Barnoon Arts

08/03/2026

11/02/2026

Few pictures from our watercolour workshop at Harbour Hotel St Ives on 7 Feb. Fabulous views from the Harbour suite, rainbows and a delicious cream tea!

15/01/2026

Nice piece in St Ives local

15/01/2026

Ian McKellen is to star as L.S. Lowry in a new BBC documentary that reveals the artist's unheard tapes.

L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes sees esteemed actor Ian McKellen portray Lowry using newly discovered, previously unheard audio recordings, giving audiences unprecedented access to the artist's thoughts during the final years of his life as he reflects on Manchester’s industrial heyday.

Recorded in the artist’s own living room - his private sanctuary - the tapes reveal Lowry’s authentic voice, which Ian McKellen will lip-sync on screen. Across these candid conversations, Lowry traces his journey from childhood through to his final days, sharing the memories and experiences that shaped both the artist and the man.

Now, 50 years since Lowry’s death, this immersive film for the BBC Arts documentary strand Arena foregrounds the touching and often surprising exchange between the enigmatic artist and Angela Barratt (played by Annabel Smith), a young fan whose interviews capture Lowry in his most intimate, reflective moments.

The film also explores the dramatic transformation of Salford and Greater Manchester, the region Lowry depicted so prolifically and whose shifting industrial landscape profoundly influenced his work.

🎙️ Ian McKellen: “To give play to Lowry through his own voice has been a unique privilege. These tapes reveal an intimate insight into the artist’s thoughts - his ambitions, regrets and his humour. Anyone, like me, who admires his paintings and drawings will be intrigued and delighted that the artist is brought back to life through his own words.”

📺 L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes - coming soon to BBC Two and - is one of three special new films commissioned to celebrate Arena at 50. Head to the BBC Media Centre website for more details.

IMAGE: BBC / Wall to Wall Media Ltd / Connor Harris

03/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C9RbNf77e/

Research shows creativity boosts happiness, slows ageing, and even lowers disease risk.

Engaging in creative arts is emerging as a powerful, evidence-based strategy for improving both mental and physical health across the lifespan.

Drawing on large cohort studies, Daisy Fancourt shows that people who frequently participate in activities such as music, dance, crafting, theatre, reading, and writing report greater happiness and life satisfaction, and have lower risks of depression, loneliness, antisocial behaviors, and even some physical conditions as they age. Arts engagement in childhood is linked with better prosocial skills and fewer behavioral problems in adolescence, while older adults who maintain hobbies and attend cultural events show better self-rated health, sleep, cognition, balance, less frailty, and even reduced risks of diseases like diabetes. Biological data suggest that regular artistic activity is associated with lower blood pressure, healthier immune and inflammatory profiles, lower body mass index, slower biological ageing, and brains that appear younger than a person’s chronological age.

Fancourt argues that the arts should be treated as a core “health behavior,” similar to exercise, nutrition, and sleep, rather than as a luxury or something reserved for illness. She recommends approaching creativity like a healthy diet: build small, regular “doses” of real-world, offline arts into daily life—such as 10 minutes of writing before work, a brief crafting session in the evening, or swapping a routine night out or workout for live music or a dance class. Variety and moderate novelty are key, as different creative experiences stimulate distinct sensory and psychological benefits, while heavily screen-based artistic consumption is likened to “ultra-processed foods.”

References (APA style)

Fancourt, D. (2025, December 23). How to extend and improve your life by getting more creative. New Scientist.

09/12/2025

Paint your season with colour! ✨🎨
Our gallery is now stocked with a greater range of art materials, with everything you need to create something magical this Christmas, or stock up on Christmas gifts. Pop by and take a look...

Windsor & Newton watercolours, acrylic, Gouache, oil paints, inks and gift sets.
Koh-I-Nor watercolours, drawing supplies, pastels, pens and pencils.
Seawhites Of Brighton papers, sketchbooks, brushes and suppports - we’ve got the perfect supplies waiting for you.

27/10/2025

ART supplies...Check out our new stock just in the gallery, including Windsor & Newton watercolours, Oil paint, mediums, brushes, papers, sktchbooks and drawing materials.

20/10/2025

We had great fun at today's portrait drawing session, for the Citizens of St Ives project. Thanks to our fabulous sitter, Councillor Martin Van Staeyen. There was a wide mix of artistic experience taking part, from complete beginners to professional artists. Held in the beautiful Orangery Room at Bayspace St Ives. Next session is on Monday 3rd Nov if you fancy joining in to develop your portrait skills!

18/10/2025

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Barnoon Arts Gallery & studio in St Ives, Cornwall. We offer a range of art supplies and art materials, classes for all ages and abilities, Alongside exhibiting contemporary , abstract art, originals and prints.

24/09/2025

An Open Sexret Rt drop by susigutierrez4208 and Graham Pullen