4 person art exhibition - review

I really like this show. I like being able to see part of the journey that each artist is making through their artwork. All the artwork is highly original and intimate. I think it’s my best work to date and one of the best exhibitions I have been in.

Jardín Nazarí, Vélez de Benaudalla, Granada, Spain

All four artists’ work is diametrically different. All painters but each with deeply different concerns. The artwork in this exhibition is mysteriously intriguing, hyper realistic, colourful and expressive or fascinatingly conceptual.

Jessica Shepherd

During the opening, botanical artist and publisher, Jessica (Inky Leaves) told us something startling about her painting technique. She said that once she gets down to the tiny details, things like the veins in the leaf, that she often makes it up! Considering the photorealism of her paintings, I found this to be exciting news and proof that she is such a keen observer and well rehearsed with her subject.

: Consolida

: Ginkgo biloba

Nick Fudge

Nick turned his back on the art world for 25 years and has now emerged with an amazingly well thought out body of work. Observing Nick’s paintings is like reading the pages of an art history book – fast. The references intertwine and weave about to build a new dimension, which is both familiar and fresh. Nick talked some of us through his paintings, how he draws upon not only art history but symbols from the digital evolution. Some of his emblems are relics from very early editions of photoshop and he uses the Apple computer’s logo abundantly. Nick doesn’t like to share his work on screens.

: Untitled

: Untitled

Gareth Lister

Gareth’s art is plain sexy, understated and cool. He paints on old wooden boards, his palette is generally subdued, whilst still allowing bright hues to work their way through to the surface. There is an abstract landscape assemblage and different lone male figures, which are based upon ancient Greek statues – a stalker, a sportsman and a ragged ex lover. All intriguing. All painted with a multitude of layers and distressed back to their bare bones. All executed with a careful yet carefree hand. You can find out more about Gareth on his Artists’ Network Alpujarra artist profile.

: Always a Younger You

: The Sumless Tale of Sorrow is all Unrolled in Vain

Emma Plunkett

I managed to get 2 new mixed media sculptures completed on the day of the expo opening. I brought all the elements in with me and assembled them for the first time in the exhibition hall. There’s nothing like a bit of stress to get the decision making process working swiftly. I really like wall pieces made of different materials and I am happy to be showing two of my own.

: Anthropomorphic Being

: Icarus

Exhibition rooms

Room 1

The first room, downstairs, is dedicated to 3 of my larger works. I call it my hot room because all three pieces are about hot older women. The large canvas of the Menopausal Woman describes what a hot flush feels like, with the heat in her face expressed through red and orange oil pastel scribbles. The Icarus sculpture has already flown too close to the sun and is falling. The wings are made of quince branches, the cloth in tatters. Also the blue stoneware clay back is cast from a female model in her late 40’s. The smaller painting, Quoting a Friend has a quote from a friend painted in gold, it’s about her and her life as a live artist – this painting is how I imagine her, when she briefly runs around naked on stage.

Room 2

Once upstairs, the gorgeously restored Moorish architecture opens out with high wooden ceilings and an outdoor walkway that overlooks the courtyard. The artists’ work is mixed up and positioned to compliment each other, one painting leads onto the next by colour and theme.