Visual Arts Guide 2017-18 Essex
ARTSeast
Dedicated
to the arts in the Eastern Region
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ARTSeast Visual Arts Guide – Essex
Welcome to the Essex Visual Arts Guide 2017-18 The county of Essex has a rich artistic heritage from the captivating North Essex landscapes of John Constable to the equestrian paintings of Sir Alfred Munnings who made Dedham his home and inspiration. From the 1930s to the 1950s the county was also home to a group of artists living in or around the village of Great Bardfield. The best known of these was Edward Bawden known for his prints, book covers, posters and garden metalwork furniture. In modern times, the county has produced Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry whose recent project ‘A House for Essex’ is a beautifully-designed building just outside the village of Wrabness.
Cover image: Sylvia Paul (Field of Joy)
Alongside these famous names, Essex has produced - or provided a creative home for - a myriad of artists. Today this proud artistic tradition abounds with
The Essex Visual Arts Guide 2017-18
stunning galleries, impressive art trails, excellent
is published by Falcon Publications
open studios and many craft and artisan markets. This Essex Visual Arts Guide highlights many of the people and organisations that make up the thriving art scene in this part of the world. It’s a handy guide
Falcon Publications, DBH 21-22, Diss Business Park, Hopper Way, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4GT
for art lovers to keep close by while artists, craftspeople and gallery owners can use it to promote their work. At ARTSeast we have regularly produced visual arts guides for both Norfolk and Suffolk and we’re proud to include Essex in our repertoire.
Editorial: Sarah Veness - 01379 773348 sarah@artseast.co.uk Advertising: Gary Enderby - 01379 773347 gary@artseast.co.uk Design: Copy Concept - 01379 608358 ian@copy-concept.co.uk
If you would like to be included in next year’s guide,
For more information go to
please get in touch on the numbers on this page.
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For now, we hope you enjoy this handy reference
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guide to all things artistic in your region.
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ARTSeast Visual Arts Guide – Essex
The Munnings Art Museum Talented painter Sir Alfred Munnings made Dedham his home. Now a stunning museum dedicated to his work, his home Castle House is a must-see for art lovers.
As a young man in 1898,
was capturing rivers and
Sir Alfred Munnings
their surrounding
visited Flatford with his
landscapes and it is this
father. Looking back to
intensely personal aspect
those days he wrote; ‘We
of his work that is
found it beautiful,
explored in Munnings and
unspoilt, as in the days
the River, running until
of Constable. The mill
October 29th this year.
was working – no curiosity for sightseers then. There were the locks, the barges, the towpaths and the horses. No bottles or foodpapers littering the meadows. No sound of car or char-abanc. Only the sound of the mill, ducks n the stream and
Munnings and the River features almost 50 original oil and watercolour paintings, plus drawings, photographs and personal items, including correspondence between Munnings and his close friend, the Poet Laureate, John Masefield.
breeze in the trees.” As an adult, the renowned equestrian artist followed in the footsteps of his inspiration, Constable, and bought the ‘house of his dreams’ - Castle House in Dedham where he lived and worked for more than 40 years. His desire to make his paintings accessible after his death in 1959 resulted in Lady Munnings opening Castle House to the public in 1961. Today, The Munnings Art Museum, at Castle House, owns more than 650 paintings and welcomes visitors from all over the world with changing displays of Munnings’ work
Study of a River Landscape, Sir Alfred Munnings, 1940 © The Estate of Sir Alfred Munnings
– plus an amazing archive of letters, photography and other artefacts - presented throughout the rooms of this elegant Tudor and Georgian building.
Born beside the Waveney, rivers captivated Munnings throughout his life. So much so that he spent over forty
Though Sir Alfred Munnings’ reputation was founded on
years at Castle House, situated as it is a short walk from
his depictions of people and horses, his private passion
the Stour. Appropriately then, Munnings and the River
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meanders chronologically through the artist’s depiction
on Twitter, like the ‘Munnings Art Museum’ Facebook
of various riverscapes, exploring and celebrating his
page or visit www.munningsmuseum.org.uk
artistic and literary responses to the subject with which he held such an affinity. The exhibition also reveals Munnings deft use of the brush to recreate shimmering light on the moving surface of water and choice of colour. Indeed, Sir Alfred once declared “pink is the colour of the river”. Visitors to Munnings and the River also have the opportunity to see a further 150 works by the artist, located throughout Castle House, charting the rise of this miller’s son to multimillion pound selling artist. For more information about this and other exhibitions
September Afternoon, Sir Alfred Munnings, 1930 © The Estate of Sir Alfred Munnings
at The Munnings Art Museum follow @AlfredMunnings www.artseast.co.uk | 5
DEREK HARE FRSA
‘Holkham Beach’
Oil on Canvas
18˝ x 18˝
Paintings of East Anglia, Northumbria, Scotland, India, Portugal, Seychelles, Bahamas and many other locations.
www.derekhare.co.uk
info@derekhare.co.uk
Tel: 07711 555 812
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ARTSeast Visual Arts Guide – Essex
Iconic Sculpture Town Harlow New Town remains a model for urban design, its masterplan by the architect Sir Frederick Gibberd studied by planners and architects worldwide. But it is equally renowned for its exceptional collection of 20th century sculpture, a collection which grew with the development of the town.
Alan Freeman and Karen Murphy
won a Special Commendation from the Marsh Awards for Excellence in Public Sculpture in 2011.
The collection began in 1953 and amongst its first pieces includes Allan Sly
Family Group by Henry
Moore, now housed in the Civic Centre and Contrapuntal Forms by Barbara Hepworth. This piece was ‘won’ in the raffle of works commissioned for the Exhibition of Britain in 1951 on London’s Southbank and still sits amongst the houses in which it was originally placed having recently undergone restoration. Care for the collection, which now numbers over 90 works spread throughout the town and all Soukop
outside or on
public view, is the responsibility of Harlow Art Trust. Amongst the most beloved works are Donkey by Willi Soukop and Boar by Elizabeth Frink. The Trust also aid the commissioning of new sculpture in Harlow and have begun a loan programme to bring works by contemporary practitioners to the town. Harlow is officially designated SCULPTURE TOWN and
The Gibberd Gallery within the Civic Centre combines annual sculpture exhibitions with the ever-popular Harlow Open, showcasing local talent and always hotly contested! The Gallery is also the home of the Gibberd Watercolour Collection, bequeathed to the town by Sir Frederick and containing works by Edward Bawden, John Nash and Elizabeth Blackadder on permanent display. The Friends of Harlow Sculpture and the Gibberd Gallery offer regular sculpture tours of Harlow, including the home and gardens of it’s architect Sir Frederick Gibberd, so any fan of the visual arts can get a real insight into the town’s history and how
Hepworth
sculpture has been central to it! Contact the Gibberd Gallery for more information. Tel: 01279 446404 www.gibberdgallery.co.uk • To discover Harlow’s Sculpture trails download the ThinkCulture app for Android and iOS users.
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ARTSeast Visual Arts Guide – Essex
Firstsite © Richard Bryant
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A Contemporary Gallery for All Firstsite is a public contemporary art gallery in
tapestries, woodcuts, ceramics and tiles designed for the
Colchester. Over the last fifteen years it has gained a
House as well as sketchbooks and photographs that
strong reputation, presenting ambitious work to new
chart its development.
audiences in the East of England and beyond. Situated in Colchester’s ‘cultural quarter,’ the present building was designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly, and opened in 2011. Firstsite is a partner of Plus Tate, which uses Tate's resources to contribute to a network of arts
Moving into the Winter period, the gallery is excited to bring another major exhibition, this time by iconic artist Rose Finn-Kelcey. This runs from December 2ndFebruary 25th. There is also a packed yearly programme of talks, exhibitions and activities.
organisations across the country, and to increase public access to the national collection of British and
This year has also seen the formation of a new partnership between First and
international modern and
the independent cinema group,
contemporary art.
Curzon This unique gallery offers a The collaboration will mark the
constantly changing programme of exhibitions, film screenings,
first time that Curzon has ever
performances, activities and
partnered with a public gallery. First site will screen a wide
events for people of all ages.
range of independent and This autumn - running from November 18th - they are delighted to present The Life of
Grayson Perry, In its Familiarity Golden, 2015. Tapestry 290 x 343cm. Published by Paragon© Grayson Perry. Courtesy the artist, Paragon | Contemporary Editions Ltd and Victoria Miro, London
Julie Cope, an exhibition of works by Turner Prizewinning artist Grayson Perry. The show is made up of four large-scale tapestries, as well as material related to A House for Essex (20122015), the building designed by Perry in collaboration with Charles Holland of FAT Architecture. An ornate ceramic-clad, gingerbread-like edifice, the House serves as a secular chapel to the memory of a fictional Essex woman, Julie Cope. Situated overlooking the scenic Stour Estuary in the village of Wrabness in north- east Essex, it is both an artwork in itself and the setting for a number of works by Perry that explore the special
mainstream films in its state-ofthe-art 188-seat tiered
auditorium with digital cinema technology. This will complement its already successful programme of live screenings of theatre, opera and ballet performances. Firstsite is also in the process of compiling its own Wunderkammer - a cabinet of curiosities - that will grow over time. This permanent display features objects from collections across the region including A. Acland Hunt’s painting ‘Dr William Gilbert showing his experiments on Electricity to Queen Elizabeth and her Court’ c.1900, accompanied by a vitrine of objects contemporary to the reign of Queen Elizabeth including elaborately designed Tudor placements, smoking pipes and a powder flask.
character and unique qualities of the county. The exhibition will be a unique presentation consisting of
To find out more about Firstsite go to www.firstsite.uk www.artseast.co.uk | 9
ARTSeast Visual Arts Guide – Essex
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Artist Profile: Sylvia Paul
Renowned in the county and further afield for her stunning mix of paintings and collages, Sylvia talks about her influences and love of teaching… ‘I grew up in a fantastically creative house where my
visits to Japan and held exhibitions there. In particular,
parents encouraged me to paint, sew, draw and even do
this experience has influenced my collage work as I’ve
papier mache,’ recalls Sylvia. ‘At school I loved to draw
now been inspired to use Japanese papers and it’s also
and quickly realised I was good at it. I remember once
helped me to work in a more abstract way.
doing a history project on King Henry VIII - I chose to draw his wives in costume! After a two-year art foundation at Colchester School of
Alongside my art, I also teach workshops and hold demonstrations for art groups across Essex and the surrounding counties. I run regular one or two day
Art, I trained as a teacher and went on to have two
workshops at the fantastic Watershed Studio in St Osyth,
children. During this time, I carried on painting and
Clacton-on-Sea in either oils and acrylics or collages.
holding exhibitions until eventually I decided to give up
I love demonstrating my work and techniques to art
teaching to be an artist full time.
groups and am also available to hold specific
My work mainly consists of painting in oils and acrylics,
workshops for these groups should they want me.
paper collages and, more recently, fabric and stitch. I’ve
I’m a regular contributor to the international arts
always loved landscapes, particularly gardens and
magazine Paint & Draw and people can watch my
woodlands, and I also enjoy painting marine subjects.
videos on YouTube (Sylvia Paul Art) demonstrating my
Still life has always attracted me too as I love painting
work. One of my collage videos has 40,000 views
all sorts of colours together, particularly flowers.
to date.
The country of Japan has also influenced me greatly.
To find out more about Sylvia’s work go to
My daughter-in-law is Japanese and I’ve made four
www.sylviapaul.com www.artseast.co.uk | 11
Sylvia Paul Paintings. Mixed Media. Textiles.
Colchester Gallery exhibits paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture for sale. We present regular exhibitions demonstrating the wide of range of works created by local artists.
• Open studio • Demonstrations • Workshops www.sylviapaul.com sylvialouisepaul@hotmail.com 01255 508525
Sara Johnson, Trevor Osborne, Sylvia Paul, Nial Adams, John Devitt and Stephen Higton.
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35A North Hill, Colchester, Essex. CO1 1QR Opposite The Marquis of Granby on a street of great restaurants. One accessible parking space Hours: Wed-Sat, 11.00 - 5.00 or by appointment Tel: 07827 490 344 www.colchestergallery.uk
Make sure you are in the next Essex Visual Arts Directory. Telephone 01379 773347 Or email gary@artseast.co.uk
Colorcraft
The Art & Craft Shop in Saffron Walden For all your Art materials, Winsor & Newton, Daler Rowney, Proarte stockists, Paints, papers, boards, pens, pastels, canvas etc.... For all your Knitting, Crochet, Embroidery, Tapestry supplies, DMC, Anchor, Appletons, Sirdar, King Cole, Patons, Kits, Canvas, Aida, wool, thread, needles, patterns, felt, ribbon etc.... For all your modelling materials, plaster, glue, Balsa wood, construction card, Mount board, Doll’s house brick paper etc.... For all Mum’s homework and junior project requirements, pipe cleaners, poster paints, feathers, pom poms, glue, card, peel-offs, fat quarters, blank cards etc.... Useful stuff – Useful staff! Where is this Emporium? Where it has been for over forty years.
Colorcraft, 1 Emson Close, Saffron Walden CB10 1HL Open 9.30am - 5pm, Mon to Sat
Telephone: 01799 522607 www.artseast.co.uk | 13
ARTSeast Visual Arts Guide – Essex
A Tower Unlike Any Other The Naze Tower is a unique building offering heritage, culture, food and spectacular views….
The Naze Tower in Walton-
artists from East Anglia is
on-the-Naze was built in
shown each year in a range
1720 for Trinity House as a
of media, from painting and
Navigation Mark for ships
photography to ceramics and
sailing in and out of the port
glass. The exhibitions
of Harwich. In its early days it
highlight the creative talent
would have had a beacon on
that is abundant in our
the top with fires lit. It is the
region.
predecessor of the reflective
In 2017 the Autumn
lighthouse which was
Exhibition runs until October
invented about 100 years
31st. It will show the uplifting
later. The Naze Tower is
and tranquil paintings of
grade 2* listed for unique
Kirstin Handley inspired by
architectural interest.
music and spending time in
This historic landmark is
the countryside. Bold and
dramatically situated on the
decorative animal and bird
cliffs at The Naze - its roof-
illustrations by Ella Johnston.
viewing platform gives 360-
Ceramics inspired by the
degree panoramic views of
Suffolk coast and countryside
coastal Essex and Suffolk. Inside,
by Louise Mock and beautiful
the tower houses an art gallery, a
tactile wooden bowls and vessels
museum about the history of the
by Nicholas Rowe.
Tower and the Naze and a tea
Each year they also choose Tower
rooms with seating inside and
Favourites who will show different
outside serving freshly
work throughout the season. One
prepared lunches, handmade cakes and dairy ice creams.
Kirstin Han
such artist is celebrated Norfolk artist dley – The
path that
Throughout each season three art exhibitions are
leads
Samuel Thomas. Influenced by pop art, art deco & the psychedelic - picture
programmed in the art galleries - Spring, Summer and
perfect moments in life exude with intense colour
Autumn. Work by about forty established and emerging
combinations & intricate patterns:“maybe the grass
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really is greener on the other side.’' The Naze Tower has an interesting history illustrated in its museum with one of its most intriguing uses being a Tea House in the eighteenth century, especially as it houses a tea room today. The Tower is recorded as being used for this purpose by Martha Ray, a famous opera singer who was mistress to Lord Sandwich and a
book ‘Secret Water’. Northwards you can see along the Suffolk coast as far as Orfordness and on a very clear day to the south the coast of Kent. Also at the Naze there is the SSSI Naze cliffs which are popular with fossil hunters, great walks, open space and the beach to enjoy as well as the new Essex Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre.
close friend of the Rt. Hon Richard Rigby MP who was
The Naze Tower is nearly 300 years old but has had a
custodian of the Tower. He owned Walton Hall on the
couple of recent battles to fight. The first with the sea,
Naze and many of their friends from London came to
due to coastal erosion its future existence was
stay by the sea. Martha was involved in a scandal of
threatened. When it was built, the Tower was quarter of a
the day as she was shot dead when leaving the Royal
mile inland, by 2011 it was 50 metres from the edge.
Opera House in London by a jilted suitor and clergyman,
After years of campaigning, a £1.2 million sea defence
James Hackman.
Crag Walk was built in front of the Tower to ensure its
The tower has also frequently been commandeered by the armed forces. During the 2nd World War it was a very active radar tower with RAF operators stationed in the tower and a large rotating ‘chain home low’ radar dish installed on the roof for detecting enemy aircraft and ships.
future. By 2014 the Tower was once again ‘at risk’ this time from itself. Years of incorrect building work on the Tower meant that it couldn’t breathe and it was becoming too damp making its use untenable. Essential restoration work was required including re-pointing all 86ft of the tower. With the help of Historic England the Naze Tower underwent a £250,000 restoration in 2015
The Naze Tower was renovated and opened as a visitor
ensuring future generations can enjoy this unique
attraction by the current owners in 2004 - the first time
building.
in the Tower’s history that the public had access to this unique building and its spectacular panoramic views. From the top you can see the beautiful salt marsh
The Naze Tower is open every day from April 1st until October 31st,10am to 5pm. It is closed in the winter.
island and inlets of the SSSI Hamford Waters National
For more information and to find about exhibitions in
Nature Reserve, the inspiration for Arthur Ransome’s
2018 go to www.nazetower.co.uk. www.artseast.co.uk | 15
GEEDON GALLERY AUTUMN EXHIBITION
NORTH HOUSE GALLERY The Walls, Manningtree, Essex COII IAS www.northhousegallery.co.uk
6th - 22nd October 2017 11am - 5.30pm daily Jaggers, Fingringhoe, Colchester CO5 7DN
01206 728 587/729 334 www.geedongallery.co.uk
Open on Saturdays, 10am–5pm or by appointment 01206 392717
• G A L L E R Y •
Original paintings, ceramics, sculpture and one off glass, selection of jewellery
Bespoke Picture Framing
and a bespoke framing service. Open 10.30-5pm (closed Weds and Sun) Alexander Morgan Gallery
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28 Cressing Road, Braintree, Essex, CM7 3PP
106 High Street, Epping, Essex CM1 64AF
07817 041 063
www.artalexandermorgan.co.uk
www.kenmoreframing.co.uk
www.artseast.co.uk
Clare Iles
Sue Thomas Silk Painter Original Silk and Batik Art work. Workshops and regular classes. Guild of Silk Painters. Batik Guild. Essex Silk Painters. www.essexsilkpainters.co.uk 01277 363470 suezeq@lineone.net Pure Silk Originals.
and Artist Furniture. 07880732068
Christine May
The Twizzle Gallery at Westwater Chandlery exhibits work by local professional artists.
Marine/Still Life artist
Includes paintings, photography, etchings, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery and textiles. The venue also offers creative art workshops. Located at the picturesque Titchmarsh Marina CO14 8SL, this gallery is a hidden gem. Open every day (except Christmas) 10am - 4pm. Tel: 01255 676411
Work on show at Twizzle Gallery Walton on the Naze or by appointment @
Multicoloured Sculpture, 2D reliefs www.clareiles.co.uk
07986 726770
Also at Open Studios in September 2018 www.christine-may-artist.gallery
ARTSeast Dedicated
to the arts in the Eastern Region
Visual Arts • Theatre & Film • Music Arts & Crafts • Dance • Literature
ARTSeast Magazine, DBH 21-22 Diss Business Park, Hopper Way, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4GT 01379 773347 www.artseast.co.uk
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MARISAARNA JEWELLERY STUDIO & GALLERY Marisa Arna designs and makes her silver and gold jewellery, including any stone-setting, at her studio, in Essex. Her work, in silver, gold, and gemstones is both contemporary and timeless and comfortable enough to enjoy wearing every day. It ranges from ready-to-wear inexpensive gifts to bespoke engagement and wedding rings. Commissions include the remodelling of old, gold jewellery into new, wearable pieces to be enjoyed for many more years. The gallery, specialises in showcasing jewellery exclusively by independent designer-makers based on the British Isles. contemporary jewellery design with traditional craftsmanship
High Street, Thorpe-Le-Soken, nr Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, CO160EA 01255-862355.
www.marisaarna.com
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ARTSeast Visual Arts Guide – Essex
Advertiser Index PAGE
PAGE
Back ACL Essex
16
Kenmore Framing
16
Alexander Morgan
2
Leigh Art Trail
13
Artist on Line
18
Marisa Arna
17
ARTSeast Magazine
2
Munnings Art Museum
16
Arts Roundabout
12
Naze Tower
17
Christine May
16
North House Gallery
13
Church Street Gallery
13
Sculpt Gallery
17
Clare Iles
19
Stacey’s Auctioneers
12
Colchester Gallery
17
Sue Thomas
13
Colorcraft
12
Sylvia Paul
6
Derek Hare
17
The Twizzle Gallery
18
Essex Print Studio
16
Warner Textile Archive
16
Geedon Gallery
12
Watershed Studio
www.artseast.co.uk | 19
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