Shazia Mahmood and Anthony Theakston exhibition at cambridge contemporary art

Shazia Mahmood and Anthony Theakston

exhibition at cambridge contemporary art 

30th March - 22nd April 2018

Shazia Mahmood returns to cambridge contemporary art for her sixth exhibition at the gallery. A recent trip to Holkham, staying in a nearby beach hut has inspired this new body of work and a new palette. The never ending skies and seas of Norfolk hold a special place in her heart.

On Friday 20th April from 6pm to 7.30pm, painter Shazia Mahmood will be in the gallery to chat about her practice. This is a great opportunity to meet the artist in an informal environment and enjoy a glass of bubbly after a long week. This is a free, drop-in event. We kindly ask to register here to monitor the number of visitors during the event. 

Anthony Theakston creates a range of ceramics inspired primarily by bird form and movement. He begins his work by drawing quick sketches from nature to capture a striking form which he then refines these drawings into a design on paper, trying not to lose the initial expressive action which rough sketches can capture.

We are delighted to have such a selection of Anthony’s work. We are the only gallery to show his ceramics during 2017 and 2018.

In the Forest – Paul Smith & Flora McLachlan - 7th-29th October

Our autumn show at cambridge contemporary art is a forest-themed exhibition with etchings by Flora McLachlan and sculptures by Paul Smith. Their work shares a magical, dream-like quality and both artists are inspired by fables and fairytales.

Paul Smith makes hand-built figurative ceramic sculptures and limited edition sculptures in bronze, iron and marble resin. His work explores the relationship between mankind and the natural world, with a special interest in encounters between humans and animals. Rather than realistic depictions, he is interested in rendering dream-like images, designed to create a feeling of peaceful co-existence between us and nature. Paul is inspired by fairytales and children’s stories, often playfully subverting or reinterpreting them.

Equally enthralled by the natural world, Flora McLachlan creates beautiful etchings and paintings of enchanted landscapes roamed by mythical creatures, infused with a sense of mystery. She tries to express a sense of lost or hidden magic, a glimpse through trees of the white hart. Etching is the ideal medium for her purpose, with its high contrast deep blacks and glowing whites creating an ethereal atmosphere. Her work is inspired by medieval English literature, myths and legends. We will have a mix of etchings, drawings, paintings and monotypes, including brand new work.

The exhibition opens on 7th October and runs until 29th October. Both artists are coming to the gallery to hold demonstrations, make sure not to miss these unique opportunities to meet them and see how they create their work. On Saturday 7th October at 11 am Paul Smith will be building his howling wolf sculpture live in the gallery. On Saturday 28th October at 11am, Flora McLachlan will be holding a printmaking demonstration on her miniature mangle press. We hope to see you there! Admission is free but due to limited space in the gallery we kindly ask to register for the Paul Smith event here.

October Exhibition with Niki Bowers, Carry Akroyd and Simon Griffiths

 

Niki Bowers, Carry Akroyd and Simon Griffiths Exhibition

1st – 23rd October

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Niki Bowers

Landmark

linocut

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Simon Griffiths

Hare (close-up)

ceramic

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Carry Akroyd

Hugin & Munin

serigraph

Be sure not to miss our Autumn exhibition this year, with beautiful nature-inspired work by printmakers Niki Bowers and Carry Akroyd and sculptor Simon Griffiths.

Based in Norfolk, Niki Bowers creates linocut prints inspired by the rural landscape and wildlife surrounding her. Niki makes her prints entirely by hand using linseed oil based inks. If you’ve visited our gallery before, you might have seen one of her popular starling prints gracing our walls.

Painter and printmaker Carry Akroyd has lived most of her life in rural East Northamptonshire. Nature is her favourite subject and her brightly coloured prints depict a wide range of fauna and flora. Carry enjoys experimenting with different media.

Simon Griffiths grew up in rural Durham and this is where he draws his inspiration as well as his great respect for the natural world. He spends a lot of time studying the North Pennine wildlife and countryside before they find their way into his hand built stoneware sculptures.

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Simon Griffiths

Tawny Owl

ceramic on wood

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Niki Bowers

High Summer

linocut

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Carry Akroyd

Big Turns and Little Terns

serigraph

The exhibition runs from 1st until 23rd October. Come to the gallery on Saturday 1st October to celebrate the opening of our new exhibition and meet Carry Akroyd and Niki Bowers from 2 to 4 pm.

Carry Akroyd will be in the gallery again to meet visitors on 15th October from 2 to 4 pm and Niki Bowers will be back on 22nd October from 2 to 4 pm. Come along to the gallery and have a chat with these two wonderful print artists!

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Carry Akroyd in her studio

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Niki Bowers - Winter Starlings - linocut

Brenda Hartill, Illona Morrice and Lara Scobie Exhibition

cambridge contemporary art is delighted to launch a new exhibition with prints and paintings by Brenda Hartill, sculptures by Illona Morrice and ceramics by Lara Scobie. The exhibition runs from 28th May until 19th June. You and your friends are warmly invited to the exhibition preview on Friday 27th May from 6pm to 7pm.

Brenda Hartill is an innovative British painter and printmaker based in East Sussex. Her work explores the texture, pattern and light of landscape in richly coloured and textured images, often enhanced with silver and gold leaf. Brenda's strong fascination with the primeval, essential structure of the earth and its elements has heavily influenced her prints. While her primary aim is to develop abstract images in the studio, Brenda’s work is firmly rooted in the landscape, and she often finds it necessary to return to it. Whilst known especially for her print-making skills, Brenda has in recent years focussed her attention on a series of watercolours on handmade paper, embossed using her print-making techniques and presses.

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Brenda Hartill

Cool Sun I

embossed watercolour

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Brenda Hartill

Rainbow Storm VI

embossed watercolour

Like Brenda Hartill, sculptor Illona Morrice takes her inspiration from the landscape that surrounds her. Living by the sea on the Moray coast in Scotland, Illona uses the rock, stones and wildlife on the beach and in the mountains as a source of creativity. Over the years, Illona has realised she can say more with less, so her sculptures have become more simplified. Her stoneware clay sculptures are individually made by hand, and no two are ever the same. Illona also creates sculptures which are cast in bronze. Each piece is different, and only a small edition is made.

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Illona Morrice

Penguins

glazed stoneware

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Illona Morrice

Terns

glazed stoneware on soapstone

Lara Scobie is a ceramicist based in Edinburgh whose work is predominantly concerned with the dynamic interplay between form and pattern. This is explored through the cohesive integration of drawing, surface mark making and volume. Lara is interested in the space that surrounds pattern as much as the hue and texture of the decorated surface. Surface patterns and colour observed in botanical life enable Lara to explore her love of colour and abstract pattern making.

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Lara Scobie

Bowls

ceramic

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Lara Scobie

Set of Pourers

ceramic

Brenda Hartill will be giving a talk about her collagraph printing methods, as well as her unique painting and collage techniques on Saturday 18 June at 3pm. Book a free place by email info@cambridgegallery.co.uk, in person at the gallery or over the phone on 01223 324222.