It is no surprise that the arts have suffered greatly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Events and venues have had to shut, restricting opportunities for face-to-face sales and testing of new product lines directly with customers. Luckily, some artists have online outlets for selling at least some of their range through e-commerce. But there are many customers who enjoy a shopping trip and the option to handle goods in person before choosing which to buy.

So it will be welcome news for these shoppers that some of the shops and galleries that had to shut because of the coronavirus in March are reopening, with new measures in place to ensure the safety of customers and staff.

The Wild Art Gallery, housed in the Warwick Lane arcade in Wickham Square, near Fareham in Hampshire, is one of the shops reopening in July. As you may imagine, all the artwork on show there has nature and animal themes. The gallery boasts high quality pictures and 3D work at reasonable prices – so it’s a great place to browse and buy something truly original for your home or to treat a friend or loved one.

Owner and artist, Sarah Featherstone, has updated the shop layout and practices to meet the government guidelines, so customers can browse in comfort.

Sarah exhibits her own, highly detailed, wildlife, landscape and seascape paintings in the shop alongside the work of other local artists, including Beth Frost (animal illustrations), Alexi Francis (concertina wildlife cards), Jane Warwick (textile art), Wendy Smith (seascapes in mixed media), Phillipa Smith (wildlife photography), Alan Wells (animal pastel pictures), Gillian Shonk (landscapes in oil), David Moignard (Cairn watercolour paintings), Jerry Smith (local landscapes in oil), Jen and Tori (crochet animals), and Karen Hastings (animal watercolour paintings and prints). There is also a selection of my smaller stained glass gifts on show, including Quirky Birds, owls, mice and polar bears.

Please do support artists during this difficult period with a purchase in person at the Wild Art Gallery. Current opening hours are Wednesday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm.