cambridge contemporary art

exhibitions

Brenda Hartill, Illona Morrice and Lara Scobie Exhibition

Printmaking, Painting, ceramics, Sculpture, exhibitionscambridge contemporary artComment

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.

 

Brenda Hartill

Cool Sun I

embossed watercolour

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.

 

Illona Morrice

Penguins

glazed stoneware

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.

 

Lara Scobie

Bowls

ceramic

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.

Glynn Thomas Retro-perspective

exhibitions, Demonstrations, Printmaking, Etchingcambridge contemporary artComment

This April, cambridge contemporary art is showing a retrospective of Glynn Thomas’s work in honour of the artist’s 70th birthday.

Glynn Thomas was born in Cambridge in April 1946 and studied illustration and printmaking at the Cambridge School of Art in the 1960s. Glynn then moved to Suffolk, where he is still based today. cambridge contemporary art is delighted to be celebrating Glynn’s career, which spans over five decades. Glynn has been showing at the gallery for over 20 years and is one of the gallery’s best-loved artists. This exhibition will be Glynn’s largest show to date, with hot-off-the-press new etchings, an extensive collection of work created over the last 50 years, and some of his early student work.

 

Cambridge Boat Houses

 

Glynn Thomas specialises in creating limited edition prints from copper-plate etchings which are hand-drawn and painted onto the plate. The entire process, from the direct line drawings in his sketchbook to figuring out the composition and finally etching the plate, is extremely time-consuming. From its conception to the resulting print, one of Glynn's largest etchings can take more than 200 hours of work to create. Each print is individually inked and entirely unique.

St Edwards Passage

 

Glynn Thomas has a very particular take on perspective, hence the title of this exhibition. He often incorporates several points of view to create a more complete overview of a place. In the extremely insightful book "Glynn Thomas: East Anglia, A Different Perspective" by Alan Marshall, Glynn Thomas is quoted as saying:

"I take the view that you are walking through a landscape. You start off with what is in front of you - then I draw what is beyond that and possibly what is behind me. I have a habit of layering things one on top of the other."

He adds that he moved away from traditional approaches to perspective because "Everybody draws things in rectangles, but if you close one eye you see your nose and the elliptical shape of the eye, so I was always intrigued by how each eye sees different things."

Alan Marshall's book is a highly recommended read if you are interested in learning more about Glynn Thomas's work. It is available at the gallery and is £27.50.

The exhibition runs from Saturday April 2nd until Sunday April 24th. You and your friends are warmly invited to meet Glynn at the exhibition preview on April 2nd from 11am until 2pm.

Glynn will also be holding printing demonstrations at the gallery on April 24th from 12 until 4 pm. Do not miss this unique chance to learn how Glynn creates his beautiful etchings. If you would like to attend the demonstrations, please book a free place in person at the gallery, by e-mailing info@cambridgegallery.co.uk or by phoning 01223 324222.

 

The Champion of the Thames

Early Doors

 

Our Mixed Spring Exhibition

exhibitionscambridge contemporary artComment

Spring is in the Air and we're celebrating Mother's Day (Sunday 6th March)

Mums love beautiful unique handmade things and we've got a gallery full of perfect gifts for them!

Our Mixed Spring Show at cambridge contemporary art, which runs till 28th March, has plenty to offer. We are pleased to be showing new artists Victoria Dawes, Laura Lane, Ikuko Iwamoto and Jill Shaddock. Their ceramics are both functional and beautiful to look at. If you really want to spoil your mum, we also have some lovely floral screenprints by Angie Lewin in stock, including the new 'Honesty Blue'. Or be truly original and get your mum this brand new red dress by Joseph Silcott, which is entirely composed of hand-cut butterflies and is sure to put a smile on her face. Come in and browse our gallery for more gift ideas.