Meet Sussex Guild members Brian and Deborah...

Sussex Guild members Brian Denyer-Baker and Deborah Timperley are both exhibiting with us for the first time: Brian is a print maker whilst Debbie is a Glassmaker.



Brian studied Fine Art & Design at Brighton College of Art, where he learnt the skill of etching under Raymond Cowern RA RE, and went on to study at the Royal College of Art.

His career has embraced teaching Art & Design as visiting tutor at Harrow and Wimbledon Schools of Art and later at West Dean College. As a freelance design consultant and illustrator, Brian worked for many large companies, including Shell International.

He has work in private collections throughout the UK, the Middle East, Europe, Australia, the United States and Japan. He has exhibited in London at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the Mall Galleries, New Grafton Gallery, Llewellyn Gallery and Eastern Rooms, Rye.

He is a regular exhibitor at Henry Paddon Contemporary Art in Eastbourne and with the Sussex Guild at exhibitions throughout the county.



With a workshop on the Borde Hill Estate, Debbie is as local as can be although she has exhibited widely in Europe, showing in Germany, Lithuania, Switzerland and Belgium!

She has been selected several times for the British Glass Biennale and also shows at craft events such as Art in Action in Oxfordshire.

Her techniques are all kiln formed, including lost wax casting, open casting, fusing, slumping and cold working.

Her sculptural pieces are a combination of technical mastery employed to convey an idea whilst others are a more literal evocation of landscape. More functional work includes wall panels, mirrors and a variety of bowls as well as coasters.

"I still love that moment of anticipation when I lift the kiln lid," says Debbie. "Will it be followed by delight or despair?"

"Reflection" continues until 3rd September.

From Nightclub Murals to "Lightbox" Landscapes

Grant Dejonge has been making art for twenty five years. At present his work concentrates on landscape painting but he has occupied many roles in the art world, from gallery owner on Brighton seafront to mural painter in London nightclubs.




He now lives in the heart of the South Downs where he records the beautiful scenery that make up the South Downs National Park.

Grant is driven by a desire to understand the world around him and to recreate it in two dimensions. He references many different art movements in bis work: surrealism and symbolism sit comfortably with pop art and portraiture.

"I particularly love Otto Dix and Max Beckermann," says Grant. "Painters such as Matta and Tanguy were an early influence, but in truth most of my day-to-day influences are my friends and fellow artists who no-one has ever heard of...and my wife Jaqueline."

In 2010 he won first prize in a national competition run by artrepublic, to make a positive contribution to the urban environment and raise awareness of the problems of homelessness. His picture "Lost", depicting a homeless child sleeping under the lamplight of a city park is perhaps one of his most famous pieces.

Although Grant has exhibited with us previously, he is breaking new ground in this exhibition. Among his works on display are two innovative "lightbox" landscapes, which are painted on perspex and backlit by LEDs.



"Reflection" continues until 3rd September.

Emma Bird's lateral thinking...

Emma Bird has exhibited her wire sculptures at the Gallery for some time and always comes up with witty interpretations of our exhibition titles.

So with bated breath, we waited to see how she would interpret "Reflection".

Emma's work in this exhibition focuses on the contemplative angle with evocative and tenderly observed wire sculptures and framed pictures.


This is entitled "Remember When"....


...whilst this free-standing sculpture is simply called "The Good Old Days".

Emma's work celebrates the beauty of creation, the people and animals that she sees around her, as well as the interaction between them.

"Wire gives me the freedom to draw in the air," she says. "It is so intriguing to see the line hold its shape without losing a sense of flow and delicacy."

She uses the minimum number of ‘lines’ to suggest the highlights of each creation and its character.

"I work with my hands, pliers and cutters alone to create my pieces," she says. "I value the purity of this process and avoid the temptation to solder or glue wires together so that I produce truly handcrafted work."

Until recently, Emma was Head of Art at Shoreham College but now works full time as an Artist.

The exhibition continues until Saturday 3rd September.

Reflection! An exhibition of glass and so much more...

After 24 hours of reflection on the Brexit result, we had had enough!
It was time to crack open the Pimms and celebrate the opening of "Reflection", our summer exhibition.



The exhibition features work by our talented glassmakers as well as contemplative work in other media including wire sculpture, paintings, etchings, textiles and metal.



The exhibiting artists were out in force, including glassmaker Debbie Timperley and printmaker Brian Denyer-Baker...



...as well as metalsmith Simeon Smythe and glassmaker Stephanie Else.



Exhibiting artists are:

Emma Bird – Wire Artist

Grant De Jonge – Paintings

Brian Denyer-Baker – Etchings

Stephanie Else - Glass

Paul Guthrie – Paintings

Rosi Robinson – Textiles

Simeon Smythe – Metal

Debbie Timperley - Glass

Annie Vince – Paintings

The exhibition runs until 3rd September and also includes new work by our regular glass artists Jo Downs Glass, Fired Creations, Four Hands Etched Glass, Fran McCaskill, Glory Art Glass and Studio Shards.

Celebrating Irish craft and design with Small Island

If you came to our recent exhibition "Blossom by Blossom the Spring Begins", you'll know that most of our artists and makers are pretty local. They are mainly from Sussex, some are from Surrey and the Home Counties and a few are from further afield.

However, on Saturday we reached out a fair bit further, starting a month-long celebration of Irish craft and design with local company Small Island.



The Cuckfield-based online business was set up in 2015 by Irish-born Mandy Wilson and was inspired by the range of beautiful products she saw on her many trips to Ireland in recent years.



"Everything we sell is designed and made in Ireland by talented craftspeople," says Mandy.

"Some are just starting out and others are working in family businesses that go back generations. Influenced by both the Irish landscape and Irish culture, they all have one thing in common - a desire to bring Irish craft and design up to date and to the attention of a world audience."



This special combination of age-old tradition and new innovation results in some beautiful and unique pieces that have both a strong Irish identity and also a wide appeal.

Blankets and throws may have been woven in mills that have been in existence for hundreds of years but they are being made with different wools such as supersoft alpaca and in designs that feature bold contemporary colours.



And whilst linen has long been associated with Northern Ireland, it is now being woven in new designs and colours and used in exciting new ways such as combining it with lambswool to create very special blankets.

"2015 was the year of Irish Design and a worldwide exhibition took the work of many designers and makers as far afield as Toyko, New York, Milan and Amsterdam," says Mandy.

"It was a huge success and interest in Irish craft and design is at an all time high. The Daily Telegraph has even tagged Irish Design ‘the new Scandi’, which indicates its popularity and appeal."

Small Island's beautiful wares include blankets, ceramics, wooden chopping boards, slate coasters and cheeseboards, textiles and handbound notebooks and will be on display at the Gallery until Saturday 18th June.

From Sale to Stitching to Spring!

Here at the Green Tree Gallery, it's been an action-packed year so far. We kicked off 2016 with our Annual Art Sale...



...then squeezed in a quick Free Machine Embroidery Workshop with Suzanne Sanders.



And on Saturday, we launched our Spring Exhibition: "Blossom by Blossom the Spring Begins"....



Customers, friends and family chatted...



...enjoying drinks and canapes whilst they browsed the glorious art.



Claire Medhurst of Duck Egg Blue Design Company popped in with her family to see her work at her first gallery exhibition...



....as did Gail Gibson Tait



...Linda Compton McDonald



...and Jo Hodder.


"Blossom by Blossom the Spring Begins" also features works by Nichola Campbell, Ruth Green and John Thompson and runs until Saturday 7th May.

Small Business Saturday!

Did you know that it is "Small Business Saturday" tomorrow?

This nationwide campaign aims to support, promote and inspire small businesses on the first Saturday in December and beyond.

We would like to ask you to support our small business as well as all those run by the artists and craftspeople whose work we showcase at the Gallery.



Each of our 200-odd artists and makers is a small business offering unique products, whether that's sculpture, paintings, jewellery, glass, ceramics or textiles.

And as many of these independent businesses are based here in Sussex, remember that when you spend local, it stays local!

So come and support small businesses whilst you do your Christmas shopping. We have masses of free parking right outside and inside, we will be offering mince pies and other treats all day, 10.30am until 4.00pm.

And if you can't make it tomorrow, we will be open on Sundays throughout December from midday until 4.00pm.

We look forward to seeing you!