Posted on 12th Jul
A new art exhibition is helping people get into the summer spirit. Scenes of the Season: Celebrating Summer opened at the National Civil War Centre last week and aims to help visitors to experience the sights and feelings of summer across six stunning artworks.
The paintings have been handpicked from Newark and Sherwood District Council’s collection to celebrate the senses of British summer, from the sound of crops swaying in the breeze in fertile farmland to the scent of flowers in full bloom, as well as seaside scenes which showcase the country’s capricious weather from crashing waves amidst blustery skies to peaceful sun-drenched paddling.
The six artists are well renowned and include Newark’s own Sir William Nicholson who had a house on London Road and boarded at the Magnus School before going on to an illustrious career which saw him provide the original illustrations for The Velveteen Rabbit.
Other artists featured include his daughter-in-law, the impressionistic colourist Winifred Nicholson who was a friend of Mondrian, and Virginia Woolf’s sister and Bloomsbury Group member Vanessa Bell.
Collections and Exhibitions manager Glyn Hughes said: “We are really excited to take this opportunity to showcase more of the stunning paintings in our collection. The links between nature, art and wellbeing are pronounced and we hope that offering free entry for residents to enjoy these beautiful works, alongside the rest of our exhibitions, will be beneficial. Our plan moving forward with this gallery is to celebrate each season in turn with artworks which embody their different aspects.”
Coun Rowan Cozens, deputy leader and portfolio holder for Heritage and Culture and the Arts at Newark and Sherwood District Council, added: “I’m amazed at the art treasures we have and delighted to see more of them out for the public to enjoy. Losing myself in a painting is one of my favourite activities and I was particularly taken with the farm scene by Vanessa Bell.
“There is so much depth to it as she lost her son in the Spanish Civil War and the idyllic setting seems to reflect what might have been had he returned home to farm, bring up a family and walk in the countryside. I can’t resist a seaside painting either and loved the one by Dame Ethel Walker of Robin Hood’s Bay, especially as the North Yorkshire Coast is one of my favourite holiday destinations.
“This really is a gem of an exhibition; I felt very privileged to get a sneak peek first and I look forward to seeing more of the collection on display in the future.”
The National Civil War Centre has recently welcomed Artist in Residence Samantha Jayne as part of their Open Doors programme, funded by Arts Council England. Samantha is offering regular drop-in sessions to have a go with the virtual reality technology she uses to create her art and is usually in the building from Wednesday to Friday, with updates posted on the National Civil War Centre’s social media pages and at www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com/opendoors.
The Centre is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm and is now free for all Newark and Sherwood residents.
