Oxfam Gallery’s final exhibition ‘Future: Unknown’ celebrates the future

February sees the opening of the final ever exhibition at the Salisbury Oxfam Art Gallery; a celebration of the future of art in Salisbury by young artists from The Unit. The Unit is an independent, non-political social enterprise broadly aiming to use creative approaches to empower and nurture a sense of agency in young people.

This exhibition will be the last for the Oxfam Art Gallery as the venue will sadly be closing its doors in March 2012. The Oxfam Art Gallery was opened in 2008 as the first ever Oxfam gallery and has hosted exhibitions by various local artists. The gallery is staffed by a dedicated team of Oxfam volunteers.

This final exhibition, by promising young talent, is an eclectic range of emerging art ranging from giant origami sculpture to hand crafted brooches, photography and large scale paintings. The exhibition runs from 10th to 25th February at the Oxfam Art Gallery (above the Oxfam bookshop) in Catherine Street, Salisbury.

Contributing artists for ‘Future: Unknown’ became involved through the young people’s organisation, The Unit, based in Endless Street in Salisbury. Those taking part are all aged between thirteen and nineteen and had to pass through a rigorous selection panel before making it to the exhibition as competition for places was fierce. Two local graphic artists and friends of The Unit, Nich Angel and Stew Taylor, will be exhibiting their work alongside the young artists and shall be hosting the preview evening on Thursday 9th February 5 – 7pm. All are welcome to join us at the gallery on this very special evening.

Heather Minto, Project Manager at The Unit said: “ We are thrilled to have been asked to curate the last ever exhibition in the Oxfam Art Gallery. We work with some extremely talented young people and this will be an excellent platform for them to showcase their work. At the same time however, it is tinged with sadness that such a community spirited gallery is to close.”

On Thursday 9th February come and meet the artists and find out more about them, their art and The Unit anytime between 5pm and 7pm. Artwork will be on sale from this time. All are welcome to attend this informal gathering. The exhibition opens on Friday 10th February and continues until Saturday 25th February. The gallery is located at 10 – 14 Catherine Street Salisbury and is open Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm. Entry is free.

Take a look at the exhibition poster here.

A winter wonderland arrives in Salisbury this December as the Oxfam Art Gallery in Catherine Street hosts its latest exhibition entitled ‘Advent’. Taking pride of place are limited edition prints of the original Sir John Tenniel illustrations featured in ’Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ and ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’. Displayed alongside these will be the work of local artists and craft-persons ranging from painting, ceramics, jewellery and millinery. All proceeds from the sale of the illustration prints and twenty five percent from the sale of the other items will be donated to Oxfam.

Since opening in 2008 the gallery, the first of its kind for Oxfam, has gone from strength to strength. The combination of donated items, synonymous with Oxfam, exhibited side by side with original art is also a relatively new idea and this exhibition further expands on the mix of the new and the more familiar as there will be both veteran and first time exhibitors at the gallery.

Amongst those to show at the gallery for the first time is Moira Ross. Moira produces stone carvings and has exhibited across the South including the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey during 2010. Also new to the gallery is the work of Lisa Von Hallwyl. Lisa is a fashion and jewellery designer and a graduate of the Winchester School of Art. Lisa’s striking millinery has proved popular at weddings.

Veteran exhibitors include the Eeles Family Potters and Brian Hodgson. Both have an extensive following. Brian recently held a successful solo exhibition at the gallery during the September Salisbury Art Trail and regularly exhibits his evocative oil paintings in London. The Eeles family, from Dorset, are renowned for their imaginative and striking ceramics and they produce those using experimental techniques unique to the family.

Richard Eveleigh, a recent graduate and volunteer at Oxfam, says that he is delighted to work at the gallery. “The gallery is a lovely exhibition space. When it opened I held my first exhibition there and it has proved a massive boost both to my confidence and to my CV. The experience of exhibiting there has allowed me to develop my skills and I have since exhibited across the country, most recently in London. It is also very rewarding to know that art work is supporting such a good cause. This is something that many artists agree with and, next year, we will be pleased to welcome our first international artist to the gallery, Fareen Butt who is based in New York. ”

The exhibition opens its doors to the public on Friday 3rd December and continues until the 23rd December. The gallery is located at 10 – 14 Catherine Street Salisbury and is open Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm. Entry is free. More information about the gallery and this exhibition can be found at www.salisburyoxfam.org.uk/gallery

Date: 3rd – 27th November 2011
Location: Oxfam Art Gallery, 10 Catherine Street, Salisbury, SP1 2DA
Artist: Eeles Family Potters

Simple ingredients used with rare skill, provide unusual results. Oxfam Art Gallery is extremely proud to be hosting this exhibition of ceramics members of the Eeles Family Potters from West Dorset. The Eeles Family; David, Patricia, Benjamin & Simon Eeles work as a team and make a wide range of ceramics by hand including stoneware, porcelain and raku. Using basic ingredients such as ball clay from near Poole in Dorset, china clay from South Devon and fine alluvial sand from West Dorset remarkable objects are created.

The work is individually decorated with a variety of clay slips, colours & glazes, which are prepared by the Eeles Family with extensive testing & firing to produce the complete range of textures & patterns that their work is renowned for. Their work is exhibited across Great Britain and many of their objects can be found in public and private collections throughout the world.

Entry to the gallery is free. Open 10am – 4pm Monday to Saturday. 25% of proceeds go direct to Oxfam’s vital work in combating poverty.

“It is always a delight to see the unique work of the Eeles Family Potters. Their unusual style sits beautifully in the gallery” Richard Eveleigh, Oxfam Art Gallery Assistant

You can find out more information about Eeles Family Potters at their website at http://www.eelespottery.co.uk

7th – 29th October 2011, Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm, Oxfam Art Gallery, Salisbury Oxfam

Oil paintings from three series: Cathedral Light; Reflecting in Light; Treasured Toys.

This exhibition of oil paintings presents observations on the everyday fabric of our urban and rural environment. With the effects of light as a companion the series of works endeavour to show how our experience of the structures around us are very much part of our sense of place.

The exhibition is also part of the Salisbury Art Trail, which you can find out more about here! As part of the Art Trail you can also Meet the Artist on Thursday 13th and Saturday 15th October.

Find out more information about Brian Hodgson at his website: www.brianhodgson-art.com

We look forward to welcoming you to our new Exhibition that will be open 10am-4pm, Monday-Saturday from Friday 9th September until Saturday 1st October.

Zoe Snelson, a recent graduate of the Art’s University College,at Bournemouth is holding her first solo Exhibition at the Salisbury Oxfam Art Gallery.

Entitled “Movement” her sculptures, paintings & drawings are inspired by the poem “The Third Body” by Robert Bly.