Community News
A Walk in the Woods
Many exceptional artists working in wood live in Wales, surrounded as they are by the inspirational Welsh landscape and this natural resource. The exhibition in the oriel cric gallery in Crickhowell, which will run for 2 months from mid January will bring together a range of work which will embrace not only the functionality of the material, but will explore its versatility and beauty. The gallery is particularly pleased to welcome three exceptional furniture makers who have a great affinity with their material. Steve Thompson is well known for his beautifully designed range of small furniture and accessories, making use of the flexible properties of thin birch plywood. He has however started using local hardwoods while elevating imperfections to key features in the simplicity of his design. Traditional furniture such as ladder back and Windsor chairs, tables and stools from native hardwoods are the trademark pieces of Chris Armstrong, but he also makes smaller items from selected timber such as ash, sycamore, walnut, apple, cherry and pear. Ben Hills shares Chris’s interest in sustainable sources of wood. He produces contemporary pieces using laminated ash.
Working exclusively in Welsh wood, Philippine Sowerby’s work reveals the natural beauty of the wood. Although she is known for the intricacy and exquisite finish of her puzzles, she will be exhibiting larger sculptural pieces.
Inspired by the Crickhowell Walking Festival (27 February to 7 March 2010) this exhibition has been aptly titled A Walk in the Woods and will include many artists whose work depict the texture, colour and contrasts within the landscape. The beautifully turned wooden items by Woodie and Effie Curtis, will be exhibited alongside the rich natural hues of the baskets and felt hangings by Susie Vaughan, who incorporates a surprising variety of materials found on her daily walks in the Welsh countryside. Similarly the techniques employed to achieve the colour and texture in the salt-glaze stoneware of Rosemary Cochrane capture the patterns and textures in the landscapes.
Local artists feature prominently in this exhibition. Robin Kenchington specialises in wildlife and landscape paintings, concentrating on local subjects. His landscapes of the Brecon Beacons, painted in Oils or Acrylics, are much admired. Pip Woolf’s work is also in direct response to her environment. More recently this culminated in an artists' book 'Water Power- Ynni Dwr', a project stimulated by the installation of a micro hydro electric system at her home and workplace. This interest is reflected in her use of materials, for example, found earth pigments ant the use of elemental forces to manipulate them.
The more regular exhibitors to the gallery such as David Haswell, Keith Foster and Annysa Rahim will be joined for the first time by David Beattie, established artist and etcher from Llandygwydd, a village near Cardigan in West Wales. He mainly works using the acid etching process in which he has developed an international reputation for his skill and attention to detail. His etchings depict a wide range of subjects including rural landscapes, livestock and market character studies and in the last few years Hares.
Visitors to the area and local residents alike should find much to delight in this exhibition which pays tribute to unique character and beauty of the area.