Ilkley

Mobile sculptures created by a husband and wife duo are to go on display over the summer months at a new gallery.

The exhibition, A Siege of Cranes, features new work by Ilkley couple Juliet and Jamie Gutch, and will be on show at the recently-opened Barn Gallery in Weston, Otley, from May 11 to August 31.

The gallery is owned by art collector Ronnie Duncan and will open to the public by appointment.

The two artists explore the theme of balance through suspended sculptures, or mobiles, and their simple designs mask an intricate, collaborative construction process.

The lines, forms and shapes for these latest mobiles are taken from the artists’ drawings of cranes in flight, particularly the red-crowned crane, which can be found in Hokkaido, Japan.

The context for the work is the profound imbalance of everyday life experienced by those living in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi. The decision to use this particular bird as the inspiration for the mobiles was influenced by the Japanese tradition of making origami cranes as a gesture of hope during periods of sadness.

Visit the artists’ website at julietandjamiegutch.com to arrange a viewing appointment.

ST MARGARET’S CHURCH: Soon after his arrival in Ilkley, Fr Philip Gray introduced what the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams described as “finding out what God is doing and joining in!” Every Sunday a prayer for this so-called Mission Action Plan is said at mass, which serves to remind us of our duty to take the message out to the community. This Sunday at the parish meeting, Fr Philip will emphasise the importance of following the MAP, as it were. He said: “These meetings are important occasions for a parish church, not only because we elect the churchwardens and church council members for the following year, but also because they provide an opportunity for the whole church to reflect on its vision and direction for the year to come. MAP helps us to discern our vision and priorities under God. This last year one those priorities was the development and launch of our new website. We discerned we had important work to do in how we communicate as a church on many levels and making the new website our priority has helped us to make big strides in fulfilling our vision to be an outward-looking, vibrant and loving Christian family that is at the heart of the lives of all those in our community. Another priority we have worked on over the past two years has been the way we support charities and we have seen real and material growth in this work too in our support of children’s charities in Uganda, the new Oasis Cafe in Ilkley, and the Church in Georgia following their recent war. Both of these priorities have helped us as a church to be more visionary and outward looking in the love and service we seek to offer to our parish and beyond. I hope on Sunday we will be renewed again in this vision and work.” Please note Sunday’s parish mass will be at 10am so there will be no 9.15am and 10.45am services.

OLICANA BRIDGE CLUB: On Monday, April 8, there were 12 tables. Winners Sue Stevens & Pam Bailey, runners-up: Gerald Dick & Ian White. On Tuesday, April 9, 11 tables. N/S: Mike Collier & Jaquie Hall; E/W: Ann McKenzie & Roger Lott. Wednesday, April 10 (morning), 12 tables. N/S: Rita Garside & Ann Shelton; E/W: Sue Bell & Berni Patchett. Wednesday, April 10 (evening), four tables. Winners: Margaret McKenzie & Janet Benson; runners-up: Sue & Howard Bell. Thursday, April 11, 14 tables. N/S: Tony Watson & Adrian Wardner; E/W: Christina Powne & Heather Harvey. Friday, April 12, four teams. Winners: Roger Lott, June Manning, Heather Harvey & Janet Leach. In the final matches of the YCBA League season on Sunday, April 7, the Olicana A team beat the Wakefield A team 14-6, and retained their position in division one. The B team lost 7-13 to Brighouse A; the C team drew with Garforth B and will be promoted to division six. The D team beat the Huddersfield C team 12-8 and the E team lost 6-14 to Bradford E.