We are pleased to
present a group exhibition of paintings by Artists
selected from the Ovenden Contemporary portfolio, none of
which have shown at Three Cups Gallery previously:
David Boardman BA
(Hons)
Richard Friend
Jo Booth BA (Hons)
Mark Woods BA (Hons)
Lesley Kelly
Jean Picton BA (Hons)
Anna Laurini
Alex Sadler BA (Hons)
Three Cups
Gallery
Three Cups Walk, Ely,
Cambridgeshire CB7 4AN
11th July to 25th August 2007
The work of the young, emerging artist, Alex Sadler, is often utterly intriguing and amusing. But there is a sinister quality to the surreal imagery he leans on for his compositions, quite un-self-consciously. Compositionally Dali-esque with an unapologetic lack of sophistication, much of Sadlers' remarkable work journeys to an imaginary world of disembodied, dancing alien figures and effervescence that, on the surface at least, appear to be child-like doodlings. With a little patient observation, these images transform into a sub-conscious proclamation of displacement, combined with an inexplicable urge, a compulsion even, to face the monster under the bed.
Hailing from Sidmouth in Devon, Sadler completed a National Diploma in Art & Design, followed with an Honors Degree in Graphic Design at University West of England, graduating in 2003. He very quickly became frustrated by his experiences in the Graphic Design industry and began painting soon after. We are so excited to be supporting such a promising young Artist in these formative years of his career.
The Italian Artist Anna Laurini is inspired by the abstract expressionism movement but has developed a unique, quite informal style, using a mix of acrylic paint, collage and other media. Her work is vibrant and colourful, perhaps as a result of her experiences living and working in Italy, London, New York, & Australia. Her travels have endowed her portfolio with a charismatic, transient quality and one gets the impression that it is all cartography- she is mapping the course of her life, or leaving trail of bread crumbs behind her.
Laurini doesn't just wear her heart on her sleeve, she pours it out onto her paintings and sketches. Her sketchbook, particularly, is littered with notes and scribbles that run a thick yellow highlighter pen through the sadness, the betrayal, the loss that she feels when important relationships end. This honesty combines with her tourist's perspective and forms a potent blend of expression that demands to be considered.
The emotionally-charged work of Lesley Kelly, very definitely, charts the specific journey she is on. Using glitter, metallics, inks and a distinctly feminine perspective, she endeavours to understand, evaluate and learn from, the various stages in her life so far. As viewers, we are given permission to consider events, such as her recent pregnancy and the insecurities the condition of being 'with-child' commonly brings with it. She takes us to her crossroads, the moments that her identity is questioned, and shows us the despair and the hope that each choice can bring in equal measure, whatever stage of life you have reached.
A series of events during her pregnancy forced Kelly to question her life choices. A recent trip to Australia provoked a strong and discernible reaction and her work now, unashamedly, boasts Aboriginal influences in terms of style, use of colour, technique and indeed sentiment. These influences have allowed her to express, evaluate and process the anxieties that she experienced during this time in her life.
Mark Woods is a qualified and highly experienced Graphic Designer and Illustrator, with a glittering career that would be the envy of most in his field. Having lived in London & New York, whilst working for many high profile and prestigious companies, and then with his own design agency under his belt, it is still the humble sketchbook that lies at his root.
He has, over the years, found some spectacular places to sit with a large sketchbook, some pencils and a whole day to combine. Woods tends to represent the present time as though it has already passed, adding nostalgia and a hint of longing to otherwise familiar scenes. It's as if he is sketching, recording our world for a future generation, rather than us.
Jo Booth's landscapes possess a remarkable informality, a sense of freedom that liberates the viewer, momentarily. But above all, they are simple, honest representations of the natural world. Booth is clearly besotted with the strikingly beautiful landscapes near her home in south west England. She paints the beauty, the space, the sense of occasion, even the possibilities that she sees before her, without resorting to photo-realism to get that message across. The sea, the sky, the rocks, the sand- all the obvious elemental players are there, so superbly abbreviated, but still in all their inherent glory.
An accomplished Collographer, Booth revels in the simplicity of this printing method, with impressive results. A degree in Geography obviously adds a valuable dimension to the landscape Artist and Booth certainly makes the most of her two passions of Art and Geography. Based in both Monmouth & Cornwall, the closeness of the sea has been a huge influence on her work.
The impressive work of Cheshire-based Artist, Musician & published Illustrator, David Boardman, uses the beauty of movement in all its myriad forms as its' main inspiration. The sense of kinetic energy that is produced from what is, essentially, an attempt to convey the intangible in two dimensions, is powerful and dynamic.
Boardman takes his lead from 'Futurist' painters like Duchamp and Severini and then journeys towards contemporary Graphic Design, via Pop Art. He uses text in his complex composition that is not merely superimposed, but embeds itself, actually facilitating the deconstruction of the image. It is this deconstruction that gives his paintings their energy- a kind of static buzz for the retina. With such an energetic visual effect, it is only natural that the subject of his paintings should be the act of movement. So, the figures he portrays are all in the middle of a sporting endeavour, or something equally dynamic.
Richard Friend paints and sketches an imaginary landscape inspired by memories and longings of a childhood spent in Kent, the ‘Garden of England’. His paintings are almost postcards from places that he’d like to visit, if they existed. His understanding and appreciation of colour is confident, impressive and definitely appealing. He revels in these bold, vibrant colours and a powerful sense of the narrative of the countryside such as local history and folklore. Churches also appear in many of the paintings, references perhaps to the unseen powers surrounding us. This narrative quality often reveals it’s self only in the closing stages of the making of a painting.
He completed a foundation course at the Kent Institute of Art and Design where he was awarded the Eric Hurren Prize and then went on to Liverpool Art School to obtain a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting.
Jean Picton paints the lush, beautiful flowers that have become her trademark, as a symbol of the hope that she is compelled to feel when she considers the state of the world. Life erupts even in the bleakest corner and this resilience gives Jean much comfort. Life goes on. This amazingly prolific Artist has led the most extraordinary life so far. Born in the thirties, she had a theatrical career at the age of 14 and was a famous ‘Windmill Girl’ in London in the fifties, working with many famous names from British showbusiness. A TV acting career followed then a spell running her own production company until, in 1990, she retired and began painting seriously.
In 2002 she obtained a Fine Art Batchelors Degree with Honours from the University of Hertfordshire as well as a Design Diploma from Central St. Martins’ College in London. She is now a respected Art Tutor in her own right and runs the oversubscribed ‘Art Menorca’ painting holidays. Jean is extremely well represented by several well-known Galleries and we are pleased to be able to include her work in our portfolio.
The Preview
Reception.....
