Galleries - September 2024

Cupola Gallery 1991-2024 – 33 years and counting – plus a new urban mural by Rob Lee. ‘A contemporary art gallery in Hillsborough? - It’ll never work.’ Karen Sherwood, founder, owner and curator of Cupola Gallery was told she would never make a gallery last in Sheffield, let alone in Hillsborough, back in 1991, in a recession. However 33 years later, the gallery is still going strong despite many challenges over the years, not least being the construction nightmare of the, now popular, Supertram, which saw 94 business close in the area, during its painful introduction, the Sheffield flood of 2007, the banking crisis, the pandemic, economic downturns, energy and cost of living crisis, brexit and a structural problem with the building which resulted in a crowd funding rescue. “It has never been dull!” said Karen. “People ask me how I’ve managed for so long and I half jokingly say that it is down to my natural masochistic tendencies. I say half joking as I think many people would have given up over the years, as it is always a challenge. I am extremely stubborn, I know that. Art is my passion and I choose to follow my own rules and do things my way even if those choices may not always make the most financial sense.” The gallery has grown from a single exhibition space on the ground floor alongside the picture framing service to four spaces plus a sculpture garden with the picture framing service now in the adjacent building. From modest beginnings, Cupola has grown to become one of the most respected contemporary galleries in the north of England. The gallery receives no public funding, but despite this, hosts a dizzyingly number of themed and solo shows per year. The most popular of which is the now famous ‘Under the bed sale’ which is open to all and regularly attracts between 2-4000 items for sale. Access has always been a core aim of the business, championing new and emerging artists alongside the more established. Visitors of all ages are welcome, as are well behaved dogs! Lego is on hand for anyone, small or large, who might not be so interested in the art! In addition to hot drinks offered to visitors, free cake is on offer every Saturday. “I have worked out that the gallery has shown the work of more than 10,000 artists since I began trading, from all over the world. I am regularly asked if the gallery stocks ‘local artists’ and my answer is always the same, if the talent is local, then I show it, but I do not show it just because it is local, it needs to be good enough and suit my exhibition environment. I love a wide range of art and make a point of displaying a huge variety of work. Painting, printmaking, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewellery and sculpture can always be found on display, as well as hand made cards.” The gallery now has two full time members of staff plus an array of part time and casual staff and volunteers, which now allows the director and founder, Karen Sherwood, to spend 2 days in week in her studio working on her own paintings. These can now be seen regularly alongside the work of many other artists in the gallery. Karen’s work is also represented by Hope Gallery in Hebden Bridge. Thanks to Hillsborough Together as part of the Economic Recovery Fund, Cupola is delighted to announce a new mural for the front of its building designed and painted by Sheffield based graphic artist Rob Lee, renowned for his striking and distinctive graphic style. His much loved Tour de France mural is still in place on the reverse of the gallery and will also undergo some stabilisation work. “ It's so great to have been invited back by Karen to Cupola gallery, almost 10 years to the month since I completed the 'Four Jerseys' mural. That was at the very start of my career, two years before I went full time in fact, so it's good to return with all these years of experience in the bag!" Rob Lee http://www.cupolagallery.com