Welcome to February’s newsletter, this month we look at the work of four artists: Ben Hughes, Rosemary Bonney, Christine Rogers and Ann Kopka. Their work, alongside others, will be represented in our new Virtual Exhibition of Landscapes and Cityscapes, running from February 25th-March 31st 2024. The exhibition will be in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.
Rosemary Bonney ‘Ruddy Cleave Farm Revisited’
Rosemary Bonney
‘Ruddy Cleave Farm’ captures the simplified essence of the landscape with an emphasis on colour. Here a controversial red palette is used to capture a Dartmoor Farm nestling in the valley. Rosemary created this work by using a layering technique. Oil paint is used in glazes to gradually build up the depth of colour.
Based in Dartmoor, Rosemary is a landscape artist. Inspired by the natural world, she shares with the viewer ‘her personal experience of a place, interpreting it in a painterly manner using oils, acrylics and mixed media embellishments’.
Her choice of subject is influenced by a combination of the season, light and the effects of the weather. A wide variety of tools are used in her practice, from brushes to palette knives, rollers to rags.
Ben Hughes ‘Union Passage,Bath’
Ben Hughes
Bath artist, Ben Hughes, is self-taught artist and is a member of the Bath Society of Artists. He has exhibited widely across the South West.
In ‘Union Passage Bath’, Ben skilfully depicts the character of a Bath rainy day. The pavements glisten with rain. The light from shop windows casting interesting reflections in the wet Portland cement paving stones. The bright shop facades jostle for attention along this historic narrow passageway, dating from the Georgian period.
Christine Rogers ‘Echos of Hardy Lulworth Cove’.
Christine Rogers Dorset artist Christine Rogers’ current interest is the sea. Working in acrylic, she captures its movement and beautiful patterns, presenting subjects from an unusual standpoint.
‘Echos of Hardy Lulworth Cove’ was inspired by a poem by Thomas Hardy, written to commemorate the poet John Keats’ visit to Lulworth Cove in 1820. It is here that he is thought to have landed and composed his sonnet ‘Bright star! would I were steadfast as thou art’, before his departure for Rome.
Christine hopes viewers find her paintings spiritually uplifting through their subject and colour palette. She seeks to inspire the viewer’s further exploration of the seascapes and landscapes in her work.
Ann Kopka ‘Amazing Grace New York City’’
Ann Kopka
Ann is a visual artist and curator. Her practice encompasses painting, 2D, 3D, mixed media, digital art and installations.
Current works are influenced by her deep fascination for the relationships between geometry, design and architecture in the urban landscape and natural world.
In ‘Amazing Grace New York City’ she explores the relationships between repetition and pattern, structure and scale. Many works also explore the relationship between pattern and colour.
“Windsor Tree Series (After the Rain)” “Tell us more about your inspirations, in particular trees that feature strongly in your work”. I draw a lot of inspiration from my walks and paint from photos that I take. Berkshire is home to the Windsor Great Park which has a varied landscape and the trees in particular…
What was your route into working as an artist? I was art school trained in graphic design and made my living as a designer working in both the UK and abroad. You have a strong design background can you explain how this background influences your work? My design background influences my work today in…
Wiltshire-based artist Andrew Cottrell is known for his landscapes of the South West, where he has lived most of this life. “Avebury Stones“ “What inspired you to specialise in landscape painting?” I am inspired by colour, light and texture whether it’s in a landscape, cityscapes or seascapes from around the world that inspires me. The…
This week our artist of the week is Cornwall based abstract artist Carol Burns. “Can you tell us about your abstract work and more generally the artistic influences upon it?” Abstract art is about having a strong emotional reaction to colour and texture. It sounds simple enough – if they perfectly balance the painting will…
Hope Cove “Tell us more about your practice, art background and current inspiration?” I’m a textile artist best known for my illustrative work which is filled with colour, light and often witty references. I also create abstract textural work showing my unique take on the natural world. I am a self-taught artist although much of my…
Welcome to Art Gallery SW monthly newsletter. Each month we plan short interesting art based topics illustrated with a works from our gallery artists. This month we feature Marine Art and look at the versatile medium of pen and ink. We are having a new exciting online exhibition starting on July 16th. It is in aid of the Air Ambulance charities…
