Memorial Award this year.

Owner Matthew Titherington said: “We’re delighted to be bringing the award-winning work of all of these nationally-recognised artists to Windermere Fine Art Gallery for a special end-of-year display, which will run for the whole of the holidays."

He took over the gallery earlier this year with wife Dawn to start luring more art buyers and London-based collectors back to the Lake District for weekends and short breaks.

He added: “We have a display of new art work from all these artists, bringing fresh and amazing art work to Windermere.

“By talking to the artists and visiting ROI exhibitions, we make sure we have a some of the best oil painters in the country on display.”

The new show concludes a milestone year for the new gallery owners and follows the success of exhibitions over the summer and autumn, showcasing work created by leading national artists, such as Haidee-Jo Summers, in the Lake District during the pandemic.

The new works feature within the gallery’s wider Winter Exhibition 2021, a continually changing and updated display that runs until January, featuring original artwork, such as landscape paintings, still life, abstract art, figurative paintings and lustreware.

Curator and artist Steve Smith explained the paintings have been specially selected and depict a variety of subjects and locations from places, such as Spain (Seville, Santa Ponsa), Italy (Venice), Scotland, London, Cumbria, Yorkshire (Settle), Ainsdale Sands, Manchester, Blackpool and the Lake District.

The gallery has been a champion of the ‘en plein air’ painting by the distinguished group known as the ‘Northern Boys’, whose work frequently features in top London galleries. The new exhibition is part of a plan to rival the big city galleries and return the Lake District to being widely-recognised as a northern hub for high quality fine and contemporary art.

The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, founded in 1882, is the only major British art society that promotes and exhibits work of the highest standard exclusively in oil painting. It provides a centre of excellence and encouragement to all who love this robust medium and is based at the Mall Galleries in London. The ROI Annual Open Exhibition is held in November or December each year when non-members are afforded the opportunity to exhibit alongside established ROI members.