Clitheroe Gallery’s Glittering Festive Showcase Runs Until Christmas Eve

Over 50 of the UK’s most celebrated craftworkers and artists are exhibiting at the gallery’s glittering annual festive showcase, Northern Star, which runs until Christmas Eve.

The exhibition features a festive feast of handmade items, including textiles, ceramics, glass, woodwork, jewellery, lighting, decorations and cards, with prices starting at just £3.

Exhibitors include Darwen textile artist Sharon Shaul, who uses spinning, weaving and felt-making to produce distinctive necklaces, brooches and scarves.

Sharon grew up in Ramsbottom and her earliest memories include visiting wool mills with her pattern-cutter father to select fabrics, as well as the spinning wheel and loom at the home of one of his colleagues.

Joining her at Northern Star is fellow textile artist Alison Dupernex, of Worcester, whose knitwear has been featured in the designer room at Liberty of London and patterns widely published, most recently in Vogue Knitting.

Alison mixes cashmere, linen, cotton and silk in an alchemy of colours and textures inspired by the natural world, and her current range includes wraps, scarves, hats, slippers and jumpers featuring over 34 designs and colourways using carefully selected natural yarn from independent merchants in the UK, Italy and Japan.

Also exhibiting is silversmith Lolla Mac, whose contemporary jewellery is designed and handcrafted using traditional silversmithing hand tools and techniques from her studio in rural Northumberland.

Lolla works with sterling silver, copper and brass, and the distinctive ‘mixed metals’ look is a signature of her brand.

Ricky Newmark, chairman of Ribble Valley Borough Council’s community services committee, said: “Northern Star is one of the Platform Gallery’s most anticipated annual events, which once again has brought the best and finest British craftwork to Clitheroe for the festive period.

“We are inviting art and craft enthusiasts, or shoppers looking for a unique one-off festive gift, to join us at the Platform Gallery for an inspiring shopping experience.”

Situated in a renovated Victorian railway station, the multi-award-winning Platform Gallery and Clitheroe Visitor Information Centre is open from 10am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday (3pm on Christmas Eve) and 11am to 4pm on Sunday, 11 and 18 December.

Further details about Northern Star are available from the Platform Gallery on 01200 425566.