Art lovers have been flooding into the Oxfordshire Museum for a show by some of the county’s most talented creative souls.

The annual Oxford Art Society Members’ Exhibition in the Woodstock museum’s Garden Gallery features a feast of paintings, prints, wood and glasswork – all of it for sale.

The show, which launched earlier this month, runs until Sunday.

As well as an impressive collection of landscapes and still life studies, there is a strong selection of portraits – including a monochrome picture of Chase Marsden, from Cumnor, painted by his mum Rona.

Society chair Lucy Stopford thanked Chase and the other sitters as well as the artists for their contribution to the success of the show.

She said: “Each piece from the enormous range of artwork in the show, which is all for sale, from stone carvings to water colours, illustrates the society’s commitment to excellence and originality.”

Also pictured in the show is Oxford actor, and former Oxford Times journalist, Steve Hay. He was painted by artist Barbara Gorayska, from East Oxford.

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She said: “It explores the poetry of painting where different realities transform into one another. My inspiration came from Steve’s comment that he never played the same role in the same way twice, as it always depends on how he feels the audience is engaging with the performance. And, of course, we all know that actors on stage are never their true selves.”

Admiring the finished work, which features multiple images of his head, Steve joked: “People said I was two-faced. Barbara’s painting shows I’m much more than that.”

The exhibition was opened by Dr Jon Whiteley, Senior Curator of Western Art at the Ashmolean and President of the Oxford Art Society Associates, which organises lectures in the Ashmolean by leading art historians.

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Dr Whiteley’s choice for this year’s Broad Canvas Prize was Early March by printmaker Jenny Lines. The Honorary Members’ Prize was awarded to printmaker Patricia Drew for her print Artist in the Jungle.

The exhibition was co-ordinated by Harriet Eagle with Keiran Stiles as a guest judge on the selection panel.

New members Mark Fennel and John Day offered fascinating insights into the process that went into portraits. Fennel said of his painting Birdman: “I called the painting Birdman because while I sketched the subject, Tony, in his kitchen, I was distracted by all the blue tits that were flying back and forth to the bird feeders in his garden.

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“I’ve painted and drawn him on a number of occasions. He’s a great character to paint – a big imposing man with a sensitive side.”

John Day’s painting of his daughter Beatrice was sold within an hour of the exhibition opening. He said: “The painting was one of my most successful. I wanted to make every square inch of the painting interesting.” and in a small way I feel I have achieved this with the portrait of Beatrice.”

In addition to the members’ work, there is a tribute to the late Christine Burgess, former chairman of the society, in the museum’s Brew House space.

  • The Oxford Art Society Members’ Exhibition continues at the Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock, until Sunday.
  • Entrance is free and the show is open from 10am to 5pm