ARTIST Naomi Vincent explores themes of memory, stability and the transience of perfection through floating structures on the lake beside the Stable gallery at Old Sleningford, Mickley, near Ripon.

Three pieces sit on the small, tranquil lake set in the grounds of the hall, only disturbed by the breeze and the occasional magnificent fish that swims past to take a closer look.

Though the constructions are aesthetically pleasing, bathed in the late summer sunshine, their principal function is occasionally to produce a perfect mirror image of themselves in the surface of the water.

Their 26 year-old creator is equally craftsman and artist, with as much thought going into the design of the keels and bases of the pieces, hidden underwater, as the structures themselves.

The tall, slender Wave Buoy gently bobs and rocks, Sea Tent squats steady like a spider over the water and Feather spins in sedate circles.

Wave Buoy is the easiest on the eye, with its base carved like a bulb and a leaf-like protrusion reaching for the sun.

Vincent is an honest and refreshingly original artist and her work is well suited to the lush grounds of the hall. Any more works would have crowded the small lake and reduced their impact, but this trio of excellent pieces is a tantalising glimpse of an artist who deserves a much bigger platform.

The nearby Stable gallery has a pleasant feel of being a place where art is made and not just hung on the walls. Exhibits include some good textile work with a watery theme by French artist Julia Saxon and some tribal patterns by Elza Tantahern, who also has pieces hanging in Ripon Cathedral.

Upstairs houses a ferocious, vivid seascape by local artist Diana Bourne-Arton. Miranda Legard displays quite a talent for blending colours in her pastel works, notably in her landscape of the Isle of Skye, with its shifting greens and brooding sky.

Naomi Vincent's floating pieces are a must-see, but the gallery should not be overlooked.

The exhibition has been organised as part of Ripon international festival, and runs until Sunday, September 23. Tickets are £3 at the door, including entry to the gardens, lake and woodland.

Dan Jenkins