“Autumn Light”, beginning this weekend, is an exhibition of West Country land and seascapes by Tess Armitage and Craig Askew. After the success of their last exhibition Tess and Craig are holding a weekend show in the Orangery at Nynehead Court. It is the perfect exhibition venue with fantastic natural light and space. There will be a collection of original paintings , drawings and etchings for sale.
Both artists are fascinated with the changing seasons and work with an intuitive response to the ever changing landscapes.
Tess has lived on the edge of Exmoor for much of her life and it is this connection with wild and untouched places that inspires her paintings. Working spontaneously in oils using vibrant colour themes and gestural mark making, splattering, scraping and palette knife work, her aim is to move beyond visual representation and capture the spirit of a place. Devoid of human presence Tess encourages the viewer to engage with her work and just for a moment be taken there.
Brought up by the sea Craig has always had a connection and love of the sea and the sea shore. His work is a personal response to the sea, the sound of it as it gently laps on the sand, or the crash as the rollers smash into the rocks. All of this he attempts to convey through his work, often it is a record of a moment in time, a memory or an expression of a place he knows intimately. His latest work is becoming more minimal in respect of its imagery and he is becoming much more interested in the quality and look of the paint on the surface. Many of the works are becoming purer and almost an abstracted response, the sea and sky separated by one simple horizon line.
The preview is on Saturday 14th December between 2 and 5 p.m. All are welcome to enjoy a glass of mulled wine, mince pies, the delightful sounds of cellists Louisa Raybould and Claire Hannigan and of course Tess and Craig’s work.