Art on show at Cascades Shopping Centre based on popular Portsmouth book

The pieces will be on view and available for sale in Cascades Shopping Centre from Monday October 21.

Timed to coincide with this year’s Portsmouth Darkfest arts festival, the Snow Witch art exhibition will remain in place until Sunday, November 10.

Displaying work from many different artists, from painters to poetry writers, through sculpture and music, it will open daily from 11am until 3pm.

A preview will be held on Saturday from 6.30pm until 8.30pm, which will give those who attend the opportunity to get a first glimpse of the art pieces, as well as meet the artists behind them.

A series of children and family-centred workshops will also be held during half-term.

Starting from Tuesday October 29 until Friday November 1, people will be able to get involved with painting and crafting.

The exhibition, which is funded by Arts Council England, was born from a conversation between the book’s author Matt Wingett and blacksmith artist Lucille Scott, after she was inspired by the novel’s symbolism and imagery.

Matt has described the book as his finest piece of writing.

He said: ‘The Snow Witch I created has suddenly taken on a life of her own far beyond me, and I’m stunned at the public response to it. It’s amazing and really humbling.’

The book, which was published in September 2017, is about a woman who arrives in a British seaside town as a refugee with a horrifying past.

Andrew Philip, general manager at Cascades, said: ‘We’re delighted and feel privileged to be part of such a unique event and art exhibition.

‘The Snow Witch gripped this city when it was released two years ago, and I am not surprised at all by how well this exhibition has been received. There has been a lot of truly inspiring pieces of art created for it and we can’t wait for the local community to be able to come and see it.’