CONFLUENCE
May 8 th – 14 th
Elizabeth Hand & Sian Perry-Smith

Open daily 10.00am to 5.00pm
(last Tuesday closing 1.00pm)

PV: Friday 10th May 5.30-8.00pm (All welcome)

Elizabeth Hand and Sian Perry-Smith work together from a studio in the beautiful Cathedral City of Wells in Somerset. This exhibition brings together work created over one year. The two abstract painters shared the theme of rivers, undertaking walks and journeys in Pembrokeshire (Sian) and India (Elizabeth), exploring diverse cultural, historical, and visual stimuli.

Sian’s works are predominately oil on canvas. On occasion she incorporates an object or another material into her work and finds layers and texture or the lack of, exciting. Her approach is intuitive and her objective to interpret a memory, whether a location, an event or a moment in time. This collection of work focusses on Fishguard in West Wales and the happy times spent with her sister. Sian studied through the University of Plymouth and was highly commended by the Royal Society of Arts. She has exhibited widely and welcomes commissions.

Elizabeth is known as a painter of distant places; her large abstract paintings are inspired by travel. The work exhibited at Spring, recreates memories of alighting from a boat to mount steep steps rising from the River Ganges to Ghats and settlements above. Temple interiors, ancient labyrinth passages and the cacophony of life, offered rich pattern, colour and texture.

Elizabeth trained at Dartington Hall, WSCAD and the University of Reading. At Dartington she collaborated with dancers and musicians and was awarded an Elm Award for further study. As an educationalist she ran departments at several prestigious centres, winning awards for excellence. She pioneered student study trips to St Ives and, at the King’s School Worcester, established the Sir Terry Frost Gallery. She ran ‘Arts Alive’ and ‘Words Alive’ festivals for many years, commissioning work and bringing together amateurs and professionals in collaborative creative workshops, exhibitions, and performances. She has now returned to her own practice. She exhibits regularly, runs workshops and is Principal Examiner for Pre-U Art and Design.

www.heritagecourtyardstudio.com (Elizabeth Hand associate artist)

NATURA ABSTRACTA
1st - 7th May 2024
Samantha Wilkins
& Eleanor Woolley

Explore an exhibition showcasing a blend of abstract art and figurative landscapes. Displaying a mix of thought-provoking abstraction and peaceful landscapes, It's a diverse showcase that celebrates both the wild and the serene sides of art, offering something for every taste

JANE FOOT
Wednesday - Saturday 10-7pm
Sunday & Monday 11-3pm
(Tues 30th close 2pm)

Private View: Friday 19th April, 6-8pm (All welcome)

My semi-abstract textural paintings use bold colour and shapes to hint at both natural and man-made landscapes. Through a purely intuitive approach multiple layers of paint are manipulated, scraped back, built on again using a wide range of media;  you can feel and see a sense of history in each piece often with glimpses of repeated words & motifs.

I paint using oils mixed with cold wax medium, some paintings include an Encaustic underpainting using a hot wax technique; I embed collage, use sgraffito techniques, crayons and oils sticks.

Biography:

I attended the Malvern School of Art in 2016 - a year that would change the direction of my life. Previously employed by the BBC in London as a Sports Producer, I returned to Gloucestershire to raise my two daughters. Feeling the need to regain a sense of self I enrolled on an Art Diploma at Malvern. I am a member of the farOpen Artists’ group and take part in their annual Art Trail, opening up my May Hill studio to visitors for nine days in July. I also run Encaustic workshops. This year’s Open Studio & Art Trail takes place from July 6-14th.

CHIAROSCURO
April 10-16th 10am-5pm
KIM WHITBY

Kim Whitby’s introductory solo exhibition at Spring, “Chiaroscuro’* this April, follows her popular debut at Fresh Art Fair, Cheltenham in 2023.

Kim’s art is somewhat contradictory; both painterly and linear. Contour and pattern are explored with strong tonal ranges but a painterly and spontaneous freshness is achieved with a broad repertoire of mark-making; often works are made in black ink on paper alone. Her works tread the line between drawing and painting. Kim uses structures such as boats, trees and buildings or historical and geographical locations to compose and explore aspects of visual interest.

Kim is most frequently known for her work in ink on paper, but at Spring she will also be showing watercolour and oil paintings as part of Chiaroscuro. It will be a broad introduction to both her practice and to her travels!

Kim’s work has been recognised nationally. She is as an award winning plein air artist (Plintar Rapido, Chelsea, BroadwayArts Festival) finalist on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year having entered as a wildcard and has been commissioned for collections by national institutions (The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Jane Austen’s House Museum, Hampshire Cultural Trust) plus a few appearances at Mall Galleries too. Even so, Kim is in many ways an early careerartist as she had her first career as a teacher holding an initial degree in Fine Art with Education from Winchester and then graduating with a Masters degree in Fine Art 9 years ago from Aberystwyth University.
Since graduating from her MA she has taught in a whole host of adult settings. Before moving to Malvern in 2022 she was a regular tutor at Art Academy London and West Dean College.

*Chiaroscuro ~ noun. Italian (in art); lit; ‘light-dark.’

To find out more about Kim visit Instagram for up to date happenings https://www.instagram.com/kimwhitbyart/ or Kim’s website for more background information https://kimwhitby.com/

LUMINOSITY 
3rd - 9th April 2024

"Luminosity" features Alison Holt - Textile Artist and Jaci Hogan - Pastel Artist

An exhibition where Jaci and Alison using their different mediums explore the effect of light on the landscape, discovering the radiance, colours and contrasts to create this collection of vibrant, textured artwork

Introducing two artists who both enjoy using textiles to create magical representations of the wonders of the Natural World. Deborah Collum’s work is based on observations of the beautiful landscapes of central England. Her work is a vibrant representation of the layers of textures and colours within the natural landscapes. Sylvie Millen uses mixed media and free motion machine stitching to create ethereal sculptures and highly textural vistas, a translation of how she visualises the natural world. Combined they create a textural explosion of colour, shape and form demonstrating the skills of traditional crafts in an original and exciting way.

GOOD NATTER
20th - 26th March 2024
LEWIS HAZELWOOD-HORNER

The exhibition is a selection of oil paintings and accompanying preparatory sketches. The theme that ties these pieces together is ‘Good Natter’, whether it be chatting to a friend in the pub or two colleagues passing the time whilst in their workshop, the exhibition celebrates the flow of conversation. 

Lewis Hazelwood-Horner, member of the RBA, is an oil painter who studied classical painting. This exhibit is a range of sketches and finished pieces which are of different busy interiors often painted in situ with a close attention to detail. “I hope to capture the cozy atmosphere of pubs, highlighting their role in bringing people together and fostering a sense of community. By depicting the unique character and individuality of each establishment, the paintings act as a lasting tribute to these cherished social spaces. In this way, pubs become not just a physical space, but also a symbol of the human connection and camaraderie that they facilitate” His work celebrates the social and cultural importance of these beloved gathering places.

THRESHOLD 

By Miranda Carter

A threshold is the point at which a physiological or psychological effect begins to happen. 

The paintings in this exhibition attempt to visualise the points at which day becomes night and earth becomes air.  “I am particularly drawn to the ‘glow’ of the twilight hours and the space where land meets the sky.”

A threshold can also be at the point of awakening similar to that felt in a state of creative flow or the feeling of awareness that unfolds when immersed in nature.

“My approach is more instinctive and poetic than observational. I attempt to create the feeling of space, light and atmosphere in my studio.  I encourage controlled ‘accidental’ marks and gestures using layered paints, inks and glowing pastels. I guide them to mimic feathered clouds, misty horizons, and the tracks and pathways etched into the landscape.”

“What you feel in front of my paintings is as important to me as what you see.”

Miranda has exhibited widely and is represented by galleries across the country. She has many collectors and works with the interiors company Neptune, selling prints of her work in stores and online. 

Open Evening: Saturday 9 March 6-8pm

Jenny Huggett told us,
‘From the vibrant landscapes of South Africa to the captivating world of art, Jenny’s journey embodies a profound love for both the natural world and sculpting.

Her art emanates from an intimate celebration of life, predominantly capturing the essence of living beings. Her affinity for the human form gracefully extends to masterful animal portraits; they transcend mere physical form; they stir emotions and invite an immersive dialogue between observer and art piece - a tapestry of feelings and testament to her art’s captivating allure.

Nestled in the enchanting walled garden of Sherborne in Gloucestershire, Jenny’s studio serves as the cradle for her artistic expression—a place where imagination takes tangible form.’

Rita Moseley told us,
’My eye for colour and detail guided me to a career in fashion after training in Paris and London. I spent many years as head of design for a national retail company and as a design consultant for companies in the Far East and Australia. Before and since retirement I have travelled extensively which has given me the inspiration to paint expressive landscapes that communicate an intense emotional response to the experience of being outdoors. I am inspired by nature as well as paint itself. Oil is my medium which gives me the flexibility of colour and movement in landscapes and more abstract work.

I work from my studio in my beautiful Cotswold garden which continues to inspire me and allows me to express through art my appreciation of living in this beautiful part of the world’

NewingerART is a UK and Majorca based art gallery specialising in contemporary fine art from Mallorca/Spain and the rest of the world.

Established in 2020 by Stefan Johannes Becker the gallery represents a considered selection of emerging and established international artists, and a curated portfolio of high-quality artworks. As a fairly young gallery our focus is on emerging artist and tryiing to provide an international platform. Exposing these incredible idvidual art works to a wider audience.

Based on Mallorca and London Stefan started representing local artists from the island of Mallorca first in London and later across Europe on various art fairs contributing with his fresh and new portfolio to the success of the fair. In addition he respresents a selection of indivual artists from Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and Spain.

‘KIN’
James Robert

James’s work is an expression of wildness, sometimes almost imperceptible, sometimes miraculous, always in a process of transformation. Birds and mammals are his main focus as they are ever-present but ever-fleeting. Their shapes are the epitome of wildness. They are also our close and distant kin. 

James works on paper using a wet process with ink and salt, a technique which allows for maximum simplicity and spontaneity, letting the pigment move freely with unpredictable textures and flows. The result is a sense of movement, a wild dance created using the smallest footprint –  just a few drops of ink and water.

Spring will be closed for our winter break.

SMALL WORKS WINTER SHOW 2023

8th - 23rd December 2023
10am - 5pm Tuesday - Saturday,
11am - 4pm Sunday

PRIVATE VIEW: Saturday 9th December 2023, 6-8pm.

SPRING CHELTENHAM is thrilled to invite you to our third ever annual Small Works Winter show.

- 115 ARTISTS
- OVER 175 WORKS OF ORIGINAL ART
- A PLETHORA OF BEAUTIFUL GIFTS
- BUCKETS OF INSPIRATION

‘Abstracted.’
22 - 28 November 2023

An exhibition of new work by Gordon Connell, Russell Gain & Jo Wade.

www.gordonconnell.co.uk

www.russellgain.co.uk 

www.jowadeartist.co.uk

Preview 23rd November 6-8pm all welcome.

Steve Brockett grew up in South Wales and studied fine art at the then Cardiff School of Art. Over the last 30 years he has exhibited his paintings, kites and aerial photographs in the UK, Europe and the US . He spent 10 years living in a cortijo in the province of Almeria, Spain and now resides in Llanfoist near Abergavenny.

Steve Brockett’s semi-abstract canvases are distilled thoughts, thick with symbolic figures and animals, historic references and mythical reimagining. They are immersed in the rich earthy hues and potent skies intrinsic to the landscapes of Spain that inspire his work. The content and technique of his paintings present the viewer with images that are both arresting and challenging. The distorted visualisations are simultaneously familiar but mysterious, raw and sensual, imposing yet fragile. His pictorial language, is embodied by his experience of inhabiting the aerial world both as a long time paragliding pilot and through his earlier internationally renowned work as a kite artist. The affinity the artist has with flight, of being in the air and sky, evokes a dream-like, detached observer quality that offers a unique narrative, dense with meaning.

RECENT PAINTINGS
by Nadine James
Thursday 9th November - Monday 13th November 
11am - 4pm

Oil paintings, often in a heightened colour palette, of the inspiring landscapes around the Stroud area. Including Juniper Hill, the Heavens and Strawberry Banks …

Aboriginal Art UK was set up by Nadia Phillips in 2010. Originally from Sydney, Nadia's interest in design and textiles led her to dealing initially in linen, lace and period costume, before moving on to pre-Columbian textiles.

A period living in Florence and studying history of art awoke an interest in the indigenous art of Nadia's home country, and how it was being developed. Nadia started collecting aboriginal art on one of her many visits back to Australia when an opening arose to join a trip with an art dealer visiting the outback communities, and the opportunity to source and buy paintings directly from them.

As her collection grew, friends and acquaintances asked for help in putting their own collections together, and to advise them on different artworks. This led to setting up Aboriginal Art UK, for which Nadia continues to visit Australia and source paintings directly from the art communities, predominantly those of the Central Desert, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory, and these are well represented within the works now available.

CANVAS AND CLAY
Camilla Ward & Janet James
18th - 24th October 2023

An exhibition of two artists.

Camilla told us;
"My work comes from place and life generally.  This is memorised, sketched or photographed and filters down onto the clay or canvas surface  I use acrylics or glazes, slips and other  techniques and mediums.  Line and colour are fundamental to everything and I love to experiment so nothing stands still"

Janet told us;
”My work is influenced by the landscape and the places I visit. I am passionate about textures and try and keep my work alive and exciting by incorporating different techniques into my painting. 
I predominantly use oils but like the freshness that different marks and mediums add to the composition”

ELIZABETH COWELL - Threads
Cut on the Bias

My practice focuses on textiles and the stories woven within clothing. My work seeks to illuminate the connection between people and the garments they wear, revealing the layers of narratives, memories, and cultural expressions that shape our identities.

Textiles, in their various forms, serve as powerful conduits for storytelling. They envelop our bodies, offering protection, comfort, and self-expression. The garments we choose to wear become tangible reflections of our personal histories and individual aspirations. By exploring the stories behind clothing, I aim to capture the essence of human experiences, evoking emotions and evoking a sense of shared humanity.

www.ecthreads.co.uk

‘CONTRAST’
WAC Collective
Thursday 5 October-Monday 9 October 10-6pm

WAC is a core group of three painters, Jo Watters-Pawlowski, Nina Archer and Elizabeth Cowell, who exhibit together in the UK.

The three artists live in different areas of the country interpreting the diverse landscapes they inhabit. While each artist's work is distinct in its process, colour and texture, it is their shared observation of landscapes and use of mixed media that makes this a unique collaboration. 

Jo Watters-Pawlowski is a contemporary abstract painter working from her studio in Ditchling, East Sussex: her work is influenced by the natural environment through visual and emotional response to colour, shape, texture, sound, and form - there is always a point of reference to the work. Working on several paintings of varying sizes allows each picture to take on and communicate its meaning and resonance.

Nina Archer is an abstract painter living and working in the borderlands of the Welsh Marches, a diverse landscape combining Welsh and English cultural influences with a distinctive geography of ridgeways, forested valleys, mountains and rivers. She uses elements from this landscape and combines these with abstracted forms often defined by the dramatic light, black shapes, accents of colour and the textural feel of this unique area.

Elizabeth Cowell's practice focuses on the minutiae she encounters within her surroundings. Her work is a fusion of these observations and her personal narrative, resulting in a unique peripheral view of the landscape. 

Guest Artists

Peter Archer: Woodcarver
Peter Archer's current work is a series of carved sycamore sculptures with integral plinths.

The written text in the 'Deadlines' series provides a visual texture and is a description of people who have had a significant influence on his life.

Jacky Oliver: Sculptor
Jacky creates bold linear sculptures at her workshop at Cockpit Bloomsbury, London. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art she has created pieces for exhibitions, commissions and residencies ranging in scale from small handheld objects through to large-scale architectural pieces through the UK. Each project is completely unique, and the final outcome is always determined by a journey of exploration

Working in a process led way, ideas are allowed to be fluid, carefully arranging the initial components. The final form of Jacky's pieces are discovered through making, the way in which the different parts interact and can be seen from different viewpoints, is something that cannot be predetermined. The linear open nature of the work, allows strong shadows to be cast which are integral parts of the piece.

Please join us for evening drinks on Friday 6 October 5.30 – 8pm

FROM NATURE
27th September - 3rd October 2023

Private View: Thursday 28th September, 6-9pm. (All welcome)

A joint exhibition by Cotswold artists, Alison Vickery, painter and Tom Knowles Jackson, potter.

Artists, neighbours, friends, Alison and Tom have exhibited jointly a number of times and are struck with how well their art complements each others. It could be their common interest in the process and enjoyment in working with the materials, the history of the piece or the shared inspiration from the natural World?, but it works.

Alison is a well known local artist selling Worldwide. The landscape of the Cotswolds where she lives and the coast, which she visits frequently are favourite subjects, their changes, energy and atmosphere.

The focus of Alison’s process is drawing and mark making, responding to her subject to capture the feel and experience of being there. A line may suddenly follow the flight of a bird, or marks energetically convey the change in weather, light or colour.

Alison works extensively outside in sketch books in a range of media. She likes to let the process and history of the paintings show through, adding layers of interest and texture.

Alison’s work at Spring Cheltenham will include dynamic new pieces looking at the changing weather.

Tom makes functional pottery for the table, sideboard and oven that is inspired by the ceremony of eating and drinking, particularly by African and Eastern Traditions.

Tom’s work is thrown on a momentum wheel and made with stoneware and porcelain clays that are high fired using both gas and wood firing atmospheres to create refined pots which are, at the same time robust, reflecting his preference for form and function over decoration.  Tom's pottery is finished using a muted, natural palette of glazes and slips derived from locally foraged materials like wood ash and riverbed sediments.

In 2015 Tom was a finalist on the first series of The Great British Throwdown and it was this experience that prompted him to follow his passion in ceramics full time. 

Tom is taking this opportunity to exhibit a selection of his beautiful one off studio pieces along with his popular everyday range.

‘MANNER OF SPEAKING’
DAVID FELIX
Wednesday 20th - Tuesday 26th September 2023

These mixed media works all stem from David’s love of the resonance of words and languages, from his enthusiasm for letter forms, codes and scripts of all kinds and linked to this, a long held interest in etymology.

Here we have individual letters, words and phrases written in a different way – invented or abstracted, decipherable and undecipherable texts that yet still possess an integrity of their own. Sometimes the intention, the meaning is clear, at other times obscured.

There’s a strongly visible sense of narrative to these pieces, a form of storytelling and forward movement. The structure David uses is often taken from the natural world – from the arrangement of birds on a lake, a pattern of leaves in a pond plant, or lichen on a paving stone for example.

Open everyday 10am - 5pm
(Except last Tuesday, 10am-1pm)

A SPRING curated show of the best upcoming artists in the region.

Closed for our summer break

Jenny Westbrook and Molly Abbott

COMBINING PERSPECTIVES

GEORGINA FAIRHURST & EMILY WAKEFIELD
Wed 26 July 2023 - Tue 1 Aug 2023

Created through the eyes of two artists seeking inspiration in the day-to-day and their surroundings, exploring light, colour, texture and composition. Observing the world around them and combining perspectives to create a contrast of physical and emotional connection.

Georgina and Emily met whilst studying Interior Design at Manchester Met University in 2005 and found in each other a reflected appreciation of art, colour and enjoying the simpler things in life. This body of work is as much about their friendship as it is the pieces created. After years of developing art and design careers in separate cities, they have finally found themselves living back in the same area with the opportunity to paint together again. Influencing and inspiring each other throughout this process has resulted in both artists challenging their own styles. 

With a successful Interior Designer career and continuing to have art as a constant, Emily has spent many years developing her sense of style, colour and texture. Painting mainly in acrylic and aqua oil she creates textured, often abstract pieces, inspired by the seasonal changing landscapes around her. She works in an intuitive way, channelling both what she sees with how she feels, creating emotive artwork that may shift and change the more you observe. More recently applying her love of creating joyful colour palettes to larger scale hand-painted wall murals.

After a 15-year career in Architectural Visualisation, Georgina has developed the skills to appreciate scenes in terms of composition, atmosphere and storytelling.  Since moving from London to Gloucestershire in 2019, she has managed to carve out the required space, both physically and mentally, to develop her painting style. Throughout lockdown Georgina enjoyed painting still life and practising working with a limited palette which encouraged her enjoyment of understanding colour theory. These days a love for the natural world, as well as studying horticulture, has further inspired her to paint the plants around her to portray nature’s amazing ability of creating colour harmony.

ALONE IN THE LANDSCAPE
Hadfield Fine Art

Including Kerry Phippen, Jane Boot, Malcolm Ashman RWA, Janet, David O’Connor as well as contributions from other regulars.

A SPRING curated show which invites Bristol based artist Julia Maleeva.

She told us, “My painting is journey between three seas: the Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Black Sea. The sources for my works are coming from my travels around Southern France, Cornwall and Bulgarian Black Sea coast. What makes these places special for me is the light, which is very distinctive and specific. These places are around water, but the colours differ because of the magic of light.

The attempt to bridge the colours of Provence, Cornwall and Black Sea coast in Bulgaria, has been a journey between sea, wind, roads, emotions, ink sketches, canvas, paint, light and a viewer. Art for me is a deconstruction process of layers of paint waiting to be scraped and then layered back in a different perspective, just to show something more interesting. The way to go backwards discovers to me a unique story, like a detective game to find clues from the past.”

Working in oils, Julia is fascinated with the interplay of different perspectives and dimensions, amalgamation of techniques. Exploring two-dimensional relationship with form, colour and texture has always been her main interest. The challenge to maintain the right balance between graphic lines and colours.

Influenced by her architectural background often the protagonist is a forgotten old building or a sleepy bridge. 

“I use cold wax as one of the main ingredients in my paintings, which allows me to create unique textures. Working only with palette knives I often add to the premixed oil/wax substance - Cornish sand, chopped sea weeds, old tea leaves or just scrapes of old paint from my palette. The whole scraping process involves my imagination to reuse everything again into the painting and be able to create new kind of “sustainable” art. Small bobbles are one of my signatures, made from scrapes and different mixtures. The wax also helps me to establish more translucency to the oil colours. I am ultimately on a journey to create a new fusion of dry point and oil painting, wrapped in cold wax.”

Cv

Julia was born in Bulgaria in 1974. After receiving her BA in Fine Arts and MA in Architecture in Sofia, Bulgaria, she went to USA where she completed Postgraduate specialisation in Architectural Heritage in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This work was commissioned by the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record and involved ink hand sketches and drawings of historic bridges and factories. The papers from this project are kept in the American Library of Congress. 
 
In her more than 20 years career as an architect and interior designer, Julia has successfully completed many projects, residential conversions and renovations, and interior design projects in Bulgaria, UK, Romania, Germany.  In the last few years she has returned to fine art full time and is working in her own studio in Clifton, Bristol.

Inspired by the works of Willem De Kooning, Robert Motherwell and Sammy Peters since she has been living in USA, Julia describes her style as abstract expressionism.

Most of Julia’s work is inspired by her travels around the South West of England, French Provence and rural Bulgaria, involving a lot of drawing, sketching, en plein air painting. She explores her subjects in an involved process of painting, drawing and applying wax to the surface.

Julia is represented by Carina Haslam Gallery and had very successful shows in London, Singapore and New York. Her art is also shown at galleries in the UK, and features in private collections in the UK, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bulgaria.

Julia is Associate Member of Penwith Society of Artists. She has won the People’s Choice Award at Clifton Open Summer Exhibition 2021.

Julia is a qualified General Aviation pilot. She used to own a two-seat aircraft and loves to fly in her spare time.

RECIPROCITY
Anna Simson and Mandy Coppes-Martin

Wednesday 28th June - Tuesday 4th July 2023
Open daily 10am - 5pm 

PV 6pm - 9pm Thursday 29th June 2023 

Two artists from the Stroud Valleys reciprocating with each other in clay and silk. Ceramicist Anna Simson and paper and fibre sculptor Mandy Coppes-Martin.

Anna and Mandy have been interacting through making since they met three years ago. Throughout this collaboration they have shared conversations, ideas and inspiration; reciprocating with each other in their materials and processes. There is almost a “collective consciousness” in this body of work, made apparent through their joint response to nature and the wider environment. Some of the work in the exhibition includes pieces made by other artists, friends, and family creating a much wider collaboration and narrative.

“Anna’s work inspires me to make because I see something that makes me want to respond. I think perhaps it is the micro environment that Anna portrays through her work that I feel drawn to and in turn this relates to my work, even though our mediums are worlds apart”.

“Mandy’s enthusiasm and creativity inspires me to reciprocate. She finds bitesize “stories” of our planet and interprets them into intricate work that weaves thread, paper, lace, leather and more, creating pieces that are unique and inspirational."

‘Sanctuary’ - celebrating the faded glory of neglected spaces

Chris Cyprus - Spring Gallery, Cheltenham 20th-27th June 2023

Amongst the madness of the modern world, peace and tranquillity appears from the most unlikely places. My celebration of the humble smallholding explores the crooked beauty of neglected spaces, once loved and cherished by their owners but ultimately ravaged by nature and the passage of time.

A fascination with the dilapidated garden shed began in 2008 when I took on my own allotment plot on the council allotments near my home. I greatly admired the ‘make do and mend’ mindset of the allotment holders and was keen to replicate these ideas on my own allotment, and to capture these wonderful characters on canvas.

My body of work featuring allotments spanned a decade, and was inspired by my experiences of visiting allotments up and down the country, and the acquaintances made along the way.

The paintings became a great success and led to a feature on BBC Gardeners World, and a painting commission from presenter Joe Swift.

Following the Covid-19 Pandemic, I felt compelled to resume observations of the faded beauty of the tumble down garden shed, the smallholding and its world weary inhabitants, resulting in this evocative body of work.

“My passion as an artist lies in transforming what might be considered ‘ordinary’ or ‘mundane’ subject matter into something extraordinary using a combination of vivid colour palette, contrasting shadow and light and juxtaposition of what I would consider interesting elements within a scene”.