Contemporary Passions XI

Ten members of the South Hams Arts Forum present Contemporary Passions XI: the eleventh annual summer exhibition of painting, printmaking, pastels, mixed media work, textiles and pewter.

The group celebrates its thirteenth anniversary this year as a vibrant artists' collective with over 50 members.
As always, the local landscape and coastline offers inspiration to many of our local artists:
Rosemary Moser: "We have had a flock of 49 Suffolk cross sheep in the field adjoining our house and I have been fascinated by them, and the way they interact, or not, with each other. If one lies down, they all lie down. One will set off, and they all follow. I love the shapes they make, and the way they become part of the landscape. I am painting, printmaking and embroidering this subject: animals perfectly in tune with their environment - peace and contentment personified."
Drawing on her career as an architect and an interest in geology, Anne Scarratt has used the theme of stone for her oil paintings. Religious and spiritual to the constructional use of the material, the five paintings share a common thread: Bronze Age circles and quarrying from southwest moors, cliffs at a local beach, and a nearby ruined church. Input by man appears in the roughly hewn stones in the circles, the crude extraction by gunpowder in the quarry and the dressed stonework of the church – but it is the basic material continually reforming over millions of years which is the bed rock of all.
Sarah Harcus: "For the last three years I have become engrossed with pastels and the wonderful possibilities they give for immediacy and expression. This translates onto paper in a way which I find exciting and which, for me, cannot be achieved in any other medium. Blackdown Rings nearby has been the catalyst and, along with the Avon estuary where I live, is a constant source of inspiration."
Sandra Litchfield shows a collection of traditional games, each inspired by the south Devon coastline and combining hand-engraved boards with cast pewter or enamelled copper pieces. Each piece is unique, and she describes her work as 'the heirlooms of the future'.

Val Uglow: "Close examination of ageing surfaces in our environment form the basis of the development for my abstract paintings. Old buildings often have multi layers of peeling paint that over time have developed into rich textures, and ancient stone walls are encrusted with lichens and mosses. Openings and niches give an insight into different usage I sometimes distress my canvas by cutting into it, and I strive to convey the essence of what excites me to paint."
Hazel Strange: "Living in the beautiful South Hams, I spend many hours walking by the sea, watching the patterns and colours which change by the moment. Waves, winds, clouds and the passage of time all cast their influence over the landscape. I take many photographs and use them for reference while painting in my studio. One day a new painting spread to a second canvas, and since then most of my work has been in this diptych format."
Elen Claire Williams MA is a Fine Artist whose walking practice documents the local landscape using modern printmaking and TEXT:work pieces. She approaches traditional landscape subjects in contemporary ways using mixed-media and textiles.

Amanda Coates: "I enjoy experimenting with many materials and producing a varied body of work incorporating textile and mixed media techniques. Inspired by the historic church of St Peter and St Paul in Ermington, my work may take many forms but an element of collage and layering can usually be found. Some pieces are stitched and richly textured, whilst others may be simpler translucent layers."

Janette Jagger: "Colourful, primitive paintings of beaches and local event: fetes, regattas and fun. the joy of the beach, sand castles, cricket, swimming, surfing and donkey rides. Childhood memories, energy, life and joy."

Thea Henderson: "I love the combination of good food and beautiful bowls. Nutrition, a fundamental need, and beauty. What I enjoy in throwing and what teaches me much is the interplay of stillness, speed, gravity, matter and how I interact with those through touch and the whole movement, not just of creating form but also that of clay on a table, serving a purpose."

www.shaf.org.uk

For more information visit http://www.harbourhouse.org.uk/gallery-shafcpxi13.html