On a bright and breezy August afternoon, Worcester鈥檚 South Quay was transformed into the bustling banks of the River Seine, as the Riverside Artists鈥 Market set up its stalls and prepared for a day of artwork, pleasant surroundings and (hopefully!) plenty of sunshine. As someone with a lifelong interest in artwork but with no skill at all, I decided to grab my camera and head to the fountains to soak up the atmosphere and meet some of the talented artists displaying their diverse works by the riverside. Something for everyone There was a huge range of artwork on display- just walking 200 metres could take you from stunningly realistic paintings of Worcester Cathedral and even the romantic winding canals of Venice to hand painted, dramatic interpretations of iconic pictures, including Frodo Baggins holding the One Ring and Clint Eastwood in his famous 鈥淒irty Harry鈥 role. Chatting to the artists
 | | Debbie Thomas with her colourful artwork |
Whilst wandering through the stalls I came across Debbie Thomas, young artist whose stall looked out onto the calm River Severn. A student at Goldsmith College in London, Debbie described the Worcester Festival as 鈥渁 brand new experience鈥. Debbie鈥檚 artwork mainly involves knitting, and she told me about her recent innovative exhibition, where viewers could move her displays around according to how they felt. With just one year left at college, what does the future hold for Debbie? 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure at the moment鈥, she giggled. A relaxed atmosphere Visitors stopped to chat to some of the artists and to admire their work, whilst others chose to sit on the benches to listen to the Silverstone jazz band, entertaining both artists and visitors alike. Small children took advantage of the warm weather and the convenience of the fountains to cool themselves down. All of the artists commented on the pleasant ambience of the setting. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really lovely being here, enjoying the music and watching the children enjoying themselves鈥, said one artist.
 | | Modern images as dramatic artwork |
Many of the artists were taking advantage of the sunny spell to paint in front of their stalls, offering visitors a special opportunity to watch them at work, whilst others painted scenes from photographs. The Riverside Artists鈥 Market was a huge success, with hundreds of people expected over the two Sundays, and given the beautiful setting, the diverse artwork on display and the comments of the visitors, it is a venture that many would like to see repeated in the near future. | 
