Ben Nicholson

Hare Hill, 1928

There’s a lovely little exhibition of pictures by Ben Nicholson at the Crane Kalman Gallery until the 11th of May, a roomful of his paintings and drawings and collages, and downstairs works by some of his close contemporaries, including Winifred Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Alfred Wallis, Joan Miró, Christopher Wood and Alexander Calder. Here are just a few of my favourite Ben Nicholsons. Continue reading “Ben Nicholson”

Frames of reference

Jenny Franklin

We have been blessed with Jenny Franklin’s magical watercolours since 2006, when Kai and I first started showing pictures at The Rowley Gallery. Shown here is Flotsam (Shells), Australia, one of a series of paintings of rock pools. Jenny’s watercolours are virtuoso technical performances. They are also revelations of the world around us, grown out of close observation, transformed and re-presented, they capture the essence of her subject. She quotes the artist poet Jean Arp, who spoke of “a secret primal meaning slumbering beneath the world of appearances”. Continue reading “Jenny Franklin”

Frames of reference