Pop up exhibition: Take Five

ArtHouse Jersey welcomes the latest in their Pop Up art exhibition series next weekend, this time a joint show featuring work by artists Sue Harris, Annie Martland, Jane Reed, Shelley Godden and Susan Ann McGarry.

The exhibition will take place at Greve de Lecq Barracks on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 June 2024 between 10am to 5pm both days. The Pop Up exhibition programme provides local artists with a space to showcase their work collaboratively and offers the opportunity for people to meet the artists and learn about their craft. The title of this exhibition is ‘Take Five’ and it is a collaboration by artists who took part in a painting course led by Art therapist and Teacher Jacque Rutter last year.

Sadly, during the run up to this exhibition artist Sue Harris passed away following a long illness. Before she died she indicated to her partner, Charles Alluto, that she would still like her work to be showcased within this group exhibition along with her fellow artists.

Sue enjoyed a twenty-five-year career in interior design with colour and form becoming a big part of her life. She painted as a hobby for many years, trying various mediums and enjoyed landscape painting most of all.

Mr Alluto said: “Sue was so incredibly happy and proud to have been invited to be part of this exhibition. Unfortunately some of her works in the exhibition remain works in progress but they still reflect her absolute love of Jersey’s landscapes and natural beauty. Whilst it is truly heartbreaking that she is not here to  see her work in situ, this exhibition presents a wonderful way of remembering and celebrating the creative joy she found in painting.”

Annie Martland specialises in faux finishes (marbelizing, graining, faux stone) and also paints murals. For this exhibition she will be presenting mainly Jersey coastal scenes and will incorporate paintings on a small scale which is out of her comfort zone.

She said: “I really enjoyed painting with four other artists, all with very different styles. As I always work on commissions it is a new experience to paint whatever I like. Jacque Rutter was such an inspiration and the two workshops we had with her were amazing.”

Jane Reed was employed as a drafter of legislation and alongside her legal career she pursued a lifelong and passionate amateur interest in the fine arts. The basis of her practice has always been in drawing, using various media including inks and pastels, and with subjects mostly drawn from the natural world, whether by direct observation or using still life compositions. This exhibition, however, features work exploring techniques which are relatively new to her, such as acrylic painting, and print-making.

“This is the first time I have submitted my work for exhibition, thanks to the encouragement of teacher Jacque Rutter and the collaboration with my co-exhibitors. Much of the work I will be presenting is not directly representational but arises from memories of, or abstractions from, coastal and mountain landscapes. I feel that a common factor shared by my artistic influences is a celebration of the wonder of life through art, and I would be delighted if my work conveys something of the same joy.”

Shelley Godden is an abstract painter and ceramicist. She is the owner of Land and Moon Ceramics where she creates simple, functional designs with a strong Japanese influence. Shelley’s abstract paintings are a reflection of her raw emotions and intuitive approach. Using a vibrant palette of strong colours, she creates dynamic and energetic compositions that invite viewers to engage with their own emotions with a sense of movement and spontaneity. Shelley is currently exploring the process of transferring her bold abstract mark making on to her ceramics through sculpture and incorporating this style within her functional tableware.

She explained: “I am beyond thrilled to have had the opportunity to paint alongside an incredibly inspirational group of female artists. It is an honour to have been guided and mentored by the exceptional Jacque Rutter. This experience has been nothing short of amazing, and I am excited for what lies ahead for ‘Take Five’.”

Susan Ann McGarry was in her sixties when she discovered painting. Self-expression drives her process using a variety of tools including wood panels, acrylic paint, inks, charcoal and pastels. Various factors have influenced her work and while she explores abstract qualities, she finds it important to provide visual clues for the viewer to understand the picture or collage.

She said: “My practice allows me to develop ideas around the work rather than the work itself becoming specific. This increases my own understanding of shape, colour, line and tone together with all the skills, techniques and attitude which are essential tools for any painter. It also nourishes my feelings towards other painters, past and present. There is a story of Kandinski, seeing one of his pictures upside down which confirmed his belief that subject matter was unimportant. It is my personal affirmation that abstract and representational paintings are not so far removed from each other as many would like to think.”