If you love art, you probably enjoy visiting art galleries and exhibitions. Perhaps, like me, you also enjoy collecting original pieces of art and learning the stories behind the people who created them. I particularly like finding paintings by women artists, and Devon artists. When I travel to London I love to see exhibitions at the Tate Modern and Royal Academy whenever possible. One of my life goals is to have work accepted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

I sometimes also buy art over the internet. In these days of secure payments, it can be a great way to find original pieces without paying gallery prices (which by necessity include commission).

I love reading about artists, finding out about their lives, their challenges and their achievements. I once found an intriguing small portrait painting by a woman called Moira Beaty. It turns out that during the war, Moira Beaty was one of the main code breakers working at Bletchley Park.

However, I’m going off at a tangent, because what I wanted to share is where you can see and buy original art in Devon, specifically East Devon, which is my part of the world. Here are some of my favourite Devon artists, Devon art galleries, artist collectives and art pop-ups:

1. The Glorious Art House

Half way down the broad sweep of Fore Street in Exeter, on the left as you barrel down the hill, there’s a jolly artist-run café and gallery called The Glorious Art House. The owner, Rosy, has a studio in the eaves, the chai is delicious and lunch features a variety of fresh salads with crusty bread. Upstairs there’s a single-room art gallery, where you can view group and solo exhibitions by Devon artists.

As I write, the Glorious Summer Exhibition is just finishing, and an exhibition named after Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel A Brave New World is beginning. The works in this new show represent the artists’ responses to the worldwide changes brought about by the global coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. I’m showing a painting called Don’t Surrender Your Loneliness. The Glorious exhibitions are a great place to see work by Devon artists in a warm, creative environment. All the work is available to purchase, should you fall in love with a piece of original art.

2. Powderham Castle

Another great Devon location to see work by Devon artists is Powderham Castle. A short drive from Exeter, Powderham is the seat of the Earl of Devon, who is an absolutely charming man and very interested in art. In August 2020 there’s a mystery exhibition running at the Castle. Paintings are by Devon artists, and each work is based on the title of a book. I have two paintings in this exhibition, but I can’t tell you what they are called… The visitor who successfully matches the most artworks to titles will win a £200 art prize. This exhibition is run by the artist collective Woohoo, which is the brainchild of Exmouth-based artist Anna FitzGerald. Anna has a studio at Powderham and often runs art events in collaboration with the castle. But even if there isn’t currently an exhibition of Devon artists to visit, Powderham has an incredible catalogue of antique art, and it’s worth taking a tour of the house just to immerse yourself in its historic collection.

3. Lost and Found

Also on Fore Street, just at the top of South Street in the old Snappy Snaps shop in the centre of Exeter, there’s another small artist-run gallery. Again, the gallery showcases work by local Devon artists, and the work is of exceptional quality and variety. This gallery has also recently begun a new initiative involving in-house artists, which means that whenever you pop by, you will be able to see an artist at work there, as well as viewing their paintings. I’ll be spending two days a week painting at the Lost and Found gallery in Exeter for the whole of October 2020.

4. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM)

Again, right in the middle of Exeter, the RAMM is a fantastic museum with lots to see. Entry is free for most exhibits, though sometimes special art exhibitions incur a small fee. There are often exhibitions by Devon artists at the RAMM

One of my favourites was an exhibition called Eye to Image by Devon artist Benedict Rubbra in 2015. This was Rubbra’s first major exhibition and the work was full of form and light. I’m lucky enough to have one of his paintings from this exhibition hanging on the wall. To me, one of the exciting things about visiting exhibitions by contemporary, living artists is that the work is accessible. When you visit a big exhibition in London, you can occasionally find work by the same artists if you have the audacity to walk into any of the dealers on Chalk Street, but your pockets will be the cost of a family car lighter by the end of the transaction. Though I do recommend getting up the nerve to visit these dealer galleries. I got to see a work by one of my all-time favourite artists right up close by doing this, and the gallery staff are always very nice.

5. Woohoo Art Events

I already mentioned this artist collective, but it’s worth looking out for their exhibitions. These are inclusive group exhibitions featuring Devon artists and run with a twist. They aim to make art viewing accessible and fun, to introduce new audiences and to try new ideas. Hence former events have included Art in the Dark and upcoming exhibitions involve artwork featuring nudes which is to be viewed in the nude. Although the idea for the latter preceded social distancing, this may be the one event that coronavirus has made potentially less awkward. The Don’t be so Rude exhibitions will run in venues including Exeter and Plymouth in 2021.

If you enjoy immersing yourself in creative ideas, looking at beautiful things and exploring art in all its forms, these are all really great ways to see work by Devon artists in a non-stuffy, friendly environment.