AS these strange summer months in lockdown end and September appears, crisp, bright, and full of promise, twelve Oxfordshire Artweeks artists are presenting a vibrant showcase of work in the If you’re mourning the passing of summer and staying safe on the sofa, then here’s a Through the Keyhole look at the art of Henley artist Kirsten Jones who was featured in last month’s OX magazine. She is inspired by treasured everyday objects and their remembered or imagined histories, and each of her paintings tells a story in fresh inks and washes of acrylic paint. Kirsten chooses vibrant colours that hark back to an earlier era adding expressive brush stokes to neutral backgrounds that quietly set the scene. Collaged with intriguing remnants, memories and motifs these backdrops that add the flavour of favourite places and recollections using elements of vintage envelopes and stamps, maps, music, and more. You can read more about her art and inspiration in this Five Minute Read.
In a range of styles, Laurie Bath, Jamie Clayton, Natalie Day, Lilla Fludra, Karen French, Kamal Lathar, Geoff Lawson, Jo Marshall, Debbie Martin, Christine Purdy, Michelle Wallington, and Jane Vaux present gorgeous green Oxfordshire views, from the ethereal to the cubist; and Cornish seascapes in striking blues to evoke memories of summer afternoons by the coast, with sweeping horizons with texture and depth. Alongside majestic dramatic skies, characterful animals team realism with personality and photographic compositions present brightly coloured horticultural intricacy through vivid pinks and violets with a light-hearted touch. This exhibition runs until 16th September.
In North Oxford, in the Turrill Sculpure Garden tucked away behind Summertown Library, and open in library opening hours, you can enjoy a range of sculpture by Christine Baxter in an interesting outdoor space just off the beaten track. A figurative sculptor who works predominantly in clay, but also directly into plaster and wax, Christine casts her own work into bronze resin, iron resin and stone. Her contemporary classical style is full of grace and perception, capturing the movement of different creatures or the twist of a body to perfection. Christine will be in the garden to talk to visitors during our opening for the Oxford Preservation Open Doors weekend on Saturday 12th September from 10.30-4pm, one of the few venues in Oxford that is open for the occasion. This exhibition runs until 7th November.
Throughout the autumn you can also explore any of our twenty-four themed virtual art trails delving into Elements of the Earth, loitering in The Garden, strolling through The Woods, taking a Trip to the Coast or merely enjoying Still Life and Simple Pleasures. Explore and enjoy!
