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UNDER the guidance of SCA Director, Norrie Bewick Calvert, the Southport Contemporary Arts Team, in Eastbank Street, Southport, have been working hard within the restrictions of lockdown to maintain their promotion of the original and creative work that local Artists and Makers create.

Norrie told us that:- "It is with great delight that we are hosting our 3rd Solo Exhibition since re-opening after the Lockdown. The new exhibition at the ArtHouse Gallery is that of talented local painter and maker, Alice Lenkiewicz who has a commanding eye for strong colour and bold pattern. Alice's inspirations are drawn from both the romantic Art Nouveau period and the wonderful buildings of Southport. It is a delightful mix of imagery and a fabulous way to celebrate our beautiful town. Although inspired by a time gone by, Alice's work has been injected with a very contemporary style."

Alice's much anticipated showing at the ArtHouse Gallery, beginning on 25 August 2020, is entitled:- 'Nouveau' and is made up of new paintings, textiles and jewellery especially created throughout the COVID-19 period.

Alice explains:- "I have immersed myself in this project over the last five months. The display consists of imaginary portraits and realistic landscapes and still life."

Walking through Southport's empty streets and thinking of its bygone era was the initial stimulation for the majority of Alice's work. Exploring Southport's unique variety of architectural and decorative styles provided Alice with the creative springboard for her work. Referencing the stained glass, the stone carvings, the landscape and many of the classical and Victorian designs in Southport, she has carefully incorporated many of these individual motifs and designs within her work.

Alice added:- "I have taken most of my inspiration from the timeless atmosphere, the architecture and landscape motifs of Southport. This has been great fun and has allowed me to discover more about my working process and the areas of work that interest me the most."

Within the exhibition, Alice has created a series of imaginative paintings responding to the idea of women in design during the era of:- "fin de siècle" at the end of the 19th century. This was a time when women were gaining independence and equality and a time of beautifully executed design works.

Alice has seen an interesting development in her personal artistic style during this COVID-19 period:- "I feel my work has evolved in this exhibition. It has become more focused around a combination of idealist and realist concepts, seeking new juxtapositions and unexpected subject matter and ways of working. My mediums in this exhibition are primarily oil and acrylic on canvas with a few works off shooting into the textile category."

This unique and exclusive showing is certainly not one to be missed. Alice's extraordinary artwork will be on display at the ArtHouse, Eastbank Street, running from 25 August to 5 September 2020. The gallery is open over Tuesday to Friday, from 10am to 3pm, and on Saturday's, from 11am to 4pm.

In line with Government advice, the SCA team have introduced strict measures to keep visitors to the Gallery as safe as possible: There will be a policy of 2 visitors at a time, with social distancing once inside, and hand sanitize dispensers at the door to use on arrival. Alice will be at the gallery in person to greet visitors with a glass of wine throughout the day, on both the 25 August and on 26 August 2020.

THE Save Rimrose Valley campaign is concerned that controversial plans to build a dual carriageway through the popular country park may not be limited to the road itself. Minutes obtained via a Freedom of Information Request indicate that key stakeholders; the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association are seeking the provision of 24/7 facilities for HGV drivers and their vehicles. Such facilities typically include secure parking spaces, diesel fuel pumps, a service building with changing rooms and showers and even a café.

Responding on behalf of the campaign, Stuart Bennett said:- "Our communities have feared that Highways England's road proposals would be the green light for even further development to support the port's expansion. The space required for such facilities is considerable which begs the question; where would they go? Have sections of Rimrose Valley already been earmarked for this? Whilst parking and rest facilities for HGV drivers are clearly important and would help tackle some of the issues currently being experienced on our residential streets because of the Port's activities, we maintain that drivers shouldn't even be in this vicinity in the 1st place. We need a solution which moves the vast majority of these containers away from the port and out to the wider country without the need for HGVs. Lorries do not belong on residential roads and public parks. Highways England has already admitted it is struggling to secure support for its scheme. Have any promises been made to provide these facilities to get haulage companies and their trade associations onside? It would certainly soften the blow of the new road being an even longer route to and from the port than what is there today."