A GRAND showcase of varied works of art has gone on display in Tavistock Town Hall.

The Drawn to the Valley summer exhibition was opened by Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford, at the hall on Tuesday evening.

The Duchess, a lover of the arts, described Drawn to the Valley as a 'wonderful idea' and said she felt privileged to be asked to open the event.

Drawn to the Valley, she said, had been created during the foot and mouth crisis of 2001, adding: 'Out of evil comes good.'

Work by 64 artists is on show. It includes jewellery, textiles, sculpture, wood and metal work, as well as paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolour and mixed media, etchings and other types of print.

The exhibition runs until August 25 from 10am to 5pm (closes 2pm on Sunday).

It is a 'taster' for a feast of work that can be seen throughout the Tamar Valley during the Drawn to the Valley open studios event.

The open studios project, described by the Duchess as 'an innovative and wonderful idea' offers people the chance to visit artists at their studios and talk about their work.

It runs between August 29 and September 6. For further details see http://www.drawntothevalley">www.drawntothevalley.

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