Millie Gleeson 2019 Go Figure Open Winner – Solo Show: ‘On Reflection’ in the Milking Parlour
An Opening Reception will be held this Friday between 6 and 8 pm, in the Dutch Barns [outside but under cover], when Millie Gleeson will be available to chat with about her work in a socially distanced manner. Access to the show will be available in groups, with refreshments available.
The First Prize winner of our 2019 Summer Open GO FIGURE; Millie now takes up that prize with a major solo show documenting the evolution of her practice until now, including works produced during two South American residencies.
Based in Somerset, her works are vibrant and dominated by a strong female form. Some of my paintings are from photos of herself, whilst others she makes up to act out different characters and emotions. This includes creating costumes, make up and settings; a practice for which her previous fashion school training comes in extremely useful. She says:
“I like to keep a theatrical element throughout my work by making images with a strong presence. At the moment I paint with acrylic, spray paint, button polish and anything else I can get my hands on, as I will continue to explore different materials and methods.”
Millie always paints outdoors, allowing a freedom of movement that would be constrained by the enclosed space of a studio.
Four Contemporary Landscape Painters
We are delighted to announce the opening of our, rescheduled for lockdown, contemporary landscape show in the Milking Parlour Gallery from the 25th of July until the 13th of August [Tues-Sat, 11-3]Hester Berry, Day Bowman, Rita Brown and Sam Travers have been selected for the show as their particular take on the landscapes around them offers a unique and fresh perspective on the genre.
Accomplished brush-workers all; their use of paint, mixed media and surface is to be beheld. Two dimensional images of their works do them no justice, so please do pop along to the gallery where you can be assured of a safe and suitable place to view this stunning work.
There is a wide price range of work available and sizes suitable to grace all manner of homes and spaces.
The artists themselves will be in conversation at a socially distanced event on the Friday 31st of July at 6pm when refreshments will be served. The event is ticketed [but free] and these can be reserved here.
Wendy Elia Exhibit reopens – alongside Masterclass
Wendy Elia RWA – In the Milking Parlour Gallery 1-11 July , Tues-Sat, 11-3
For the first time outside of London, this exhibition brings together key works in Elia’s catalogue that give a sense of the personal and professional journey the artist has undertaken. Key works such as ‘Maxime Spinning’ and ‘The Visit’ series will be on show. Curated by Deanne Tremlett, who has worked with Elia three times before, and in a new and exciting space for Dorset this show promises to both stun and stymie. coincide with her Guggleton Exhibition – ‘WENDY ELIA – Significant Works to date’ [in the Milking Parlour Gallery 1st – 11th], Wendy will be teaching a Masterclass in oils, mixing and portraiture.
On the 11th of July you are invited to join Wendy between 10.30 and 4.30 for a full days’ class and light lunch. Places cost £80 and are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. You can secure yours by calling the gallery on 01963 363456.
Wendy Elia RWA Artist Talk and reception Friday 6-8pm
This Friday [March 20] the artist, Wendy Elia RWA, will be talking alongside a selection of her significant works to detain the Milking Parlour Gallery between 6-8pm*.
Wendy, who has been shortlisted for the National Portrait Gallery’s Annual award 4 times, has exhibited and taught widely in London and the is her first major show in the South West.
“When Wendy Elia paints a person they don’t look away’ – Laura Bushell
Wendy works in series which explore the social and broader contexts of our times. In her portrait work she confronts our voyeurism and asks questions about the female gaze and painting’s relationship to authenticity and illusion. Elia moves from the personal to the political not only in the range of content and form in the various series, but also within individual paintings: using a range of pictorial symbols and signifiers to extend the meaning/narrative of the works. She trained at St Martins School of Art, London and has exhibited widely being a finalist in a number of national and international competitions [including 4 times at the National Portrait Gallery] as well as The Sovereign European Art Prize, and The Threadneedle Prize. Her work is also held in a number of public permanent art collections across the country.
In 2012 she was commissioned by Sherborne House Arts and B-side (funded by the arts council) to paint a portrait of a local sports person as part of the cultural Olympiad in Weymouth and Portland.
*PLEASE NOTE: This event will take place, in line with current PHE guidelines [Public Health England] unless these change beforehand. Measures will be in place on admittance to mitigate the spread of infection, please attend responsibly.
Go figure; go further
A follow up exhibit featuring the work of seven of our Summer Open GO FIGURE artists which has been created as a direct result of challenging their practices’ since meeting and discussing their work in August.
20 December-11 January 2020, 11-3, Tuesday-Saturday
The gallery is closed from 23 December until 7th January
Artists included in the exhibit are:
Sasha Constable
John Bartholemew
Rose Eva
Jane Collins
Alison Underwood
Millie Gleeson
Imogen Bittner
Emily Gore
Isabel de Pelet’s Young Artists’ Exhibition 2019
CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners and highly commended artists of the Isabel de Pelet Young Artist of the year exhibition 2019.Now in its 24th year, the winners were awarded on Friday evening at the preview, and were selected by the ladies of Blackmore Vale Division of the Arts Society.
William Montgomery took the top prize for his bronzes ‘Fox’ and ‘Kudu’ with Peter Hazard taking second and Sharon Hutchings third.
Here they are pictured with their work, Isabel and some of the judges.
The show, in the new Milking Parlour Gallery, is open from now until the 14th of December, Tuesday to Saturday, 11 until 3.
Thank you so much to all the artists who entered their work and of course to the judges, Sheila Williams, Jill de Bretton Gordon and Penny Brentall, for their time.
Photos courtesy of Sally Evans Photography
David Burns and Mary Tambini
Ceramics, collage and creatures exploding, exploring and expiring in the Milking Parlour….this intriguing show brings together the work of David Burns and Mary Tambini for the first time; in a conversation that begins in the cradle of civilisation and ends in planetary implosion at our own hands. Open until 26 November, Tuesday-Saturday, 11-3, it’s a must see.
Having been already familiar with David’s work curator, Deanne Tremlett, on being invited to visit Mary in her studio said:
“From the moment I visited Mary’s studio in Childe Okeford I knew I had to get her in a room with David. There is something fragile here and yet deeply grounded in a collective cultural consciousness.”
She felt that here was a conversation to be had – and here it is.
Mary researched this latest work on a visit to Kurdistan, where images 1000s of years old were the inspiration for the distilled motifs threaded throughout the work. It is a beautiful body of collage and ceramic sculpture with a collective feeling of cultural substance.
David has this to say about his recent work:
“The 11-year ticking clock in which to fix climate change and global warming has led me to respond with the present pots. The way humanity has squandered the resources of the planet we live on for what? Gain is only a relative term, some of the least affected by technology would seem to have a more carefree, healthy lifestyle than the likes of those making a financial killing by killing themselves.
I see the bowls as various versions of the cosmic black hole relentlessly sucking in everything in its path, all the trappings of success and achievement in the modern view going at light speed down the toilet to who knows where. It could be argued by the kinder folk amongst us that our present predicament is due to everyone not firstly understanding our planet home and secondly thinking that because things in the old days changed grindingly slowly it would always be so. Some would say”it’s not about misunderstanding and ignorance” but a pure, couldn’t care less attitude. Human beings are far too smart for their own good.
Surprising then that precious few have seen the writing on the wall. Possibly a condition of having a knowledge base that starts at zero and ends at zero point one.
Over time I have collected various different textured surfaces that are used in combinations on the bowls. They are made into press mouls and combined with thrown surfaces to produce the outside of the bowls complementing the interior pattern. I then use combinations of keys, coins, other metal objects and broken porcelain dolls to create the final images. My direction and ethos to highlight the effects of global warming, climate change, degeneration and decay are thus integrated into the work. I use many unconventional methods and materials to create the surfaces I require by adding brick dust, fibre and ground glass into my clay bodies firing them in different temperatures and atmospheres.”
CATTLE hanging around in the Milking Parlour
A very successful opening night for Alex Williams [seen here in the grey jacket] in the Milking Parlour Gallery. We feel privileged that Alex created these new works specifically for our new gallery space and it was particularly gratifying that so many works sold on the first night.
Alex trained at St Martin’s School of Art and The University of Wales. He became an art teacher, later Head of Art, at schools in Hertfordshire before moving to Hay-on-Wye to set up his design and print studio. Moving to the Welsh Border country in the late 1970’s was catalytic in his development as a painter of farm landscapes, animals, buildings and agriculture.
His work was widely exhibited in the UK and Alex then moved to Los Angeles for three years, exhibiting there and undertaking commissions for Tom Jones and Jackson Browne as well as for magazines and companies.
His images have been widely used in Tableware and Fine Bone China, Limited Edition Prints and Greetings Cards.
His versatility also extends to numerous TV appearances as artist and art teacher, in Australia as well as in the UK. He has exhibited widely in both individual and group shows and his work is in many public and private collections;
The National Museum of Wales has purchased a number of his landscapes of the Welsh Borders and he has collaborated very successful with the National Trust on a range of products.
His recent show at The Fosse, “Only the Lonely” brought together his love of “Period Rock” (his term) and the lives of farming folk their live stock and rambling buildings.
Alex’s work can be seen up until the 2nd of November, the gallery is open from 11 until 3, Tuesday to Saturday.
