3:19pm Wednesday 21st July 2010
By Theresa Thompson
Celebrating the English Garden, the summer exhibition at the Brian Sinfield Gallery, in Burford, offers something for everyone. As a packet of mixed seeds grows up, delivering the pretty, the decorative, familiar, eccentric, or plain unexpected, this is a colourful and alluring assortment of paintings. And just as the English garden comes in myriad forms, so do artists’ interpretations of the subject.
John Bratby’s Sunflowers commands the opening room, for example, thick oil paint, glorious overpowering abundance, from an artist known for his ‘kitchen sink’ style of art. Opposite, contrasting, is Elsa Taylor’s sensitive still life, Teacup and Daisies; also a quirky line up of pets, dogs, cats, sheep, antique china dog, sitting waiting at a tea table in Vanessa Cooper’s Garden Party (pictured below). Brilliant white Apple Blossom captivates in Jean Cooke’s oil painting, and ever subtle Fred Cuming paints a Garden Under Snow. On the first floor, Tessa Newcomb’s study of allotments catches attention. Called Deliberately Vague (never has a title been more descriptive), her softly rendered oil painting with fine use of colour and line makes a prosaic scene lyrical, inspired.
Standing out for me despite its size and earthy palette, was Roger Hampson’s Accrington Allotment. A deceptively simple composition, industrial echoing domestic echoing glasshouse, and vegetable rows the fence line, and two old codgers, respectfully painted, sitting chatting on a bench, it was instantly appealing.
With similar background in the industrial north, Fred Yates has been likened to a ‘happy Lowry’. Three of his are here, including The Table Garden (above)with characteristic stylised figures going about their lives, and Boscundle Manor in dizzying lush thick impasto.
Other artists include Richard Adams, Rebecca Campbell, Anthea Craigmyle, Simon Garden, Fredrick Gore, John Hitchens, Dora Holzandler, Michael Kidd, David Kirk, and Chris Thomas.
The show is at the Brian Sinfield Gallery, 57 High Street, Burford until Saturday, July 31. Some paintings will remain at the gallery after this.
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