Tag Archives: suffolk

INSPIRED BY BECKER : an exhibition of contemporary work by East Anglian artists

“Lyrical, unpretentious and free…” is just one of the many ardent remarks about the work of Harry Becker made by the group of artists who contribute to “INSPIRED BY BECKER”, an exhibition of contemporary work by East Anglian artists who love his work.

Becker, an artist trained in the best schools in Europe, moved from London to live in Suffolk early last century, and spent around 10 years in Wenhaston, a village 5 miles inland from Southwold. His work concentrated on the people and animals associated with agricultural life and, as Andrew Pitt, one of the IBB group describes, it is a “powerful testimony to the value of painting from direct observation. The forceful honesty of his marks and the gestures of his brush combine to make his work compelling and lively”. Andrew himself always paints en plein air.

Mari French, Arable field, late Spring

Mari French, another IBB artist is inspired by Becker’s “evocation of light and the lively brushwork in his landscapes“. “Arable field, late Spring” worked in acrylic on paper demonstrates her own mastery of these qualities.

Liz James, The Tempest

And in “The Tempest”, Liz James conveys the threatening weight of an approaching storm.

Mary Gundry, The end of a good day

Some of the IBB group contribute figurative work to the show, work that relates directly and obviously to that of Becker, as in Mary Gundry’s oil: “The end of a good day”.

inspiredbybecker-mike-holtom-meteorology

Mike Holtom, Meteorology 2

Others respond in a less direct way, reflecting qualities such as fluidity, moments in time captured, atmosphere, an economy of means. Mike Holtom’s “Meteorology 2”, Kerry Holmes’ “Another windy day” and Joy Wilson’s “Fields” offer examples of the artist’s response to these more emotional levels.

Kerry Holmes, Another windy day

Joy Wilson, Fields

If only there was room to offer a glimpse of everyone of the 28 exhibitor’s work! Suffice to say that visiting the show is a joyful experience. Work made out of love and respect for another artist’s contribution, and indeed to celebrate and honour that oeuvre, cannot fail to give pleasure.

Held over only one weekend, and situated purposely in the village, in St Peter’s, the church that Becker would have known, the show is professionally hung and beautifully presented in a space that already houses a significant and special mediaeval art work: The Wenhaston Doom.

Not only is the love for a master’s work tangible within this show, but also we raise funds to help the parish church of Halesworth, St Mary’s make their lottery bid for a massive regeneration so that the space is available to a wide range of community groups, as well as for worship.

inspired-by-becker-art-exhibition-poster

So please, make a note in your diary, and let others know: August 9th and 10th; 10am until 5pm and 10am until 4pm respectively; INSPIRED BY BECKER: an exhibition of Contemporary work by East Anglian artists.

INSPIRED BY BECKER: an exhibition of Contemporary work by East Anglian artists

August 9th and 10th 2014

St Peter’s Church
Wenhaston
Nr Halesworth
Suffolk
IP19 9BJ

Open Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

All work is for sale. Card payments available, refreshments and free parking. For more information please contact Ruth McCabe at: ruth@threeways.mail1.co.uk

Two new exhibitions: Eleonora Knowland and Liz Waugh McManus

Two Artworks artists, Eleonora Knowland and Liz Waugh McManus, have solo exhibitions opening next weekend. Interestingly, both exhibitions feature colour and light as a means to express ideas about memory, time and a sense of place. Eleonora Knowland is a painter concerned with landscape and Liz Waugh McManus is a multi-media artist who works with glass and projected film.

Eleonora Knowland originally developed painting on curved canvases as a way of expressing the undulating surface of the East Anglian landscape, but they have now become an intricate part of her artwork. A recent trip to Australia has inspired a new collection of paintings. The colours in these canvases speak of a hotter climate, stronger, and bolder, with an intensity of light.

AUSTRALIAN ABSTRACTIONS

Meet Eleonora Knowland at the preview of her exhibition of new paintings, Australian Abstractions, on Saturday 10th May 2014, from 11.30 am – 3.30 pm at The Buckenham Galleries, Southwold, Suffolk.

Australian Abstractions is open daily from Saturday 10th May – Tuesday 10th June 2014.
Buckenham Galleries
81 High Street
Southwold
Suffolk
IP18 6DS
www.buckenhamgalleries.co.uk
www.eleonoraknowland.co.uk

LIZ WAUGH MCMANUS

Liz Waugh McManus has a multi-faceted art practice that embraces sculpture, film, and visual theatre. A new exhibition featuring glass sculpture and video installations is at The Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk. The exhibition preview is on Saturday 10th May between 12 noon and 2pm. All are welcome to attend.

The exhibition is open from Tuesday 6th May to Saturday 31st May 2014.

Liz Waugh McManus
Malt Room Gallery
The Cut
New Cut
Halesworth
Suffolk
IP19 8BY
www.newcut.org
www.lizwaughmcmanus.co.uk

Five artists go to a deserted farmhouse: Suffolk Open Studios art exhibition

Longs Farm, an enchanting medieval farmhouse currently standing empty in rural Suffolk, provides an inspiring and unique setting for the artwork of five distinctive artists, who are all participating in Suffolk Open Studios in June 2014.

Wire Sculpture of a Cockerel by Jenny Goater

Christine McKechnie and Gillian Crossley-Holland, both founder members of Artworks, will be joining ex-member Jenny Goater, with fellow artists Jane West and Nicolette Hallett, to fill the entire farmhouse with the best of their art as a precursor to opening their art studios to the public in June. The exhibition will contain a selection of drawings, paintings, collage and sculpture.

Painting by Nicolette Hallett

Christine McKechnie will have on show her popular, intricately crafted, watercolour-painted cut paper collages. These are personal memories of places evoked in colour. They could be of her garden outside her art studio, on which she spends much time and love, a tree down the green lane analysed on her daily walk, or visits to the Suffolk coast. There are also collages of loved places further afield – Glyndebourne in Sussex, Seatoller in the Lake District, the Arsenale in Venice, Thailand, Cambodia, and Hong Kong.

Collage by Christine McKechnie

Gillian Crossley-Holland will be displaying her distinctive and evocative paintings of the Lopham Fens and the North Norfolk coast. These are paintings that explore her love of crossing places and edges, places where the earth is little more than a reflection of the sky, or places where the sea meets the shore, forever shifting back and forth and never permanent.

Sky at Burnham Overy Staithe, by Gillian Crossley-Holland

Also on show will be some of Gillian’s recent still life drawings of spring flowers; pots of primroses, jugs of wallflowers and vases of tulips all worked swiftly in bright colours and vivid marks. These drawings provide a strong visual contrast to her landscapes and seascapes, but the subject matter still explores her fascination with the fragility of permanence.

Buttercups, by Gillian Crossley-Holland

This special exhibition at Longs Farm is open to the public during the Spring Bank Holiday weekend of 3rd, 4th, 5th May 2014 (Saturday to Monday), from 11am to 5pm.

Longs Farm

Millway Lane

Palgrave

Diss

IP22 1AD

Parking is available at the entrance to the farmhouse. Please note, due to the age and structure of the building, disabled access will be restricted.

Suffolk Open Studios takes place over four weekends: 7/8th, 14/15th, 21/22nd and 28/29th June 2014. Please visit the Suffolk Open Studios website for individual opening times of artists’ studios.