WHEN visionary architect MH Baillie Scott built a holiday home overlooking Windermere for his client Sir Edward Holt little did he know that he had created a true masterpiece of 20th Century design that would become one of the region's - if not the whole nation's - most enchanting historic houses.

For many, Blackwell is a perfect example of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Indeed it is a really wonderful place to relax and immerse yourself in beauty and craftsmanship.

If you haven't already, check out the White Room.

With the new exhibition season well under way, the Bowness Arts and Crafts house has plenty of exciting contemporary art inside and out with an atmospheric installation sharing the spotlight with a dazzling array of ceramics.

Form Over Function: Ceramic Art at Blackwell runs until September 9, challenging the notion that ceramics are primarily functional.

It includes work by artists such as Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Gordon Baldwin, Ewen Henderson, Rosemary Wren and Alison Britton.

Gordon Watson, chief executive of Lakeland Arts - which owns Blackwell and Kendal's Abbot Hall Art Gallery - said that ceramics are enjoying a massive renaissance: "Form Over Function brings together an outstanding collection from the very best contemporary ceramic artists.

“Sculptural forms, painted surfaces and narrative works by some of the greatest masters of clay from the 20th and 21st centuries will be on show. The quality and craftsmanship will excite visitors.

“This exhibition is about making art out of craft. Ranging from a playful hippo sculpture to an optical illusion box, works are themed into animals, clay as canvas, sculpture and community."

Through loans from Centre of Ceramic Art at York Art Gallery, and LA's own and private collections, Form Over Function explores the famous words uttered by one of the great leaders of the Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris: "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

Traditionally clay has been used to make functional things which support people's daily lives. But over the centuries there's been an increasing emphasis on decoration, transforming once functional designs into beautiful objects for the home.

Museums and galleries have developed large collections ranging from Chinese export ware to early designs by Josiah Wedgwood, using them as a basis for Decorative Arts collections.

Clay has transcended the function of either being useful or beautiful to become a medium of choice for artists.

Meanwhile, among the glorious exteriors of the stunning Arts and Crafts house is Di Mainstone's Time Mirror installation.

Di's works combine sculpture, dance, architecture and technology to create installations that relate to the human body and invite people to be curious, be playful and get involved.

Sitting comfortably on Blackwell's expansive and lush lawn, her latest interactive sculpture is part of Lakes Culture's Lakes Ignite 2018 festival.

Made from polished steel, Time Mirror reflects Blackwell's dramatic Lake District surroundings. The Blackwell Blue painted piece allows audiences of all ages to experience and capture the cultural landscape in an experimental and abstract way.

"At art college I was fascinated by the artist Yves Klein and his use of the colour blue," explained Di. "I instantly loved the array of blues used in the decor at Blackwell and was particularly drawn to the very handsome peacock frieze, which inspired me to paint Time Mirror Blackwell Blue, a vibrant blue that I hope will jump out of the landscape and pique the curiosity of visitors as they explore the house and gardens."

Remaining at Blackwell until September, Di said participants will be at the centre of this abstract transient landscape, and will be able to create their own unique experience, which can be captured using their own mobile phone or camera.

She added: "When reading and thinking about the 500 million years of geological activity that made the landscape of the Lake District, I kept thinking about time. I have called the piece Time Mirror because I would like it to act as a sort of visual time machine, shifting and reconfiguring this ancient landscape that took so long to come into being - in the blink of an eye.

"I want visitors to use the Time Mirror to capture their moment in time in a dream like way, through abstracted elements of colour, texture, landscape and portrait."

Blackwell is open 10.30am-5pm.

Telephone 015394-46139.

For further information about Time Mirror and Form Over Function go online at www.blackwell.org.uk.