As the gallery approaches its fiftieth year, this Christmas offers a moment to pause - to reflect on what endures. Amid shifting headlines, digital noise and uncertainty, art continues to bring people together, to inspire, and to remind us of the importance of looking closely and living fully.
This year's Christmas Exhibition celebrates that spirit with a diverse collection of work by more than ten artists - some long associated with the gallery, others joining us for the first time.
We are delighted to present a new series of watercolours by Richard Thorn, fresh and deeply evocative of the Devon landscape, alongside Jonathan Pike's architectural studies of Venetian merchant houses and Peter Kuhfeld's distinctive continental oils. We also welcome Núria Riera from Spain, whose refined watercolours - from Mediterranan beaches to elegant greyhounds - reveal a masterful lightness of touch.
Further highlights include Raquel Alvarez Sardina's richly painted fruit studies and Douglas Gray's atmospheric continental scenes, notably Fading Light, his striking view of the Grand Canal in Venice at dusk. Louise Balaam returns with expressive works capturing the shifting moods of the British landscape, while Julia Chance and David J Porter present contrasting abstract compositions of balance and depth.
Completing the exhibition are Claire Verity's equestrian sculptures in bronze and jesmonite, and new paintings by Vanessa Cuthbert and Nick Heap, all viewable on our website over the coming days.
As we enter the festive season, we raise a glass - in spirit and in company - to art, to community, and to the enduring value of creativity. Your continued support helps sustain the artists, the craft, and the shared belief that art has the power to enrich life and keep us connected to each other in very human ways - something truly worth celebrating.