A Wiltshire sculpture gallery has launched its inaugural live exhibition – a year later than planned because of the pandemic.

Talos Art Gallery will exhibit the work of renowned bronze sculptor Emma Mac Dermott over each weekend in July.

The gallery, at Heddington, near Calne, was established to showcase the work of nationally and internationally renowned sculptors who have their work cast at sister company The Talos Foundry, near Andover

Last summer a virtual exhibition – images and videos hosted on the gallery's website – featured the work of 30 top artists, some of which had never been seen in public before. Between Times, the opening exhibition by Emma, showcases the work created in between commissions with a nod to the between-times mood of the past year.

Emma Mac Dermott has been a sculptor for nearly 40 years and has built a reputation for her life-sized horses and jockeys cast in bronze. Her sculptures can be found at racecourses and racing stables in the UK and Ireland.

Horses and jockeys feature in the exhibition, alongside studies of foxes, game birds, hares, donkeys, and tiny life-sized mice in motion.

"I'm trying to capture a moment," said Emma, who lives on a working farm and is inspired by the animals she sees around her, as well as travels to Argentina and her Irish heritage, “horses are part of my DNA.”

One of the highlights of the exhibition is Coursing, a life-sized study of two greyhounds chasing down their quarry.

The sculptures will be displayed inside and outside the gallery, which has been created inside 17th century dairy buildings at Broads Green Farm, the home of foundry and gallery owner and artist Richard Atkinson-Willes.

Richard and his partner Sara restored the cowsheds, dug up the yard and planted gardens for visitors can enjoy art in a setting which “celebrates materials and craftsmanship in all its guises” and country views of the Cherhill Downs and White Horse.

"We are so excited to be able to launch our new gallery with an exhibition of bronze sculpture by one of this country’s foremost equestrian and wildlife sculptors," said Richard.

"Three years of painstaking restoration work has resulted in a gallery that is almost a work of art itself, and we are delighted that visitors can now come and enjoy it and this lovely part of Wiltshire at last.

The opening of the gallery will coincide with Marlborough Open Studios – Richard will also open his own artist studio next door to the gallery.

The exhibition will launch on July 3 online and will be open from 11am to 5pm each weekend in July, except July 31, and by appointment. It is free to attend.

As well as the physical exhibition, a virtual exhibition of the work will launch online on July 3.

For more information about the gallery and exhibitions, visit https://talosartgallery.co.uk