Welsh Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, called into Chepstow on a whistle stop tour last Thursday and was very impressed by the local museum’s latest exhibition. “The Wye Tour and its Artists”, featuring works by Turner, Paul Sandby, Thomas Hearne and others is housed in the museum’s new state of the art gallery and supported by the Welsh Assembly.
Its Sharing Treasures scheme enables the museum to upgrade its facilities so that it can borrow great works of art from the national collections. Guest curator Julian Mitchell, best known as a playwright and screenplay writer and whose home is in Monmouthshire, has selected his ‘best and most interesting’ watercolours of the Lower Wye Valley.
Admiring the works and their setting, Mr Jones said; “It is wonderful what has been achieved and I’m really pleased to have found time to be here. Everyone involved is to be congratulated.”
Museum curator, Anne Rainsbury added; “It’s great that the minister is able to be here as the Sharing Treasures scheme is close to his heart. It’s a real privilege for us and the people of Monmouthshire to have access to great works of art.”
The exhibition, which is free, runs until September 5th and will be available from 10.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Saturdays (including bank holidays) and 2pm to 5.30pm on Sundays.
