Take a detour off the A590 near Askam and you're on the trail of one of the latest art houses to emerge in our county's green and pleasant land.

Nestled into the industrial landscape within the former K Shoes factory is a creative oasis - the Shoemaker Contemporary Art Gallery - set-up by Softwalker Limited within the Furness manufacturing site.

Softwalker is a firm of specialist shoe makers led by former K Shoes staff who decided to go it alone when the company's UK operations started to decline.

Now, the place is home to fine art as well as outstanding craftsmanship.

Following on from Shoemaker's debut exhibition Steroids and Stretchmarks - a retrospective of work by well-known Furness artist Michael Whittaker - is an exhibition by two Cumbrian-based artists, Steve Graham and Paul Landon.

The show runs into the New Year and is a mixture of three-dimensional abstract work from Steve and atmospheric photography courtesy of lensman and multi-media artist Paul.

Steve Graham established Polyurethane Art in 2001. An arts graduate who lives and works in the Lake District, he uses his artistic flair combined with an experimental verve to produce the unique works that have come to be known as PU Art.

He is a pioneer who is constantly pushing at the boundaries of what can be achieved through his art.

Steve uses the varying flow consistency of polyurethane combined with pigments that produce vivid colours and images which rise out of the painting towards the viewer.

Softwalker has commissioned Steve to produce one of his biggest works yet for its factory foyer.

Paul Landon was born in 1962. At Middlesex Polytechnic he specialised in ceramics, making oversized heads and distinctive functional tableware.

Over the following years he broadened his artistic horizons to include music, photography, animation, and painting. And the arrival of the computer provided Paul with a new tool.

On Paul's move to Cumbria in 1985 he discovered his second lifetime's muse water - revelling in the changing light play, moods, rivers, lakes and oceans.

His latest collection shifts from the reflection in a horse's eye to the sands of Morecambe Bay.

As well as work by Steve and Paul, Shoemaker is still showing the work of sculptor Martin Copley.

And how to get there? Turn off the A590 to Askam just before Barrow on to the A595, continuing for a mile-and-a-half. On entering Askam village turn off at the railway station, go over the level crossing and the entrance is 50 yards on the right.

Shoemaker is open 9am-5pm, Monday-Saturday.

For further information contact gallery manager Cat Stables on 01229-465042.