return to worldwidereview.com,
the home of critical reviews
From: Louise Riddiough Bucks Herald Category: Art Date: 22 June 2007 Time: 04:36 PM Review: Obsidian Art in Stoke Mandeville is currently hosting a themed art exhibition depicting and inspired by the British Countryside, appropriately the gallery stands sorrounded by glorious fields, lush foliage and a natural vision of countryside. Featuring over 30 selected artists from all over Britain, the exhibition has a huge range of approaches but all of them subscribe to the notion of the contemporary rural condition or towards a more idealistic rustic stance. The exhibition consists of about 250 pieces incorporating painting, sculpture, drawings and prints in various media including some compelling work in cut glass by Sabrina Cant and contemporary etched "lights" or window art by Antonia Macgregor. Outstanding for their unusual aesthetic beauty are pieces created via patinated copper, silver and gold leaf techniques by Pam Glew. A two metre canvas with painted greenfinches by Angela French establishes a dominant presence among smaller pieces by the artist whose consistant approach is transferred into a pencil rendering technique showing a host of birds and mammals in a naturalistic idiom that is both descriptive and eye catching. The consistant feature throughout the show is of birds and mammals, birds are deployed figuratively by a few artists as markers in landscape or as balanced form against skyscapes although there is a discernable committment to capture the essential wilderness by nationally respected wildlife artists Chris Jones, Jonathan Pointer and David Perkins. For the less traditionally biased art lover the work of pastel artist Jackie Simmonds works up a real sense of place through her expressive landscapes of the rural idyll. Cornish work by Jonathan Polkest was well recieved and typically contemporary whilst remaining accessable to a wide appreciation range, works from his birthplace in the Isles of Scilly brought an additional dimension to the vibrant gallery and an additional coastal tone to an otherwise more countryside bias. Works by Jonathan Polkest included "Flying Over Ennor", a Scillonian painting, "Mulfra Dusk", "Bone Valley Days", "Bodrifty Bracken" and "Luxylen Woods". A coastal theme continued with the etchings of Frances Shearing and more local to Stke Mandeville, woodcuts by Andrew Furguson. As well as glass, ceramics and paintings there were good photographic examples by John Kyle whose work I urge you to seek out for its striking characteristics. Brian Hodgson was well represented by good contemporary paintings of landscape.Hares and Otters were the mammals represented in the work of Paul Jenkins. Seeds (acorns) by James Matthews caught my attention as strong well executed sculpture, I was glad to see my favourite bird The Puffin joined by by depictions of the Atlantic Seal by Nicola Beattie. This exhibition is a compelling blend of symbolic creatures, birds etc with well defined spatial renderings after the title; The Countryside. The Obsidian gallery is a little off the beaten track but the forage is worthy of the excursion into a beautiful landscape so far unspoilt by pretentions or unneccessary glitz, there are plenty of events going on and nearby there are some worthwhile attractions