Surrey Artist of the Year

Karen Neville

Surrey Artists

The New Ashgate Gallery is celebrating the rich tapestry of Surrey’s artistic talent at the Surrey Artist of the Year 2024 – vote and be part of the journey to crowning the winner

Surrey Artist of the Year is a celebration of the wealth of talent and creativity that exists in the county and you can have your say in bestowing the titular honour.

Presented in collaboration between the New Ashgate Gallery and Surrey Artists Open Studios, this annual event has been showcasing the exceptional talent of local artists since 2009. From intricate designs to bold expressions, discover a rich array of artwork spanning mediums such as painting, drawing, textiles, ceramics, glass, and paper art.

The exhibition at the New Ashgate Gallery runs until November 9th but you have the chance to get involved, see the artwork firsthand and cast your vote in person at the gallery until October 25th when Surrey Artist of the Year 2024 will be revealed.

The 17 artists competing for this year’s prize of a bursary of £1,000 and a solo exhibition at the New Ashgate Gallery are:

v             Simran Ahira, Woking: Day and Night, mixed media painting
v             Tracey Jane Cooper, Reigate: Ocean Jewels, mixed media painting
v             Sarah Cox, Guildford: Swoop and Swirl, painting
v             Diana Croft, Dorking: Monet’s Garden, printmaking
v             Liz Hauck, Horley: Blue Velvet, painting
v             Alison Hunt, Hindhead: Copper Mist, painting
v             Richard Jack, Farnham: Mixed Emotions, sculpture
v             Jennifer Jokhoo, Redhill: Midsummer, printmaking
v             Rosalinda Kightley, Guildford: Orange Nasturtium, painting/printmaking
v             Claire Kent, Dorking: Precipice View, textiles
v             Colette Moscati, Farnham: The Flashes, painting
v             Peg Morris, Gomshall: Sassuolo Enfilade, printmaking
v             Julie Patton, Horley: In Coming Tide, enamel/ceramics
v             Philip Ryland, Farnham: Glitterball, painting
v             Sarah Rawlins, East Horsley: Positive Energy Scarf, textiles/painting
v             Julia Stockwell-Hamid, Ockley: Silver Rain I, painting/jewellery/sculpture
v             Chantelle Watson, Shamley Green: The Journey – Pitch Hill, Surrey, painting

As part of the commitment to fostering creativity within the community, they’re offering free family workshops during the October half-term on the 29th and 30th. Join the paper crafts and cardmaking led by Lucy Dorothy Nichols, the 2023 winner, alongside artist Kate Kennington Steer from the DAiSY network.

This year’s exhibition coincides with October Craft Month in Farnham, a celebration of craft and making that brings together artists, makers, and enthusiasts from all over the region. October Craft Month will feature a series of events, workshops, and exhibitions designed to inspire and engage the community in the joy of handmade crafts.

Lucy Dorothy Nichols, Surrey’s Artist of the Year 2023, returns for a simultaneous One Year On exhibition in the New Ashgate Gallery. The collection of works by the paper artist celebrates the joy of storytelling. But it isn’t a collection celebrating your average story… This is a world where stories that seem impossible to believe are perfectly plausible, a world where dreams and reality are delicately intertwined.

Taking titles from the Observer Pocket Book series as her starting point, Lucy has disregarded the wealth of interesting facts and figures contained within the pages of those well-loved, little reference books and instead conjured up a series of intricate paper sculptures which turn those facts and figures upside down. Stories, created from treasured papers, old envelopes, discarded wrapping paper and even the odd chocolate bar wrapper, now spill out from between the pages of these colourful little books. There are tales of shops selling musical notes by the jar, of marvellously magical rainbow-making machines, and if you look up, you’ll be able to wonder at skies full of birds laden down with bags, all flying off on their latest adventure. Pictured top right is Mozart and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

New Ashgate Gallery director, Dr Outi Remes says: “The Surrey Artist of the Year competition is a testament to the incredible talent and creativity that thrives within our community. We are proud to support and showcase these artists, providing them with a platform to share their work and inspire others.”

Sadly Richard Jack, shortlisted for the Surrey Artist of the Year 2024, has recently passed away. At the request of his family, his artwork, Mixed Emotions, will still be part of the exhibition as a tribute to his talent and contribution to the arts community. The New Ashgate Gallery extends its condolences to his family and honours his enduring legacy.


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Round & About

Surrey Artists

Discover the diversity and creativity of Surrey artists as they open their doors for you to explore, meet and enjoy at Surrey Artists Open Studios, June 1st to 23rd

This year’s Surrey Artists Open Studios features more than 250 artists taking part in 165 studios across Surrey with a fantastic array of artworks and disciplines on show to browse and buy.

As well as a chance to meet and talk to artists in their place of work, the summer open studios event offers visitors the opportunity to view demonstrations, buy artwork, enter a free prize and even get involved in creative workshops.

The SAOS launch weekend takes place on Saturday 1st and Sunday, 2nd June with artists offering an array of activities exclusively for first weekend visitors to this popular county-wide event, complete with taster workshops featuring different materials across the arts and crafts.

SAOS has been running for 24 years representing the best in the county’s creativity and shining a light on makers, artists and creatives producing everything from ceramics and jewellery to paintings and sculpture.

SAOS Manager Caitlin Heffernan says: “SAOS is a wonderful opportunity to discover the county’s creativity on your doorstep. Not only will you uncover a vast range of artworks made by a truly impressive array of hundreds of individual artists, you will also find some unique pieces to take home with you.

“This year there is an impressive range of workshops to learn new techniques delivered by highly experienced artists. Whatever your taste or budget, SAOS artists offer unique artworks across virtually every discipline from ceramics and sculpture to paintings and jewellery.”

Among artists taking part are Joanna Lloyd Glass in Woking whose work includes sculptures cast from everyday objects such as her mum’s sewing utensils and her dad’s DIY tools. Elaine Winter is opening her studio in Woking for the first time in five years, where you’ll find the walls covered in paintings. Art on A Pot is on show in Woking, with an array of ceramics, jewellery and wall pieces while Louise Rowe whose work can also be seen in Woking, often uses gold leaf as a background to pen and ink drawings of wildlife.

In Englefield Green, printmaker and painter Stefanie Smith employs a variety of methods of produce art work inspired by local woodlands, wildlife and seasonal treasures.

Maria Billington takes much of the inspiration for her metal work from her garden to create her work in steel, copper and aluminium at her studio in Frimley Green. There’s a unique behind the scenes opportunity to ask and learn about the clay to bronze portrait commission process of Marian Rowling in Farnborough where you can ‘get the sculptor’s insight’.

Visit and marvel at the work of landscape painter Stephen Kinder in Godalming. Georgie Gardiner makes vessels and bowls on her potters wheel in Godalming using the technique of paper resist. In Cranleigh you’ll find Monique Birley’s contemporary landscapes, figurative work and still lives, while in Petworth, Sue Ransley takes a lighter look at life through her portraits. Retirements led Michael Colbourne to take a fine art degree and has resulted in the creation of more than 250 pieces of art at his home studio in Fernhurst. Impressionist oil paintings of iconic London, coastal scenes, landscapes, portraits, animals and still life are conjured up by Wendy Richards in Liphook. Jessica Stroud specialises in stained glass in Haslemere where you can see her current commission and small panels for sale.

There are a whole array of creative folk in the Farnham and Alton areas. In Sue Cook’s garden in Dippenhall, visitors will see many paintings on a variety of subjects: landscapes, seascapes, boats, architecture, house portraits, still life and patina. If photography is your thing then you need to visit Kiln Photo in Badshot Lea where you’ll find members’ work in various forms.

The Mill at Elstead is home to Becca Clegg, Beth Kirby, David Dragon and Robyn Horsburgh who collectively will be showing artwork and sculpture alongside smaller more affordable pieces in a rustic setting with food and refreshments on the premises.

In Farnham you can enjoy the work of painter Jackie Rennie, Ruta Brown makes jewellery from precious metals and stones rich in contrast and texture and for something different, take a look at the exquisite hand woven silk scarves made by Carolyn Wallis.

Emma Dunbar is inspired by her daily dog walks and even by supermarket trips to create her colourful paintings in Bordon. Take a trip to Upper Farringdon to view the local landscapes created by artist Fiona Pearce, Andrea Merron has a unique take on the sky in her work and at Atherton Green Art Gallery you’ll find work by more than 25 artists and sculptures in the former Victorian rectory. Seascapes and ceramics can be viewed courtesy of Susannah Acland and Clare Mattey in the Hay Barn Studio.

View the work of a cluster of artists in Guildford including self-taught figurative painter Sinclair Webster, landscapes and still lifes are created by Julie Verity in her Shed aka studio, photography and ceramics are displayed in the peaceful setting of Cathy Pyle’s garden studio and greenhouse alongside Bonnie Rasmusseun’s ceramics. Rosalinda Kightley is inspired by the natural world in her vibrant and colourful floral paintings and for something different how about the comic art / colouring projects of John Charles @ Art & Grind. See abstract landscapes as well as musical figurative work in a variety of media from Andrew Curtis while the love of colour comes through in Sarah Cox’s joyful paintings of the Surrey Hills and Cornish coastline. Pop in to see Gina making lampwork beads in her garden studio. You will also be able to peruse a range of jewellery, ornaments and pictures created using individually made beads.

Artventure Trust is a charity providing visual art sessions for adults with learning disabilities and additional needs through drawing and painting to printmaking, textile, photography, pottery and much more in their purpose-built studio in the grounds of St Peter’s School in Merrow.

Brochures are available from libraries, key galleries and at artists’ studios. Full details, studio addresses and booking for workshops can be found at Open Studios (surreyopenstudios.org.uk)