7 September–2 October 2024
Ross Loveday, Chris Harrison, Mari French & Barbara Gittings
An exhibition of work by artists who push the boundaries of their craft, technically and conceptually.
While initially inspired by the natural world, this body of work refers to liminal spaces; the threshold of emotions, memory, mood, and the tensions between what we know and understand and what is still unknown or undiscovered.
You are warmly invited to join us in the gallery for drinks and nibbles to celebrate the opening of the exhibition and meet the artists on
Saturday 7th September from 10am to 5pm
Ross Loveday and Chris Harrison will be giving a short talk and Q&A at 2pm, Barbara Gittings will be at 3pm.
The exhibition will then continue until Wednesday 2nd October
Gallery open 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday
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Ross Loveday is a self-taught artist of powerful and personal interpretations of landscapes. Whether on a large or small scale there is an immediacy to his paintings which convey not so much a sense of place but the essence of a particular moment.
"The fine line which separates figuration and abstraction interests me; time, place, weather and light alongside gesture, glimpse and memory. The subjects are only the starting points - sometimes small insignificant details or texture triggers a complete piece."
The liminal landscapes of coastline, salt marsh and moorland are of particular interest to Mari French. Her confident use of layering and mark making bestows a rich surface history to her artworks, often incorporating collage and calligraphy in the pieces.
"My design background often emerges in my artworks through effective colour combinations, strong composition and use of typography."
This series of paintings and photographs by Chris Harrison is titled the 'Edge of Knowing'. Featuring abstract marks and shapes amongst grids and structures these works explore the tension between the ordered world and the mystery of the unknown.
"I have put in undeciphered signs suggesting there is meaning I can't see yet. My personal grid seems to combine an enthusiasm for good science, a generous sprinkling of the poetic, and faith."
Similarly, Barbara Gittings' work celebrates the balance between order and chaos, symmetry and asymmetry. Barbara's extraordinary pieces are created with a grogged porcelain, using Nerikomi techniques, before being smoke fired. The result is subtle, tactile work that attracts and intrigues.
"The geometry of patterns in nature is a constant source of inspiration to me, especially as random chaotic forces, growth, and weathering push the initial perfect symmetry towards imperfection."
