Photos shared by members of our Northumberland group on the Flickr photo-sharing website. Click on a photo to see the caption and to view it in a larger size.

You can join the Flickr group to share your own local photos, or send them to northumberland@ncjmedia.co.uk.

The Art Tour is the flagship event of Network Artists in Northumberland. It hosts open studios exhibitions and workshops from more than seventy artists in fifty locations across our county.
The Art Tour 2011 brochure and website contains details of the artists and maps to help find them. The destinations are grouped as clusters so that an enjoyable day between locations is easy to plan. There are many along the Tyne Valley.
Local venue The Stencil Library at Stocksfield will host Durham artist Wendy Parkin and Stocksfield artists Michael Chippendale and Helen Morris. During Art Tour 2011 Wendy will continue painting whilst meeting visitors. Helen will demonstrate stencilling technique.

Chippendale & Morris are collaborating on a series of paintings in which familiar images are reduced to grids of coloured painted dots. At close range the dots form abstract pattern, resolving themselves into recognisable images as distance increases. Wendy will be painting pictures of children.
The stencilled house at Stocksfield Hall will host a special evening on June 29th which includes a tour around fourteen stencilled rooms. Tickets are £9. Contact The Stencil Library to book tickets on 01661 844844.
Art Tour spans weekends between 11th June and 3rd July. Entrance to venues is free but there may a charge for workshops. Visit www.networkartists.org.uk

Midsummer Day at Shepherds Dene.
Music, Shakespeare and supper are all on the menu for Midsummer's day at Shepherds Dene near Riding Mill.
I have heard many good things about Antiphon and In the evening of midsummer's day I hope to hear them. I also hope to be wearing a floral hat, a floaty frock, to be sipping sparkly and be enjoying the lovely setting of Shepherds Dene's garden.
You can do the same. This is what the invite says....

David Ford shared this picture in our Northumberland Flickr group.

Join the group to share your photos or send them to northumberland@ncjmedia.co.uk

If still had my horse she and I would be counting the days until the weekend of 21st and 22nd of May. Those are the dates of the open schooling days the Bywell Hunter Trial Course.
The event is held on the beautiful Allendale Estate land next to Bywell Castle, Stocksfield on Tyne. The hunter course provides for all ages and level of expertise including lead rein. The jumps are a work of art and the setting is gorgeous. The fee is just £20. per horse and rider, you can stay all day and even bring your dogs. Picnic benches are provided and there is catering on site. The event is not cancelled whatever the weather. I no longer have a horse but I hope to be there with my camera and a picnic lunch. The event supports the Charlotte Straker Project.
Send SAE for schedule to The Secretary, Bywell Castle, Stocksfield on Tyne. NE43 7AB or email lindablair@allendale-estates.co.uk.
Visit www.bywellhuntertrialcourse.co.uk
See photos of previous Bywell Open Schooling Days at my blog.