Exhibition countdown

With our first exhibition of 2025 opening in a few days at The Minories, Colchester we’d like to focus on some of our extraordinary artists whose work will be on display there... 

 

Cathy Constable – Cathy uses fused glass to capture the ethereal qualities and feeling of the salt marshes, water channels, and mudflats. The reflective properties of glass are central to her work, evoking the nature and patterns of water and land. By combining opaque and iridescent glass, enamels, glass powders, and frits, Cathy adds complexity to her pieces. Her work often teeters on the edge of abstraction, aiming to reflect a sense of place, while occasionally adding context through elements such as Sandpipers, Avocets, sailing boats, or native plants. Cathy embraces the unpredictability of working with glass, where careful choices in color, composition, and heat work often lead to “happy accidents” that shape future techniques. Exhibiting at The Minories. 

 

Lynn Foster – Lynn's design style is best described as abstract and asymmetrical, drawing inspiration from painting, sculpture, architecture, design, fashion, jewelry, and more. She finds influence in mid-century modern and Japanese design, as well as artists like Malevich, Ben Nicholson, and Tapies. Working from sketches, she cuts sheets of glass to fit her designs, assembling them much like a collage or puzzle. Lynn often enhances her pieces with frits, powders, stringers, and glass confetti, and occasionally uses glass enamel paints. The work is fired in a kiln, with a second firing to slump the pieces into their final shape. To complete some of her work, she also utilizes a sandblasting machine at a local glass workshop to impart shading, a matte finish, or surface decoration. Exhibiting at The Minories. 

 

Paul Garcia – Paul specializes in traditionally bound books, with sections sewn by hand using linen thread. He enjoys experimenting with edge decoration, incorporating materials such as acrylic, graphite, and gold leaf. His designs always feature handsewn silk endbands, and the covers may be adorned with tooling in gold or blind, or with intaglio or relief designs. Paul is inspired by the endpapers, which are sewn in with hidden cloth joints for added strength, and his designs often evolve as the book is constructed. Paul is exhibiting work at The Minories and also at Suffolk in the City part of London Craft Week. 

 

Raeleen Gladwell – Raeleen learned the traditional methods for crafting leather bags and accessories from Valerie Micheal in Gloucestershire. After years of honing her skills, she left a long career in teaching to pursue her passion for working with leather. Using the highest quality British materials whenever possible, Realeen blends traditional techniques with contemporary designs to create functional, heirloom-quality pieces. Recently, she has started marbling leather and incorporating these unique pieces into her designs. Exhibiting at The Minories. 

 

Nicholas Rowe – Nicholas practices artistic woodturning, drawing inspiration from the bark, grain, imperfections, and distinctive features in green/wet, seasoned, and reclaimed wood that he sources locally. His process involves deciding which form will best highlight the material's natural visual and tactile qualities. As he turns the wood, he often encounters hidden voids, cracks, and spalting lines that inspire him to alter the final form. These natural features present challenges that Nicholas embraces, incorporating them to honor the material’s character. He also permanently marks the name of the wood and its growing place to add longevity to each piece. When working with a client's treasured wood, Nicholas takes extra care, ensuring the final piece resonates deeply with the owner. Exhibiting at The Minories. 

 

Nicholas is also hosting his celebratory solo exhibition ‘My First Career Decade’ at Benham Gallery, Colchester. He has developed his woodturning and built a successful career as an artist craftsperson over the last 10 years and this solo exhibition includes works from his BA (Hons) graduation in 2015, up to the present day. 

Benham Gallery at Cuckoo Farm Studios, Boxted Road, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5HH www.cuckoofarmstudios.org.uk 

Saturdays and Sundays 3 to 18 May 11am to 4pm, other times by appointment contact Nicholas.