Off the Beaten Track - Art in The Landscape
The Running Man
CANWOOD GALLERY
What is it?
Canwood is a private art gallery that specialises in exhibiting largepiecces in an outdoor setting. Visiting this inspiring place is a MUST.
Owned and run by a 90-year-young art enthusiast, the setting of this gallery and sculpture park is breathtaking.
There are relatively few places where you can see large pieces of contemporary outdoor art work perfectly placed to harmonise, enhance and merge with their surroundings. Canwood is one such.
Who owns it?
The creation of this private gallery came about as the response of Stephen Dale, the owner, to a near-death experience. In the 1970s, diagnosed with leukemia - which in those days was terminal - he signed up to a course of experimental treatment at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London. A farmer from Herefordshire, he had few connections in town so to while away time in between appointments he amused himself by visiting art galleries.
What drove him to create this place?
The Tate was both a revelation and an inspiration. Back then, there was just the one gallery on Millbank in Westminster. Its original focus on British artists had been extended by the opening of a modern sculpture gallery which had helped develop its reputation for everything cutting edge in the art world.
Equivalent VIII, the ‘pile of bricks’ -a work by Carl Andre that caused such a furore at the time of its installation - was exhibited there and had a profound effect on Stephen.
Why contemporary art?
He was so moved that, when he retired from farming, cured from leukemia and thankful for the second chance at life he had been given, he decided to collect and display art for others to experience the restorative and inspirational benefits he had discovered for himself.
How did he achieve this?
He transformed the farmland surrounding his home from agriculture to display board. Not so much a canvas as an exquisite mise en scene where large pieces could be framed by the landscape and given space to breath.
One barn was turned into a ‘conventional’ gallery in the sense that the art is displayed inside, under cover. The renovation of the building, itself, incorporates innovative touches which both respect its heritage while providing scope for the original presentation of both paintings and smaller pieces of sculpture.
Are there any facilities there?
There is also a little teashop offering refreshments and seating where, in the summer months, you can sit and ponder how moved you have been to experience the glory of this setting.
We went first during covid when the indoor display was off limits. However, walking through the manicured meadows as if on a treasure trail, looking at the sculptures dotted here and there was, of itself, uplifting and liberating.
Is it very highbrow?
The selections are eclectic in taste but it doesn’t matter if you don’t like a particular piece, seeing these huge installations against the backdrop of rolling Herefordshire countryside, giving them scale and presence is emotive irrespective of passions or aversions.
Is it worth a visit?
If you are lucky, you will bump into the owner on your wanderings and learn a little about his extraordinary personal history and his vision for displaying emerging artwork.
Just make sure that, whatever else you do, you include a visit to Canwood in your exploration of Herefordshire.
Find out more: https://canwoodgallery.org
