The Cornwall Blog

Photo by John Hersey In March 2025, Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery reopened in the heart of Truro following a major phase of its transformation. Supported by £2.3 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the work refreshed several of the museum’s principal spaces and returned more of its art collection to public view. Formerly known as the Royal Cornwall Museum, it adopted its new name in February 2025 to reflect the importance of both its art collection and its wider programme of Cornish history, culture and natural heritage. A museum transformed The institution’s story stretches back to 1818, when the Royal Institution of Cornwall was founded. Today, the museum cares for more than one million objects, artworks, photographs and artefacts, helping to tell the story of Cornwall and its connections with the wider world. The permanent collections include the Heart of Cornwall Gallery, Mineral Gallery, Nature Gallery, Art Gallery and Ancient Civil...

I love local pottery. There is something quite wonderful about driving around Cornwall and spotting a maker’s sign beside the road. It doesn’t have to be pottery either. I am intrigued by anything homemade or handmade. I love the chance discovery of it all. I’m naturally nosey, I suppose. I want to peer in. Cornwall’s pottery tradition Cornwall has a rich ceramic tradition. The county has supplied china clay to the world for generations, an important ingredient in porcelain, and Wheal Martyn Clay Works tells the story of that industry. Then there is the Leach Pottery in St Ives, founded in 1920 by Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, whose influence on studio pottery extends far beyond Cornwall. I prefer pottery where the maker’s hand remains visible. I like pieces that feel as though they could have been drawn from the ground itself, with glazes that sit somewhere between familiar shades and textures that make you want to stroke them, hold ...

Ready to get your creative juices flowing? I have listed some great events and exhibitions happening across the county, February is a fab month for art.  If you fancy getting involved in the creative process, there can be no greater location than The Godolphin Hotel with that stunning view of St Michael's Mount. Saturday the 3rd of February they invite you to sip a cuppa whilst you paint , social, relaxed and in lovely surroundings.  Down St Ives way Leach Pottery have some great workshops on over the holidays (12th - 14th Feb), free for kids in Cornwall. Definitely worth looking into, for the budding potters in your family.  The wonderful Tolmen Centre at Constantine is always worth a visit (theatre, music, art and a cafe!) until the 18th of February they are exhibiting the artworks of Sophie Velzian , such moody and atmospheric pieces, painted at her Helford River studio.  The Earth Photo exhibit is coming to The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a touring exhibit of phot...

Amy Cooper Lucy Spink There is an exhibition currently showing at Wheal Martyn , running until December the 20th, that seeks to explore the idea of being 'rooted'. Posing the question of what that means in Cornwall, and in particular, looking at what these Cornish artist's emotional response was to the atmosphere and history of china clay. Bridget Macklin  The responses are varied, like Joe Fenwick's ceramic pills inspired by the use of ground China clay found in everything from paracetamol to aircraft engines. There is Paula Downing's ceramic response which borrows from the Cornish landscape, and Reece Ingram's characterful pieces and the lovely textures of Lucy Spink. Reece Ingram  Joe Fenwick Wilson Worth a visit I would say, most definitely. Entrance is included in the normal gallery admission and works are in the Roger Preston Gallery and dotted around the site.  Paula Downing

Robin Martin How wonderfully Cornish! You might have heard of this great fundraising project for Cornwall Hospice Care - Around Cornwall in 38 Churns .  Brian Busselle's Milk Churn  Deconstructed - Sam Hall's interpretation  Sue Dennett of Newquay came up with the idea to raise money for this brilliant charity, Rodda's Creamery kindly donated the churns and local artists of all styles are adorning - and transforming them - for auction.  Alex Moorse's minimal churn  Beautiful butterflies by Kurt Jackson Cornwall is famous for its artists which range wildly in style. Famed for the quality of light and of course stunning scenery, we have been a beacon for creatives for 100s of years.  Here are a few of the designs so far... Inspired by wildflower meadows, Lorna Wiles Highlighting the Cornish Chough, Dick Twinney Cornwall the tropical paradise! Artwork by Julie Moss  Tin mines captured by Tracey Hunter Folk artist Dorothy Oliver 

Kurt Jackson's Clay Country exhibition, featured in the original version of this article in 2021 One thing I love about our county is the abundance of creatives, wonderful art and talented artisans. Cornwall has a remarkable artistic heritage, but it isn't something that belongs only in the past. There are still painters, sculptors, potters, printmakers and makers working here, and some wonderful places to discover their work. Perhaps it's the landscape, perhaps it's that famous Cornish light, or maybe there is just something about being surrounded by the sea that gets the creative juices flowing. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of galleries and art spaces where you can happily lose an hour or two. So, in the spirit of the original version of this post, here are a few places to go and feed your soul. 1. Penwith Gallery, St Ives Mark Verry's wooden reliefs at Penwith Gallery, which we featured in 2023 St Ives is ...

If you find the ocean fascinating, above or below the sea line, this is the event for you. Touring round the UK, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour comes to Cornwall in October, the 9th to the 11th 2019 at the Regal Theatre in Redruth. Ideal for these more chilly autumn nights, the festival showcases a diverse collection of short films featuring amazing footage of the ocean with fascinating stories to tell. See A Peace Within , a 6 minute short about 'extreme artist' Philip Gray who paints under the surface of the sea, below where the ancient Mayans lived. Surfer Dan follows Dan Schetter as he surfs his local landlocked Michigan - on Lake Superior. Be that in ice, with deadly currents or on actual waves. To find out the other films showing and to get your tickets head to the Ocean Film Festival website.  

There is still loads of events on for September, the schools may go back but holidays are still in full swing down here. From the St Ives September festival to the Perranporth World Belly Board Championships , but this month I wanted to focus on the Tin Mine Clay exhibition at Geevor Mine. An interesting place to visit, Geevor Mine unlocks an important part of Cornwall's not so distant history. The exhibition was created by Dominique Fuglistaller, a Penzance sculptor and Alison Cooke, a London ceramist. Running from the 18th July to October 2019, you can see the artworks they created to mark the centennial of two tragic events - the sinking of Victory shaft at Geevor Mine and the Levant mining disaster that claimed 31 lives. These artists have produced a series of ceramics made from the clay found within the mines. A variety of different clays were uncovered, none easy to work with! Prone to collapsing, cracking and melting it posed quite a challenge. T...