Art to make you ‘appy!

Karen Neville

AppArt celebrates 30 years of arts for everyone, the annual Easter Art Exhibition and Sculpture Trail, April 5th-20th, with artists from all over including Alton and the surrounding area as Gwyn Phillips tells us

AppArt continues its tradition of having a very eclectic mix of artworks with something for everyone to experience and enjoy. 

The current venue is Prior’s Field School and the event has grown into one of the major art exhibitions in the South East of England. 

Lisa Bartlett “is excited by colour and for her each painting is a new journey. She plays with paint to discover colour, texture and light, exploring to find colours that really bring a picture to life.” Dahlia Delight is a bold and vibrant example of her work. 

Animals of all kinds are a popular theme with several Alton artists. Andrea Meakin’s highly detailed and realistic portraits are exemplified by Whiskers a very alert hare. Water is a common theme for Sean Kennedy and Turtle Reef is a lively acrylic painting that conveys the steady and majestic progress of the creature. Many of Toni Goffe’s works have a humorous element to them and Blossom Blossomed surprisingly is a cow  festooned in pink? A different medium is employed to great effect by Marion Davis and a Hunters Moon is a delightful lino cut print of a watchful fox at night. Pat Clarke’s Cat and Cow Parsley is a charming and well executed painting in an attractive setting. 

Len Murrell’s favourite subject is boats and rivers. Faversham Creek in Kent is a watercolour that captures the wharf scene in great detail. A different approach is taken by Susannah Acland and her seascape of Wittering which uses acrylics and pastel oils and “allows her a freedom of expression, where brushstrokes are fluid and intuitive, creating a less detailed interpretation of the landscape”. 

Kate Davis’s work is characterized by a vibrant, joyful colour palette, blending intricate details with abstract elements. Evening Light captures the warm glow of the setting sun as it filters through the trees. Created in pen and wash, this artwork celebrates the beauty of twilight and the interplay of light and shadow on the tree trunks. Lorraine Mills’ dramatic abstract painting Ice Thaw employs colours that give you a sense of the cold and the change taking place in the landscape. Diana Snow employs several different mediums including collage and Golden City provides a silhouette of a high rise urban area.