January maybe the darkest — and supposedly most depressing — month of the year, but if you need cheering up two Norwich exhibitions provide a riot of colour, says SIMON PARKIN.

REPEAT: NEW TEXTILE BASED WORKS

NUCA Gallery, St George's Street, Norwich, until January 28, Tues-Sat 12pm-5pm, free admission, 01603 756247

The history of Norwich and the evolution of textiles practice go hand in hand. Further to its international reputation for various forms of cloth production in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, the legacy of textiles manufacturing left its mark on Norwich; where rich culture and architecture still shows today the great influence this industry once had. The teaching of art and design has encouraged many talented practitioners to settle in Norwich, and in particular to share their expertise with future generations of designers at Norwich University College of the Arts (NUCA).

This show which features new textile-based works by contemporary designers and artists who are associated with the prestigious NUCA textiles course, who have created artefacts in response to the one-word theme — Repeat.

Some works have been selected from current designers' output, whilst other exhibits have been produced specifically for the show.

The exhibition draws on a range of contemporary textile practices and includes drawing, textiles, product, video, installation and design work.

Exhibitors include Les Bicknell, Martyn Blundell, Zoe Miller, Louise Richardson, Jill Rodgers, Nick Rodgers, David Tudge and Alison Willoughby.

www.nuca.ac.uk/thegallery

MARY WEBB: JOURNEYS IN COLOUR

Sainsbury Centre, until February 26, joint exhibition entry �2 (�1 cons), �4 family (�3 cons), 01603 593199, www.scva.ac.uk

The world of Mary Webb is a colourful one. Her paintings are alive with bold colours made all the more visually striking by zinging abstract shapes and patterns.

Webb, who lives in Eye, Suffolk, has been producing bold abstract work for nearly 50 years as well as teaching painting at art schools in Harrogate and here in Norwich.

Journeys in Colour, which has been extended until the end of February, celebrates her work from 1965 to the present day and includes some 60 paintings together with screen prints, drawings and collages. The exhibition also includes a brand new series of recent works never seen before, which have been inspired by a trip to Utah in America.

Her work is abstract and striking, the designs composed of squares and rectangles using a bold palette of colours. Colour is evenly applied within each section and the shape of her work is always square.

'Colour is my main concern, and the emotional and spatial sensations it can evoke, frequently linked to the memory of place,' she explains.

www.marywebb.co.uk