Lincoln’s Usher Gallery has reopened two redesigned rooms as part of the first phase of its Arts Council England-funded rehang.
The new display, called Stories from the Stores, draws on public feedback gathered last year, when more than 400 visitors suggested the works they wanted to see from the gallery’s 1,000-piece collection.
The exhibition focuses on art inspired by Lincolnshire’s coastline, skies and countryside. Highlights include Short Seaplane by John Hassall, the illustrator behind Skegness’s famous Jolly Fisherman poster, and paintings by 19th-century artist Peter De Wint.
The selection also brings lesser-known names into view, including Phyllis Shafto, a Skegness-born artist and war painter whose career was cut short at 40.
A new drawing, Oracle of our Forebears by Charmaine Watkiss, marks the first in a series of rotating displays of recent acquisitions and loans.
Alongside traditional works, the neighbouring Heslam Room features abstract pieces with an animated digital installation created by Pickle Studios.
The Usher Gallery, located on Danes Terrace, is open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 4pm. Entry is free.
Image credit: Lincolnshire County Council
