Porthminster Gallery to Celebrate 25 Years with Special Exhibition in St Ives

Porthminster Gallery in St Ives will mark its 25th anniversary with a major exhibition of modern and contemporary artworks, running from 13th September to 3rd November 2025.

Founded by David Durham and Dee Bray-Calvert, the gallery has become a cornerstone of Cornwall’s art scene. To celebrate this milestone, the exhibition will bring together paintings, sculptures, prints, and ceramics by both renowned St Ives and Modern British Masters as well as contemporary artists the gallery has represented over the years.

A private drinks reception will open the show on Saturday 13th September, 5–7 pm.

From York to St Ives

David and Dee began their journey in the early 2000s, establishing their first galleries, The Adze Gallery and Minster Fine Art, in York. Their shows quickly built a reputation for featuring northern and British artists alongside works by leading St Ives and southwest names such as Sandra Blow RA, Trevor Bell RA, Matthew Lanyon, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, and Margaret Lovell RWA.

This eventually led to their relocation to Cornwall, where they launched Porthminster Gallery in April 2007 with the inaugural exhibition New Beginnings.

Reflecting on their journey, David said:

“My former art degree studies and professional experience in the curation, organisation, and display of public gallery and museum exhibitions were a great foundation to honing my skills as a gallerist. This, in tandem with a keen objective sense of the artistry employed in an artwork, and a subjective personal taste, has been the gallery’s USP.”

Dee added:

“As well as David’s professionalism, and his unique eye in selecting artists’ works, I think that we have brought a much-needed fresh approach to making art accessible.”

 

The exhibition line-up

The celebratory exhibition will feature works by some of the most significant names associated with St Ives and British modernism, including:

• Wilhelmina Barns-Graham

• Trevor Bell

• Peter Blake

• Sandra Blow

• Terry Frost

• Barbara Hepworth

• Patrick Heron

• David Hockney

• Bryan Ingham

• Margaret Lovell

• Ben Nicholson

• Victor Pasmore

• Bryan Pearce

• Tommy Rowe

• Joe Tilson

Alongside these, contemporary artists will also be showcased, including Cornish names such as Amy Albright, Saul Cathcart, Freya Horsley, and Trevor Price, among many others.

All works in the show will be available through the Own Art 0% APR purchase plan.

About Porthminster Gallery

Located at 22 Fore Street, St Ives, near the Barbara Hepworth Studio and Garden, the gallery has earned an international reputation for its exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, and contemporary studio ceramics.

Over the past 18 years in Cornwall, the gallery has hosted more than 160 shows, supporting over 90 living British artists while also presenting works by 20th Century Modern St Ives and British masters.

Porthminster Gallery has won awards including the Cornwall Today readers’ award for Best Art Gallery in Cornwall (2014/15) and has featured on BBC2’s Coast and Sky Arts’ Tate Walks series.

For more information, visit porthminstergallery.co.uk. The gallery is open six days a week, Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat 11am–4pm, and admission is free.