JOIN local artists and craftspeople for "a showstopper of an exhibit" at a community gallery in Chepstow this month.

Forest and Wye Valley-based arts collective farOpen is hosting an exhibition at 7Q, a gallery opened by residents of the modern quayside development Wye Apartments at The Back, throughout October.

7Q opened earlier this year after residents of the apartments decided to turn an empty room downstairs into a thriving gallery to celebrate local artists.

Forest and Rivers Open Studios, or farOpen, is described as a collective of "diverse and talented" artists who work, sell, exhibit and run art workshops in the Forest of Dean and along the Wye and Severn rivers.

The collective, which was established in 1995, is a volunteer-led, not-for-profit organisation which aims to support its "talented" members by raising their profile.

The group, which organises an annual arts trail in the Forest and Wye Valley in which local creatives showcase their work from the natural environment of their own studios, has gathered works from 17 local artists for the Chepstow exhibit.

The organisers say the quality of the original artwork in the exhibition is "simply stunning".

The exhibit will feature a selection of jewellery, cards, prints, textile art, glass and paintings.

On each day of the exhibition, which is open from Thursday to Sunday until October 24, one of the 17 artists will be at the gallery to greet customers and talk about their process and artwork on display.

The exhibition is free to attend and free on street parking is also available for visitors.

The gallery is open Thursday to Sunday from 10am until 4pm.

To find out more about farOpen and the exhibition, go to www.faropen.co.uk.