This is an exhibition of considerable contrasts, from the highly representational to the pretty abstract, with post-impressionist and colourist works in between. Ten artists, each worthy of mention. Lilia Orlova-Holmes is a Russian born painter of flora who uses a wonderful, classic palette of colours in an extremely spirited manner and whose works sell internationally.
Michael Sofroniou, half Greek but very English, is a painter of domestic subjects and landscapes, his still-life subjects mostly depicting a decorative and eclectic mix of furniture, rugs and vessels in his own home. These are colourful, friendly, un-pretentious well drawn oil paintings of charm and delightful colour.
Sandra Moffat is from Scotland, an exhibitor at the RGI and has been very successful selling her work of late, mostly textured woodland scenes or reflections on water executed in mixed media. We have just one example of Irish artist, Dermot Smyth's work, Threshold, a most engaging large painting of an Irish barn in sunlight and shadow, which displays the most exquisite handling of light, along with beautiful mark-making.
Haydn Cottam is another artist who captures light and mood in a very individual way as in Ice Island and in his slightly mysterious Tall Trees and Hong Kong Garden (actually a subject in England).Lilia Orlova-Holmes's large paintings are spectacular 'in the flesh', just full of brio and hugely decorative. Her smaller paintings are also a delight, showing brilliant fluidity and handling of oil paint.
Some new works by Peter Graham ROI with their usual warmth of colour and spontaneity feature and then we travel into contrasting but equally warm abstract works by Vanessa Cuthbert FCA FRSA. Vanessa's compositions are beautifully evolved, properly crafted, seriously good oil paintings and we are proud to have a wide range of examples in stock at present.
Andrew Watt's soft and spacious semi-abstract paintings, often drawn from moments captured in specific countryside locations. In total contrast are the very 1930's style abstract works of Jonathan Pike. Jonathan, previously (and still) a representational painter in watercolour of Venetian, European, and Cuban architectural subjects, developed his abstract technique during the lock-down. Often based on geometric forms, he seeks to create compositions in thinly painted oil glazes that project a sense of space and calm.