Programme
Forthcoming exhibitions at the Wharf Gallery are shown below.
Please contact us if you would like to exhibit your work. We particularly encourage local artists and actively promote new talent.
All paintings are for sale – please enquire at the Wharf Box Office.
For invitations to private views, or if you would like to exhibit at the Wharf Gallery, please contact Chris Burchell, Art Director, on 01822 613928, email chrisburchell@tavistockwharf.com, or fill in our enquiry form.
Steve Clements-Large and Steve Beer – Paintings
Monday 10th June – Friday 5th July
Steve Clement-Large
Steve Clement-Large is a self-taught artist living on the edge – of Plymouth & Dartmoor.
He started painting in 2008 and posting the results on a blog, got his first commission within a few weeks.
“I felt I might be on to something – even at that early stage”
After 18 months his painting “Argyle Man” was selected for a public art commission and was reproduced on the back of the Big Screen in Plymouth City Centre; which was a massive boost to his self-confidence.
Since then he has had his own solo show in Plymouth and been part of several group shows. Tavistock Wharf will be his second solo show.
“My tastes and styles are an eclectic mix – heavily influenced by twentieth century artists – but I always try to plough my own furrow and do what I like. This show will be a mixture of older paintings or drawings – and ones that I have created especially for it. Some will be on canvas and others on paper”
“I have called myself My Dog Ate Art online since the beginning – my website can be found at mydogateart.com”
Steve sells his work across the UK and has customers in the US, Canada, Brazil and the Far East.
Steve Beer
An established artist, Steve Beer is a graduate of Falmouth and Plymouth Colleges of Art. A graphic designer and film maker, he joins his friend Steve Clement-Large for this attractive and fascinating exhibition.
Peter Rich – Photography
Monday 8th July – Friday 2nd August
After studying fine art in London some years ago, Peter Rich recently returned to the South West where he was brought up.
He has explored most areas of photography – from street photography in London, to portraiture and studio work. His main interests now lie in combining his photographic skills with his passion for Dartmoor and the rivers which flow from it.
Although Dartmoor cannot be considered a vast area in comparison to many other national parks, it is more than a life-times work for an artist of any discipline, and the deeper he explores, the deeper he sees.
Jo Wakefield – Abstract Paintings – ‘A Shared Headspace’
Monday 5th August – Friday 30th August
About two years ago, Jo Wakefield discovered the joy of creating with acrylic paints and mixed media. She finds the creation of art hugely therapeutic.
In this busy world, she paints from feelings and emotions rather than having a planned picture in her head. Having in the past attended many traditional art classes she found that still life, vases, jugs and bits of fruit didn’t quite do it for her.
Jo’s pictures evolve as the work progresses. Many of her artworks are created with knives, fingers, spatulas and other implements… brushes rarely are brought into play.
As evidenced by her work, Jo loves vivid and strong colours. She also uses emulsion paint, sprays and other media, incorporating texture, sometimes in the form of beads, glitter and so forth into each piece of artwork.
She believed that acrylic art and other media have untapped a part of her headspace. At times, she has been nigh on crippled with mental anxiety and stress but this way of creation has unleashed so much passion and soul in her. Jo would urge anyone to give this art form a try because if you don’t, you will never know what the paint, the colours, the joy and the textures can evoke.
Jo Wakefield works from her studio in the glorious Devon countryside and every piece encapsulates the energy and enthusiasm of the natural forces around her.
Rachael Bennett – ‘A Dialogue in the Media of Landscape’
Monday 2nd September – Friday 27th September
Rachael Bennett sees her paintings as an environment allowing personal thought, connections and the ability for the viewer to make personal interpretations.
Her painting process is unconventional, often laid bare or becoming very layered and complex. She likes the resulting contrast and tension, leaving the decision to unravel or leave as mystery.
Bennett’s painting and drawing mostly takes the form of landscape and she likes to work on a medium to large scale either collaging, printing and painting onto canvas or using papers (she is a papermaker), to create the surface and resulting image.
After developing her initial concept – choosing a poem, visual reference, or emotional aspect – she will photograph it and make notes/drawings using words to consolidate her thoughts and desired outcome.
She works on several pieces at once, usually 4 at a time, so that they can ‘talk’ to each other during the making, so balancing the intensity of the process and allowing time for the alchemy of process and materials to evolve.
The actual process is often uncomfortable and meandering as she layers, strips down, washes off and rebuilds until she achieves her conceived outcome – that moment does eventually appear and is unmistakable, but getting there is hard work.
Website: www.rachaelbennettpaintings.com
Matthew North – Photography
Monday 30th September – Friday 1st November
South Devon Musician Matthew North is as much as a fan as a performer and has a keen eye for taking photos of Artists he enjoys. In recent years he has gathered a superb portfolio of names that he has photographed from the Likes of The Who, Roger Waters, U2, The Cure and The Rolling Stones to artists such as David Knopfler, Lloyd Cole and Howard Jones. His work was recently Exhibited in Exeter and is very much looking forward to displaying in Tavistock: “No Pass Required – A Fan’s Eye View of Rock And Roll”.
As a Musician Matthew has released many albums and toured all over the UK, and recently toured Italy, Germany and played Ronnie Scott’s with Jazz legend Mike Westbrook, as well as having a solid solo career as a Guitarist and Producer.
Dorothy Harris – Photography
Monday 4th November – Friday 29th November
A professional photographer living in Tavistock, Dorothy Harris graduated from The London College of Printing in the 70’s and after a career in film and later as a freelance photographer in London, relocated to the South West.
She enjoys seeking out locations that show potential and then revisits the sites regularly in different seasons and weather conditions until composition, colour and light all come together.
Harris finds the local variations of landscape and cloudscapes fascinating, and the technical photographic side challenging. She derives great pleasure from capturing the final digital images which are available as limited edition prints.
A member of the art group ‘Drawn to the Valley’, Dorothy Harris is represented by Art Gallery SW from which prints from her portfolio are available.
Email: dorothyharris244@gmail.com
Joan Moncrieffe BA – Paintings
Monday 2nd December – Friday 10th January
Joan Moncrieffe is an East Devon artist/designer-maker. Born in Leamington Spa, she spent time pattern making and drawing from a very early age.
Later graduating with a degree in three-dimensional design, she went on to having her illustrative work published and continued to work to commission, exhibiting in various locations under her birth name, ‘Joan Prowse’.
Having spent time living and exhibiting in France, she returned to the UK in the ’90s. Now based in Exmouth, she continues to exhibit her work regularly and enjoys working to commission, giving talks and holding workshops.
Recently married, Joan is launching various new works under her new name and introducing oils into her repertoire.
