It's a curious side-effect of being in the presence of true talent that one's own efforts suddenly…read morefeel incredibly shabby and irrelevant. It's also telling that despite being there for the opening night a full two weeks ago, every word I've attempted to write since in praise or portrayal still seems as clumsy and malformed as a pre-schooler's crayoned Christmas card greeting. Regardless, here's the skinny... Modifications of the Host by Rachel Goodyear is an exhibition of works inspired by her time spent in the Canadian wilderness plus one or two other bits, and includes drawings, animations and porcelain sculptures. It's at the Bothy Gallery in the amazing Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The vast majority of Rachel's works on display here are her trademark style of finely detailed drawings, the recurrent theme (I guess) being one of contradictions, often removed from their traditional context and/or relationship. The influence of the North American countryside is telling, with wild animals from the region featuring heavily in many of the new pieces, their intricate level of detail itself in direct contrast to the vast expanse of the white canvases on which they exist. Men and women, human and nature, pleasure and pain, beauty and horror, all are explored with a keen eye for succinct comment and no little wit and mischief at times, leading to a collection that is as accessible and entertaining as it is clever. The animations are fairly subtle, and are more like enhanced versions of a still canvas drawing rather than noisy reinterpretations that intrude upon your own subjective understanding of the artist. I think these were done in collaboration with a technical expert but they definitely complement the rest of the collection rather than detract. A lot of people turn their noses up at contemporary art in the belief that it's all giant rhinoceroses made of crisp packets and bogeys***, but Rachel's talent at combining technical excellence with common social experience means that I would recommend the show to art-snobs and casual meanderers alike. The upside is that even if you think it's rubbish you still have the whole of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park to go and play in. Free entry, parking £5, restaurant on site, bring a brolly. Exhibition runs until 3rd January 2012. ***originally written as a joke but I think there's one on display at the Tate in Liverpool.

A superb setting for someone who has spent a lot of their career focusing and using wood. Nash…read morebrings exhibits including sculptures, installations and drawings some open air and some to be permanent features of the Park. Many of Nash's pieces are untreated and presents the nature of the material and it warps and degrades long after it was originally formed into life as a artistic piece. His works spanning the a gamut of media, galleries, open air spaces of Yorkshire Sculpture Park are well worth a visit at the beginning of spring in May 2010.

I firstly head of this exhibition from a girl in Barnsley funnily enough. I thought if we'd heard…read moreabout it over here then it must be worth checking out - and it was! Beautiful pieces of woodwork, sculptures and drawings make this a lovely exhibition to stroll around on a lazy afternoon. If you are fan of and can appreciate art and talent, then you'll enjoy this.

an artists paradise. the local artist jamie frost runs this along with his partner and their…read morerespective spouses. they hold classes fromchildren to adults and everything is fun. the works on display are quite something and are well worth going to see. they are in a shopping complex which houses many units, from clothes to coffee. a nice place to visit for an afternoon.

While we were visiting a couple of friends in Yorkshire, this was one of the highlights of our…read morevisit! I have a not entirely normal love of rocks, but I'm not a huge fan of heavy machinery, and I really enjoyed the museum. The underground tour is a must, with the colorful guide (typically a former miner) regaling us with the interesting stories and background of the workings of this mine. (Yes, as an American, it was nearly impossible to comprehend anything through the accent! :-) ) Be sure to wear flat, closed toe shoes and bring a light jumper, as it's dark and somewhat cold deep in the mine. Everyone gets a torch (weighing about 2 kg) to wear. The exhibit about the lives of the miners (in and out of the mine) was fascinating with first-hand stories and artifacts on display. The exhibit about the women and children who used to work the mine was eye-opening. The coal interface exhibit (discussing how the coal is mined) was also worthwhile, but, as a wannabe geologist, I wished for more information about the geological science behind the discovery and mining of the coal. The children would like the pit ponies (which we didn't get a chance to see). There's a nature trail surrounding the mine which we didn't have time to walk. Big rocks, big machinery - what else do you need?

A well organized operation and museum experience. Ian was a knowledgeable miner and excellent tour…read moreguide. Great history displayed in a former mine. Sad to learn some of the awful working conditions and exploitation of family labor and animals through the years.