SCULPTOR Keith Robinson is to be remembered in an art exhibition being launched this week.

The display at Mid Cheshire College is in commemoration of the ex-student, who died five years ago.

Keith, from Crewe, realised his dream when the college displayed a collection of his 3D sculptures in its new arts and creative media building.

Keith died from a terminal illness soon after, but his memory lives on in the college with an exhibition by Middlewich artist Caroline Lea, working with Knutsford poet Jan Dean.

Their works will be displayed in the same building at the college’s Hartford campus in Northwich until May 29.

Caroline has a BA and MA in fine art and after retiring from teaching enrolled at Mid Cheshire College in 2004 and has continued studying various art courses. Following a personal tragedy last year the work on the exhibition became very cathartic for her.

“This has been a real journey,” said Caroline.

“At the time I was asked to produce work for the exhibition I thought it was a good idea as I was suffering terrible artist’s block – questioning what art is.

“The work from both poet and artist became a true collaboration of ideas, one feeding the other.”

Caroline’s exhibition – Tree Round a Rock – explores the idea of people’s personalities being layered, and aspects of themselves overlapping another.

“Some things about us are obvious and on the surface, while others are secret and hidden,” she added.

“My 3D work expresses the ideas of secretness and layering – my circular etchings are like small worlds – the worlds of family and relationships, while the small objects reflect the people who have influenced us and the permanent changes they made in us.”

Jan has published two collections of poetry, has had poems published in more than 100 anthologies and has also written teenage fiction.

She has also worked as a writer-in-schools for 25 years.

“My writing focuses on the people who have made us who we are, especially our parents,” she said.

“My poems – Lullabies for the dead – detail themes of identity, family, loss and memory.”