BOTANICAL 2017

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Anne-Marie Butlin

I am a full-time painter working from my studio in Crouch End, North London. Using a sort of ‘tapestry’ of marks, I hope to convey the character of different flowers and the unique feeling they can create in a space; the strong structures and often the sheer joyfulness of their appearance. I try to capture the quiet transitory moments which make any garden space such an oasis of calm, giving us space to contemplate and meditate, and reminding us of our mortality and place in the natural world.

Group exhibitions include the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, the Royal Watercolour Society and I currently have work in The Brian Sinfield Gallery, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Beside the Wave Gallery and Linda Blackstone takes my work to Affordable Art Fairs in London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. Dry Red Press have published a range of cards featuring my work, and I regularly contribute to Artists and Illustrators magazine.

‘Geum in Green Jug’ Oil on canvas, 20cm x 20cm £495

‘Garden Flowers’ Oil on canvas, 20cm x 20cm £495

‘Delphiniums’ Oil on canvas, 100cm x 100cm £3350

‘Verbascum’ Oil on canvas, 60cm x 60cm £1859

‘Garden Wall’ Oil on canvas, 60cm x 60cm £1850

‘I try to capture the quiet transitory moments which make any garden space such an oasis of calm…

‘August Garden’ Oil on canvas, 100cm x 100cm £3350

Jill Barthorpe

Jill Barthorpe’s paintings have a sense of the ethereal despite being rooted in disciplined observation. Her paintings have an economy based upon the accuracy of marks and the precise placement of colour. Her training under Euan Uglo at the Slade and subsequent plain air experience in Europe defines the handling of light and space.

‘Artichoke Leaf’ Oil on canvas, 30cm x 25cm £1275

“For me the excitement of painting is trying to capture the ‘likeness’ of things without slavish description. Paradoxically, I find the most interesting way to carve out this reality is to use objects of an ephemeral nature: trees, clouds, flowers; their constant movement and the passage of the light during the day forces me to make decisions about their essential character and to attempt to draw that, rather than rely on an impression based on the moment. Similarly my approach to colour is to distil the essence and define the point of change rather than model the surface.”

‘Red Primula’ Oil on canvas, 30cm x 20cm £1150

‘Blue Jug with Lilac’ Oil on canvas, 45cm x 30cm £1650

‘Tulips with Leaves’ Oil on canvas, 70cm x 40cm £2850

‘….my approach to colour is to distil the essence and define the point of change rather than model the’ surface…’

‘’Brambles with Fish’ Oil on canvas, 60cm x 35cm £2300

‘Opening Lillies’ Oil on canvas, 60cm x 60cm £2950

Paul Stone

Paul Stone’s paintings are meticulously observed and make reference to the Dutch and Spanish Still Life paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries. The compositions are focused on the relationships between the objects and their environment. They invite the viewer into an intimate space to seek out the symbolism of the objects and the ‘stage’ they occupy.

‘The Colour of Love’ Oil on canvas . 41cm x 41cm £1200 ‘After the Rain’ Oil on canvas . 41cm x 41cm £1200

Flora offers a huge subject matter I have attempted a number of occasions before, but this new Botanical exhibition at Gallertop has been a great excuse to really devote studio time to examining the structure and composition of flowers - in this case particularly roses, a flower I feel have real sculptural strength. I have included both small studies and a large scale composition, a real labour of love and a subject I intend to return to in the near future.

‘…a large scale composition, a real labour of love…’

‘The Love of My Life’ Oil on canvas .140cm x 110cm £6500

Considering his work, Paul says: ‘At its core, its observational, with a study of quite formal elements of painting - composition, tone, pattern, etc. The goals for my paintings are what I consider realistic wanting to create desirable works that work as both a reflection of the world around, and also as a 'painting', a hand made work of art AND craft that deals with the physical qualities of paint and its application.’

Paul Stone grew up on the Suffolk coast and began painting while completing his first degree in Art History in 1997. After completing his masters in Fine Art in 2007 his practice has since focused on still life compositions, often using locally-sourced everyday objects that are usually overlooked. He once worked as a manager of a fruit and veg shop and jokes that perhaps that is why he likes to include them in his still life compositions.

Although Paul lives in South Yorkshire, most of his week is spent painting in his central Wakefield studio. He says: ‘I love spending days in the studio - sometimes a painting doesn’t work, but its a wonderful feeling when a subject is captured exactly how I want it to. It’s often challenging and frustrating , but I love what I do, creating something that hadn’t existed before, and now I couldn't imagine doing anything else.’

‘Pink Rose Oil on canvas . 41cm x 41cm £1200

Marie Mills Inspired by her passion for life and the natural world, Marie Mills produces work which reminds the viewer of the things often taken for granted or overlooked in our busy lives. The abundance of wild flowers or the beauty that the seasons brings is beautifully captured in paint.

‘Autumn Fruits’ Oil on canvas 80cm x 60cm £1095

Marie Mills’ interest was learnt from gardening with her mother. A knowledge of plants together with a love of painting has been her passion which leads her to produce her range of flower paintings.

She Lives in Cornwall where she paints full time. Her studio overlooks Port Mellon Bay which together with the cliff top wilderness that frames the sea and landscape provides her inspiration. Her paintings are multi-layered with deep textured elements created with a variety of tools – traditional and otherwise

‘Sit A While Oil on canvas 100cm x80cm £1675

‘I take great delight in starting a new painting, brushing in the skies, this is the only time I use a brush; I then use pallet knives and my fingers to create the hedgerow. This is all done rapidly so as not to lose the spontaneity and capture the beautiful chaos that is our living landscape’.

She says she watches nature’s fight for life against the wind, the rain, and the sun. Marie portrays the strength and frailty of a flower, the reassuring nature of a full bloom, the metamorphosis of a simple daisy. For several years Marie has spent a lot of time in France, and the influence of the Alps and associated flora is apparent in her more recent paintings.

‘Summer Melody’ Oil on canvas cm x1cm £2495

‘Where the Wild Rose Lay’ Oil on canvas 80cm x80cm £1295

Este MacLeod Este MacLeod’s paintings are informed by the real and the imaginary. Her background in textile and ceramic design is noticeable in the stylised, abundant and colourful forms used in still life, landscape and floral paintings. Although shapes are distorted and altered, there is a strong sense of the familiar. The variety of techniques Este uses to layer colour and shapes adds an ethereal element to her work.

Paintings are inspired by travel, dreams, sentiments and thoughts as well as everyday surroundings, seasons and the natural world. Working intuitively, Este allows a painting to develop over time.

Observation and drawing are important parts of the creative process. By experimenting with the layering of colours, patterns, textures and mark making, and by using her stylised floral and simplified plant forms, Este’s work always retain a freshness. The creating process often involves painting over areas of detail and colour, revealing just a section of what was painted below. These vibrant and energetic artworks are presented to convey intrinsic beauty, a feeling, a memory of a place or an impression.

‘Jack and Jill;’ Acylic on canvas . 40cm x 40cm £650

‘Paintings are inspired by travel, dreams, sentiments and thoughts…’

‘Juicy Birds’ Acrylic on canvas . 50cm x 50cm £750 ‘Fresh Flowers’ Acrylic on canvas . 40cm x 40cm £650 ‘A New Day’ Acrylic on canvas . 50cm x 50cm £750 ‘Violet’ Acrylic on canvas . 40cm x 40cm £650

Este was born in South Africa where she qualified as a textile designer and worked as a designer and ceramicist until 1999. She now lives in Berkshire, England with her husband and teenage son.

Apart from textiles Este also obtained a BA Honours Degree in Ceramic Design with Glass (1st class) and a Masters Degree in Contemporary Jewellery Design.

‘Springtime Birds’ Acylic on canvas . 40cm x 40cm £650

Este is represented in the United Kingdom and abroad by a selection of galleries at exhibitions and art fairs, her work is in numerous private and public collections globally.

‘Little Berries’ Acrylic on canvas . 50cm x 50cm £750

Mark Preston Born in Derby in 1976, Mark showed an early interest in art and nature and after gaining a distinction in art and design, he went on to study illustration at Anglia University, Cambridge.

However it was painting trips with his father Rex, to the Peak District, Cornwall and Scotland that really inspired him to become a landscape painter.

Mark paints in acrylics and works mainly in situ with relatively little time spent in the studio.

“For me, experiencing the landscape and elements directly is essential to attempt to capture them in paint. I just need to be there to respond to the situation and the spirit of the landscape” This direct approach of working from nature, allows him time to observe and experience the subtle changes in colour, light and atmosphere, enabling him to build up an understanding and awareness of the places he paints.

One mainstay of Mark’s thinking comes from John Constable’s declaration that “Nature is the fountain’s head, the source from whence all originality must spring”.

Derbyshire, the Lake District and Penwith in Cornwall are the main areas he paints and its the way the changing seasons and weather affect these places that fascinates him. Mark has been having one man shows from Derbyshire to Cornwall since the age of 21 and has had exceptional success in recent years.

‘May Blossom, Gorse and Bluebells, Alport Height’ Acrylic on canvas . 60 cm x 60cm

‘Meadow Flowers, Bonsall Moor’ Acrylic on canvas, 50 cm x 50cm £1150

‘Sunlit Foxgloves, Ashleyhay’ Acrylic on canvas, 50 cm x 45cm £985

‘Poppies and Mayweed, Ednaston’ Acrylic on canvas, 50 cm x 45cm £985

‘May Blossom, Gorse and Blubells, Alport Height’ Acrylic on canvas, 60 cm x 60cm £1450

Morag Muir Morag Muir was born in Glasgow in 1960. She studied Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee from 1978-1982. She completed a year of postgraduate study in 1983, winning the John Milne Purvis Prize and the Major Travelling Scholarship, which financed further study in Italy. Her work is held in private collections around the world and she currently exhibits throughout the UK.' She has tutored at various colleges throughout her working life, but due to increasing demand for her work she made the decision to focus on her painting career, becoming a full-time artist in 2006. Morag works from her studio in Newport-on-Tay in Fife, Scotland which has beautiful views across the Firth of Tay. Her paintings mainly reflect the studio environment, and her still-life work incorporates narratives that develop when characters and objects begin to populate the canvas. Windows, flowers, textiles, toys and ethnic bric-a-brac share ambiguous spaces. The finished paintings portray layers of her personal life interwoven with her surroundings and collected memorabilia.

Morag is one of Scotland's most prolific and dedicated contemporary painters. Her work is held in private collections around the world and she currently exhibits throughout the UK.

‘The Suitor’ Mixed media on canvas, 80 cm x 80cm £3600

‘Fair Isle’ Acrylic on board, 20 cm x 20cm £600 ‘The Road to Dundee’ Acrylic on board, 20 cm x 20cm £600 ‘Kissing Fish’ Mixed Media on canvas 80 cm x 80cm £3600

Sally Anne Fitter

Sally Anne Fitter is a painter, with a background of textile design and ceramics, though she now focuses on her still life paintings, using everyday objects along side compositions of flowers. She incorporates pattern, texture and colour into her work to create her vibrant lifelike, slightly abstract pieces.

Sally Anne is inspired by the structure of flowers themselves, taking in their colour, texture, and contrast, working that into the patterns and textiles that accompany the main subjects in her paintings.

Elements of collage are sometimes used, and scarping back through the paint to build texture to effect the surface structure of her work. She works in mainly acrylic on canvas occasionally incorporating collage and gold and silver leaf. She takes inspiration from flowers, fruit and decorative everyday objects. Her background as a textile designer is evident in her use of pattern and colour.

Sally Anne Fitter studied ceramics at Bristol Art School, gaining a First Class Honours Degree. She went on to teach art and in London and subsequently set up and ran 'Digby Morton', for nearly ten years, a textile design studio in Clerkenwell, London. Her designs sold worldwide to clients such as Ralph Lauren in New York and Libertys of London. In 2003 she turned professionally to painting and has exhibited her work widely throughout the UK in galleries in Norfolk, Suffolk, Bath, Birmingham and London.

‘Strawberries and Poppies Acrylic on canvas, 75 cm x 60cm ÂŁ895

‘June Roses and Pear’ Acrylic on canvas, 40 cm x 40cm £545 ‘The Blue and White Jug’ Acrylic on canvas, 60 cm x 60cm £765 ‘Tulips and Three Pears Acrylic on canvas, 60 cm x 60cm £765 ‘Two Vases’ Acrylic on canvas, 60 cm x 60cm £795 ‘Rose gold Garden Flowers’ Acrylic on canvas, 40 cm x 40cm £545

Julian Bray

Julian Bray is a painter whose work is characterized by a strong architectural draughtsmanship. His intense drawing ability provides the framework in his paintings for a use of colour which is by turns both subtle and dramatic. He has produced work across a range of subjects, from portraiture to landscape and he has an innate ability to move easily between media, working with the same facility in oils, acrylic, watercolour and multimedia. The resulting work ranges from semi-abstracted architecture rich in texture and colour, to atmospheric realism concerned with the fall of light and shade.

Chatsworth provided a perfect environment for Julian’s highly responsive approach, with sweeping parkland and the iconic architecture of the house itself. His ability to capture the elusive ‘sense of place’ is apparent in the work, ranging from detailed explorations of architectural ornament to the atmospheric depiction of the surrounding woodlands

‘Clivedon House Fountain’ Watercolour, glazed and framed

Julian Bray has paintings in both public and private collections in the Far East and more recently in the Middle East. His work is as prolific as it is diverse and has been enthusiastically received – it has been hung in newly constructed palaces, yachts, private houses and hotels including the newly refurbished Savoy Hotel in London.

Julian’s interest lies in the development of new ways of representing the world and he uses a range of transparent and opaque media to imbue his architectural landscape visions with energy and form. His use of colour can almost approach the illustrative in places and then almost surreal in others, using unlikely colour combinations.

‘…And The Chickens Surveyed Their Realm’ Watercolour, glazed and framed

“I celebrate shape and colour and hope to encourage the viewer to see their surroundings afresh.”

‘The Rose Garden, Chatsworth’ Watercolour, glazed and framed

“The subjects in my paintings dictate my response and it is important for me to have an opinion about the qualities I wish to communicate in each new piece rather than applying the same style to all. My paintings vary stylistically and it is this considered approach to each new subject that is its strength”

On 7 June 2017 Chatsworth opened it’s first Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show. The event was promoted from the summer of 2015 and it was eagerly anticipated by both residents and businesses in Derbyshire. The RHS described the Chatsworth event as: “A very different kind of show - cutting-edge design in the heart of Derbyshire For the first time in more than a decade, the RHS is embarking on a new show with a style and content unlike any of its existing events.

RHS Chatsworth Flower Show will run from 7-11 June 2017 and will be set within the 404.6ha (1000 acre) parkland of the Chatsworth Estate, home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Adding to the show portfolio of the RHS, which already includes shows at Chelsea, Cardiff, Malvern, Hampton Court and Tatton Park in Cheshire, the Chatsworth event will seek to expand on current offerings and surprise and delight visitors with an immersive horticultural event experience.

Its overarching theme is ‘Design Revolutionaries’ and will celebrate not only the creative genius of gardeners and garden designers from the past, especially Joseph Paxton who was once the estate’s gardener, but also the talent, ideas and conceptual thinking of today’s generation of designers.”

At gallerytop we decided to be part of the regional excitement stimulated by the flower show and curated an exhibition of paintings by artists whose work has been inspired by flowers and floral themes. We have been at the gallery for 13 years and have experience of the the local effects of our gargantuan cultural neighbour just a couple of miles away. Anticipating an arrival of traffic which would be more than the surroundings roads could initially cope with, we opened our exhibition on Saturday 3 June, the weekend before RHS Chatsworth commenced. By the time the media and celebrities of the gardening world were arriving on the Chatsworth estate for press day on Tuesday 6 June, our exhibition was up and our windows were regaled in real English flowers supplied by Gill Bagshawe and the imaginary roses of ‘The Love of My Life’ by Paul Stone. On Wednesday hundreds of of cars slowly inched past the gallery making it probably the most observed shop window in the Midlands!

Gill Bagshawe was featured on the BBC Gardeners World in April where her flower garden in nearby Eyam was filmed. She provided the flowers in the gallery throughout the period of the Chatsworth event, with her spectacular window display.

The eight artists in the exhibition are known for their floral themes, though their styles, approaches and treatment vary widely. We have worked with all the artists for a number of years and have regularly shown their work in the past, except Morag Muir who we welcomed to the gallery for the first time. We are proud to be working with artists from all over the UK, from Cornwall to Glasgow All the work in the Exhibition can be viewed at www.gallerytop.co.uk

Gill Wilson & Keith Logan June 2017

We are pleased to be able to offer our customers the Arts Council Own Art scheme.

Own Art is a national initiative that makes buying contemporary art and craft affordable by letting you spread the cost of your purchase over 10 months with an interest free loan of up to £25,000. The loan can go towards the payment of a piece of art that costs between £100 and £2500 with Own Art Making an Own Art application is straightforward and takes about 10 minutes in the gallery.

We can also arrange for you to make an Own Art application if you cannot get to the gallery in person with an e-signature application.

The gallery is open six days a week, from Tuesday until Saturday from 10.00 until 5.00 and on Sundays from 11.00 until 4.00.

For more information about the gallery, exhibitions and artists news, sign up to our mailing list at www.gallerytop.co.uk If you would like more information about any of the paintings in this catalogue, please call us on 01629 735580 or e-mail us at info@gallerytop.co.uk All the paintings, with dimensions, price and additional images are on our website at

www.gallerytop.co.uk

gallerytop, Chatsworth Road, Rowsley, Matlock, DE4 2EH 01629 735580 info@gallerytop.co.uk