BASH exhibition: Caroline Richardson

Caroline Richardson's current exhibition at the Visual Arts Centre in Frances Bardsley School, Romford, ends tomorrow but is well worth seeing. Caroline plays with colour, light and reflection in beautiful works which utilise fused glass, silk paints and textiles to explore natural themes and imagery.

Caroline says:

"Glass is a wonderful medium to work with; the unexpected is always just around the corner. Light plays a big part in the design considerations as the glass may look completely different in different lighting or at different times of day. This gives each piece a life of its own, variety unlike any other."

A second commission4mission artist, Michael Creasey, will also be exhibiting at the Visual Arts Centre as part of the Big Arts Submission Havering (BASH) programme. Michael's exhibition runs from 23 - 27th August beginning with a Launch Night from 7 - 9.00pm on 23rd and continuing from 9.30am - 3.00pm.

Caroline Richardson

'Tree of Life' - St Lukes Chapel, Queens Hospital Romford

Tranquility

Caroline Richardson studied Architectural Glass at Central Saint Martin’s School of Art and Design. She is particularly interested in using the colour and transparency of glass to create layers of images within her work, sometimes using light to add depth or colour. Caroline combines shapes and textures to create works inspired by natural themes, but often with a spiritual interpretation. She has also worked extensively with fabrics and silk paints and produced many banners and wall hangings.

Anne Creasey

'St. Paul' (from fragment of altar panel, Basilica of San Vincente de Avila, 12th Century) and 'Peace'


'Consider the Lilies'

Anne Creasey is a textile artist and embroiderer working in a variety of styles from traditional to abstract and experimental. She is very interested in helping people discover their spirituality through the creative process.

As an amateur painter, Anne rarely produced religious art but, six years ago, she gave up painting to concentrate on embroidery and textile art which were, for her, more natural media for expressing religious ideas and imagery. She has one criteria and that is to create something of beauty.

Her work includes traditional embroidery, appliqué with painted fabric and includes a large range of materials, from yarns and threads to plastic bags. If it can be sewn down, it can be used! Subject matter includes the figurative and the abstract. Anne prefers to produce wall hangings as she likes to work on a fairly large scale. Panels are usually, but not always, framed without glass so as not to lose the textural qualities of the piece.

Alphabets of the World

Alphabets of the World is a textile and design project based in Manor Park and run by Celia Ward (who is a Commission For Mission artist). The aim of the project is to make a series of hangings based around the different alphabets in the area. The Roman alphabet has been the first, with Arabic, Hindi and Romanian hangings in progress. Most of the sewing is done by a group of women from diverse backgrounds who meet every Wednesday morning at St Barnabas Manor Park.

This Alphabets of the World hanging is currently on display as part of the West Ham Festival at All Saints West Ham.

Celia Ward

St John, tempera with gold on gesso panel

Crucifixion, tempera on gesso panel

Recycled Man, Tempera and gold on gesso panel
22 x 16 cm

Celia Ward was born into a painting family in Kent, England. She studied her craft in this milieu, and at the Royal Academy schools in London. She read History at University College, London.

In 1983 she won the Richard Ford Travel Award to draw at the Prado, Madrid and has exhibited at the Abbott and Holder, Brian Sinfield and Maas Galleries together with shows at the Romanian Cultural Institute in London and Konschthaus Beim Engel, Luxembourg.

Celia’s work is in the collections of The Ashmolean, The Faringdon Collection, Luxembourg State Collection, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and Balliol College, Oxford. Her work has included a series of pictures of the Wardrobe Room at the Royal Opera House and she has been Artist in residence at both the Garsington Opera and the Homeless Centre in Oxford. She has exhibited pictures of the work of Tearfund in Bolivia and in a British Council exhibition documented a Romanian Village over a five year period. She is currently running an East London alphabet project based in Manor Park and working with international partners running and planning similar projects abroad.