Storm Brian provided a suitably dramatic backdrop to the opening of Imagined Realms in Conwy last weekend. I arrived at the gallery at lunchtime looking like a rather frazzled drowned rat but was soon restored with a warm welcome by Clive Hicks-Jenkins, who curated the exhibition, his partner Peter, and some delicious hot soup at a nearby cafe.
The wild weather didn’t put off visitors, thankfully, and the gallery was busy with plenty of people from near and far. They were well rewarded for their efforts as the exhibition really is packed full of delights and is beautifully presented (thanks to Ian Whadcock for the photos).
Clive had been invited by the RCA to curate the exhibition and he was clear from the start that he wanted to invite a group of artists to take part who were exploring landscape from their own personal, interior perspective rather than trying to capture outward appearances of a particular terrain.
I’d find the exercise quite daunting, I think; dialogues with all the various artists, logistics of work coming to the gallery, then hanging it all so that it coalesces into a unified show. But Clive and the gallery staff made it seem effortless and the result is a wonderfully exciting and rewarding exhibition. Dialogues open up between the work across the gallery space and each piece is enhanced by being a part of the whole.
So here’s a selection from the 14 artists taking part, click on the link here for more details of the works on show:
Clive Hicks-Jenkins
Jonny Hannah
Desdemona McCannon
Ian Whadcock
Phil Cooper
Sarah Raphael-Balme
Sharon Hannah
Geoffrey Coupland
Orson Coupland
Neil Hadfield
Chichi Parish
Abi Whitehouse
Sarah Thwaites
Peter Lloyd
The show is on until the 11th November so there’s still time to see it and there’s another great exhibition in the downstairs gallery by Gilly Thomas. If you go I hope you have better luck with the weather!
Art dawgs
Hedgecrows 
