Festival Exhibition Artist - Jo Ferrell

Jo Ferrell is a highly-qualified Art Therapist from Australia who, by the vagaries of the job market has ended up in Crowborough "-and loving it! Although formally trained, I label myself more as a naive kind of artist - never one for a formal study - I get seduced by cheap, yummy materials and quickly executed, cartoony images - more about meaning than substance."

Jo's skills go beyond drawing and painting into craft work, ceramics and jewellery. She has exhibited extensively in Australia for places such as Fremantle Art College, Curtin University, the Craft Council of Australia and the South West Tourist Bureau. Her work is delightfully quirky and full of humour, gentle yet thought provoking. You must not miss the opportunity to see some of this work at the Festival Exhibition and at the gallery presented by World In Need, Mill Crescent, Crowborough and which will be open every day of Festival week. See separate blog entry for full details. joeyblossum@dsl.pipex.com

Festival Art Exhibition - United Church, Croft Road

The Festival Art Exhibition to be held at the United Church, Croft Road, Crowborough from 18th - 26th September offers a wide selection of work in many media including oils, acrylics, watercolours, photography, embroidery, sculpture, collage, pencil drawings and printing. Most of the artists also have work on display in some of the town centre and Jarvis Brook shops and in their own Open Studios and Garage Galleries.

Visitors will see work presented by: Anne Acott, Erica Adams, Angela Vernon Bates, Mary Bradley, Jan Brine, Raphael Che, Frank Collard, Pauline Dixon, Marina Elphick, Jo Ferrell, Sarah Gauntlett, Colin Goodes, Mary Harris, Sheila Hay, Elizabeth Hunt, Lynn Inglis, John Killens, Chriss Langworthy, Hannah Muskett, Steffi Pusch, Shaheen Razvi, Valerie Riley, Betty Robey, Linda Smith, Barbara Todd, Justin Todd, Deborah Tompsett and Molly Williams.

The Exhibition will be open on Weekdays and Saturdays between 11 am and 7 pm and on Sundays between 12.30 - 5 pm. Some of the work will be for sale and admission to the Exhibition is free of charge.

The Festival would like to thank the Reverend Dominic Grant and the United Church for the use of this beautiful building and for all their continued support.

Festival Exhibition Artist - John Killens

John Killens is a well-know local artist whose work in oil and watercolour is in great demand.

"I paint to show the scenes and objects that are exciting and which interest me, particularly the way in which manmade objects fit into and become part of our environment."

John has more of his work to show you at the Festival Exhibition at the United Church, Croft Road.

killensart@tiscali.co.uk

Festival Exhibition Artist - Lynn Inglis

Lynn Inglis is a self-taught artist who lives on the Ashdown Forest. She spends time in the south of France each year and this gives her inspiration and a fresh, vibrant approach to her work.

See more of Lynn's striking images at the Festival Exhibition.

Festival Exhibition Artist - Mary Harris

Mary Harris is a very experienced local artist whose recent work has evolved through attending watercolour classes, a print making course and a woodcut workshop, the latter with Merlyn Chesterman. "I am inspired by the tension and life struggle in trees, by all Nature and in people's faces."

More of Mary's work will be on show at the Festival Exhibition, Croft Road United Church, Crowborough from 18th - 26th September. Weekdays 11am - 7pm: Sundays 12.30pm - 5pm.

Free admission.

Festival Exhibition Artist - Colin Goodes

Colin Goodes is a member of Crowborough Art Group. "Since 1974 I have attended tutored classes at Crowborough Beacon, Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield, Brighton and open colleges of art courses covering most mediums and subjects." Colin enjoys painting realisitic landscapes in oil and watercolour and you will find some of his work at the Festival Exhibition.

Festival Exhibition Artist - Pauline Dixon

Pauline Dixon - "My work is the study of flowers, fruit and vegetables in watercolour and pencil, exploring the exquisite detail and pure beauty of the subject."

See more of Pauline's gloriously detailed at the Festival Art Exhibition, United Church, Croft Road.

paulinedixon@btinternet.com

Festival Exhibition Artist - Marina Elphick

Marina Elphick is a highly-skilled professional artist who specialises in original and beautiful work using batik wax, watercolour and dye in layers. Her work is inspired by nature, colour and people.

www.marinaelphick.co.uk

See more of Marina's lovely work at the Festival Exhibition.

Festival Exhibition Artist - Jan Brine

Jan Brine - "My paintings - which are large oil and acrylic abstracts - explore the relationships between shape and colour, hoping to arrive at an interesting image."

See work by Jan at the Festival Art Exhibition, United Church, Croft Road, Crowborough from 18th - 26th September. Weekdays and Saturdays 11am - 7pm: Sundays 12.30 - 5pm.

Admission is Free

Open Studios and Garage Galleries - Angela Butler

Angela Butler is a local artist who invites you to view her paintings, mostly watercolor with some pastel sketches, all of which represent her memories of places she has found.

Angela will open her Gallery at Linnet Cottage, Tunwell Lane, Crowborough TN6 3RJ on both of the Festival weekends - 18th/19th and 25th/26th September between 11 am and 4 pm. Hers is the second driveway on the right along Tubwell Lane from the Rotherfield end.

Open Studios and Garage Galleries - Catherine Woodman

Over the last ten years local artist Kate Woodman has developed a keen interest in writing poetry, mathmatical drawing, collage and photography. During the recent severe winter she has drawn snow scenes in Crowborough incorporating detailed studies of trees and gardens. Her abstract collage, 3D and mathmatical fine line drawings are inspired by her late father, Prof. Geoffrey Matthews, the works of M. C. Escher, Barbara Hepworth and Art Deco designers of the past.

"I enjoy adding a touch of humour to some aspects of my work as well as more serious and often deeply spiritual dimensions."

You can see some of Kate's work on show at the Community Church, Beacon Road, Crowborough over both Festival weekends - 18th/19th and 25th/26th plus Friday 24th September from 11 am - 6 pm. She will be exhibiting alongside painters Raphael Che and Michael Horner and they promise a display of great diversity and interest. The Church is a short way up from the Crowborough Cross junction on the right-hand side. All visitors can expect a warm welcome and a unique experience.

catherinewoodman@btinternet.co,

Open Studios and Garage Galleries - Erica Adams

Erica Adams is a local artist who works in a variety of media and especially enjoys watercolour. She says "Not being allowed to attend Art College gave me the freedom to experiment. It is still a real joy when the unexpected happens, especially in watercolour."

Her work has been exhibited at The National Society, the Guildhall, London, Hampstead Open Air Exhibitions and the Camden Art Centre. Her paintings have been sold at Liberty's of Regent Street and have been bought and taken to many different parts of the world including Paris, Rome, Switzerland, Oklahoma and Caracas in Venezuela. Three of her watercolours are hanging in the downstairs connecting corridor of The Spa Hotel, Tunbridge Wells.

Erica undertakes portrait commissions and from September to May each year she runs a weekly Portrait session at the Tunbridge Wells Art Society. And in addition to all this, she is a published author with three of her saucy humourous novels available to buy on Amazon UK! Take a look!

Some of Erica's lively and varied work can be seen at the Hoath Cottage Gallery, Croft Road, Crowborough over the two Festival weekends - 18th19th and 25th/26th September - open 11 am - 4 pm. Here she will be exhibiting alongside creative photographer Linda Smith and expert quilter Corinne Simpson. Hoath Cottage is at the junction of Croft Road with Mill Lane and the Festival thanks hosts Mr and Mrs Arrowsmith for their generosity in offering their lovely garage as a venue.

ericaadams@talktalk.net http://www.artistricky.blogspot.com/