Dip your toe into an art exhibition of
Paintings, Drawings, Ceramics, Sculpture, Photography and Film
9th-17th July 2022 at St Mary’s Church, Barnes
Glorious leafy Barnes sits on the inside of a meander, surrounded on three sides by water. Barnes Artists, in partnership with Barnes Common, have come up with an inspiring and topical theme for this summer’s art show, celebrating the beauty of water, the surrounding flora and fauna, and the human life it supports.
Water is inspirational: the source of much pleasure, creativity and wellbeing, and we cannot live without it.
The River Thames, Beverley Brook, Leg O’ Mutton Reservoir, London Wetlands Centre and Barnes Pond are all integral water features of Barnes, inspiring many artists over the years. Master landscape artist J.M.W Turner visited Barnes in 1827, painting the river at the junction at Mortlake.
Multi Award winning Barnes Common (Queens Award, Common of the Year and London in Bloom) have partnered with the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in a major six-year programme for innovative flood resilience. They will be looking at ways to engage the whole community in reducing the risks and damage of flooding, implementing nature-based solutions which will improve biodiversity, wellbeing and learning, whilst at the same time improving flood resilience. However, it is important to remember that Barnes is situated in the flood plain of the United Kingdom’s second largest river, the Thames. Flooding is an important natural process – in the right place it is even beneficial.
Barnes Artists, The Barnes Film Festival and the local branch of London Photographers wish to reflect this in their Art Exhibition entitled ‘WATER’, opening on Saturday 9th July from 9.30am-5pm at St Mary’s Church until Sunday 17th July.
“Throughout history”, says Mike Hildesley, Chair of Barnes Common, “humans have had to learn to live in harmony with Nature and Water – now it is as crucial as ever as we face Climate Change. We are delighted to see our artists are as interested as we are in preserving the wildlife within our ponds and streams as well as everything dependent on water.”
Barnes Artists was set up four years ago as a collective of local artists working to set up events, shows and develop partnerships with local retailers and businesses to promote community projects, as well as their own work. Last summer they organised a well-received art show inspired by the conservation work of Barnes Common during lockdown. They sold over £10k of artwork, raising money for both St Marys and Barnes Common. Awards were presented by local art galleries for best in show.
“We are delighted to be collaborating again with Barnes Common and St Mary’s”, says Co-Founder of Barnes Artists Katie James, “like our local artists they work so hard to make Barnes a wonderful community to live in”.
