A collection of Margie North’s recent oil paintings entitled ‘Escape to Landscape’ will be showing at the gallery throughout October.

Margie talks about herself and her work here:

“When I was a child I was given a ‘paint by numbers’ kit but I refused to follow the instructions.

Later on my painting  of a Cornish harbour was selected for the Royal Academy School’s exhibition and was praised for my use of colour. I can remember  the visit and climbing up the red carpeted steep stairway.

For forty years  as a teacher and headteacher I encouraged Primary School children to express themselves through the Creative Arts. I am now in a position where I can spend time  expressing myself through paint. Colour and texture are both integral to my work whatever the medium.

In Lockdown I turned to Still Life and painting domestic scenes of washing hands , laundry and the comforts of a cup of tea from a treasured tea set. My painting became quite tight: reflecting my mood at the time.  The Suffolk Coast  enabled me to loosen up  although I now want to become more expressive. It has felt like escaping to ‘Landscape’  and painting ‘en plain air’ is integral to the experience.

I have attended several art courses and the tutors/teachers/artists who have influenced me on my journey include the late Jason Bowyer, Francis Bowyer, Belinda King, Nat Young, Daphne Sandham and more recently my mentor, Jayne Wallett. Ten years ago Barbara Pierson gave me the confidence to exhibit.”

Exhibitions in 2021 include:

Colchester Art Society Summer Exhibition (online):July

The Shed, Wivenhoe  as part of The Wivenhoe Art Trail: June

Walberswick Open Studios: August /Sept

Rowhedge Backyard Artists: Sept

Over the Sofa  Gallery: Wivenhoe Bookshop: Oct

Wivenhoe Art Trail at The Sentinel: Nov