‘Sweet Summertime’ Summer Exhibition 2021

‘Sweet Summertime’ opens online and in the gallery on Saturday July 10.

This exhibition encompasses a unique collection of hand picked, desirable, contemporary British fine art and craft including stained glass, acrylics, watercolours, linocuts, ceramic sculpture, painted wood, carved and painted wood reliefs. Each piece designed to bring joy, we hope we strike a heartening mood of optimism as we gradually start moving about again.

Frans Wesselmen

Frans was born in Holland where he trained to be an art teacher before his conscription into the Dutch army. After two years in the army he gained a diploma in printmaking and photography at Groningen College of Art.

He moved to England in 1979 where he has worked and exhibited widely in both one-man shows and group exhibitions. His paintings and etchings are in private collections as well as in the Ashmolean and Fitzwilliam museums. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Printmakers. Often his paintings, etchings and stained glass tell a story.

Once Frans has an idea he will use studies from life drawing, sketches from the zoo or from his travels to work out the details. Or sit on a windy, rainy beach in January to draw the missing bits. Whenever he goes away anywhere, he always has a sketch book with him. He now has shelves of sketch books which are there as a resource, some may never be used, but drawing in them is a pleasure in itself.

Linda Edwards

Linda has developed a passion for gold leaf, which can ‘illuminate’ a painting. Working mainly with watercolour on paper, and sometimes on gesso, she inscribes pattern and a texture drawn into the gold that tells another part of the story. Medieval and Renaissance art, Persian, Indian and Egyptian art – countless hours spent in the National Gallery and the V&A – are a great inspiration! As are birds and gardens as a subject. The freedom and colour of birds can be emblematic of so many human traits and conditions. 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.

View more paintings by Linda here

‘Paintings of birds and animals set in jewel 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 my theme. My work has a timeless quality that is rooted in ancient art yet is very contemporary.’

Jemima Jameson

Jemima lives with her husband in a beautiful valley set in the Shropshire hills, between the site of an ancient hill-fort and a steep, densely wooded oak forest. She derives much of her inspiration from the surrounding countryside and its wealth of fauna and flora.  Jemima feels compelled to paint and draw every day, her paintings are a celebration of the natural world around us. She 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. Jemima’s highly detailed, inspirational designs on furniture, gesso and oak panels are a joyous celebration of our natural world.

View more hand made painted cabinets, boxes, triptychs and panels here

“I have always retained a deep nostalgia for the illustrations and stories from my childhood; the “Arts & Crafts” movement and the rich detail of illuminated-manuscripts. I feel so compelled to draw and paint, it is quite simply a vital part of the daily rhythm of my life”

Martin Truefitt-Baker

Martin originally trained as a graphic artist and illustrator with some printmaking and book design. Now he mostly produces Acrylic and watercolour paintings and he also produces carefully designed and hand printed, very limited edition, linocut prints. Some of his prints show links to earlier work as an illustrator, often with quirky themes and combinations of images.

View more work by Martin here

Recently the wonderful local landscape, wildlife and the changing seasons have become increasingly important in his work. He is often out with his camera and sketch book looking for inspiration and images that try to express the spirit and beauty in the changing light, landscape and wildlife.

Alison Vincent

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.

View more glass sculpture by Alison here

Things happen fast in the hot shop – actions have to be made quickly. Glass has a mind of its own so she works with it to create her new designs. A piece must be made from start to finish and there is no time to stop to think or rest. 

Glass making is a balance between keeping molten glass hot enough to work and staying central on the iron, not running onto the floor, whilst not getting too cold (500oC!) to crack or fall off the iron.

Barry Williams

View more of Barry’s sculptures here

Having originally trained as a mechanic in the local garage in Pembridge it became apparent that it was the welding side of village garage life that interested him. This eventually led him to starting his own fabrication business 6 years ago. Barry has recently been making time for his artistic side to show, producing sculptures on the theme of our “Sweet Summertime” exhibition. Although not being the easiest material to work with Barry uses stainless steel for the majority of his work. Inspired by the challenge of turning what can often start as a pile of discarded sheet metal offcuts into a beautiful unique sculpture.

Kathryn O’Kell

See more of Kathryn’s carved wood reliefs here

Kathryn has been making woodcarvings for over 30 years, initially three-dimensional and then moving on to the relief carvings she makes today. This change came from a love of drawing, where she enjoyed exploring composition, colour and texture, using the gouges and chisels as well as paint.

Birds have always fascinated her, there were bird watching books on her childhood bookshelves and they’re still on her shelves today. Kathryn only needs to look out of her shed window when working and her inspiration is flying past, circling overhead or resting on the woodshed.

Wood, specifically English lime, is her chosen medium. Transforming a rough cut plank into a finished piece is a methodical, almost meditative process and incredibly satisfying.

Painting can often take even longer than the carving, where paint is applied, sanded and re-applied until she is happy with each piece.

“I’m never entirely sure what I want to make until it is made. The initial idea may be : species of bird, its’ landscape, a colour and the resulting carving develops organically from there.

Knowing when a piece is finished is pure instinct. Sometimes I can overwork a carving and then I need to re-carve it and re-colour it until I can look at it and say “Yes, that’s better”. Then I’m happy.”