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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.