Between City and Landscape at Oxmarket
Between City and Landscape offers an exhibition from Adam Aaronson and Henriette van der Does at Chichester’s Oxmarket Gallery from September
22-27 . The artists are from Guildford and West Horsley.
Adam describes them as two artists who are both passionate about the intensity of colour. They often exhibit their work together, sometimes with other artists.
Henriette said: “We had been planning a show together for some time, but lockdown interrupted everything. We’d heard great reports about the Oxmarket from friends who’ve exhibited there. Adam exhibited there recently with the Society of Designer Craftsmen and noticed there was a September slot available, so we took the plunge! It’s very exciting to be here.
“This is a pivotal show for both of us, as we are both on the move. So this could be our last chance to exhibit together for some time.”
Having lived in Guildford for 22 years Henriette is heading for pastures new in her native Netherlands while Adam is moving from West Horsley to live somewhere close to Chichester.
Between City and
Landscape will feature new paintings by Henriette as well as three of her figurative sculptures together with Adam’s free-blown glass vessels and sculpture, which he makes in his studio in West Horsley.
Henriette has come a long way from starting out as a student in French literature to becoming an artist in her own right at the turn of the century.
A qualified art psychotherapist, Henriette works with both children and adults in her own private practice.
“Both lines of work are continuously diverging from and complimenting each other through an endless stream of human and thus emotional interaction and inspiration,” she says.
“Humans or natur are never the same: we are always in motion, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Containing the unconscious and the collective unconscious, both will always be able to surprise us.”
She describes her work as strongly influenced by her ample life drawing classes and inspired by many different tutors in various cultural settings.
“Human figure, movement, emotion are predominant themes in my work; line and colour are added for personal style.”
Adam’s love affair with glass began almost 40 years ago and his passion for this “most unpredictable and seductive of artistic mediums” remains undimmed today.
His artwork is inspired, he says, by the “ceaseless mutability of light on the landscape, sky and water”, with the idea of change as a continual presence also a major theme: “Glass is the ideal medium to express these concepts since its properties are inherently mutable, not only in its molten state but also in the way the play of light creates endless nuances in the finished piece,”
Adam often works to commission. A recent project involved working with fellow Surrey artist Mary Branson.