Every six weeks, the Café at the Brockweir & Hewelsfield Village Shop hosts a new exhibition of work by local artists. This policy has been extremely successful, with some new and some more established artists enjoying a new audience for their work, often with excellent sales.

The current exhibition, which began on Thursday, August 14, will feature the work of the well-known artistic couple from St Briavels, Joy & John Boustred.

Joy has been painting since childhood. She studied portrait painting under John Holt RA at the Sir John Cass College in London. After a full-time job and bringing up a family, she has been able to devote more time to art. Her work is in collections in the British Isles and also in France, South America and Australia. Although she works in oils and watercolour, she is now working mainly in pastels.

John started painting under the tutelage of Sir Kyffin Williams RA. His art interest later turned to weaving and particularly the design and weaving of a variety of cloth, especially tweeds.

Around seventeen years ago, he returned to painting proper and has benefited from various tutors.  He now paints in oils and his particular interest is in portraits and life studies, although he also enjoys landscapes and other subjects.

The Village Shop is open Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6.30 pm, and 10.00 am to 4.00 pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.