Tucked away on Haven Road in Canford Cliffs, Drax Studio is a small art gallery and dealership that trades under more than one name online - it also appears as Canvas Gallery - but operates from this single Poole address. Rather than a walk-in shop, it works more like a private dealer’s showroom, sourcing and selling photography, paintings and limited edition prints for collectors, with international shipping offered on purchases.
What it is
The gallery’s stock leans heavily on photography and fine art prints rather than a broad mixed programme. Confirmed names on its books include the late Terry O’Neill CBE, known for his portraits of musicians and film stars, alongside painter James Green and artist Elsbeth Shaw. It also carries limited edition prints connected to Bob Dylan’s visual art. The gallery has run temporary exhibitions from the same site, including a May 2025 show of photographs of David Bowie taken by his long-time friend and backing vocalist Geoff MacCormack, and an earlier seasonal exhibition in autumn 2024. Beyond these, no specific current show is confirmed, so it’s worth checking the website before a visit if you’re hoping to see a particular exhibition.
Visiting
This is not a gallery with fixed daily opening hours for casual browsing. Visits run by appointment, and the gallery states it can be reached by phone or email between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week, to arrange a time. That makes it a better fit for anyone with a specific interest in the artists on show, or in browsing prints for a potential purchase, than for a spontaneous drop-in while exploring the area. No admission charge is mentioned anywhere, in keeping with its set-up as a dealer’s space rather than a ticketed attraction.
Where it is
Haven Road sits in Canford Cliffs, one of the quieter, more residential corners of Poole, on the stretch of coast between Poole town centre and Sandbanks. It’s a low-key setting rather than a gallery quarter, so this is very much a destination visit rather than somewhere you’d stumble across while wandering Poole Quay. The wider Sandbanks and Canford Cliffs area is known for its beaches and coastal walks, making a gallery appointment easy to combine with time spent along the shore.
Good to know
Because entry is by appointment, there’s no published information on accessibility, parking or family facilities, so it’s worth asking directly when you book. The gallery hasn’t listed any awards or press coverage on its own site beyond the exhibitions it has hosted. If you’re planning a trip around a specific artist or show, contacting the gallery ahead of time is the safest way to confirm what’s currently on display.