After our New Year break, our Contemporary Group got off to a cracking start for 2023.

The session featured a diverse spectrum of topics and concepts from our members.  Here’s a flavour. 

Gill Haynes and Bob Oakley, in different ways discovered how, through an appropriate and sympathetic treatment, a topic can be explored and made more relevant.  Gill chose ‘tintype’ to sensitively reveal aspects of ‘Quiet Light’ while Bob favoured a ‘Polaroid look’ to add a tinge of nostalgia to his night-time portrayal of lights and the vivacity of ‘Worcester Fayre’.  Meanwhile, Tessa Mills and Eric Williams found subtle stories within carefully chosen restricted palettes at two historic venues.  The skeletal ruins of Witley Court reflected in puddles proffered narratives for Tessa, whilst Eric discovered visual echoes of palisades and spears among shadows and railings at Sutton Hoo.  All it takes is a seeing eye coupled with ‘being receptive’ and some imagination. 

Abstracts whether observed or engineered were the province of Jenny Mann and Richard Sarginson.  Jenny’s imaginative studies explored how the lucidity of light and the interplay of shadows in pieces of glass sculpture can delight us.  Richard used his skill and considerable imagination to manage and conjure fractal flames into flowing forms of interstellar liquid light.

Adventures in gardens inspired Nigel Reader and Paul Mann.  Nigel shared his encounters with starkly illuminated trees full of seasonal illuminations at Wisley.  Paul took us on a journey introducing us to the romance of the once lost but now not so lost, gardens of Heligan.

Lucy Allum’s topic concerned things that are past their best, but which nevertheless retain an evident patina of use and a history that we can only imagine.  Clive Haynes’ theme was also related to history, this time concerning an ancient priory. By reimagining its architecture, he conjured something of the astonishment and sense of wonder which it could have engendered when new.

The human condition connected the work of Stewart Bourne and Alex Isaacs this month.  Through a series of sensitive monochrome studies, Stewart’s interpretation of loss was both poignant and insightful.  In colourful contrast, Alex gave us a tiny glimpse into the lives and landscapes in Columbia.

Our two ‘outside sources’ this month revealed different ways of seeing. 

Argus Paul Estabrook is a conceptual street and documentary photographer. A biracial Korean American, he grew up in the USA and began making photographs of South Korean life.  His highly observational and opportunistic studies contain surprise, delight and humour.

Here’s the link to ‘Half Eye, Half I’.

Abelardo Morell: ‘In the Footsteps of Van Gogh’ interprets the countryside of many of van Gogh’s great works, reinventing and presenting scenes anew through combining his ‘tent camera’ and the ground directly beneath.  Here’s the link: 'In the Footsteps of Van Gogh'

All members work from our session are in our Viewpoint e-book for this month.  Click on the image below or this link:  Viewpoint and choose the February edition.  The same link provides access many previous issues of ‘Viewpoint’.  A fascinating treasure trove waiting to be explored.