PATTERN

About

Pattern : Plan; Design; Arrangement; Instruction; Variety; Decoration.
January sees a welcome return for our clothing and accessories, carefully selected garments from an exciting range of designers. Until 26th March soft felted lambswool from Prilly Lewis is complemented by vibrant enamel necklaces from jeweller Caroline Finlay. Brooches are always tricky to wear so you will be pleasantly surprised by the techniques adopted by Amanda Denison, looking stunning on Indigo Moose linen tunics (carefully tested by Vicki). Cadogan cardigans will be back to accompany the ever popular scarves, the pastel shades enhancing the subtle silver patterns from Alice Robson, Catherine Thomas and Jane Kenney jewellery. Habibe and Linda Dooley create the perfect garments to suit all shapes, the asymmetric lines utilizing natural fabrics and the theme of unique continues in Williams Handmade natural leather sculptural pieces (they are too beautiful to be called “bags”). Contrasting these with Monica Boxley will be a design challenge that Liz will love as she weaves her magic laying out the collections from Ruth Pullan, Bonita Ahuja, Debbie Siniska, Genia Lorberg, Louise Turner-Creasey, Katie B, Mandy Southan, Viola Chamoulaud Eger and Tessuti.

Breaking away from traditional representational art, abstract concentrates on the relationship between colour and form, portraying an emotional response to the subject. Sheila Marlborough begins this process from the landscape, simplifying the subject to basic shapes, exploring expressive colour with texture and pattern. Fans of abstract will enjoy Justine Lois Thorpe, her free use of oils responding to her emotional and physical connection with nature. Annette Waddy-Smith loves paint for it’s own sake and uses simplified shapes to create interesting and flattened spaces with strong composition.

With a new set of instantly recognisable reduction lino prints, Jane Walker shares a love of 1950s textile design with Monica Boxley, her flea market finds often represented in the still life pictures. Trained as a textile designer, Vivienne Cawson uses the contrast of natural form with geometric fabrics to create her fresh, vibrant watercolours whereas for Ray Sheldon the dynamics are in the stillness, the negative spaces, the simplification of painting the ceramics he has worked with throughout his career.
Ruth Green’s roots are in textile printing and her screen print designs are bright and colourful, drawing influence from Scandinavian design. Pattern, movement and light play on the paper with Escher inspired graphite drawings by Louisa Crispin and the vibrancy of Indian textiles and rugs are reflected in Liz Moys stitchings.

When it comes to pattern Debbie Barber is an obvious choice for ceramics, with design training in textile decoration and embroidery she continues to use these influences for the surface decoration of her raku vessels and birds. Paul Jackson is synonymous with dynamic shapes and diverse colourful decoration, a complete contrast to Yo Thom’s quiet contemplative forms, creating harmony between tableware and food in the Japanese way. Many of our ceramic artists are here to stay, we find it hard to part with their work at the end of each show and, thinking pattern in particular, you will continue to enjoy Ken Eardley, Marion Brandis, Michelle Freemantle, and Vicki Atkinson likes to surprise but may have met her match in Alison Alldis.

Moving seamlessly over to the jewellery cabinets the mention of Japan brings Claire Lowe to mind with her current range inspired by the serious business of tea drinking: Claire once worked in a tea house that served over 55 varieties of tea. So far we have failed to mention the return of Lorraine Gibby and new work from Stuart Jenkins, Emily Thatcher and Caroline Reynolds.

There will be a warm cosy feel to the Gallery for the start of 2016.