Tuesday 31 March 2009

His and Hers









Preparations are going ahead for our next Exhibition in the Galleries 'Together" which is to be launched on Saturday the 4th April.

Makers are arriving and boxes unpacked, photographing for our website and our general end of month hubbub of activity.

Ceramics. Paintings and some bronzes will be on show for sale by

Nigel and Libby Edmondson
Frank and Janet Hamer
Jane and Ted Hamlyn
John and Jude Jelfs
Claire Harrison and Petr Horacek
Alasdair and Sally MacDonell
David and Margaret Frith

This exhibition was created from an initial thought about artists and makers who have shared their lives and their studios over many years. Whilst partners inevitably share common interests, this show is designed to demonstrate how their individual personalities are reflected in their work


Do join us at the Exhibition launch on Saturday 4th April 11am - 2pm when all will be displayed in the two galleries and the Cafe Upstairs
Refreshments will be served and some of the artists will be present.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Herald to Spring








Spring is truly here though the daffodils in The Gallery garden are not quite so numerous this year but still very beautiful.

The ceramic Sheep and Alan Foxley’s Flat sculpture look very fine nestled amongst the yellow and green spring folliage.

In The gallery courtyard pansies and violets add colour to the sculptures.



The Gallery garden and Bevere Sculpture trail will be open again this year from June to September

Friday 13 March 2009

Watercolour Artist- Ian Cruickshank






Exhibition in The Café Upstairs- Ian's Watercolour Landscapes

Ian Says
"My interest in watercolour painting only started after my arrival in the UK in 1994. Three years later I held my first solo exhibition at Bevere Gallery. Shortly after that Heather asked me if I would be interested in doing some teaching at Bevere, and eventually I was taking up to four 4 classes a week.

At the end of 1998 I joined Alastair in the Framing Shop and have worked there on a part time basis ever since.

I have continued to paint, teach and exhibit as often as my time permits, though I must confess that these days I tend to paint more for my own pleasure. Consequently I now hold fewer exhibitions during the year and only run selective courses in Worcester and the Cotswolds.


I have always enjoyed pencil sketching or even working on detailed engineering drawings, but I had never thought much about adding “colour” to any of this work.

My interest in watercolour painting only started about fifteen years ago after reading some art instruction books that had been recommended to me by a friend. One book in particular was “The Ron Ranson Technique“. All but a few of the paintings in the book were illustrated in black and white, and yet I was instantly “Hooked”. Captivated by the simplicity, freshness and apparent ease at which he seemed to apply paint to paper.

Since then I have read and studied many books by different watercolour artist and with advent of “Art” videos, it made it even easier and more pleasurable to watch some of these talented artists at work. Consequently my style has been greatly influenced by the works of Seago, Wesson, Fletcher-Watson, Yardley and Chamberlain, who are masters of capturing the essence of a scene with simplicity and with freshness.

I travel around the UK as often as time will permit as this “Island” has a wealth of scenes just asking to be painted. I am particularly drawn to the landscapes of the Cotswolds and Lake District and the seascapes of Devon, Cornwall and Pembrokeshire. Though I can just as easily find spectacular scenes not ten minutes drive from my home in Worcestershire.

Mood, space and a sense of timelessness are the qualities that I strive to achieve in my paintings, and watercolour, with its wonderful translucent quality is an ideal medium, and well suited to my traditional style and approach. In my paintings, I try to include at least one of my favourite subjects which are historic buildings, trees and fishing boats."

Monday 9 March 2009

Curator's Choice (1) Pot of the Month


CURATOR’S CHOICE - POT OF THE MONTH - MARCH 2009

Julian Stair's Teapot with two cups


Stuart Dickens is the Gallery at Bevere’s Ceramic Curator.

He admits to this being his third career and arguably the most satisfying. Initially working in the pottery at Bevere after his retirement, it was his lifelong interest in ceramics and his knowledge of pots and potters that led to him becoming a member of the Gallery team arranging the Gallery’s extensive programme of exhibitions.

His choice is clearly a personal one but hopefully it will always feature an exceptional and distinctive voice in studio ceramics.


JULIAN STAIR'S CERAMIC TEAPOT AND TW0 CUPS

This porcelain teapot with wisteria handle and stoneware cups on a square hand-built ground is an iconic piece within the minimalist movement of the late 20th and early 21st century British ceramics.

Julian Stair is able to make the purely functional an object of high status whilst still retaining that sense of the everyday.

Julian’s work is instantly recognisable and will always be a feature of public and private collections worldwide. We can admire the skill, for he is an accomplished thrower, and the aesthetic whilst respecting these everyday objects as something very special.

Sunday 8 March 2009

March Exhibition 2009 - HUMOUR AND THE SURREAL






HUMOUR AND THE SURREAL

We hope that this exhibition proves to be the antidote to a long and dreary winter. Each of these makers has a special way of looking at and representing the world. Words such as surreal, humour and whimsy come to mind - anything but dull - to be taken seriously, but certainly not without a smile and maybe a few questions.

Each of these artists and makers have a special way of looking at and representing the world.

Artists
Henry Walsh, Victoria Benns and John Wood

Ceramicists
Consuelo Radclyffe, Amanda Popham, Ross Emerson, Prue Cooper and Ronnie Fulton

Furniture maker
Hollie Wright - Hereford School of Arts Graduate 2008


HUMOUR is described as the tendency of particular cognitive experience to provoke laughter and provide amusement. Many theories exist about what humour is and what social function it serves but people of most ages and cultures respond to humour.


Words such as SURREAL - bizarre or dreamlike, humour and whimsy come to mind – anything but dull. To be taken seriously but certainly not without a smile and maybe a few questions.

Thursday 5 March 2009

Starting Young






Just two weeks old Clare’s baby girl Maggie My with her Mummy, a member of staff on maternity leave, and Daddy dropped in to the gallery to see how the preparations were progressing for the new Exhibition of ceramics and paintings ‘Humour and the Surreal' which opens on Saturday.

Baby Maggie and the various exhibits brought smiles to us all on this sunny Spring day.

The Exhibition will officially launch
on Saturday 7th March 11am - 2pm.

Do come and join us for light refreshments and chance to meet some of the artists & makers.