Sarah Wiseman Gallery is delighted to announce that the gallery is open once again, with summer exhibition ‘Pool Party’ running until August 1st.

In an exhibition created in the twilight of 2019 when minds were far away from the virus pandemic, ‘Pool Party’ will provide art lovers with welcome light hearted relief. In the exhibition we look to artworks inspired by life at the poolside – whether that’s the urban glamour of Los Angeles, the local British lido or wild swimming.

Gallery director Sarah Wiseman says, “Initially, my idea was a simple celebration of summer with endless days relaxing by the pool. The show now has taken on a nostalgic feel as the artists created most of the works during lock-down. It feels like we have created an indoor holiday escape in the city. The artworks are filled with strong clean light, sparkling water, wild and urban backdrops featuring swimmers at play, posing by the pool or in quiet contemplation.

Pool Party artists including Bonnie and Clyde, Daniel Ablitt, Henrietta Dubrey, Patsy MacArthur, Anna Marrow, Dan Parry Jones and Clare Nicholls are all set to show new works inspired by a summer spent poolside. Visitors can expect to see an exhibition filled with clean lines, bright colour and dazzling light”

About the artists:

Daniel Ablitt takes us on a natural journey exploring the delight of wild swimming in his collection for the exhibition. Daniel Ablitt is a great observer of the landscape; he does not set out to record a likeness of a particular location but he seeks to engage with the profound effect it has on us as human beings. His paintings depict partly-imagined places and half-remembered landscapes captured mostly from his travel experiences and childhood.

Bonnie & Clyde
Exhibiting at Sarah Wiseman Gallery for the first time, Steph Burnley - who is known as ‘Bonnie & Clyde’ - uses a blend of architecture, street signage and coastal life as central themes. Drawing on an archive of her own photography, Bonnie& Clyde’s seductive imagery plays on the irresistible allure and eccentric character of world-famous coastal cities such as Venice Beach, Havana and Santa Monica.

Henrietta Dubrey has created a collection inspired by ‘fashionable Slim Aarons type infinity swimming pools on the Côte d’Azur, stunning outdoor lidos, and secret freshwater pools hidden far from prying eyes in this era of Instagram and mobile phone connectivity.’ For this exhibition, she has reflected on her own recent discovery of out-door swimming, as well as the natural pools that form in the rocky shores and moorlands of her Cornwall home.

Dan Parry-Jones has recently been inspired by a recent trip to L.A, and the rest of the US West Coast, and the striking juxtaposition of concrete, water and mountains. Vivid, high contrast imagery layered with softer sherbet shades, describing the warm, electric atmosphere of a high-octane city.

Anna Marrow makes surprising, sometimes humorous or alarming images by combining mundane objects and environments with exotic creatures and characters. Working primarily in printmaking, she silkscreens high divers contrasted with glittering water-surfaces and vintage signage.

Patsy McArthur
Brighton-based figurative painter Patsy McArthur investigates the otherworldliness of being under water. She says ‘with these paintings, I am trying to create a place that the viewer can really feel; a place with a temperature and a sensation of suspension and weightlessness. The larger the scale of the work, the greater the feeling of immersion for the viewer.’

Claire Nichols
Oxfordshire based artist Clare Nicholls has created a range of ‘post-card’ ceramics, beautifully glazed with images of vintage-style bathers diving and splashing. Clare created similar collections of charming snow-scenery characters for previous Christmas exhibitions, as well as near sell-out collections of snow-people for which she has become known. We are delighted she is extending her range into summer!

E-catalogue: Sarah Wiseman Gallery produced fully illustrated e-catalogue prior to the exhibition launch. There you can read more information on each artist, preview all available works and place reservations. Email to request a link: [email protected]