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‘When Soft was the Sun’

'When Soft was the Sun'
‘When Soft was the Sun’

‘When Soft was the Sun’ Autumn Exhibition 2022

As the evenings start to draw in, our thoughts turn to home and a good fire in the hearth. To set the scene we mark the beauty of the changes of the season, and introduce our special Autumn Exhibition combined with h.Art entitled ‘When Soft was the Sun’ which opens on Saturday September 3 at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge, promoting the work of talented British artists and makers from around the county and beyond.  

Our line up this year will feature artists Lynda Jones, Karen Pearce, Sue Hayden, Rachel Wright and Jemima Jameson. 

Heading the line up is artist Lynda Jones. Formerly from Sunderland, she settled in Monmouth in the early 1980’s, where she has lived ever since. She studied Art Foundation at Newport College of Art & Design, followed by a degree in Visual Art at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Her canvases and drawings are mostly depictions of landscapes in the Monmouth area – the final image often bears little relation to the original subject but all have a common starting point – the memory of a place she knows well.

Karen Pearce paints mainly in acrylics on canvas. Her latest works reflect her interest in rocks and water, her experimentation with different media and her love of the coastline in West Wales amongst certain other locations. Aspects of painting water excites her, such as the affinity it has with paint layering and glazing techniques and the way it can have a unifying effect on a composition as it reflects the sky.

By popular demand Jemima Jameson returns with a beautifully executed collection of painted boxes and cabinets. Hares, foxes, kingfishers are just some of nature’s beautiful creatures that Jemima captures in acrylic paints as she creates these heirloom pieces.

Artist Sue Hayden is excited by the relationship between texture, shape, light and space in landscapes and employs acrylics and pastels on paper that has been layered up beforehand with paint and paper creating a collage effect. This adds energy, randomness and interest to the subject. Glorious Pembrokeshire forms her main preoccupation.

Rachel Wright is inspired by many subjects, including landscapes, seascapes, wildlife, harbour towns, boats, lighthouses and windmills. These themes are then translated into machine embroidered fabric collages, using vibrant threads, worked onto carefully cut pieces of fabric. This enables Rachel to draw and paint through fabric and stitch, providing a rich source of colour, texture and pattern which forms her ‘palette’ and the threads are used like a fine paintbrush to fill in the details. Rachel’s trademark is her use of striking, rich colour, which captivates and draws the viewer in. Her aim is simply to delight the eye.

Karin Celestine, fibre artist, writer and illustrator from Monmouthshire, has created a delightful collection of needle felted creatures from hares to badgers and mice, each one with its own charm, character and mischief. She can happily turn her hand to making all creatures great and small, mythical and real.

Rachel Bailey’s jewellery explores her love of wild creatures, our native animals and birds and magical realms. The semi precious stones she uses are an integral part of her inspiration as they suggest landscapes in which the creatures inhabit. Each piece is individually made and therefore unique, in sterling silver and Hallmarked in Sheffield.

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Hay Festival Exhibition at Old Chapel Gallery 2022

A special Festival Exhibition at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge, to run during the Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts 2022, opens on Saturday May 21 continuing to the end of June and features the work of talented British artists and makers from far and near. 

Heading the line up is artist Lynda Jones formerly from Sunderland. She settled in Monmouth in the early 1980’s, where she has lived ever since. She studied Art Foundation at Newport College of Art & Design, followed by a degree in Visual Art at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

'A Walk in the Hills in Summer'
‘A Walk in the Hills in Summer’

Her canvases are mostly depictions of landscapes in the Monmouth area – the final image often bears little relation to the original subject but all have a common starting point – the memory of a place she knows well.

Former graphic designer Joanna Griffiths studied at the London College of Printing and had a successful and long career in commercial art. She now paints full time from her studio in Powys. Her pastel artworks capture the hills, moors and farmland of the Welsh Marches. Depicting all seasons Joanna often only walks a short distance to study the subjects she loves.

'Enjoying the Meadow'
‘Enjoying the Meadow’

Northumberland-based artist, Mary Ann Rogers, paints vibrant watercolour paintings full of energy, from an in-depth knowledge of her subject matter. Her studio is surrounded by the wild hills of Northumberland, whose inhabitants, along with her own menagerie of birds, feature in her work. 

Potter Josie Walters makes tableware and cooking pots in earthenware clay, which are decorated with slips and coloured glazes. Most of the pots are thrown on a traditional momentum wheel, even though many of the finished shapes are oval or rectangular.  

Ceramicist Simon Rich had such a strong interest in pottery at an early age that he started to teach the craft to his fellow pupils at school.

Upon leaving school, he looked for an outlet for his creative talents and joined the studio of the famous Alan Caiger-Smith at the Aldermaston Pottery. He remained there for five years before establishing himself in West Wales. He now creates beautiful ceramics with a Crystalline glaze.

Crystalline Glazed Tall Bottle
Crystalline Glazed Tall Bottle

Ali is a contemporary jewellery designer/maker, based in Herefordshire. In 2004 she decided to study at Hereford College of Art as a mature student; fulfilling a long awaited passion to work with metal. She started with metal sculpture, slowly scaling things down over the years and now creating jewellery, which still retains a sculptural quality to it.

Leaf Link Studs
Leaf Link Studs

Rachel Bailey’s jewellery explores her love of wild creatures, our native animals and birds and magical realms. The semi precious stones she uses are an integral part of her inspiration as they suggest landscapes in which the creatures inhabit. Each piece is individually made and therefore unique, in sterling silver and Hallmarked in Sheffield.

Running concurrently is an ever-changing collection of unique garden sculptures to enhance your outdoor space in a variety of media such as stoneware, forged iron, iron resin, stone resin, stainless steel, glass and more including the work of several sculptors new to the gallery.

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‘Shadows on the Grass’ Garden Sculpture Exhibition 2022

Despite the mild winter season we will look forward to longer days, balmy evenings and with Summer around the corner our thoughts are turning to our gardens. With this in mind Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge opens its annual garden sculpture exhibition ‘Shadows on the Grass’, showing the work of talented British designer/makers in a variety of media. 

Opening on Saturday April 30 2022 the exhibition will run throughout the year. 

We have worked with sculptor Helen Sinclair since we opened the gallery in 1989 and she is still a firm favourite. Helen makes semi-figurative sculpture, cast into either resin or bronze from originals which she makes in plaster, clay, wax, cardboard, wood.

The materials she works with are as stimulating to her as the subject matter.

Helen lives by the sea and collects driftwood, broken furniture, discarded plastic debris and other beach-found ‘stuff’, all of which regularly introduce a new and unexpected vocabulary to explore.

New to the gallery is sculptor Caro Burberry who creates bronze resin sculptures suitable for the garden and interior. 

Her work is about intimate relationship with nature and landscape; It explores a sense of joined destiny and belonging between humans and the rest of the natural world.

A lifelong artist with a strong background in printmaking and drawing, she received a classical training at The Frink School of Figurative Sculpture, where her mentors included Alan Thornhill and Peter Randall-Page RA.

Also showing is sculptor Andrew Roache, retired veterinary surgeon, who has a keen eye to animal anatomy. Most of his work is intended for outdoor display so is life-size or larger. He favours iron resin because it lends itself well to animal subjects and each cast matures in an interesting and individual way.

Several artist blacksmiths will be showing a collection of their latest work in forged iron and stainless steel, including Neil Lossock, John Twiddy, Jenny Pickford and Sally Gaston where the visitor will discover cardoons, poppies, ferns, wild flowers as well as practical garden pieces, including a bird bath and plant supports. Some will be galvanised to protect them from the weather and others will feature hand blown glass.

Each piece of garden sculpture is designed to give hours of pleasure to enhance time spent in the garden. All available online at oldchapelgallery.co.uk

The gallery is open from Wednesday to Saturday 11 – 4.30pm and Sunday 12 – 4pm Other times by appointment. Closed on Tuesdays. For more information or to join the mailing list go to www.oldchapelgallery.co.uk or ring 01544 388842

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Spring Exhibition 2022 ‘Song of the earth’

‘Song of the Earth’ Spring Exhibition 2022 Opens on Saturday March 12th and runs to the end of April.

Encompassing a unique collection of hand picked, desirable, contemporary British fine art and craft including stained glass, pastels, acrylics, textile art, ceramics and silver jewellery. Each piece inspired by nature, we hope this latest exhibition strikes a heartening mood of optimism.

Heading the line up by popular demand is Tamsin Abbott. Her work is influenced by the Herefordshire countryside, the orchards, the hills, the woods and all the plants, birds and animals that grow and live. Tamsin works on mainly British made mouth blown glass, in fabulous colours.

Sue Hayden’s  paintings are based on the relationship between texture, shape and light. Starting with observational drawings from life she uses bright acrylics and pastels on layered surfaces to add randomness and energy to her work. Particularly drawn to natural objects and landscapes her work emphasises a love of colour, texture and movement in what can be touched and what can be seen in the distance.

Rachel Wright takes her inspiration from many sources including landscapes, seascapes, wildlife, harbour towns, boats, lighthouses and windmills. These themes are then translated in machine embroidered fabric collages, using vibrant threads, worked onto carefully cut pieces of fabric. This enables Rachel to draw and paint through fabric and stitch, providing a rich source of colour, texture and pattern which forms her ‘palette’ and the threads are used like a fine paintbrush to fill in the details. Rachel’s trademark is her use of striking, rich colour, which captivates and draws the viewer in. Her aim is simply to delight the eye.

Mike Parry makes functional slipware pottery, some with a more sculptural element. Pots intended to be used whether on a daily basis, special occasions or admired upon a shelf. All work is made by himself at his home studio in S.E. Wales. Using a red earthenware clay, pots are hand thrown on a potters wheel, decorated using slips (liquid clay), glazed and fired in an electric kiln to 1100c. Through the throwing and slipping process he hopes to capture a sense of movement and spontaneity to emphasise the qualities of the materials. Inspirations include medieval pottery, 18th Century English slipware, post war British studio pottery through to contemporary ceramics.

Former graphic designer Joanna Griffiths studied at the London College of Printing  and had a successful and long career in commercial art. She now paints full time. Her pastel artworks capture the hills, moors and farmland of the Welsh Marches. Depicting all seasons Joanna often only walks a short distance to study the subjects she loves. Her daily walks she describes as her ‘absorption time’ – “I breathe it in every day, sun, rain, sleet it doesn’t matter – I never tire of seeing the same vistas, trees, hedgerows and livestock which change constantly. My focus centres around one hill and one farm near to where I live”

Rachael Blakeway enjoys the freedom and the challenge of up-cycling and recycling everyday materials and found objects into 3D pictures. She likes to create scenes that are humorous and have a hint of nostalgia that most people can relate to. Rachael uses paper pulp and layers up other materials to create a 3D effect collage, so the viewer feels they can step into a scene and become part of it.

We also have in stock a glowing collection of Premium limited edition prints from the Lost Words book by Jackie Morris. Hand finished with ‘gold’ leaf. These include bluebells, dandelions, conkers and acorns.

Wednesday to Saturday 11- 4.30  Sunday 12 – 4 Other times by appointment.  For more information phone 01544 388 842 or visit our web site www.oldchapelgallery.co.uk 

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‘Winter Curiosities’ Christmas Exhibition 2021

The Winter Exhibition 2021 at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge

entitled ‘Winter Curiosities’ opens on Saturday November 6 with a dazzling collection of hand picked, hand made delights! Give the High Street a miss this Christmas and shop for unique British made presents in the calm and tranquil atmosphere of the gallery. Enjoy a truly delightful shopping experience. 

New to the gallery is artist Valerie Wall who’s paintings range from landscapes to detailed botanical, marine life and adorable sheep. She also works with an interior designer, painting frescoes, as well as designs on floors, walls and furniture. 

Another newcomer to the gallery is printmaker Victoria Keeble, who uses techniques which include etching, wood engraving and lino printing but her favoured medium is collagraph. Her illustrative work reflects her love of pattern, texture and fluidity of line and typically features natural forms; animals, birds, mythical beasts with a hint humour.

Ever popular Jemima Jameson works mainly in acrylics which suits her illustrative style and the piece is then varnished. Acrylics are a quick drying and versatile medium which suits her illustrative style. Her panels, boxes and cabinets, which are becoming our heirlooms of the future, have a peaceful air about them and her animals look at ease with themselves, happy in their natural surroundings.

Ceramacist Shaun Hall has been working in Raku since 1998. He has developed a personal style of wheel thrown and sculptural slab built Raku based on the vessel form, inspired by archaic objects and tools, and modernist style sculpture and architecture. We welcome him back in to this exhibtion.

Shirley Vauvelle creates wall hung or free-standing sculptures, using white earthenware to hand build flower components, small creatures , birds and fish. Texture is embossed into the surface. Under glazes and oxides are applied to give layers of colour. These are then assembled together with driftwood, wire, reclaimed maps, vintage magazines and other interesting finds from the local beaches.

Woodcarver Kathryn O’Kell creates beautifully observed carved wood relief panels of wildlife in English lime making use of traditional hand-carving techniques to depict mainly birds, which are clearly her passion! Often images are cropped and only glimpses of the bird are seen, as if in passing. Colour is achieved with watered down acrylic paints, layered and rubbed back.

Textile artist Rachel Wright will be showing new machine embroidery pictures. Rachel takes her inspiration from many sources including landscapes and seascapes, wildlife, harbour towns, boats, lighthouses and windmills translating them into machine embroidered fabric collages, using vibrant threads, worked onto carefully cut and pieced fabrics.

Tamsin Abbott’s stained glass is always much sought after and we will receive new work from her by the end of November.

Woodcarver John Mainwaring enjoys carving bird forms, especially rooks and cormorants.

He uses woods from the Northern Hemisphere which he finds more suitable for purpose, more sustainable and kinder to our planet. He likes Maple, Oak, Walnut etc. and sometimes paints or just polishes to a natural finish depending on the subject.

We will have jewellery by Ali Tregaskes, Elizabeth Terzza,  Leoma Drew, Shirley Smith, Gail Klevan, and Rozie Keogh, who will also be showing a magnificent angel in wire with sequins.

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‘Glorious Awakening’ Autumn & h.Art Exhibition 2021

Glorious Awakening’ h.Art and Autumn Exhibition at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge opens on Saturday  September 4 promoting the work of talented British artists and makers from around the county and beyond.

Heading the line up will be a tempting collection of stained glass from ever popular artist Tamsin Abbott whose work is influenced by our ancient land and how we are connected to it: the hills, the woods, the plants, birds and animals that live alongside us and the world of myths and fairytales that we have spun around it.

New to the gallery is jeweller Ali Tregaskes who combines her love of photography with her metal work using her images of nature, architecture and coast to create the etchings. Techniques she employs include silver etching, oxidising, saw piercing, soldering and granulation. Ali creates jewellery that appeals to both men and women.

Another new comer to the gallery is printmaker Sarah Jameson, a Shropshire based artist working in a variety of media, including photography, traditional and digital drawing, collage and mono-printing. She is inspired by her local landscape  – the hills, steep-sided valleys and woods, as well as its proximity to her home country of Wales.

Textile artist Barbara Shaw hand-stitches many scraps of fabric in layers to produce exquisite, unique textile collage pictures. During the week of h.Art, Barbara will be demonstrating how she puts together her amazing textile collage pictures.

Karin Celestine is an artist and author, who creates needle felted animals of charm and character, including the stars of her own delightful stop-motion animations and her series of children’s books.

Her joy in the natural world is reflected in her sculptural copper pieces which complement her felt-work.

Ceramic artist Helen Martino is fascinated by body language and how it communicates. In her ceramic sculptures the exaggerated and stylised movements of the silent movies have seemed a natural way to portray communication and narrative as the sculptures depict moments in the everyday life of people. Helen works on a series of pieces within a single narrative, each successive sculpture expressing the story in a different way through a change in scale, movement, composition or colour.

Mary Stephens loves working with clay, mainly producing fine thrown stoneware and porcelain on the potter’s wheel. Her work is often part glazed which allows the tactile quality of the fired piece to be explored as well as giving a subtle design. Mary grew up in Leominster and trained as a potter at Pembridge Terracotta after completing a Fine Art Sculpture degree in 1997.

Also showing will be a collection of art work by Jemima Jameson who works mainly in acrylics. She enjoys painting onto wooden panels, bowls and furniture which suits her style.

To compliment this exhibition there will be jewellery from several Herefordshire designers including  Rachel Bailey, Leoma Drew, Hilary Mee, Chrissie Nash, Lesley Strickland, Gail Klevan and more.

This exhibition will run till the end of October 2021

 

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Summer Exhibition 2021 ‘Sweet Summertime’

The Summer Exhibition ‘Sweet Summertime’ will open on Saturday July 10. Ever hopeful for good news on the Covid-19 front this exhibition will remain online even though we are able to welcome you through our doors once again. This exhibition will feature an exciting collection of new work from talented British artists and makers from far and near and promises, once again, to inspire and entice collectors and appreciators of fine art and quality craft. 

Artist Linda Edwards has developed a passion for gold leaf, which can ‘illuminate’ a painting. Working mainly in watercolour or gouache on paper, she inscribes pattern and a texture drawn into the gold that tells another part of the story, She aims to create a modern yet timeless fragment. Her paintings are rooted in ancient culture but have a contemporary feel. They are a modern expression of something very old.

Frans Wesselman, who is originally from the Netherlands, is a member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers. Influenced by many things including biblical writings, Shakespeare and literature, Frans’ main subjects are people and his work is intriguing and expressive, revealing a very unique style which is explored in varied media including stained glass panels, vivid wood cuts and detailed etchings.

Martin Truefitt-Baker, trained as a graphic artist and illustrator, now produces original paintings in acrylics and watercolour and hand printed, limited edition, linocut prints. Some of his original prints show links to his earlier work as an illustrator, often with quirky themes and combinations of images, expressing the spirit and beauty in the changing light, landscape and wildlife.

Jemima Jameson works mainly in acrylics preferring to paint onto wooden panels, bowls and furniture as it suits her style. Her desire to paint and draw has been part of her whole life and is quite simply a celebration of the natural world that she is compelled to describe. 

Rosemarie Barr is influenced by prehistoric and indigenous art, and in particular the historical and contemporary art of South America, her main interest is the depiction of animals, birds and humans as vessels.

Helen Martino, for many years a functional potter making batches of domestic pots on the wheel, now describes her current creations as ‘serious, posh and frivolous’ Her sculptures are hand built individually and each is considered separately. They are intimate in size and, like miniatures, tell of a single moment or event and yet imply a past and future story to be filled in by the viewer.

Barry Williams artistic metal work in stainless steel has created several interior pieces. 

Since 2012 Alison Vincent has trained through individual tuition, studio-hire and masterclasses.  In 2018 she changed career to immerse herself in glass making. She creates substantial, sculptural art.  Her inspiration comes from nature; water, ice, coasts, waves, oceans as well as polar wilderness locations and the amazing life, beauty and treasures they contain.

Kathryn O’Kell’s carved relief panels in English lime make use of traditional hand-carving techniques, coloured with watered down acrylic paints, layered and rubbed back. She occasionally depicts other wildlife but birds are clearly her passion and are beautifully observed. Often images are cropped and only glimpses of the bird are seen, as if in passing. 

Our aim from the beginning has been to promote the work of British contemporary artists and makers, some already well known in their field and many talented newcomers. Now in our 32nd year, this continues as strongly as ever. The exhibition will continue until the end of August 2021

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Christmas at Old Chapel Gallery 2020

King Ceramic  Relief  

Christmas at Old Chapel Gallery 2020

We will be featuring a cornucopia of wonderful Christmas present ideas from the best of British artists and makers, many from Herefordshire and beyond – something for everyone! Including handmade cards, candles and soaps, Christmas tree decorations in copper, brass, glass and porcelain, jewellery in silver, acrylic, pearls and semi-precious stones, studio glass and stained glass, ceramics – functional and decorative, ironwork – including pokers, tongs, chestnut roasters and candle holders, bronzes, sculpture – both for inside and the garden, original paintings, prints, including limited edition etchings and photographs, a wide range of textiles to include jackets, hats, scarves, gloves, cushions and throws.  To keep out the winter chill there will be a ‘must have’ collection of scarves, wraps, collars and bags in lambs wool and Nuno felted merino wool with silk fibres by Kathie Barrs, all desirable accessories for any ladies wardrobe!

There will also be chunky sweaters for men in lambs wool and silk, felted lambs wool jackets in a fabulous collection of colours for women and new winter collections from our regular British designer/makers including a new collection of lambswool cardie’s and sweaters, hats and gloves, all made in Scotland.

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Winter Exhibition 2020  ‘A Years Turning’ opens on Saturday November 7

The Winter Exhibition 2020 at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge entitled ‘A Years Turning’ opens on Saturday November 7 with a dazzling collection of hand picked, hand made delights! Give the High Street a miss this Christmas and shop for unique British made presents in the calm and tranquil atmosphere of the gallery. Enjoy a truly delightful shopping experience. 

Due to the latest government restrictions this exhibition will be online through November and December at www.oldchapelgallery.co.uk

Our featured artist Linda Edwards paints watercolours of birds and animals set in jewel like colours with gold leaf, tell the story of a paradise garden. Rich in detail and patterning, these pieces illuminate a room. We mostly live in cities where we might long for an enclosed garden in which to find an hour of sunlit peace. Birds inhabit the garden and it is filled with trees and flowers. The garden as paradise: this is Linda’s theme. Her work has a timeless quality that is rooted in ancient art yet is very contemporary.

Hannah Willow will be showing her latest collections of silver jewellery and watercolour paintings. Hannah finds the landscape of the British Isles, and Wiltshire in particular, very inspiring. This combined with her love of poetry and British Folklore means her work is full of animals, hills, woodlands, primeval places, moons stars and constellations. She tries to instil a feeling of place, of time and of magic in her work, connecting to the hidden knowledge held within the land and passed down through generations.

Woodcarver Kathryn O’Kell creates beautifully observed carved wood relief panels of wildlife in English lime making use of traditional hand-carving techniques to depict mainly birds, which are clearly her passion! Often images are cropped and only glimpses of the bird are seen, as if in passing. Colour is achieved with watered down acrylic paints, layered and rubbed back.

Textile artist Rachel Wright will be showing new machine embroidery pictures. Rachel takes her inspiration from many sources including landscapes and seascapes, wildlife, harbour towns, boats, lighthouses and windmills translating them into machine embroidered fabric collages, using vibrant threads, worked onto carefully cut and pieced fabrics.

Jennifer Hall uses very traditional making techniques to create contemporary slip decorated earthenware for oven and table use. Her aim is to enhance the daily rituals of refreshment and mealtimes. As a maker of domestic ware, she doesn’t want her pots to challenge, but to sit comfortably in the hand and feel soft on the lips.

Suzi Thompson is a printmaker based in South Yorkshire working with collagraph, drypoint & relief printing processes to create limited edition prints. Her printmaking reflects her impressions of the natural landscapes surrounding her home and studio; inspired by the accessible open countryside of her local surroundings, British wildlife and flora.

Tamsin Abbott’s stained glass is always much sought after and we will receive new work from her by the end of November.

Woodcarver John Mainwaring enjoys carving bird forms, especially Rooks and Cormorants.

He uses woods from the Northern Hemisphere which he finds more suitable for purpose and more sustainable and kinder to our planet. He likes Maple, Oak, Walnut etc. and sometimes paints or just polishes to a natural finish depending on the subject.  We will wait to see what he has created for our Winter Exhibition.

Finally Amanda Rawlins creates small sparkly assemblages using copper, silver, semi precious beads and wood. Her aim is to provide the highest quality craftsmanship with unique design. All her work is hand-made in the truest sense. She strives to capture a little bit of magical inspiration in her work borrowed from all the special places she has explored.

We will have new collections of jewellery by Rachel Bailey, Hannah Dunne, Elizabeth Terzza,  Leoma Drew, Shirley Smith, Gail Klevan, and Rozie Keogh, who will also be showing a magnificent angel in wire with sequins.

Don’t delay your visit, you won’t be disappointed!

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Autumn Exhibition 2020 ‘When Soft was the Sun’

Oil on Canvas - Egg Man

Autumn Exhibition 2020 ‘When Soft was the Sun’

As the evenings start to draw in, our thoughts turn to home and a good fire in the hearth. To set the scene we mark the beauty of the changes of the season, and introduce our special Autumn Exhibition entitled ‘When Soft was the Sun’ * which opens on Saturday September 5 at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge, promoting the work of talented British artists and makers from around the county and beyond.

Our line up this year will feature artists Jenny Jones, Jemima Jameson and Sue Hayden.

This will be Jenny’s second exhibition with us. She was a huge success last year.  She paints mainly in watercolours and oils, usually of characterful domestic scenes and the farming community around her home. Jenny studied part time in Florence followed by a foundation course at Shrewsbury Art School, and a degree course at Farnham, graduating in 1976.

By popular demand Jemima returns with a beautifully executed collection of painted olive and oak wood panels alongside useful boxes and cabinets. Hares, foxes, kingfishers are just some of nature’s beautiful creatures that Jemima captures in acrylic paints as she creates these heirloom pieces.

Artist Sue Hayden is excited by the relationship between texture, shape, light and space in landscapes and paints with acrylics and pastels on paper that have been layered up beforehand with paint and paper creating a collage effect. This adds energy, randomness and interest to the subject. Her inspiration comes mainly from glorious Pembrokeshire.

We are always delighted to show new stained glass panels by Herefordshire artist Tamsin Abbott. Her work is influenced by the Herefordshire countryside, the orchards, the hills, the woods and all the plants, birds and animals that grow and live.

Tamsin works on mainly British made mouth blown glass, in  fabulous colours. She  completely covers the glass with a special black glass paint which is  totally opaque. When the paint is dry Tamsin then scrapes back into it using a variety of simple tools. She uses the paint like a scraper board which is working in the negative to achieve an effect rather like a woodcut.

Sarah Noël is new to the gallery and we are delighted to be showing her most recent collection  of Raku fired ceramics. Sarah makes figurative, stylised three-dimensional ceramic sculptures, wall pieces and panels. Sarah’s work expresses the human condition through a simple spirituality. She has been influenced by medieval art forms, and European and American folk art. Sarah works alongside her sister Anna in their tiny shared studio. She studied ceramics at Bristol Polytechnic gaining a BA Degree in 1983 before setting up the present studio with her sister. Sarah prefers to work mostly in two dimensions. Although most of her pieces have a back and a front, they are largely pictorial in character combining references to the old Staffordshire flatbacks with elements as diverse as Islamic art and Indian shadow puppets.

Another newcomer to us is ceramic artist Eleanor Bartleman. She makes intriguing figures based on animal and human forms. Each piece is individually hand built and modelled in porcelain clay.

Her ideas are drawn from many sources – mostly from various areas of mythology, the main theme being the beast epic of Reynard the Fox. A recent development is the making of wall pieces – where she has been able to explore the more illustrative side of her imagery.

To compliment this exhibition there will be jewellery from  designers including Leoma Drew, Hilary Mee, Chrissie Nash, Hannah Dunne, Rachel Bailey, Lesley Strickland, Gail Klevan, Elizabeth Terzza, and more.

*Title inspired by a poem from Piers Ploughman

Please note revised opening times: Wednesday to Saturday 11- 4.30pm

This exhibition will run till the end of October 2020

For more information contact Yasmin on 01544 388842

or visit www.oldchapelgallery.co.uk.

For more information contact Yasmin on 01544 388842 or visit www.oldchapelgallery.co.uk.