D OGS and dolphins, magpies and monkeys – there’s a whole menagerie of artistic endeavour on show at the Forum Cinema’s Scott’s Cafe in Hexham at the moment.

Animals dominate this uplifting exhibition by the 10 talented artists, who are all members of the Gateway into the Community art project for people with learning disabilities.

Even before you enter the art deco cafe itself, in Hexham’s Market Place, there are wonderful elephant papier mache sculptures on display as you ascend the staircase.

“They tied in really well with our screening of The Jungle Book,” said Tamsin Beevor, who manages the cinema, owned by Hexham Community Partnership.

“At the launch earlier this month, the participants were so pleased with themselves, and quite rightly, because actually there’s some lovely work here,” Tamsin added.

The exhibition is a first for Gateway and is the result of 30 Monday sessions at Hexham Community Centre with art psychotherapist, Sarah Greaves, who lives at Ingoe, near Matfen.

A second course will start in the autumn. Both are funded by a generous £19,980 grant from the Esme Fairbairn Foundation through the Community Foundation (Tyne and Wear and Northumberland).

The artists, aged between 20 and 60, have explored a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, pastels, collage and polyprinting.

And there’s a variety of subject matter – not only animal life, but happy memories and self portraits.

One strikingly-colourful picture titled, Me and Polly is a portrait of the artist, Kathryn, with her friend, Polly, and the chocolate cake they made in a microwave.

Another, by Stephen Castelow, is of him and his friend and carer, Shelley, on holiday in Benidorm – its vivid hues instantly conjuring up a sunny summer day on the Med.

Gateway into the Community’s co-ordinator, Fiona Macdonald, said people visiting the exhibition had immediately identified Stephen in his painting because it was such a good likeness.

Stephen said he had really enjoyed his painting and sculpture – he also created an impressive giraffe out of wire – despite not being keen on art at the outset.

“I didn’t think I liked art till I tried wire sculpture, now I want to make them as a job,” he said.

Already a number of the artworks, which are all for sale, have been snapped up. One of the first to be sold was an endearing sculpture in papier mache of art therapist Sarah’s dog, Rodney.

Indeed, Rodney himself came along to the launch event to meet his doppelganger face-to-face.

Sarah said, “They’ve all done really good work. I’m really proud of them, they’re great.

“This is all about enhancing people’s self-esteem, self- expression and about being valued. The exhibition has given them a profile in the community that is about their creativity.

“Art is also such a wonderful way for people to express themselves when they might have limited verbal capacity.

“ I wanted them to have a way of projecting themselves with their self portraits of being very complex and interesting people.”

A hallmark of the way Sarah works with people is her insistence on not being overly prescriptive.

“I really encourage people to do their own work and take things in their own direction. It’s unpredictable and much more interesting.

“We’re supporting people to express their own ideas rather than us impose our ideas of what is right or wrong.”

Sarah, who has an English degree and an MA in Autism, qualified as an art psychotherapist in 1997 and worked at Dilston College for nine years.

Fiona said the autumn course would introduce new members of Gateway into the Community to art, but said she hoped to raise additional funds to continue an art club for these most recent graduates so their skills can be kept up.

The art exhibition runs until June and is well worth a visit.

Scott’s Cafe is open Sunday, Monday and Wednesday to Friday between 1.30 and 9.30pm and on Tuesdays from 10am-9.30pm during term-time and Saturdays from 11am to 9.30pm.