Visiting the New Forest through Art

This time last year I was disappointed that I hadn't previously been aware of an art exhibition based on the places, scenes, people and wildlife of the New Forest - New Forest Open Art.

Well this year I was more on the ball and I even had a painting ready and waiting - Fungi of Mark Ash Wood.

The paintings were handed in a couple of weeks ago and I was glad to hear that mine was accepted.

This evening we attended the preview evening and what a lovely time we had !

It is a truly beautiful exhibition with artwork in a variety of media.  Acrylics seemed very popular, painted smoothly but also used impasto.  There were quite a few paintings of New Forest scenes such as ponds, woodlands and trees, as well as animals and people who work in the forest.  There were also some photographic prints too.

The exhibition was hung really well and I also liked the way that some of the paintings were hung on hand made hurdles, which gave a rustic feel.  The exhibition space as a whole was really well presented with plenty of space to stand back and view the paintings and photographs.

I had known that around 170-180 pieces of art were submitted for the exhibition, but what I hadn't realised was how many were finally accepted to be displayed.  There were approximately 60 that made it through and the standard was very high, as I discovered tonight, so I was absolutely thrilled that mine had made it and it was the only botanical style painting there !  

The Chair of the New Forest National Park making his speech at the start of the prize presentation.

Here are some more views of the exhibition, but if you are over this way, why don't you go and have a look ?  You will not be disappointed.

The exhibition starts on Saturday 11th July and can be found at the New Forest Visitor Centre in Lyndhurst.  For full details have a look at the New Forest Open Art 2015 web page