- Travels for Art: Cockermouth, Lake District

I discovered Cockermouth by accident - only because it is one of 2 places (the other is Kendal in the south) that has the very cheap Travelodge hotels (as cheap as £9 when sales are on).  It's just just outside the north west area Lake District National Park, so not so many tourists but still under an hour to the very touristy Windermere, surrounded by lakes, not too far from Wastwater the most beautiful spot in heaven and it's just 1/2 hour from the sea.  Since the floods of 2009 it's come on and is developing into a pretty place of artists, designers galleries and trendy cafes, farmers' market, while still retaining the old antiques auction rooms etc.  Would be a good value place if you wanted a LD property though prices are rising.

Castlegate House Gallery
It is a fantastic gallery in a beautiful house and gardens with great exhibitions of both well known and lesser know artists.   Castlegate House Gallery:   http://www.castlegatehouse.co.uk/index.php

The woman who owned it till July 2012, Chris Wadsworth is a wonderful, full of passion for art and artists.  She wrote an amazing book about her times starting up the gallery, finding unknown local artists (the farmers wife who painted her large canvases in a run down barn just for herself) and her passion for the beautifully strange artist Percy Kelly who had local connections - they have exhibitions of his paintings and his illustrated letters (which i can't believe i missed a few months ago - i have now signed up to their newsletter and he will be included in their summer exhibition i will see in september during my week in LD).  I bought both these books last year and they are a great read and Kelly's is also beautiful to look at - I probably slightly prefer his illustrated letters to his paintings.

 After 25 years (July 2012) Chris sold the gallery and is now concentrating on writing books.  It's sad but I look forward to more of her books and the new owners seem to be carrying on her legacy at the gallery.

Her new site: http://www.chriswadsworth.net/
Her blog, 'Notes from the Pink Egg' (her writing shed in her garden): http://castlegatehouse.blogspot.co.uk/

Her book:   

The story of a Cumbrian art gallery as told through a series of paintings. Lowry`s fish and chip shop at Cleator Moor, The man who was irresistible to women, Fedden`s striped cat, The Cumberland of Sheila Fell and the pursuit of Percy Kelly. Paper back.

Price: £7-10  

Kelly books:  http://www.castlegatehouse.co.uk/artist-detail.php?AID=29

eg:  The Painted Letters to Joan David

Illustrated letters sent from Percy Kelly to Joan David 1983 - 1993. Hard back. Full colour 240 pages.

Price: £20