Newcastle exhibition sheds a light on life in lockdown

The sheds are entirely personal to their makers

An exhibition of mini sheds reflecting life during the coronavirus pandemic has gone on display in Newcastle.

The 20 creations in Shed a Light were made during lockdown with remote support from artist Nicola Lynch.

Many have intricate interiors with tiny furniture and, in one case, a beach with deckchairs, all made from a flatpack kit.

Ms Lynch said they were "thought-provoking" and hoped they would lead to discussion about emotional wellbeing.

"I think we now have a real legacy that will document this bizarre and, dare I say it, unprecedented time," she said.

Some sheds have found homes at an allotment

The sheds are personal to their makers and "capture a real moment in time", Ms Lynch said.

Leigh Arrowsmith's work, entitled Anguish at 3am, is a reproduction of her full-sized shed, which she calls her "lifeline".

"The one I made was all put together in my proper shed and is exactly what it was looking like at the time. It was desolate," she said.

"There was no creativity going on, it was just me and a guitar on a chair at three in the morning."

Leigh Arrowsmith's "sanctuary within a sanctuary"

The shed made by flatmates Brian Osbourne and Deborah Evan reflected their thwarted dream of moving to the Scottish Borders.

"We had a bigger argument over the kitchen in the shed than we did for the kitchen in the real house," Mr Osbourne said.

Brian Osbourne's and Deborah Evan's Scottish Borders dream shed

Denise Mason said she enjoyed the challenge of making a shed "during a difficult time coping with Covid-19 restrictions".

"It has given me the motivation to be creative," she said.

Denise Mason's Universal Happiness shed

The project has been praised by participants for providing a welcome distraction from the reality of lockdown.

Wendy Bulmer from the charity Changing Lives, which supported it, said "for a lot of people it's taken them to a happy place".

The exhibition is also supported by Arts Council England and runs until 24 August at Newcastle City Library.