BRIGHOUSE Art Circle’s annual exhibition at the Smith Art Gallery is an inescapable event for local critics, but it’s a show worth going to see, is well hung and repays careful viewing.
Among quite a number of worthwhile landscapes, I enjoyed Ernest Broadbent’s detailed pieces in watercolour, including Caldbeck Village, Cumbria, with its high degree of realism.
There’s realism too, in the waves in Ron Blake Harper’s Clipper in the South Ocean (acrylic) with the vintage vessel battling its way along through rough seas.
Brian Edwards, on the other hand, has sheep battling on through the snow in his quirkily titled Winter Woolies at Conistone (acrylic) as the animals leave a snow-filled field for an equally snowbound road.
Simple ingredients, a cottage, plants and an old paved pathway are enough to make a satisfying composition in Ancient Stones, a watercolour by Marion Nash, while Sue May’s The Footpath (acrylic) is an inviting view through a stile, bordered by trees.
For more stylised landscapes, we can turn to Pat Brassington’s The Green Gate (acrylic) and Iconic Brighouse (acrylic) by David Redfearn, featuring the tall silos of Sugden’s Mill and the new converted mill flats opposite.
The Langdale Pikes, a famous Lake District landmark, get a rather different though still stylised treatment from Bill Wells (watercolour).
Carol Wood’s treatment of an Icelandic Waterfall (acrylic) is successful and quite dramatic.
Splendid, life-like portraits of a horse, Flare, of Eddie the Eagle and a Kingfisher on a branch are pastel works by Sue Smith.
I liked Roger Bates’ immaculate pen and ink work in his Subconscious Part 1 and Subconscious Part 2 – both showing a fine degree of abstract artistry, and imagination, with well-chosen fantasy imagery and delightful colouring.
K E Bolton’s Feather (etching) is a delightfully delicate piece of work.
Where portraits are concerned, there’s a strong pastel one of Marilyn Monroe by Les Boothroyd, and also in pastel, Alwyn Gower’s characterful and glamorous impression of Charlotte.
Geoff Habergham’s The Firebird (oil) is a boldly and well-presented action picture of a ballerina in mid-flight.
The exhibition runs till June 4 and the show is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am-12.30pm and 1-6pm and Saturday 10am-12.30pm and 1-4pm.
