Saturday 25 September 2010

Wonder Waves and Pebbled Paradise

The Green Tree Gallery takes a glittering dive into the tantalising turquoise unknown!!

From Saturday 18th September to Saturday 23rd October, come and be swept into a sparkling seascape of sunkissed ceramics, paintings woven from ocean spray and storm dust, collages of treasure, crisp photographs, gleaming glass and an intriguing trove of textiles.

Marvel at Misha Seelhof's gestural gems, paintings whose colours must have been collected from marbled lakes in secret caves! Ruth Fisher's jewel-like stained glass landscapes sigh with sun filtered tranquility. Sue England's scratchy seagulls swarm through delicately folded layers of gold sand and silvery blue wisps of sky. Gillian Bates' urban seaside stitchery is a sweet shop of pastel hues. Bonnie Mackintosh's indigo vases provide a delicate seabed for waltzing troupes of pewter shells. Pauline Crook's brightly printed deckchairs beckon weary bottoms to come and nest in their heavenly sweeps. Janine Reavell's photographs hum with peace. Clarissa Robertson's legions of glass-peaked ceramic lighthouses stretch skyward with striped bellies and the most glorious feeling of freedom...

Sea-tickled snaps on their way soon, on the back of a drifting turtle!

Monday 13 September 2010

The star-spangled Circus spectacular!


Pippa at the Green Tree's recent 'Circus' exhibition

Ahoy gallery zealots one and all!

My name is Pippa and I am artist in residence here at the Green Tree. I am embarking on a new voyage to buff up the blog till he gleams like a glamorous emerald! The little gallery is slowly transforming into a co-operative, which aside from more meetings over glittering cupcakes and giggles, means we will be sharing the running of the show between us - swathing the curtains, gleaming the spotlights, and tweaking the strings!

The gallery gals include the two original owners, Jules, a painter of lush abstract landscapes, and Julie, a theatrical ceramic sculptor, and five more sparkling lasses ~ Victoria, a clay animal creator extraordinaire, Misha, who captures a treasure troveful of colours in her paintings and jewels, Jill and Mary, both stitch wonder~women, and me, Pippa, an illustrator inspired by faerytale magic and history.


The circus superstars! (from left ~ Julie, Pippa, Victoria, and Annelise from Rocking Horse charity)

July was a month of joy.... Julie's star~spangled acrobats, Victoria's gentle~eyed giants and a blue and white wallful brightly bedecked with my rhyme~encased characters... Julie, Victoria, and I created an exhibition twirling like a spinning~top from the theme 'Circus' in support of Rocking Horse, a fantastic Brighton-based charity helping children in hospitals. The exhibition was a roaring success, sponsored by local businesses including Cuckfield Candy Store, Pepperbox Furniture & Accessories, Reeves Pantry & Traditional Tea Rooms, and Sussex Crafts (warmest well~wishes and striped tentfuls of thank you's to you all!)

Julie's theatre background has imbued her work with all the wonder of the stage. Her Harlequin~patterned characters swanned, pranced and bounded through the month, some atop unicorns and horses, others caressing tenderly backstage...


Julie's beautious acrobats


Victoria's circus soiree of wise~eyed animals had an awe~inspiring glow of the exotic. As part of her repertoire, she created a name-the-elephant competition to raise more pennies (the elephant in question being a gigantic painted ceramic collage~puzzle of pachyderm portions!).


Victoria with her joyeux giraffes!


I exhibited ink and pencil and mixed media images from print runs of 50, all working towards a potential book in the cogs! I wrote short poems inspired by the spectacle of the subject, but juxtaposed with the danger intrinsic to many of the acts. I plan to continue selling them in the gallery.


A row of Pippa pictures!

Now we are preparing for 'Coast', a celebration of the spectacular Sussex coastline. Keep your peepers peeled for turquoise treats, luscious lighthouses, divine deckchairs and much more! Exhibition opens this Saturday.