Inchmore Gallery , Nr. Beauly, until February 2011

THE REOPENING of Inchmore Gallery by new owners Jane, Barbara and Bill Inglis reflects an initial period of transition between the identity of the gallery as established by previous owners Gwen and Fred Black and the potential emergence of a distinct new venue on the local art scene. It remains to be seen as the programme of solo and group shows unfolds in the New Year how the new Inchmore Gallery will define itself in terms of curatorial vision; however the presence of quality jewellery, ceramics, sculpture, original prints and paintings in this opening show presents an encouraging platform for future development.

Local audiences will recognise work by Inchmore Gallery’s regularly exhibiting artists including Gwen Black, Mark Lomax, Cyril Reed, Hazel Reed, Robyn Kennedy, Patricia Shone, Emma Noble, Janet Soutar, Jenny Hepburn, Michael Stuart Green, Jemma Derbyshire, David Body, Stuart Whatley, Julie Whatley and Jane Owen Inglis. The introduction of work by new artists to the gallery such as Ken Bryan, Polly Bryan, Mairi Wheeler, Annie Coomber, Carole Robinson, Liz Myhill, Lynn Bennett MacKenzie, Lesley Jones, Emma Siedle –Collins, Kim Bramley, Julia Smith, Ann Clayton, Anne Rooney, Laura West, Barbara Inglis, Helena Emmans, Elaine Russell, Chris Stuart and Helen Louise Robertson features some fine work in mixed media, ceramics, jewellery and glass.

A Ceramic bowl by Lesley Jones

Inspired by organic forms, a series of works in porcelain by Lesley Jones reveals the delicacy of the medium coupled with the beauty of nature. Created on an intimate scale, the artist’s Urchin, Shell and Almond bowls almost feel like cross sections for biological or contemplative study, with chambers in pieces such as Open-Shell Bowl 3 in grey/green glaze folded around the outer rim. The Urchin bowls glazed in tin and copper are particularly fine, visually blurring the line between a naturally formed/ found and hand made object. Beauty of form and delicate glazes characterise each unique work, as if each piece were a separate organism.

Another interesting work inspired by natural form yet transformed by Deco like geometry is Anne Coomber’s sculpture Beechnuts, in Ancaster limestone presented on a sycamore plinth. The beautifully smooth texture of stone against the fine grain of lightly golden wood, together with graceful angularity of her sculpted design creates an elegant aesthetic and it will be good to see a more representative sample of the artist’s work in future shows.

Ceramic bowls and plates by Julia Smith combine light opaque glazes with more robust form constructed in red clay. Detailed illustrative transfers of bees and butterflies beneath the transparent glaze gives the work a vintage flavour, with drawn detail also added to items in this lovely range of functional ceramics. William Morris’s words; “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful” immediately springs to mind, especially in this season of gift giving.

The dynamic and elemental work of ceramic artist Patricia Shone is richly in evidence in this opening show, demonstrating the fluid relationship between Fine Art and Craft disciplines. Larger sculptural pieces such as Contour 10 Flat Earth, whose crackled surface reads like the aftermath of a geological event, and the introduction of new forms such as hewn angularity of Faceted Bottle and curved geometry of Tri Corn Pot present striking works of strength and refinement.

Brooch by Helena Emmans

Stirling Silver Jewellery by Helena Emmans draws its inspiration from the shoreline and natural forms such as dandelion spores and pebbles. Her Gentle Crescent Brooch whose burnished and oxidised surface feels infused with the rhythm of moon and tides is a good example. The circular marks drawing the crescent read like shell or stone erosion, tiny holes that give each piece a unique and delicate quality. The artist’s Oxidised Irregular Spores Necklace, like a charm bracelet of shoreline finds, and Delicate Bud Chain, with its incised striations combine contemporary design, natural observation and fine craftsmanship in precious items of adornment.

A series of small fused and slumped glass pieces by Carole Robinson intriguingly combine hand painted and illustrative elements in curved square form, while the work of Kim Bramley celebrates the colour, vibrancy and light reflective properties of the medium in a superb series of abstract glass plates. Red Horizon is an excellent example; a kiln-formed and diamond wheel-cut glass plate in molten red and intense blue/aqua. The composition of this work is like a piece of Eastern calligraphy in its simplicity and beauty, divided as a triptych by the central motif in black. Another kiln-formed plate in vivid and iridescent bands of gold, green, purple and blue shimmers like peacock feathers or dragonfly wings, the chosen palette heightening our appreciation of light and colour within the whole composition.

Prints and mixed media works by Emma Noble such as the relief print Paris Batch #10 display a wonderful interplay of texture and layered surfaces evolving further in works such as 225 (Etching and Relief on Handmade Paper) and Fee Fi Fum (Mixed Media Print Collage) into more sculptural manifestations; 225 utilising the glass of the frame as yet another layer for exploration. This interesting treatment of surface and bold graphic fragments create a fluid and ambiguous series of images infused with urbanity and a spirit of experimentation. The materials and processes of original printmaking are in a state of play with the artist truly investigating the possibilities of her chosen medium.

The combination of established Inchmore Gallery artists and the introduction of new work, particularly contemporary craft, to the gallery provide an encouraging beginning for a new phase in Inchmore’s history as a creative space. While the gallery’s identity and vision under new ownership has yet to emerge, the coming year will hopefully see the establishment of a vibrant and sustainable new space for the promotion of Fine Art and Contemporary Craft in the region.

© Georgina Coburn, 2010

Links

• Inchmore Gallery