Exhibition: Ferens Open Exhibition 2024 and Feral Reveal, Pier Street, Hull

 Exhibition: Ferens Open Exhibition 2024

Pastoral, oil on canvas, 76cm x 102cm

I exhibited my oil painting of the Lord Line Building, Pastoral, at this year's Ferens Open Exhibition. The building is an iconic site on St Andrew's Quay, which was Hull's fish dock. It forms part of Hull's rich fishing heritage. Now unused and derelict, I captured the site in the glow of the evening sun with late summer grasses in the foreground. The old pump house which worked the lock gates can be seen to the right. I aimed to capture memories and nostalgia within my rendering of the view.

Feral Reveal, June 2024

The exhibition comprised of a range of recent artworks made by students at the Feral Art School, Guildhall Road, Hull. I attend the Hull Print Collective classes there. The gallery was a good venue in Pier Street, off Humber Street, the old Fruit Market in Hull. The event was a type of "pop up" art show and the large space was ideal to show off the students' work. Some of my prints were experimental in the use of new techniques, such as sugarlift and the use ofTetra Pak.

The Gallery for the Feral Reveal, Pier Street, Hull

A selection of my recent prints

On show were some recent prints I had made at the Feral Art School (middle section):

- On Deck, etching with aquatint

- The Walk, tetra pak 

- Recital, tetra pak

- Guy's peas, sugar lift

- Into the woods, sugarlift

General views of the Gallery Space:

Exhibitions: East Riding Artists' Open Exhibition, Pocklington and Beverley, Open Exhibition, Eastgate Studio, June/July/August 2024

 East Riding Artists' Open Exhibition, Pocklington, June 2024

Relics (top)

Humber (below)

General view of hanging space

My Paintings

I exhibited two of my paintings at the Pocklington Arts Centre as part of the East Riding artists Open Exhibition.

Relics is oil on wooden board. I tried to capture the strong light and shadows from the old wooden stakes along an inlet at Hessle on the Humber Estuary called "Jean's Walk".

Humber is also an oil painting on wooden board. The view is part of the same walk on the north bank of the Humber leading to the Humber Bridge. I was inspired by the bridge, framed by the trees and my eye was lead in by the narrow path. The water glimmered in the distance.

The gallery is dedicated to a series of changing displays and occupies a good position within the market town of Pocklington. There was a diverse display of works.

"Beverley", Open Exhibition, Eastgate Studio, Beverley, June to August 2024

The theme of the Open exhibition was "Beverley" which gave printmakers much scope to work with. From the historic town and  the Minster to the open fields of the Westwood, artists had a variety of scenes and ideas to inspire them which visitors enjoyed.

My work centred on Beverley Beck which runs through the centre of the town, and the Minster which towers above the surrounding countryside. I entered two framed prints (below).

The Beck, etching with aquatint

Boats still moor up along the Beck which was once a hive of activity. there was a ship building yard along its banks, and factories, such as leatherworks lined its route. Vessels could sail right into the centre of the town, as can be seen from the houses in the background to my print.

Green Man, Beverley Minster, monoprint and etching

The interior of the Minster is rich with medieval sculptures, including many "Greenmen".  I started this print with the monoprint process to add colour and texture to the subject matter. I then printed an etching on top to add detail to the image.

I also entered some unframed works on the same subject, a selection of which is illustrated below. 

Exhibition: "Impressions" Eastgate Studio, Beverley 4 May to 15 June 2024

 Exhibition: "Impressions" Eastgate Studio, Beverley 4 May to 15 June 2024

Framed Works on Display:

Funghi, collagraph with watercolour

Into the Woods, sugarlift and etching

Rievaulx Abbey, screen print

I am happy to say that "Funghi" sold in the first week! I am very pleased that it captured someone's enthusiasm.

The Opening

The Opening was very well attended and Susan Leeson made everyone welcome.

Prints also on display in the rack:

Comments

"Impressions" was a great topic to work with. It allowed me to utilise different skills for each of the prints.

"Funghi"

I had seen the funghi in the grounds of Burton Agnes Hall in February when I went on the "Snowdrop" Walk.  I was fascinated by the way the brackets stood out from the dead tree trunk and were so striking and architectural. "Funghi" is a collagraph, a method which enabled me to create very dark areas for the background to contrast with the sharp outline and colour of the funghi shapes. I hand coloured the print with Schmincke watercolours as I thought the use of the bright pigment captured the moment I experienced on the walk. 

"Into the Woods"

The scene is Danes' Dyke near Bridlington on the coast of East Yorkshire. It is the view walking down the steep slope to the beach with the towering trees overhead. The trees line a vast dyke of ancient origin which cuts into the countryside and forms a magnificent sight and exciting walk. The sugarlift process enabled me to create a painterly effect which I think adds to the mysterious atmosphere. I hand painted some of the prints with light watercolour washes to enhance the feel of the leafy glade.

Rievaulx Abbey

This screenprint is intended to emphasise the drama of the destruction of the monasteries under Henry VIII. The destroyed grandeur of the Abbey stands out as a stark silhouette against a flaming sky. What a magnificent building it must have been. One can almost sense the monks in the cloisters and the culture which once existed within the Abbey's walls.

Exhibition: The Ropewalk, "Humber Print" March 30 -June 2, 2024

“Humber Print”, the Ropewalk, Maltkiln Road, Barton upon Humber, DN18 5JT March 30 -June 2.

A joint exhibition by printmakers from the Ropewalk Print Workshop and the Feral Art School, Hull.

Above, at the opening of the exhibition

I am a member of both the Feral Art School and the Ropewalk Print Workshop and have eight prints on display:

Gallery 1: Ropewalk Print Workshop 

Above, general view

The Lighthouse – linocut

The Gate – linocut

Stronghold – etching and collagraph

Top Floor Flat – etching

Gallery 2: Feral Art School

The Recital – etching on tetra pak

The Recital – etching on tetra pak with watercolour

Ruin – etching on tetra pak

The Walk – etching on tetra pak with watercolour

Please see below my “Artist’s Statement”: 

"Maggie explores how human activity and the environment interact and evolve, in particular, the cultural landscape of a place from the urban and industrial to the pastoral. Using different printing techniques Maggie investigates how those properties can enhance the viewer’s experience and evoke feelings, memories, and a sense of place.”

 Overview

The opening was very well successful, with lots of visitors. The prints were beautifully hung in the two galleries and were displayed in groups by each artist. Many have already been sold and the show is well worth a visit.

I got some very good feedback!

 

Exhibition: Nunnington Hall, "From the Earth"

Exhibition: Nunnington Hall, "From the Earth"

Lock Gates, Water Surge, oil on canvas, 71cm x 91cm

Shapes and Shingle, oil on wooden panel, 41cm x 51cm

I have selected some photographs of my work from the exhibition. My two paintings concern “the power of the sea”.

Overview of Exhibition and publicity

From the Earth:

An exhibition by East Riding Artists

At Nunnington Hall, York, YO62 5UY 

Saturday 23th March until Sunday 12thMay 2024.

 With climate change high on the world-wide agenda and evidence of nature’s fragility everywhere we turn, few would question that our Earth is changing dramatically and, in some cases, irrevocably. 

Yorkshire in particular features some of the most stunning – and potentially vulnerable - landscapes in the UK and it’s with this in mind that East Riding Artists are working in conjunction with Nunnington Hall to present a 10-week exhibition called ‘From the Earth’, a celebration of our strong relationship with nature both in the UK and across the globe.

From the rugged cliffs and sandy beaches of its extensive coastline and the rolling hills of the Wolds, to the bleak, open North York moors and picturesque Dales, Yorkshire contains a rich and varied menu of nature at its best and most resilient. 

Featuring the work of painters, potters, and creatives, ‘From the Earth’ celebrates everything natural, from the power of the sea and the breath-taking beauty of our landscapes to the food we grow and the flowers we cultivate, demonstrating that there is still a great deal to celebrate in our ever-changing world.

 About ERA:

East Riding Artists (ERA) is a growing and vibrant platform for painters, ceramicists, jewellery-makers, sculptors and mixed-media creators who live and work in this expansive and beautiful part of Yorkshire.

Stretching from Bridlington to Spurn Point on the east, Stamford Bridge to the west and down as far as Howden and Goole at the end of the Humber estuary, this vast area covers 950 square miles of coastline, Wolds and market towns which are a constant source of inspiration.

Run entirely by enthusiastic volunteers, ERA supports and encourages visual artists across the whole of the county through a programme of events, exhibitions and networking. It also runs a comprehensive website and produces an annual full colour directory which is distributed throughout East Yorkshire and beyond.

ERA is a not-for-profit organisation whose focus is to raise the profile of artists and makers and promote economic growth within the creative community.

 About Nunnington Hall:

There has been a building on the site of Nunnington Hall since 1249 and the building as seen today is from the last renovations completed in 1921, when the Fife family moved in. It stayed with the Fifes until they gave Nunnington Hall and gardens to the National Trust in 1952. The Hall is displayed as it was when the Fifes were living here in the 1920s, though many pieces of the furniture date from earlier. Nunnington is also home to the Carlisle Collection of miniature rooms, which have been at the Hall since the 1980s. This wonderful display of craftsmanship features miniature portraits, musical instruments (which do work!) and tiny works of Shakespeare.

Peacock greeting us as we arrived!

The exhibition has been very successful and when we went it was buzzing with excited viewers. Many of the works have been sold. The topic was very current, wide-ranging and attracted much interest.

 

The Wall, oil on canvas

 The Wall

The Wall, oil on canvas, 60cm x 84cm

During the summer of 2023 I travelled across Cumbria and Scotland. The scenery and history were magnificent.

We drove along Hadrian's Wall and stopped at Birdoswald Fort, near Brampton, Cumbria. The section of the wall in this location is one of the longest and stretched out in front of us into the distance.

I thought about the Romans who would have guarded the wall and all those who had passed over it throughout the years, and the wars and skirmishes which had been fought around it.

In the painting I have used the texture and colours of the oil paint to build up the atmosphere of the aged wall and the weather worn stones from which it is made. Many of the stones have been stolen long ago to build and repair local buildings, but the section which is left is surprisingly still very solid. 

The history and culture which I breathed in on my excursion was enhanced by the stunning surroundings overlooking England, made up of distant hills, tall grasses, wind-swept in this isolated location and the wild flowers popping up to reveal themselves from behind the wall.

Solway

 Solway

Solway, oil on canvas, 60cm x 84cm

Solway is a new oil painting inspired by my travels to Scotland last year. The large estuary and vast expanse of water reminded me of the Humber. However, the place had a very different feel. On this side of the country the sun sets of course in the west, giving the sky and reflections a different orientation. The surrounding coastline was very rugged and I felt deep in the heart of the Scottish landscape.

On my visit a storm was brewing. The wind was whipping up and the sky was full of movement. The light shone down on the water and rocky outlets, parts of which were covered in grass or bright green moss. The rain came down wetting the sand.  Gusts blew fiercely across my face, catching sand and scattering it  amongst the rocks. Dogs had now gone home, but had left their deep footprints behind. 

I have tried to capture  my experience in the image above and to portray a sense of place to the viewer.