Western Morning News (Saturday)
Inner Visions from trio of talented artists
FRANK RUHRMUND enjoys a group exhibition from three artists who share with us their inner visions at a gallery in St Ives
Born in Cambridge, when still a teenager Richard Holliday was an apprentice there as a stone mason, studied at the Cambridge College of Arts & Technology, and later worked on such buildings as Westminster Abbey, King’s College, and Ely Cathedral, plus any number of more modern buildings. In the late 1980s he founded his own company in Cambridge and for several years carried out commissions on numerous public and private art projects, from the Battle of Britain memorial, Folkstone, to Animals in War, Park Lane, London, all of which were to lead to the realisation of his dream, coming to Cornwall a few years ago, to St Keverne where he set up his Rholli gallery and studio, and, of course, to Inner Visions, the group exhibition he is now sharing with Sue Davis and Sean Hewitt in the Studio Gallery, within the Penwith Gallery, St Ives. As he says, the peace and beauty that surround his home and work place on the Lizard offer his mind room for creative thinking, something which is reflected in all that he presents here, from Lean, made from Cornish soapstone, to Inner Fishion, made from Hoptonwood limestone.
One who attended Hitchin College of Further Education, where Quentin Crisp had been one of its life models, Sue Davis subsequently studied at the Central School of Art, London, and later taught becoming the head of art in a Harrow school which she eventually left for a prolonged visit to the USA. On her return to this country she started a ceramic and mural painting business, which combined drawing with ceramics. The strong division between the art work that earned her living and that of her individual work was an important part of her development as an artist.
Several years ago she was able to sell her business and to come and live in Cornwall where, as she says, “Thankfully, I’ve been able to concentrate on my own artistic development.” Since then she has become a founder member of the group Abstract 7, and has exhibited with great success. From Carbon – Light to Crook, Hook, Silent Beam, the abstracts she is showing here will surely encourage viewers to let the works come to them, into their thoughts, and be owned by them,
Although he has long since lived and worked in Cornwall, Sean Hewitt spent all his childhood in Cyprus and other countries in the Middle East and it is that which has inspired in him a lifelong love of colour. As he says: “The sunshine yellows and azure iridescent blues of the Mediterranean, landscape, the contrast of hot and cool colours are reflected in my work. Recently it has focused on the central theme of the circle, its presence and power in nature, in the man-made environment and as a spiritual and primitive symbol. I see my work as experiments in colour balance. Music plays an integral part in my life, I can’t live without it, but essentially my work is an emotional response to people and places I love, and music is a hook to hang it on.”
An academician of the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts, and a member of the Plymouth Society of Artists, the St Ives Society of Artists, and an associate member of the Penwith Society of Arts, poetry as well as music plays quite a part in his life. Many will remember his exhibition Play it Loud, held in the Crypt Gallery, St Ives, a few years ago which was devoted to WB Yeats. From ‘Round About Midnight’ to ‘I see the green stream that meanders round my mind, A girl standing there with arms so warm and kind’, his paintings are as compelling as they are colourful.
A collection of Inner Visions by a trio of talented artists which was well worth a visit, but for lockdown it could have been seen until today, Jan 9, 2021.