Art galleries can be intimidating places, stark white walls displaying meticulously-mounted paintings, floorboards that creak unforgivingly, and staff that appear to be surveying the depth of your pockets. Not so at The Darryl Nantais Gallery, housed in a charming listed building on Linton’s chocolate box High Street.
Here, the welcome is warm, down-to-earth proprietor Karl Backhurst likening his gallery to a friend’s sitting room, albeit one resplendent with wondrous watercolours, atmospheric oil paintings, gorgeous glassware and distinctive jewellery, sourced from local, national and international artists.
Karl, an avid art collector and self-taught painter, who previously worked in investment before becoming a stay-at-home-dad, launched the gallery – named after close friend and artist Darryl - in 2001.
Choosing art inspired by his ‘love of colour, texture and expression’, Karl exhibits a diverse portfolio, including Magdalena Morey’s vibrant evocative paintings , best-selling artist Brian Seymour’s wild and windswept landscapes and Ophelia Redpath’s delightfully whimsical pieces.
There’s Katie Lynn’s quirky ‘Molten Wonky’ fused glass gifts, Peter Blake’s distinctive pop art, Bex Burston’s retro glass coasters, and John Glover’s incredibly life-like portraiture and expressive landscapes. The list goes on – and Karl counts all his artists as friends.
Keen to showcase the gallery’s talent to a wider audience, Karl – and wife Trina – regularly exhibit at the country’s best art fairs, including the prestigious Affordable Art Fair. This year, the team, constituting Karl, Trina and their equally-artistic daughter and son, launched a ‘travelling name’ for the gallery, Linton59, a contemporary and memorable moniker to attract new interest at shows.
Aside from displaying desirable art, Karl offers a framing and restoring service, breathing new life into neglected treasures, from paintings to pianos!
Incredibly passionate about his work, whether renovating an ornate frame or unveiling extraordinary talent, Karl is doing an awesome job of making art accessible and enjoyable to all.
The Darryl Nantais Gallery
59 High Street
Linton
Cambridgeshire
CB21 4HS
Tel: 01223 891289
www.linton59.co.uk
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