John Rank Gallery
Fifteen local artists, fifteen varied viewpoints on a local landmark. ARTEL returns to Oxmarket Contemporary, excited to express their responses to The Chichester Ship Canal on the occasion of its 200th anniversary.
ARTEL is a long-established group of contemporary artists that regularly exhibits throughout the south of England. Its members have diverse practices that make for interesting shows and the stimulating sharing of ideas and talents. Visitors to ‘Lockgate 200’ will have a lively experience of the individual outcomes from these artists.
Polly Dutton worked outside in the landscape, focusing on light, sound, weather and the energy of the space. She produced works of abstract realism using paint and collage. Ceramic artist Liz Hanan looked to history for inspiration, and made 200 clay diaries, each one slightly different, each representing a year of the canal’s history. Maureen Brigden, also a ceramic artist, made large clay sculptures that illustrate something of the nautical and engineering features of the canal. Collaborating with nature, Linda Nevill sourced mud, water and vegetation from the canal itself and used these with inks in drawing and mark making, to produce a series of vignettes. Sue England researched in archives, and took inspiration from old photographs and postcards of people around the canal. Using oils, she painted suggested narratives, calling them ‘Ghost Cards’.
Deborah Richards created semi-abstract oil-on-paper monotypes inspired by the twisted remains of the lock gates at Birdham, archive photographs, and Turner’s painting of the canal. Her raku porcelain fish reference those in the canal. Sandra Izard was also inspired by Turner, and she used mixed media in her semi-abstract responses to the clear reflections that the still canal waters allow. Reflections caught Catharine Somerville’s attention as well. They led her to consider those of the past, present and future as she produced loose, intuitive paintings in oils.
Watercolourist Bridget Woods found the translucence of her medium enabled the conveyance of the notions of time, thought and memory, her focus for paintings of the canal. Isabel Dodson worked with oils, charcoal and pastels, producing minimal, thoughtful, contemplative landscapes that incorporate poetry. Working on papyrus that references the reeds, and inspired by the graceful swans of the canal, Margaret Cronk made large sketches in mixed media.
Using scavenged materials and cropped photo imagery, Jackie Knee built small kinetic assemblages which invoke worn paint on boats, greenery, reflections and a landscape constantly changing. Sylvia Kopecek also used found objects, those that have been retrieved, reimagined and changed through time, and are embued with the character of the owner, despite the process of dematerialization.
Carol Naylor created intensely stitched and mixed media drawings that enabled her to explore a variety of line, colour and texture suggested by light on water and architectural banks of reeds. Sehila Craft also used the medium of stitch in hand embroideries on painted calico, depicting imagined journeys on the canal. She employed images and shapes from her own research in these and small tapestry weavings.
ARTEL is pleased to be part of Culture Spark, a month-long creative season of events within the annual Festival of Chichester that celebrates the area’s cultural and artistic assets. Drawing on all the history, beauty and different ways that the canal has served the community, ‘Lockgate 200’ will be an entertaining encounter for its visitors.
Participating Artists:
Maureen Brigden maureenbrigden@gmail.com Instagram @mauree52
Sehila Craft Sehila.Belson@gmail.com www.sehilacraft-artist.co.uk Instagram @sehilac
Maggie Cronk plutolupin@yahoo.co.uk Instagram @maggiecro68
Isabel Dodson issyoddy@hotmail.com www.isabeldodson.com
Polly Dutton pollydutton60@gmail.com www.pollydutton.co.uk Instagram @polly.dutton.artist
Sue England sueengla@gmail.com www.sueengland.co.uk Instagram @28sueengla0547
Liz Hanan lizhanan778@gmail.com Instagram @lizhanan
Sandra Izard sandraizardartist@gmail.com Instagram @sandraizardartist
Jackie Knee jackieknee@rocketmail.com Instagram @jdknee.art
Sylvia Kopecek sylvia@kopecek.co.uk
Carol Naylor carolnaylor45@gmail.com www.carolnaylor.co.uk Instagram @naylorcarol Facebook carolnaylor.18
Linda Nevill lindamarynevill@gmail.com www.lindamnevill@alchemyart.com Instagram @lnevill2 @linda.nevill.33
Deborah Richards richardsdj@btinternet.com www.deborahrichards.co.uk Instagram @deborahrichards8700
Catharine Somerville-Wilson catharinesomervillewilson@gmail.com www.catharinesomerville.com Instagram @catharinesomervillewilson_art
Bridget Woods bridget.woods2014@gmail.com www.bridgetwoods.co.uk