Shell House Gallery, 36 The Homend, Ledbury
Shell House Gallery in Ledbury is well worth a visit for all
art lovers. Three floors of fantastic
contemporary art are contained inside this quirky Georgian house.
You enter through its distinctive shell-hood doorway and are
invited to explore. On my visit, the first room contained the delicate
watercolours of Christine Phillips. Her style was like nothing I’d ever come
across before. Using line, colour and space she presents the English
countryside as a patchwork of saturated hues. Christine’s time spent studying
at the Bauhaus in the 1970s has clearly influenced her work, but my initial
connection was to the linear designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
After climbing up the wonderfully creaky wooden staircase,
also lined with prints and paintings, I was confronted by the awe-inspiring
work of Dave Cormack. Mountain ranges jutted out of the wall at me, so abstract
and yet so real. I was stunned. Cormack uses thick, impasto oil paint on large
box canvases to create his magnificently textured landscapes. You really have
to see them in the flesh to experience their high-impact atmospheric beauty. I
highly recommend it.
Shell House Gallery is a commercial gallery; in addition to
all the works in the main galleries they sell prints, cards, jewellery and ceramics.
I was very impressed by the beautiful art books they stocked, for both children
and adults (and adults with childlike curiosity like me!). They also provide
picture framing and photo restoration services.
Whilst leafing through the collection of prints for sale I
came across some very interesting pieces by Peter Horrocks. Using earth
pigments rubbed across incised boards, Peter has developed a range of highly
individual abstract landscapes. The rich, ochre pigment is sourced from the
locations that inspire his work, including The Forest of Dean, Roussillion in
France and Australia. In utilising the
natural rhythms and elements of the earth, Peter’s compositions really speak to
the soul.
Shell House Gallery is building up a highly admirable
reputation for exhibiting local artists. It continues in this trend for its
next exhibition of works by David Prentice from 3 - 24 November. I will definitely
be back for another visit!
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