Category: Upcoming Exhibition

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Hay Festival ‘Splendour in the Grass’ Exhibition

Hay Festival ‘Splendour in the Grass’ Exhibition 2026

Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge, is delighted to present a special Festival Exhibition to coincide with the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts 2026. Opening on Saturday 16 May and continuing until the end of June, the exhibition will feature the work of outstanding British artists and makers from across the country.

This year, the exhibition will run alongside the gallery’s annual garden sculpture exhibition, Splendour in the Grass, which continues throughout the year and introduces several sculptors exhibiting with the gallery for the first time.

Among the featured artists is Mary Griffin, whose vibrant pastels of gardens and intriguing interiors are enriched through her use of gouache or watercolour to create subtle surface contrasts and atmospheric effects. Many of her paintings capture fleeting moments in time. Her work reflects everyday experiences in ways that resonate personally with viewers, while leaving the narrative open to individual interpretation.

Returning to the gallery for the third time is the highly sought-after Ann McCay. Her paintings possess a strong sense of space and narrative. Often theatrical in composition, they depict man-made structures set within natural vegetation, leading the viewer’s eye along paths, through windows and into doorways. Through her striking use of colour and light, the familiar becomes subtly strange, while the juxtaposition of imagery and archetypal figures invites viewers to create their own stories.

'Rowing Past'
‘Rowing Past’ oil on linen by Ann McCay

 

We are also pleased to welcome back ceramicist Jennie Gilbert, whose work encompasses several distinctive pottery ranges. This exhibition will feature pieces from her celebrated Mishima collection, a technique involving the inlaying of contrasting coloured slip into impressed or carved patterns before the surface is scraped back smooth, leaving the design delicately embedded within the clay. Also on show will be works from her Blue Check domestic range — beautifully crafted and entirely functional pieces designed for everyday use.

'Mishima' Medium Jug 
‘Mishima’ Medium Jug by Jennie Gilbert

 

Woodcarver Kathryn O’Kell has spent more than thirty years refining her distinctive practice. Through a methodical and almost meditative process, she transforms English lime wood into carefully sanded and painted sculptures. Birds, which have long fascinated her, provide constant inspiration and can often be seen flying past her workshop window, circling overhead or resting nearby.

‘Hooper Swan’
‘Hooper Swan’ by Kathryn O’Kell

 

Potter Karen Williams presents contemporary interpretations of traditional slipware. Each piece is individually made, with designs incised through creamy liquid clay to reveal the rich red clay beneath, lending precision and definition to her painterly depictions of birds and foliage. Intended for daily use, her ceramics are deeply inspired by the natural beauty and wild coastal landscape of Pembrokeshire, where she has lived and worked for the past twenty-five years.

‘Swift’ Deep Rectangular Dish
‘Swift’ Deep Rectangular Dish by Karen Williams

 

The gallery also welcomes Anna Ravenscroft, whose enchanting etchings often depict animals within evocative Cretan settings. Alongside these works will be a remarkable collection of wood engravings, meticulously carved into English boxwood and printed onto handmade Japanese paper. These rare artist’s proofs are seldom exhibited.

'Italian Greyhound' Wood Engraving
‘Italian Greyhound’ Wood Engraving by Anna Ravenscroft

 

Jeweller Rachel Bailey draws inspiration from wild creatures, native birds and animals, and imagined magical realms. Semi-precious stones play an integral role in her designs, suggesting landscapes inhabited by the creatures she depicts. Each unique piece is handcrafted in sterling silver and hallmarked in Sheffield

'Leaping Silver Fox Jewel'
‘Leaping Silver Fox Jewel’ by Rachel Bailey

 

Contemporary jewellery designer Gail Klevan creates colourful, handcrafted pieces that are both striking and comfortable to wear. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, she is recognised as one of the UK’s leading designers working in acrylic, with every piece individually made and entirely unique.

‘Multicoloured Statement Necklace with Beads’
‘Multicoloured Statement Necklace with Beads’ by Gail Klevan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sculptor Angela Palmer works directly from life models in order to capture the expressive qualities of the human form. Her sculptures begin in clay before being cast in bronze resin and finished with carefully developed patinas that echo the natural weathering of bronze, producing beautifully subtle colours and surfaces.

Firm favourites Ian Gill, Myles Mansfield and Neil Lossock will once again be among the artists and blacksmiths exhibiting in Old Chapel Gallery’s garden this year. Their works, alongside those of several new exhibitors, are designed to bring lasting enjoyment and enhance time spent outdoors.

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‘Quiet Birds in Circled Flight’ Autumn Exhibition & h.Art

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 ‘Quiet Birds in Circled Flight’ which opens on Saturday September 6 at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge, promoting the work of talented British artists and makers from around the county and beyond.  

Heading the line up is artist Lynda Jones. Her mysterious canvases and drawings are mostly depictions of the Monmouth landscape, and its rolling hills, that surrounds her – 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. Even when working on a larger scale, a tiny detail, such as a soaring kite, will intrigue and draw the viewer in.

Sought after artist Ann McCay is showing here for the second time. Her paintings convey a sense of space and have a strong narrative element. Settings are theatrical, often portraying man-made structures within natural vegetation. The eye is led along paths, through windows and into doorways. The familiar is made strange through the use of intense colour and light. The juxtaposition of images and archetypal nature of the figures inspires the viewer to create their own story.

‘Woodland Companions’
‘Woodland Companions’

Rachel Wright, who is back by popular demand, 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.

Stained glass artist Jane Littlefield is inspired by the nature, history and folklore of her home in the Peak District and deeply influenced by medieval stained glass. Using age old techniques, she has developed her own contemporary style in which traditional glass paints create multi-layered and textured images on small panels that are then fired in the kiln.

Rachel Sumner is a mixed media artist working mainly with found objects such as driftwood and metal. She collects the materials for her pieces during the winter when there are storms and not so many people about, and assembles them during the summer in her shed, hand painting the details and finishing the assemblages with beeswax.

Kathryn O’Kell has been making woodcarvings for over 30 years. In a methodical, almost meditative process, she transforms her chosen medium, specifically English lime, into carefully sanded and painted pieces. She has only to look out of her shed window and her inspiration – the birds that have always fascinated her – can be found flying past, circling overhead or resting on the woodshed.

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 that the creatures may inhabit. Each piece is individually made and therefore unique, in sterling silver and hallmarked in Sheffield.

 

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‘Winter Curiosities’ Festive Exhibition 2024

The Winter Exhibition 2024 at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge entitled ‘Winter Curiosities’ opens on Saturday November 2nd 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.

Our festive line up features stained glass panels by Tamsin Abbott. Influenced by the natural world and its associated myths and legends, she tries to imbue her work with a sense of these magical qualities which connect humankind to the landscape while doing justice to the alchemical qualities of the glass itself.

'At the Thinning of the Veil'
‘At the Thinning of the Veil’

Artist Hilke MacIntyre grew up in North Germany where she studied at the College of Art & Architecture in Kiel. In 1996 she moved to Scotland where she divides her time between painting, printmaking and producing ceramic reliefs. Hilke’s work uses a simplified figurative style with strong abstract pattern. Influences include ‘primitive’ art, early 20th Century European art and contemporary design. You may have seen her linocut motifs adorning the packaging of Doves Farm flour.

‘Long Butterfly’
‘Long Butterfly’

Lynda Jones’ mysterious canvases and drawings are mostly depictions of the Monmouthshire landscape, and its rolling wooded hills, that surrounds her. 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. Even when working on a larger scale, a tiny detail, such as a soaring kite, will intrigue and draw the viewer in.

Textile artist Rachel Wright will be showing three new machine embroidery pictures. Studies of the landscapes and seascapes that inspire her are painstakingly translated into carefully cut and pieced fabric collages, lively and swirling with movement, overlaid with vibrant threads used like a fine paintbrush to fill in the details, enabling Rachel to draw and paint through fabric and stitch.

'Frost Kissed Fields'
‘Frost Kissed Fields’

Back by popular demand is Helen Martino, who describes her own work as ‘serious, posh and frivolous’. Fascinated by body language, her ceramic sculptures embody a sense of narrative, where a still gesture captures a moment which suggests a past and a future story. She uses a hand building technique, manipulating soft and flexible sheets of clay. The surfaces are painted with slips, underglaze pigments and resists, often glinting with silver and gold lustres. 

‘Angel on a Windy Day’
‘Angel on a Windy Day’

John Exton’s works in pen and ink illustrate a private world of myth and legend. He sees the work as ‘A Bestiary For our Times’. He uses a plethora of stimuli to produce his illustrations, including the Medieval world, dreams, journeys into the subconscious and Magic, Mystery and Folklore. 

'Darwin's Dream'
‘Darwin’s Dream’

Elaine Peto, renowned for her ceramic animal sculptures, combines a rigorous anatomical approach with conveying the essence of the creature. These powerful pieces realistically recreate the muscularity, movement and bones of the animal whilst revelling in the textures and creative possibilities of the stoneware clay, into which she impresses pieces of fabric, shells, and netting.

Jemima Jameson works mainly in acrylics, preferring to paint onto wooden panels, bowls and furniture. 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. Her wooden boxes and cabinets often serve as treasure chests for cherished keepsakes.

'The Little Owl'
‘The Little Owl’

Ceramicist Lyn Harrison in creates lively, robust pieces, both narrative and domestic, in stoneware crank clay, a strong, gritty clay which has a grainy, rustic appearance. She uses hand building methods, mainly coiling and slab work and finishes the pieces with slips and glazes with a wood ash finish.

To keep out the winter chill there will be a ‘must have’ collection of scarves, wraps, collars and bags in luxurious wools and silks, all desirable accessories for any wardrobe! Our wide range of textiles includes jackets, hats, gloves, cushions and throws. We will have new collections of jewellery by Rachel Bailey, Elizabeth Terzza, Leoma Drew, Alison Varley, Nicola Lillie, Gail Klevan and Rozie Keogh who will also be showing a magnificent suspended angel in wire with sequins. Gift wrapping service available.

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‘When Soft was the Sun’ Autumn Exhibition and h.Art 2024

 

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 August 31st at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge, promoting the work of talented British artists and makers from around the county and beyond.  

Heading the line up is artist Lynda Jones. Her mysterious canvases and drawings are mostly depictions of the Monmouth landscape, and its rolling hills, that surrounds her – 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. Even when working on a larger scale, a tiny detail, such as a soaring kite, will intrigue and draw the viewer in.

Sought-after Herefordshire stained glass maker Tamsin Abbott will be showing several pieces. Influenced by the natural world and its associated myths and legends, she tries to imbue her work with a sense of these magical qualities which connect humankind to the landscape while doing justice to the alchemical qualities of the glass itself.

New to the gallery is artist Shelagh Popham who studied at St. Martin’s School of Art and the West of England Academy. She lives in the Radnorshire Hills, looking across the Wye Valley to the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons. Shelagh works in oil, watercolour, pen, pencil, charcoal and pastel as well as wood engraving and etching. Small sketches, colour notes and detailed observations are reworked and combined in her studio. She says: “If living is a process of coming to terms with our surroundings, then I would see my paintings as an interpretation of this process by means of inquiry or celebration; a public reflection of private rejoicings and unexpected incidents”.

David England came to three-dimensional work in his late thirties when he tried his hand at stone and fell in love with the medium. He lives and works in Herefordshire and his themes reflect a rural life: green men, river maids, hares and deer, but with an ongoing passion for the human form and a smattering of angels thrown in for good measure. 

Joanna Griffiths studied at Hertfordshire College of Art and the London College of Printing and had a successful and long career as a graphic designer. She now depicts the hills, moors and farmland of the Welsh Marches in oils, pastels and acrylic inks, never tiring of the transformations brought by the seasons and the changing weather. Joanna often only has to walk a short distance to study the subjects she loves, describing her daily walks as her ‘absorption time’.

We’re delighted to re-introduce the work of woodcarver (and talented bass guitarist) Peter Meyrick, his selection of bird carvings capturing the character of his subjects, without losing the tactile quality of the wood or the beauty of the grain. Bright colours, animal imagery and humour have always been an integral part of his work. He has been inspired to take up his tools again after a period of illness, we look forward to seeing the results.

Open every day 11am – 5pm through h.Art week

Otherwise open Wednesday to Saturday 11am – 4.30pm, Sunday 12am – 4pm

This exhibition will run till the end of October 2024

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

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‘Caught in Flight’ Autumn 2023

Autumn 2023 ‘Caught in Flight’

Open every day 11am – 5pm through h.Art week

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 ‘Caught in Flight’  which opens on Saturday September 2nd at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge, promoting the work of talented British artists and makers from around the county and beyond.  

Heading the line up is artist Lynda Jones. Her mysterious canvases and drawings are mostly depictions of the Monmouth landscape, and its rolling hills, that surrounds her – 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. Even when working on a larger scale, a tiny detail, such as a soaring kite, will intrigue and draw the viewer in.

New to the gallery is stained glass artist Jane Littlefield. Inspired by the nature, history and folklore of her home in the Peak District and deeply influenced by medieval stained glass, using age old techniques, she has developed her own contemporary style in which traditional glass paints create multi-layered and textured images on small panels that are then fired in the kiln.

Sought-after Herefordshire stained glass maker Tamsin Abbott will be showing several pieces. Influenced by the natural world and its associated myths and legends, she tries to imbue her work with a sense of these magical qualities which connect humankind to the landscape while doing justice to the alchemical qualities of the glass itself.

Kathryn O’Kell has been making woodcarvings for over 30 years. In a methodical, almost meditative process, she transforms her chosen medium, specifically English lime, into carefully sanded and painted pieces. She has only to look out of her shed window and her inspiration, the birds that have always fascinated her, can be found flying past, circling overhead or resting on the woodshed.

Printmaker Flora McLachlan’s work grows out of the experience of observing the landscape and the process of translating this experience into print. As she works on her etchings, she wants to evoke a single charmed moment out of time, a magical vision that stills. The scene is our ancient and enchanted landscape, roamed by guardian spirit-like animals, shadowed by woods where the holly springs green amongst the bare oaks and beeches.

Helen Martino describes her pots as “serious, posh and frivolous’, using hand building techniques with soft and flexible sheets of clay, freely cut and manipulated. She plays with perspective by distorting the objects as in a stage set. By inclination she is also a painter, and views these flattened forms as three dimensional canvases, painted with slips, underglaze pigments, and resists with accents of silver and gold lustres. 

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 that are lively and swirling with movement, with vibrant threads used like a fine paintbrush to fill in the details, 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’.

 

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‘Splendour in the Grass’

‘Splendour in the Grass’ Garden Sculpture Exhibition 2023

After the cold and wet winter season we look forward to longer days, balmy evenings and with Summer around the corner when our thoughts turn to our gardens. With this in mind Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge opens its annual garden sculpture exhibition ‘Splendour in the Grass’, showing the work of talented British designer/makers in a variety of media. 

Opening on Saturday May 13 2023 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.

Like many ceramic artists Cathi Penter draws inspiration from her surrounding environment – predominantly the amazing landscape and woods she calls home. Nestled at the far end of The Malvern Hills, tucked at the edge of Herefordshire, home is a tumble-down cottage with a large, cultivated garden and an ancient coppice. – both crammed with seasonal flora and fauna.

Simon Meiklejohn is an artist engineer. He initially trained as a mechanical engineer before taking an art foundation course, then going on to complete a Fine Art Sculpture degree course.
He now combines both disciplines in the metal artwork he creates and his sculptures encompass a broad mixture of figurative, abstract & kinetic sculpture as well as ‘found object’ constructions.

Another newcomer to the sculpture garden is sculptor Nik Burns, who creates one of a kind Steampunk-style sculptures of animals, fish and insects. The combination of nature with machine is central to his creative practice and offers a common theme throughout the work as he continuously experiments with materials and processes. His sculptures are made predominantly from metal and are designed for exterior display.

Potter Lyn Harrison works in stoneware crank clay, a strong, gritty clay which has a grainy, rustic appearance. She uses hand building methods, mainly coiling and slab work, to form her ceramic sculptures, and completes the pieces with slips, glazes and a wood ash finish. We will be showing a range of garden planters, bird baths and garden pots all highly decorated with hares, snakes and birds and all frost proof.

'Two Frogs' Bird Bath
‘Two Frogs’ Bird Bath

 

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

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Hay Festival Exhibition @ OCG

Hay Festival Exhibition @ OCG opens on Saturday May 13

A special Festival Exhibition at Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge, to run during the Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts 2023, opens on Saturday May 13, continuing to the end of June and features the work of talented British artists and makers from far and near. 

This year we are combining this exhibition with our Garden Sculpture show ‘Splendour in the Grass’ which also opens on Saturday May 13.

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. Her canvases are mostly depictions of her local 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.

'Into the West'
‘Into the West’

 

New to the gallery is ceramicist Cat Santos. Her vases are printed both inside and out with distinctive decorative designs. She enjoys exploring the possibilities inherent in a variety of surfaces, from smooth porcelain, to heavy textured grogged clay. Her affectionate, life-affirming stoneware sculptures, with their silky glazes, show her preoccupations: ‘my imagery is often about people in spaces, the scale of our environment, and I try to capture moments of the wonder it is to live on this earth.’

'Walks' Vase
‘Walks’ Vase

 

'Young Explorer'
‘Young Explorer’

 

Karin Celestine Karin 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 also reflected in her sculptural copper pieces which complement her feltwork.

'Snoozing Dormouse'
‘Snoozing Dormouse’

 

Tamsin Abbott lives in rural east Herefordshire, making colourful stained glass pieces. Specialising in medieval literature at Stirling University, she later re-focussed her interests with an art foundation course and an evening class in stained glass at Hereford College of Art and Design. Influenced by the surrounding countryside, she is also drawn to the wider world of myths and fairytales connecting humankind to the environment, trying to imbue her work with a sense of this magic and to do justice to the mysterious, inspiring nature of the glass itself.

Maria Santos Alcantara creates pewter ware, using a combination of enamels, veneers, semi-precious stones or glass to create mirrors, boxes, photo frames and decorative panels. She is currently showing her range of pewter jewellery at the gallery.

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.

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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‘First Song’ the Spring Exhibition 2023

‘First Song’ the Spring Exhibition Old Chapel Gallery opens on Sunday March 11th 2023 and continues to the end of April.

Each piece inspired by nature, encompassing a unique collection of hand picked, desirable contemporary British fine art and craft including paintings, textiles, sculpture, ceramics, stained glass, jewellery and automata, we hope this latest exhibition strikes a heartening mood of optimism. 

Artist Jane Winton paints mainly in acrylics. Inspired by her love for all things vintage, she is constantly influenced by her own eclectic collection that surrounds her at home. Having a great love of American Folk Art, she is fascinated by the symbolism and simplicity of the work and the overall naive charm it conveys. She feels her work is a homage to those far off amateur artists, maybe with the inclusion of a little contemporary twist and a bit of humour of her own!

Tamsin Abbott lives in rural east Herefordshire, making colourful stained glass pieces. Specialising in medieval literature at Stirling University, she later re-focussed her interests with an art foundation course and an evening class in stained glass at Hereford College of Art and Design. Influenced by the surrounding countryside, she is also drawn to the wider world of myths and fairytales connecting humankind to the environment, trying to imbue her work with a sense of this magic and to do justice to the mysterious, inspiring nature of the glass itself.

New to the gallery, Worcestershire artist Karen Stone works in water-colours, oils and pastels, winning awards across the UK. She studied Fine Art in Birmingham and Life Drawing at The Slade School of Art, University College London. Her evocative still lives elevate everyday domestic objects, analysing the ordinary to reveal the extraordinary. Her enjoyment of the medium is evident in her expressive watercolour landscapes, the underpinning of observational drawing lending clarity and precision.

Another newcomer to the gallery is sculptor Nik Burns, who creates one of a kind Steampunk-style sculptures of animals, fish and insects. The combination of nature with machine is central to his creative practice and offers a common theme throughout the work as he continuously experiments with materials and processes. His sculptures are made predominantly from wood and metal and are designed for interior display.

Also showing for the first time is Maria Santos with her beautiful range of pewter jewellery. Using a combination of enamels, veneers, semi-precious stones or glass, she also creates mirrors, boxes, photo frames and decorative panels.

Back by popular demand is ceramicist Kirsti Brown who uses a variety of stoneware clays glazed with turquoise and watery blue. Elegant slab built bottles, their defined shoulders and slender necks reminiscent of human forms complement her coiled vessels, rounded as worn beach pebbles.

Another firm favourite at the gallery is felt maker Kathie Barrs who creates functional and decorative pieces from wool in an array of textures and vibrant colours, marbled together with plant fibres – vintage silk a favourite. These unusual designs are a never-ending exploration of a dynamic process, in which there are so many variables.

Marian Watson’s silver jewellery has a natural feel, inspired by the landscapes of Shropshire. She gained her B.A. in Fine Art painting at St Martin’s School of Art, then studied jewellery in Oxford. Working in silver and gold, she draws with metal in an organic way, adding texture suggestive of moss or bark, accenting with semi-precious and precious stones.

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‘Winter Curiosities’ Christmas Exhibition 2022

'Late Shopping and Prosecco'

Christmas Exhibition 2022 entitled ‘Winter Curiosities’ opens on Saturday November 5 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.

We will be featuring a cornucopia of wonderful Christmas present ideas from the best of British artists and makers, many from Herefordshire and its surrounds –  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, snuffers, candle holders, bronzes, and sculpture – both for indoors and to grace the garden, original paintings, prints, including limited edition etchings, a wide range of textiles to include jackets, hats, scarves, gloves, cushions and throws.

To adorn your walls we will be showing a new collection of pastels by Mary Griffin, her intimate cafe scenes and busy high streets sparkling with festive lights depicting the pleasures of ordinary life with warmth and gentle humour…..a delight to the eye.

Morag Archer creates jewel-like mixed media mosaic pictures, using scraps of broken vintage china, paper, paint and gleaming gold leaf. Birds are her main inspiration.

As popular as ever is artist Seren Bell with her intricate pen and ink drawings, featuring coloured pencil. Although she has an affinity for all animals, she returns to sheep again and again.

Jo Verity shows a great love and respect for folk law and the cycle of life and death within the natural world in recreating the journey of our land’s repossession of animals that once lived among us. Sometimes a little on the dark side each piece tells its own unique story. 

Tamsin Abbott’s magical stained glass always attracts much attention, drawing on the natural world around our Herefordshire countryside and its hares, badgers, ravens, foxes and more. 

Potter Josie Walters makes tableware and cooking pots in earthenware clay, which are decorated with lively motifs in 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.  

Lyn Harrison works in stoneware crank clay, a strong, gritty clay which has a grainy, rustic appearance. She uses hand building methods, mainly coiling and slab work, to form her ceramic sculptures, and completes the pieces with slips, glazes and a wood ash finish.

John Mainwaring creates quirky wooden sculptures that are carved and then painted.

It has been said that his pieces are the collectables of the future.

To keep out the winter chill there will be a ‘must have’ collection of scarves, wraps and bags 

Nuno felted merino wool with silk fibres. There will also be chunky unisex sweaters in lambswool and silk, felted lambswool jackets in a fabulous collection of colours for women and new winter collections from our regular British makers. 

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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