Frome based Documentary and Fine Art Photographer, Mark Brookes will be be opening his pop-up photography gallery at Fromie Gifts on Stony Street following a three month lockdown delay. Mark is the first to take part in the Meet the Makers scheme set up by Nicky Bragg at Fromie Gifts.

With the COVID-19 situation Nicky, like all small independent shops closed her doors, concentrating on her busy online business. Fromie Gifts will re-open on 15th June alongside other Frome retail businesses ensuring that any current social distancing rules are respected for the health and wellbeing of her customers. Handing over to Mark for the month of July see's Nicky getting back on track and continuing her philosophy of supporting local creatives.

Mark who produces the annual Frome Calendar and a popular range of photo-art cards has been in the photography business for many years. He studied at Salisbury College of Art established himself as a go-to photographer for alternative portraits, documentary images and Fine Art gallery prints during the 1990's running a successful studio over the border in Wiltshire.

Making his name producing images for bands, actors, books, environmental campaigns and photographing celebrities and royalty he eventually became disillusioned with the business he left photography behind for over twenty years.

Based in Frome for the last eight years Mark has returned to the photographic world and is back to producing quirky portraits as well as documentary work and alternative images of his adopted town.

The opening of this month long 'pop-up' gallery coincides with the publication of three new books covering Mark's work with models and musicians, Extinction Rebellion and his adopted hometown of Frome where he lives with his partner the saxophonist and writer Vicki Burke.

Mark said 'This has become an extremely challenging year for small independent retailers, creatives and all businesses in Frome, it went from an encouraging start to an almost total shut-down. Shops are now looking to re-open and businesses are taking steps to pick up from where they left off. For me this was to be a busy year and the launch of my new work, art fairs and commissions. My pop-up gallery was to be the starting point so I'm going to make the best of what the 'new normal' becomes and go for it. I'm very grateful to Nicky at Frome Gifts for the support, commitment and encouragement'

Nicky Bragg from Fromie Gifts said: 'Its been a very strange time for us all in Frome but the support and communication between the retailers has been inspiring. We know that we now have a challenge to get things back on track whilst working within the new rules but if any town can do it, Frome can. I'm so excited to still be able to give local makers like Mark the opportunity to have a real presence in the heart of town and use the shop as an exclusive platform to showcase his talent. Meanwhile I'll still be working behind the scenes for the rest of my Fromie suppliers and all items will be available online, with gift cards and T shirts still available to buy from the shop'

Visitors can expect the unexpected at Mark's pop-up gallery, some of his more recent photography work has been described as quirky, surreal and even challenging. Shooting with both state of the art digital and 1960's vintage medium format film cameras Mark often breaks the established photographic rules preferring to shoot in the moment, producing images that can be edgy, gritty and sometimes controversial.

The gallery will give people the opportunity to see a large selection of Mark's work with prints and his new photo-books books available to buy directly from him during his residency there. For more information contact Mark at [email protected] or visit his website here: the Mark Brookes site