From a bijou shed in the Black Country to a cavernous former factory in Digbeth, the creative duo behind Seventh Circle, Chez and Marie, are cock-a-hoop with their shiny new home and the opportunities it brings 

You might know Seventh Circle through its former Moseley home where it stayed for three years between the original shed and its current vast Digbeth home. The footprint in Moseley was small but Chez and Marie (Robin Chesworth and Marie Hutton) made the best of it supporting artists and serving customers with their signature charm and authenticity. Marie says the tiny framing operation was a bit like Tetris, but other than that, Moseley treated them well.

Small business owning is not for the faint-hearted and the question, ‘do we stick or twist?’ will resonate with many. The decision to twist and make the move to a massive former factory in Digbeth eight times the size of the Moseley gallery was a biggie, but a goodie. Marie says: “We chatted about moving in January 2025 and saw the place in February, so found it quickly. It was a doer-upper.” One thing Marie learned: “Sanding is not my calling!”

After much DIY, the space is smart but crucially welcoming. There’s real scope for events as well as for artists and clients and there’s certainly more space for the framing operation – it’s more a workshop than a desk. Marie says: “It’s lovely to step back and realise what we’ve done.” There’s also a strong creative community that’s beneficial and joyful. The gallery’s Bowyer Street landlord is picky about his tenants and seems to be building a creative hub – there’s a guitar maker and a Lambretta restorer among others. There’s also the Be a Good Neighbour scheme in the area that does what it says on the tin and encourages community and support.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

It’s not all been plain sailing mind you. The initial decision for Chez to go from a steady salary leading a team of art installers to branching out on his own was a tough one. He rented studios in Wolverhampton initially which often turned out to be cold, leaky and just not fit for purpose. Then he found a gem which gave him more than enough space for a workshop, meetings with clients and gallery space.

Unfortunately, just as things were taking off, Covid reared its ugly head and Chez was forced to scale back. Projects were cancelled and he found himself paying rent for a space he couldn’t use. Bruised but undeterred, Chez built a workshop in his garden from which the business took off. He was framing, installing and creating late into the night and it became obvious it was too much for one person. Cue Marie. She took the leap in 2021, joining Chez and the plucky pair began searching for gallery space the following year. Marie’s background was in galleries working across numerous departments including sales, curation, events and management which brought an excellent set of skills to the table.

CREATIVE ECO-SYSTEM

In late March 2022, the Moseley gallery opened displaying and selling artwork by local artists and hosting events. The mission has always been to reject art snobbery and create an accessible, authentic space connecting people with art in a meaningful way. The Moseley gallery grew into just that and became a joyful place for customers and artists alike. They just outgrew it.

The move to Digbeth has been ‘reinvigorating’ and Marie says it’s more than a gallery now, ‘it’s a full blown creative eco-system built on resilience, red wine and a radical love of art’. Among the joy, there’s been sadness too. Just before they picked up the keys to Bowyer Street, Chez’s beloved dad, Alan died. He’d been heavily involved in Seventh Circle’s journey always up a ladder or on his hands and knees getting stuck into DIY in the gallery or helping Chez on installations, so his absence is acutely felt, but also spurs them on.

GREATEST JOY

The launch party was a joyful celebration that set the tone for the future. Despite all the changes, Marie says the mission hasn’t changed: “Still the greatest joy is watching someone walk in unsure, maybe even feeling out of place, and leaving with a smile, saying they’ll be back.” In a world that’s riddled with pretention, Chez and Marie’s warm, authentic approach is refreshing and infectious. Here’s to a brilliant 2026!