Art for All
Darlington Society of Arts
Thursday 30th October – Friday 28th November
Image: The Stang, Greta Coates
Darlington Society of Arts was founded in 1922 to stimulate interest and appreciation of the arts in Darlington. The Society’s activities include: Saturday outdoor painting excursions in the summer, annual exhibition in October and a programme of club nights on Wednesday evenings at 7.30 pm in the Arts Studio at the Arts Centre for three terms during the year, when members have the opportunity to see demonstrations, take part in painting or craft related workshops, work from models/still life, or continue with their own work. Visitors are welcome at all our events.
This exhibition illustrates the wide range of styles, subject matter and interests of the society forming a unique collection of work. The artworks include watercolours, acrylics, pastel, collages and oils featuring floral work, landscapes, seascapes, portraits and more, reflecting the variety and quality that has come to characterise this historic Darlington Society.
Northern Landscape Photography
Geoff Perry
Wednesday 17th September – Saturday 25th October 2008
Living in Darlington, County Durham my work is mostly local and depicts landscapes and North Sea beaches. Early morning and evening light, along with water, are common themes throughout. Working pre-dawn to sunrise with minimal light interests me as it is a time of solitude and awakening. I find solitude in the wilderness spiritually fulfilling and photography is my way of communicating this. Capturing atmospheric images is most rewarding and light plays an important part in this. Low light conditions often experienced at sunrise and sunset can transform the scene, often obscuring non-essential detail and emphasising the more formal elements. The environment and nature have always been an integral part of my life. In the past I stored many visual memories in my mind but too many were lost to time. Photography can give such memories a sense of permanence and a vehicle to share that rare moment with others.
A Sense of Place
Pam Jenkins
Saturday 2nd August – Monday 15th September
A Sense of Place features work inspired by colours and textures from around the North East and further afield. The prints started life as a series of mixed media paintings plotting the seasonal changing marks on the land. They have evolved to become more like abstract magical maps or even stitched quilts making links between memory and a sense of the place.
Jenkins takes inspiration from textures, old pieces of weathered wood or metal, and anything with a story behind it. She collects objects on walks and explorations and then incorporates them into her work. Yesso, collage and gold leaf are all materials that provide a lot of scope to develop textures and surfaces.
After completing a BA Hons in sculpture, Jenkins has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally and her commissions include creating painted background for fashion photographers and illustrations for books and magazines.