These are worrying times. Rising prices, a Narcissistic dictator not playing fair with the big gas pipe he’d promised to look after, three prime ministers in nine weeks, writes Chris Parkinson-Brown. Everything’s topsy-turvy and I don’t know what to moan about next!

If, then, like me, you crave a bit of stability and escapism, I bear glad tidings. The Goodworth Clatford Art and Craft Weekend returned earlier this month: safe, welcome, reliable - the opposite to Trussenomics - so I moseyed down to check out what was on offer.

Now, if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll recall that last year I had a bit of a whinge about paying to get into an event that was selling stuff to me. Well, the organisers were listening, because entrance this year was free. What’s more, those same canny organisers tell me that estimated attendance was almost double that of last year.  Ooooh, I do love it when I’m right – it helps the world make just a little more sense!

So, arriving in my Improved-For-‘22 mood, I was pleased to find that the format remains unchanged: professional artists, amateurs and many in-between; high-end quality; prices from a few quid to loadsaquids – something for everyone. (I should tell you, too, that Mrs Reviewer was an exhibitor, so my comments entirely ignore her work!)

Nevertheless, despite the reassuring familiarity, I was struck by a subtle change.  Gone was much of the abstract work of last year, replaced by lots of “feelgood” landscapes and animal portraits, with oodles of bright, bold colour: a reaction to these gloomy times, perhaps?

The variety remained, though, with paintings, sculptures, photography, jewellery, glass work and decorative crafts, all far above the “run-of-the-mill” offerings found at so many art fairs and markets.

For me, though, one piece stole the show. Local artist Dan Mulhern’s wire sculptures have caused quite a stir around these parts, and his latest creation, a four-foot-long iguana made of stainless steel and copper wire, had me returning again and again to ogle its strange and impactful beauty.

Clearly, in these days when you think twice before you “put a tiger in your tank,” a four-foot-long metal iguana in your living room is the perfect antidote to nuclear oblivion! Watch out for Dan and all the other talented artists at next year’s event, they’ll help you forget this rancid old world for a while.