WARM up your chilly days this winter by taking in the exhibitions at the Ann Bryant Art Gallery.

Artist Valerie Liebenberg's work is on show, and there is a special exhibition by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Liebenberg's exhibition, Synergy, is a celebration of her latest charcoal and mixed media sketches. Her work is romantic realism in style, and stems from scenes real life and antique photo-postcards that she has collected over the years.

Synergy runs from 19 April until 5 May. It includes a showing of the works of Audette Jooste, a textile artist who owns her own screen printing and design business in East London, called Holy Smoke Dezign.

Jooste has a love for beautiful things, a passion for good design and a driving urge to create things that inspire people to live and enjoy life, says the gallery. The two artists have shared studio space since May 2010.

The gallery adds that Jooste is also collaborating with 10 other artists in creating functional textile art in the form of cushions, centred on the theme of Synergetic Grace.

"Each person has contributed an interpretation or expression of 'grace'. Various mediums, techniques, styles and genres have been combined to give a corporate perspective on the subject."

They include crochet, embroidery, pewter, sewing and appliqué, a mosaic artist, textile designer, poet, photographer and fine artist. Jooste has combined with or interpreted some of the contributions in silk screen prints on fabric.

According to the gallery, the exhibition is a combination of different ideas and styles that form a new idea or style, the extra energy or effectiveness created when people combine efforts, working together in a creative, innovative and productive manner.

In addition, Friends of Ann Bryant will host screenings of new DVDs upstairs in the main gallery on Wednesdays from 1pm to 2pm. The series will explore the history of visual imagination through the ages.

All the DVDs are an hour long. Lunch will be available and can be ordered from the Coach House cafe.

The Ann Bryant Gallery is on St Mark's Road in Southernwood. It is open from Mondays to Fridays, from 9am to 5pm; and on Saturdays and public holidays from 9am to 12pm.

For more information, contact Leon du Preez on 043 722 4044, email annbryant@intekom.co.za or visit the Ann Bryant Art Gallery website.