New Photo Gallery for Pennine Lancashire - Story by Sarah Lee

Pendle’s first photo gallery opens from Thursday 4 July with a new exhibition of stunning Pennine landscape pictures called Remnants by photographer Lee Johnson.

The Foto Galleria is opening above La Dolce Vita deli Italia at 40 Albert Road, Colne and coincides with the deli’s first birthday.

Sara Mumby explained:  “We started by selling Italian cakes, olives, artisan breads and cheeses on market stalls in Pendle exactly a year ago.

“A lot’s happened in a year.  We have our own shop and now a galleria!

“We’re a deli with a difference!” Agreed her business partner Sarah Lee.

 “People can come and look at the photographs whilst having a cappuccino or a glass of wine and a panino.

“And if they see something that fires them up, they can buy a framed photograph to take home or as a gift for someone special,” she added.

Lee Johnson, is a keen naturalist and landscape photographer.  He’s also Editor of Pixel, an online Pennine Lancashire photography magazine and President of Blackburn  & District Camera Club.

“ As a kid I loved taking pictures and got my first proper camera on my 12th birthday. I’ve been hooked every since!” He confessed.

“The Remnants exhibition began with just one picture,” explained Lee.

“I went to Wycoller to photograph the Panopticon and got some shots of the vaccary walls.

“When I got home I started processing the images and wasn’t happy with the vaccary shots in colour.

“So I changed them to black and white and they were much more powerful.

“I returned to get more shots with Pendle Hill in the background.  I set up the camera and tripod and took a few steps back and tripped over a stone!

“When I looked at the stone I noticed ancient chisel marks in it which looked around the same age as the vaccaries, which are around 800 years old.

“It got me thinking about how the rocks and stones in our landscape tell a story.

“The Remnants exhibition came together from that.

 “I spent a year capturing interesting stones and rocks in our landscape which tell part of our history, from ancient times to the Victorian era,” he explained.

Anyone interested in seeing Lee’s fascinating exhibition can pop in anytime when the deli is open:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday open 8.30am – 5pm; Tuesday open 8.30am – 2pm, Saturday open 9.30am – 4pm.

To contact the deli duo, Sara and Sarah about exhibitions and events telephone 01282 866008 or contact us via Facebook:   La Dolce Vita, Colne or Twitter:  @dolcev4

Remnants is on from 4 July until late Summer.