Art Focus 'Ten' Honours a Decade of

ART FOCUS

‘TEN’ HONOURS A DECADE OF SUMMERHOUSE GALLERY

The Summerhouse Gallery has spent the past 10 years bringing stunning, contemporary Cornish art to both locals and visitors and this year will be commemorating their 10th anniversary in true Summerhouse style with ‘TEN’, an exhibition that celebrates this artistic hub in one of Cornwall’s most well-known hotspots.

This summer, a 10 week long summer exhibition will commemorate a decadeworth of artists and makers who have been exhibiting at the Summerhouse Gallery. In June 2011, Jayne Elliot threw open the doors to her new venture, a small, stylish gallery nestled in the historic town of Marazion. With the beloved St Michael’s Mount for a next door neighbour and a thriving community, Jayne envisaged a gallery that supported and propelled local Cornish art to wider audiences and celebrated a community of creative individuals.

From there, the gallery has grown both in reputation and representation, as Summerhouse now boasts a selection of established, innovative artists and makers that exhibit regularly in its stunning, airy space, many of whom have been with Jayne from the very beginning. Passionate to represent the best of Cornwall’s contemporary creative culture, Jayne has overseen exhibitions from some of Cornwall’s leading names in art, as well as shows with strong conceptual themes that champion both artist and community. Exhibitions such as ‘I am Woman’, to name one of many, which brought together a community of female artists to celebrate and raise money and awareness in aid of ovarian cancer.

“Our ethos as a gallery is to showcase the best of Cornish art in a welcoming manner for all those who enter through our doors,” explains Jayne. “Art is for everyone, and this for me is an important message.

“All our exhibitions support charities both large and small. It’s something I have always said, that although we are a privately owned gallery, we have a community heart.”

It’s not just the community Jayne has considered in her years as a gallery owner, but also the environmental impact of her business and today, the Summerhouse is regarded as one of the first galleries in the UK to receive the ‘Plastic Free Awareness’ award from Surfers Against Sewage.

“Being in Marazion is a joy both in location and being part of a community who have always been welcoming and supportive to us,” says Jayne, “it is a very special place. The bay itself changes every day, being able to walk along the shoreline in your lunch break is pretty cool…we feel strongly about our environment and are always looking to improve in this aspect too.”

Aptly named TEN, the 10 week long exhibition, running from June until September, will be a celebration of both gallery and artist, as 10 of the Summerhouse’s longest resident artists will be featuring their work alongside some of the gallery’s newer members. Michael Praed, John Piper, Michael Strang, Kit Johns, Imogen Bone, Kate Richardson, Maggie O’Brien, Iona Sanders, Neil Pinkett and sculptor Tom Leaper will all be taking part, as well as the gallery’s latest painter to join the assembly, Rosemary Trestini. Not only will the exhibition be a tribute to the gallery’s impressive ten years, but also a thank you to the community, as Jayne explains here, “The final thing I would like to say, is a huge thank you to everyone who has been a part of the last 10 years. All the artists, staff past and present, and each and every customer as well as the local community. Also, my support and rock has always been my husband David, and our two children, now grown up, Rosie and Tom. I couldn’t have achieved what we have here without them. They have all worked in the gallery, and David still does.

“The Summerhouse is what it is because of each and every one of you. So, my heartfelt thanks to you all.” l To find out more about TEN, keep an eye on The Summerhouse Gallery’s website and social media platforms for further announcements.

www.summerhousegallery.co.uk