The Church Street Gallery is the latest exhibition space for north Norfolk's thriving arts scene. The gallery, housed in one of several buildings in Cromer recently listed as of historic interest, has been carefully refurbished to provide an area in which to display the work of artists and makers from throughout the UK. The gallery is run by Margaret and John James. "If there is a predominant theme in the gallery it's the celebration of landscape and the 'Sense of Place' that inspires so many artists in the materials they use and the images they present, whether realistic, abstract or even fantastic," said John. Michael Warren It's fitting the inaugural exhibition at the gallery is Birds In The East by Michael Warren, a showcase of birds in a variety of East Anglian habitats. "I've always been a very keen bird watcher and I was good at art as apposed to anything else – so it went from there," he said. "Birds have always interested and excited me. I was brought up in the west Midlands which is grim conurbation in many ways. To get out to reservoirs and gravel pits just opened your eyes as to what can be seen in the country," he added. As an expert ornithologist, Michael Warren has watched birds in Norfolk for more than 40 years. Over time, Michael has turned the field sketch into an art form which, as well as informing and inspiring larger works, have provided the illustrations for several books. "All the painting are based on observations when bird watching," he said. "If I see a subject I like, I sketch it and then paint it in the studio. I use watercolours as I like to paint fairly quickly, there's more immediacy, a certain softness with them. Michael admits to having something of a love affair with the county. "I tend to spend as much time in Norfolk as I can to come birding, I certainly make sure to cover the various seasons," he said.  | | Ringed Plovers at Blakeney (detail) |
"One of my favourite areas in Norfolk is Blakeney Point. I've been visiting there for some 50 years come this December - it's a fascinating wilderness in parts. "Places like Cley-next-the- Sea, the salt marshes around Stiffkey and the reserve at Titchwell are all great magnets for birds and bird watching," he added. Painting and conservation In addition to Michael's work in the UK, he also travels around the world with a group of artist who play their part in the conservation of natural habitats. "I belong to a group of artist called the Artists For Nature Foundation (ANF) which is a group of artist from Europe, the US and Canada," he said. "We visit an area and deliver a conservation message through paintings and sculpture. This is often far more expressive than a written report and captures more of what me might loose unless we protect it. "Birds as so visually present wherever you go in the world. Urban, countryside, wherever – it’s ever present. If you are aware of wildlife then birds are the most visual element of that," he added. Birds In East Anglia can be viewed at the Church Street Gallery until Monday 6 December, 2004. For more details call 01263 510100. | 
