Hot on the heels of my July solo exhibition the George Farnham Gallery, I’m thrilled to have been invited to take part in the Holton Lodge Barn Late Summer Exhibition, Friday 9 August -Sunday 1 September.
And I’d be even more thrilled if you’d join me for the –
The exhibition itself runs 9 August – 1 September. Holton Lodge Barn is in The Street, Holton, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 8PN; opening times are Friday – Sunday, 11am – 5pm (Closed Monday – Friday).
During the pandemic and subsequent lock-downs, the NHS was (and still is) constantly in my thoughts. As a painter, this prompted me to produce a new body of work, the Lock-Down Series, reflecting my own feelings and experience of that time.
Handing over “Grief, Ruins and Miracles” to Rosie O’Donovan, Addenbrooke’s Arts Programme Manager
Recently, I was thrilled that Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge accepted two pieces from the series into their permanent art collection. I have a strong personal connection with Addenbrooke’s, so it’s good to have an opportunity to give something back to the doctors and nurses who’ve taken such good care of my family in the past, often under such difficult and demanding circumstances.
Grief, Ruins and Miracles (140 x 87 cm)
At the beginning of the pandemic, no-one anywhere was sure what was happening. PPE turned into masks of invisibility. This painting explores the strangeness and confusion, and the courage, which prevailed at that time.
When Will It End? (90 x 70 cm)
Research into and production of anti-Covid vaccines relied on intense working methods and huge commitment. I imagined the relentless processes and practices required in that environment, to achieve the desired result.
I’m delighted to announce that my work “If the Time is Right” has been selected for the upcoming Federation of British Artists exhibition Figurative Art Now at the Mall Galleries!
If the Time is Right (100 x 50 cm)
From the Mall Galleries website: “Featuring works by elected FBA members, prize-winners, regular exhibitors, FBA Futures Alumni and artists new to Mall Galleries… (“Figurative Art Now”) explores the breadth of representational painting, drawing, sculpture and printmaking in the UK today.”
The exhibition runs 7 July – 20 September. Sadly, for all the usual reasons, this year’s show will be virtual, but please bookmark https://bit.ly/mallgalleries and make a point of visiting, to show your support!
Dawn Bowden and Hilary Barry at the opening of “Pit Girls – Forgotten Women”
It was a pleasure to meet Dawn Bowden, Welsh Assembly Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, at the opening of the “Pit Girls – Forgotten Women” exhibition at Cyfarthfa Castle Museum on 8 March 2020.
You can learn more about the paintings and the background to the exhibition here. I’ve just finished updating the page to include audio recordings of the women’s testimonies to the 1842 Parliamentary commission.
The day after the launch of the “Pit Girls – Forgotten Women” exhibition, BBC Radio Wales invited me talk about its background and the significance of the women to the Welsh mining industry.
Click on the link below to listen to the interview.
Exciting news – the Cyfarthfa Castle Museum in Merthyr Tydfil has agreed to host my series of 12 “Pit Girl” portraits as part of a new exhibition titled “Pit Girls: Forgotten Women“!
Molly Donavan
Nesta Lewis
The exhibition runs Tuesday 3 March – Sunday 31 May 2020. Opening times: • 1 Oct – 31 March: Monday (Closed); Tuesday-Friday: 10am-4pm; Weekends: 12pm-4pm • 1 April – 30 Sept: Monday-Friday: 10am-5pm; Weekends: 12pm-5pm.
You can learn more about the Pit Girls’ history and how I came to paint their portraits here.
The museum is located at: Cyfarthfa Park, Brecon Road, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8RE T: 01685 727371 | W: http://bit.ly/Cyfarthfa
Cyfarthfa Park is located north of Merthyr Tydfil town centre on the A470. The museum is 20 minutes’ walk from the centre or there is a regular bus service. By car: Satnav postcode CF47 8PA.
STOP PRESS
Dawn Bowden (Welsh Assembly Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) has agreed to open the exhibition: 2pm, Sunday 8 March, to coincide with International Women’s Day.
It was good to be interviewed recently for a profile on my work and practice in the latest edition of ArtsEast, a leading magazine on the arts in the East.
The big news is that, following our move to Suffolk at the end of 2016, I now have my own studio with more space, excellent light and – almost a first for me – proper heating! It also doubles as a gallery, for me to show my new work. Here it is in the final stages of preparation:
New studio – Painting and working area
New studio – Storage and cleaning up area
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