Category: Upcoming Exhibition

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’.

‘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.

‘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