Picture this: Lake District landscape 'framed' for new art festival taking place later this month (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Picture this: Lake District landscape 'framed' for new art festival taking place later this month

2:46pm Wednesday 6th February 2013 in News By Ellis Butcher, Reporter

A GIANT picture frame is touring the Lake District this month to 'frame' the stunning landscape in the style of a work of art.

The large four metre by two metre frame is being positioned in various locations to show off some of the area’s most spectacular views.

It is hoped passersby pause and reflect on how the area’s natural beauty has helped inspired art works.

A smaller second frame will also be touring England’s largest lake on the back of a Windermere Lake Cruise boat, for passengers on one of the most popular visitor attractions in England.

The spectacular Lake District has long been a destination for artists – inspiring old masters such as Constable and Turner, as well as relative modernists like Kurt Schwitters.

The frames are part of the free Sine Dubio (without doubt) Festival of Art – a new ‘dynamic and interactive’ art festival for the Lake District.

Sophia Newton, of Sine Dubio Art, said: “The Lake District has long been a source of creativity for poets, writers and artists. We wanted to highlight this by framing the area’s breath-taking landscape and showing just why artists keep coming to the Lake District for inspiration.

“The festival will contain a works of a wide variety of art forms, many of which have been inspired by natural landscapes, and the format of the festival will allow people to get involved. We really want the festival to show art is accessible to everyone.”

The Sine Dubio festival will take place at Low Wood Bay, on the shores of Windermere, on the weekend of February 16-17. It will be preceded by a special preview evening on Friday, February 15.

The festival will champion the work of 15 artists from across northern England – including nine local Cumbrian artists.

The festival will feature work by renowned sculptress Josefina de Vasconcellos which has been previously held in a private collection.

Other local artists include Ulverston’s Kevin Chester, an oil and canvas painter, Penni Simpson, a glass artist, Andy Levi, a wood sculptor and Jamie Barnes, a Kendal-based print maker.

A host of other talent has been attracted to the festival from across the UK, including emerging urban artist Sam Jefferies, from Leeds, Manchester’s Dr Stephen Riley, a contemporary abstract artist and Pete Marsh, a landscape painter from Bolton.

Claire Bentley-Smith, an equestrian artist from Leeds, will also be creating live art both during the preview evening and the exhibition, as well as running classes.

Entry to the festival, which runs between 10am and 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, is free.

For more information about the Sine Dubio Festival of Arts, visit sinedubioart.com