Art Network exhibition at La Vallette

Sunday 04 August 2019

The Art in the Environment exhibition will be in place at La Vallette throughout the month of August.

A mixture of mediums is represented among the works including a large wooden sculpture carved from a tree.

The exhibition was opened on Thursday evening with a drinks reception. It features sculpture from Yasmin Mariess (reproduced in photographs) and a large arresting wooden sculpture by Joe Kincaid as well as a number of 2D works. Frances Lemmon has reproduced a number of works created during her recent trip to Costa Rica. 

All of the artists featured are locally based. Bridget Spinney has created the large fish collage centrepiece of the exhibition from mixed materials as well as some landscape paintings featured along La Vallette promenade where the works are situated. 

Guernsey Art Network Chair Vivien Ferneyhough said the exhibition has been eight months in the making inspired by a trip to the continent. 

"Myself and my husband were holidaying in Brittany and doing a lot of canal walks, we came across this section of canal and they had sculptures in the water, sculptures overhanging the water... we thought 'what a great idea'," she said. 

The Guernsey Art Network was formed in 2015 for creative visual artists to find a "platform for people to show each other their work, collaborate and exhibit". 

"We'd already been shown around La Vallette by Pat Johnson who said the space was available for this type of event. 

Pictured: Artwork by Patrick Earle. 

"It's turned out to be a great success. To my knowledge it's the first time actual sculpture has been displayed in the area, there's been photographic exhibitions before, it was also our first time hosting an outdoor exhibition. We've held events at the Greenhouse Gallery, Inner Market and behind the old Royal Hotel site before but all indoors.

"Facebook's been going crazy and the Governor himself - who is our patron - was quite blown away, he said if he was a tourist he'd be absolutely thrilled and what a wonderful view point.

"We've had quite a few people saying this is just what Guernsey needs," she said. 

Pictured above: Artwork by Bridget Spinney.