MADhurst Art Trail 2022
Wander around historic Midhurst and view some unique works of art from talented local artists.
Childrens Art Trail – there is also a more child friendly version of the art trail A4 flyer – visit all the venues, look at all the pictures and collect MADhurst Art Trail stickers as you go round.
The Trail includes The Grange, Midhurst Art Gallery, Jazz Walker, Candymoon Studio, Midhurst Parish Church, The Angel Inn and The South Downs National Park Visitors Centre all of which are an easy walk around town, so if you can time it right you can do them all in one day – or spread the trail over several days or weeks – it runs until 28th August.
The full details of the Art Trail is below but shorter downloadable A4 pdfs are also available including a map:
Opening times:
- The Grange: Mon – Fri 7am-10pm Sat 7.30am–5pm, Sun 9am-5pm.
- Midhurst Gallery: Mon & Sun Closed, Tues, Thurs, Fri 10am – 5pm, Wed & Sat 9am – 1pm.
- Jazz Walker: Mon & Sun – Closed, Tue – Fri 10am-5pm.
- Midhurst Church 9am – 5pm (please be aware the church may not be accessible during services).
- Candymoon Studio: Mon & Sun Closed, Tues – Sat 10am-5pm.
- The Angel Inn: Mon – Sat 12pm – 5pm, Sun 12pm – 4pm.
- SDNP Visitors Centre: Mon – Fri 9am – 4pm, Sat & BH 9am – 2.30pm
NB Times may be subject to change at all venues at notice due to events, church services, staff illness etc.
If you are interested in purchasing any of the Artwork on display please contact secretary@madhurst.co.uk or contact the artist direct – details below.
The Art Trail 2022
The Grange – GU29 9HD
1.Sailing Together – Amy Lague. Acylic on Stretched canvas £475
Studying landscape in a very fluid and honest style, Amy captures the beauty she sees in nature. Manipulating the land she studies into a style that is expressive and recognisable throughout all of her artwork.
Amy is self-taught and has therefore never set herself any boundaries, traveling locally and further afield – the land has been Amy’s lessons in art. Having lived in South Africa and Greece, and spent regular residencies in France and Morocco, her travels are her main inspiration and what helps her progress in her art.
In amidst her travels, Amy also acquired a First Class Honours in a Music Production degree, focusing her creativity to writing and performing music. After graduating, Amy fused her love for music and art together. Letting her favourite artists in neo-soul, jazz and classical inspire her while she paints, resulting in the creation of enchanting and abstract landscapes and on most occasions a song suggestion for each of her paintings.
The concept of ‘Sunny Outside’ started from her dedication to recreate her favourite moments from her travels, reminiscing on the beauty of the lands she had lived and travelled to. Through Amy’s artwork, it is always ‘Sunny Outside’. sunnyoutside.co.uk
2. Midhurst Inspired – Jodi Whitby Stretched canvas £200
An edgy piece of artwork which Jodi explains was inspired by social media. Jodi Whitby is an artist from Midhurst West Sussex. Her first publicly exhibited piece of work was in The National Gallery, London at just 15 years old, Early in her career, she concentrated her abilities on drawing and illustration, but for the last twenty years has used paint to achieve a freer form of expression. Although not categorising herself in any one particular avenue, she is best known for her seascapes and figurative work.
Her paintings sell internationally and she is represented by the prestigious Kendall’s Fine Art Gallery in Cowes, Isle of Wight a popular port of call for art loving ocean goers.
Jodi also designs and publishes her own range of greetings cards (formerly Tattyhead Design) which are sold in many UK retailers. Cards are mostly humerous but include some images from her fine art collections. https://www.jodiwhitby.co.uk/
3.Do You Remember When We Thought Spring Would Never Come? – Rachel Parker Soden. Stretched canvas. £475
Contemporary British artist and Midhurst resident, Rachel Parker Soden, draws inspiration from the interplay of light on the landscape around us and a love of colour. Calling on intuition, inner emotions and memories of the sensory moments felt whilst in the landscape, she creates expressive abstract paintings that, rather than being a representation of an experience, become the experience.
‘I want to ignite senses, I’m not painting the sunset because the sunset that gives us the tingles is so much more, it’s a moment, an experience… I’m painting the tingles!’
Feeling compelled to paint after falling in love with the South Downs when moving here with her young family in 2019, and following on from a successful career in garden and landscape design, in 2020 Rachel made the commitment to focus professionally on her first love, art.
Rachel graduated in Fine Art, BA (Hons), from Kingston University in 2004. https://rachelparkersoden.co.uk/
Midhurst Gallery GU29 9LT
Visit the Midhurst Gallery to enjoy the work of different artists many of whom are local or have a local connection to Midhurst and West Sussex including: Peter Norton, John Robinson, Richard Ashcroft, Sian van Driel and Paul F Masset amongst many others. https://www.midhurstgallery.co.uk/
Jazz Walker GU29 9NF
| In addition to a piece on display at the Angel Inn you can see more of Paige’s artwork on display at Jazz Walker. As an abstract expressionist, collage, and mixed media artist, she works primarily with acrylic paints and newspaper cuttings. Paige is inspired by Cubism, and the Neo-Expressionist movement. See the full bio in the listing further below. |
St Mary Magdalene & St Denys Midhurst Parish Church GU29 9NN
4. Polperro – Jean Wapshere. Mixed media. £75
7. Sunset, Tafalgar Square – John Wapshere. Watercolour. £85
John and I both have been painting for many years and had been members of Midhurst Art Society for 20+ years. John’s preferred medium is watercolour, mostly landscape but occasionally a still life, whereas Jean uses a combination of watercolour, acrylic and acrylic ink painting mainly still life and occasionally landscapes in acrylic inks.
We were originally taught by Bridget Wood the well-known Chichester artist.
5.Cowdray Ruins Reflection – Richard Ashcroft £485
Richard Ashcroft BA (Hons) is a Midhurst based fine artist. He paints predominantly using watercolour, but also uses other mediums.
Richard gained his Honours degree at The University for the Creative Arts in Farnham (formerly Surrey Institute of Art and Design). He was inspired to paint from a young age, having been given a book of the works of German born, Australian artist, Hans Heysen; a book he treasures to this day.
A keen photographer, his paintings often reflect his love of the outdoors – taking inspiration from the wonderful moods and nature of the surrounding South Downs National Park and coastline, as well as the varied textures of England’s fine and rich heritage.
Over the last 6 years, he has also created a ‘Pyro Designs’ portfolio of pyrography ~ burning art into wood.
You can follow Richard on social media – Fine art website: http://rwashcroftfineart.com and Pyro Designs Instagram page http://pyro_designs
6.View over Midhurst Pond – John Robinson. Watercolour. £130
I was born into a painting family but my career in international business management left little time for artwork. However, it did remain a compelling hobby throughout, and since retiring, I have been able to develop my work. I remain largely self-taught, apart from a few short courses.
Working mainly in watercolour I love particularly the local Sussex and Hampshire landscapes and seascapes but will tackle any subject I find interesting. My work tends towards the literal. I normally rely on a colour sketch done on site, perhaps supported by a photo, which means I linger on the scene long enough to absorb its distinctive quality and ambience. The sketches are occasionally good enough to frame but, more often, form the basis for a finished painting produced in the studio soon afterwards.
I do accept commissions. http://www.johnrobinsonart.net/about
8. Underwater Imagination – Jeanette Sutton. Stretched canvas £95
My work is based on an imaginary underwater world of delicate and intricate plants and creatures which float in a watery space. https://jeanettesutton.co.uk/about/
9. Cloudscape 1 – Leticia Silva Dos Santos. Oil on Linen Canvas £300
Description: Oil on linen canvas board. Swolne clouds at the precipice of twilight.
Leticia Silva dos Santos graduated from Bath Spa University in 2018 with a BA(Hons) in Contemporary Arts Practice. In 2019 Leticia worked as an art tutor leading drawing classes at the Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington. Leticia decided to move to Midhurst in 2020 with her small son in order to enjoy the slower living of the countryside, and find fresh inspiration to continue developing her personal artistic practice, which has always been inspired by nature and natural forms.
Now having enjoyed spending time working solely as a freelance painter and illustrator, and as the world is seeking reconnection and community, Leticia is bringing her art lessons to the Southdowns.
Candymoon Studio GU29 9PB
| View Lesley Ann Hunt’s amazing Pop Art Inspired Pictures and Jesmonite Creations Candymoon studio is a contemporary art studio and gallery shop where you can purchase artworks directly from the artist. Come by to meet Lesley and view her work. You can be the first to witness her vibrant paintings and Jesmonite creations which appear almost edible! Lesley’s paintings are composed of a series of gestural line drawings and flat shapes of colour reminiscent to the Pop Art movement. She draws from humanity, life itself and observes the qualities that make us all human. A collection of ideas, studies from life, an imagined “togetherness” is represented through the interplay between her subject, memory and imagination. Her paintings are a snapshot of life with a simplified honest approach. Jesmonite is an incredible versatile material. It is an eco-friendly safe alternative to epoxy resin, plaster or concrete. It is a composite material used in fine arts, crafts, and construction. It consists of a gypsum-based powder in an acrylic resin and was invented in the United Kingdom in 1984. It’s even waterproof, heat proof and virtually indestructible! Lesley has been dying and pouring Jesmonite for nearly a decade through her art practice and now with her wealth of experience and knowledge she creates beautiful unique Jesmonite homeware products. They make great gifts and are beautifully gift wrapped. |
The Angel Inn GU29 9DN
10. Audra – Nicky Murray (Not for sale)
Nicky was the art exhibition co-ordinator and creator of “Artizane”, MADhurst’s flagship art exhibition in 2010, which included the curation and composition of a range of dynamic and eclectic pieces from local and guest artists, as well as garnering the sponsorship of resident businesses through marketing and PR in support of a memorable launch party and immersive “kick in the arts” experience. Since that time, Nicky has delved further into developing her own talents in sculpture and painting, clouds being the current painting theme of choice.
11. Avicii – Paige Walker £100
Painting since age six, my approach to my work continues to be driven by my inner child. This innate attitude to create in a raw and uninhibited way, allows me a sense of freedom with the paint and fully engages my curiosity for texture, shape and colour.
I am a first-class hons Sociology graduate from the University of Leicester. I painted throughout my time at university. It was what kept me going through the rigorous demands of academia.
Now, my sociological lens provides me with a unique perspective into societal systems, current affairs, and human behaviour, which underpins the social commentary apparent throughout my body of work. My work particularly explores social inequality and social justice.
As an abstract expressionist, collage, and mixed media artist, I work primarily with acrylic paints and newspaper cuttings. I am inspired by Cubism, and the Neo-Expressionist movement.
12. Three’s a crowd: Green King £120, Luna (+plant) £95 & Moshtash Man £120 – Katie Netley.
My name is Katie Netley the ceramic storyteller I have just moved to Midhurst and I tell stories through the medium of clay. I mostly make large ceramic totem poles. But these are some of my planters.
I always work in a frost resident clay that is made for outside.
You’re welcome to join my workshop it’s part of the madhurst festival through the month of August. ( Details – What’s on – madhurst.co.uk and have ago at making your own character.
The Ceramic Storyteller https://katienetley-ceramics.com/
The South Downs National Park Visitors Centre GU29 9DH
13. Cabbage – Diane Hodgson Watercolour print £80
Diane Hodgson is artist and tutor from Midhurst in West Sussex, UK specialising in botanical watercolours.
She teaches several weekly art classes and exhibits regularly as a member of the Midhurst Arts Society. http://dianehodgson.com/
And finally
Also on during August is an Open Artist Studio and Garden
Rachel Parker Soden. The Mint,Bepton Road GU29 9HD Thursday 25th Aug 5pm – 8pm & Sat 27th Aug 1pm – 4pm
If you are interested in purchasing any of the Artwork on display please contact secretary@madhurst.co.uk or contact the artist direct – details above.
Opening Times:
- The Grange: Mon – Fri 7am-10pm Sat 7.30am–5pm, Sun 9am-5pm.
- Midhurst Gallery: Mon & Sun Closed, Tues, Thurs, Fri 10am – 5pm, Wed & Sat 9am – 1pm.
- Jazz Walker: Mon & Sun – Closed, Tue – Fri 10am-5pm.
- Midhurst Church 9am – 5pm (please be aware the church may not be accessible during services).
- Candymoon Studio: Mon & Sun Closed, Tues – Sat 10am-5pm.
- The Angel Inn: Mon – Sat 12pm – 5pm, Sun 12pm – 4pm.
- SDNP Visitors Centre: Mon – Fri 9am – 4pm, Sat & BH 9am – 2.30pm