As spring approaches, our first exhibition for 2023 celebrates Wessex, a unique area of heritage, history and natural beauty. “Wessex: Life and Land” brings together a selection of fascinating artists who find their inspiration in the landscapes, coastal scenes, rural activities and buildings from this culturally rich and environmentally diverse region.
The geographical area of Wessex originated as the Kingdom of the West Saxons, starting in Hampshire in the 6th Century and gradually spreading by conquest to encompass much of southern England. The term was revived by the Dorset writer and poet Thomas Hardy in the 1870s.
From the highly detailed observations of Caroline Frood and the rich atmospheric watercolours of David Parfitt; to the colourful formalism of Malcolm Ashman and the painterly realism of Richard Pikesley - the variety and beauty of natural Wessex is explored in this show. Illustrator and painter Kate Lynch has contributed a selection of charming representations of Somerset craftspeople.
In addition to the land, Ian Weatherhead’s playful, spontaneous mixed media works ensure representation of the buildings and settlements of this part of the country, as do the stunning en plein-air painterly cityscapes and street scenes of Peter Brown.