ASSEMBLING
This exhibition brings together work by a selection of contemporary artists, each of whom has an interesting approach to assembling materials and combining various techniques in their work. New artists to the gallery include Joan Doerr, Morgan Doyle, Mary-Jane Evans, Lauri Hopkins and William Reardon.
In her collages Michelle Thompson skilfully weaves a sense of creative order out of seemingly chaotic visual material and ‘Why?’, her new large mixed media piece on canvas, is a key piece on display. Direct yet delicate coloured book cover collages and assemblages by Lauri Hopkins provide a constructivist element in the show whilst, by contrast, the sculptural ceramic wall pieces by Mary-Jane Evans reveal a fascinating organic texture in the mixture of ceramic, slate, glazes and porcelain. In Morgan Doyle’s work different print techniques are used within one image including etching, screen printing and chine-collé. The result has the interesting effect of printed collage in the variety of textures visible within his abstract compositions.
William Reardon combines abstract gestural painting with bold geometric design in his paintings and constructions, creating a satisfying visual interplay between order and chance in his work. Much of Joan Doerr’s work is inspired by visits to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. Her paintings display a rich layering of mark making, which evoke natural cross rhythms of plant growth.
New ceramics by Matt Waite, jewellery by Karen Parker, Rhiannon Lewis & Flora Hely Hutchinson and textiles by Louise Rushford are also available.
This is a changing exhibition for September and October which will feature additional work by new artists being introduced throughout the show.