By Hammer By Hand, the summer exhibition at the Saltbox Gallery in Helmsley, focuses on the artistic combination of brute force and finesse.

Running until September 11, the show features fine art and craft produced in wood, steel, stone and precious metals by more than a dozen craftsmen with hammers and hand-held tools.

Peter Coates, who lives near Malton, contributes stone carvings, lettering and design. Already he has a wide array of public work in Britain and Europe, not least at the Walled Garden at Scampston Hall, near Malton.

Jennifer Tetlow, from nearby Lastingham, is exhibiting finely-carved stone animal sculpture while Bernard McGuigan, from London, provides figurative sculpture, and Middlesbrough-born Keith Murray is showing garden sculpture in the outdoor gallery.

David Stephenson, from Lockton, near Pickering, is among the blacksmiths taking part, in his case presenting copper relief wall pieces that utilise the art of copper repoussé, in which metal is ornamented or shaped by hammering from the back.

Other blacksmiths include Paul Allen, from Dorset, who specialises in very finely-forged stainless steel objects; Henry Pomfret, from Hereford, exhibiting forged kinetic steel sculptures; and Andy Basnett, Jonathan Stringer and Saltbox co-owner Matthew Dwyer, all from Ryedale.

On show too are candle sticks and vessels by Brett Payne, from Sheffield, who forges silver in its hot state; work in silver by Scottish artist Ryan McClean; jewellery and raised bowls by Rauni Higson, from Snowdonia, and bracelets by Jessica Briggs, from Sheffield.

Meanwhile, the narrative jewellery of Helen Shere, from Nottingham, and Dutch artist Greetje Sieders both display stamping and hand-forging techniques.

Resident blacksmith Matthew Dwyer is passionate about hammer and hand techniques. “Every day, all over the world, artisans are picking up their raw material and using tried-and-tested techniques to produce beautifully crafted work,” he says.

“A piece of stone or a length of steel bar can be imbued with a life of its own through sometimes brutal and fierce procedures, but with the skill and judgement of the artist comes a unique and very often original piece of artwork.”

To accompany the show, Saltbox is showing paintings by York artists Richard Barnes and Nathan Chenery; ceramics by Ruthanne Tudball, from Norfolk, Penny Phillips, from York; and Karen Witty and Colin Fawcett, from Seaham, who specialise in life-like small animals and birds.

Throughout the summer, Saltbox will be host to Aura, a touring jewellery collective that showcases enamel work and hand-made jewellery made by artists from Yorkshire and beyond.

Opening hours are 10am to 4pm, Monday to Wednesday, and 10am to 5pm, Thursday to Saturday.