Beyond the frame: unveiling local art treasures

Tracy Spiers asks independent galleries in the Cotswolds to highlight some of the great artists they represent.

Art has power. It can alter perceptions, touch emotions, challenge thinking, and transform environments. You may invest in art that inspires good feelings or reflects your outlook on life; you may see a financial return and get primary satisfaction from spotting a talent early on, but gallery owners argue that if art touches your soul, then it’s worth buying.

 

Brian Sinfield Gallery

One of the Cotswolds’ longest established galleries is the Brian Sinfield Gallery in Burford. Founded in 1972, it’s one of the most prestigious exhibition spaces outside London for contemporary painting, predominately specialising in 21st-century traditional and semi-abstract work by mainly British artists, with a select group of sculpture, including bronze. Gallery director Helen Lamb recommends artists Jane Hooper and Vanessa Cooper.

Born in 1968, Jane Hooper, masters the still life genre with her unique and distinctive recognisable style. Working in oils with a muted and limited palette, Jane sets up collections of everyday objects in her studio, building shape, colour, and texture, to make the outcome look spontaneous and confident with simple naivety. Inspired by William Scott, and kitchen sink painters John Bratby, Peter Coker, and Jack Smith, Jane’s paintings challenge the way inanimate objects are viewed. 

‘Jane continues to flourish! She takes pride in producing an ‘honesty’ in her work which can be found in many collections throughout the UK and overseas, including the notable ‘famous!’ says Helen, who also suggests artist Vanessa Cooper for her spontaneous, life-affirming, quirky, colourful paintings, described by the late Brian Sinfield as, ‘Joie de Vivre.’ 

Exhibited at the Royal College of Art and Royal Western Academy, Vanessa’s work is in private collections throughout the UK and overseas. Often categorised as a naive artist, Vanessa is a bold, imaginative artist with a deep love and knowledge of colour. Working principally in oils, Vanessa is inspired by nature’s beauty and family life. Her animal paintings are packed with humour, English eccentricity, and form part of a collectable series for which she has become noted.

Vanessa’s work is highly sought after by collectors globally, so it’s no surprise that her exhibitions frequently sell out. ‘Vanessa’s vibrant use of colour is invigorating and brings a smile to your face, which is ultimately what it’s all about,’ explains Helen.

 

Paragon Gallery

Owned by Eleanor Wardle, Paragon Gallery in Rotunda Terrace, Cheltenham is a contemporary art gallery with an eclectic portfolio of established and emerging painters, printmakers, and sculptors. Eleanor recommends PJ Crook and Adam Binder.

Born in 1945, PJ Crook, MBE RWA FRSA has international prowess with dealers in Paris, Canada, New York, and London. A virtuoso in the mischievous art of beguiling our perceptions and expectations, PJ’s paintings combine a highly distinctive style with extraordinary technical mastery. PJ, who lives and works near Cheltenham, draws from her remembered observation and imagination, resulting in an intuitive and resolved composition. 

An innovator in the new English figuration, PJ renders urban crowds, which, while they consist of individuals absorbed in their own newspaper, cocktail or itinerary are nonetheless interchangeable archetypes. A poignant solitude always surrounds these characters onto which the theatrical staging adds a colourful dash of humour. PJ plays games with questions of identity and the notions of painting: adding almost undetectable carved reliefs on the flat canvas but extending them into open boxes - where all surfaces are engaged in the narrative.

PJ’s renown stretches as far as the Morohashi Museum of Modern Art in Japan and more locally at the Museum of Gloucester. Her work features in major private and public collections including Imperial War Museum London; El Mundo, Madrid; La Ville de Paris; the Department for Transport, London; the President of Estonia; Conrad Black; the Marquess of Bath; Paul Allen; Jackie Collins; Peter Gabriel; Robert Fripp, and Toyah Willcox. 

Eleanor also suggests Adam Binder, a leading wildlife sculptor who lives and works in the Cotswolds, where the bountiful and diverse environment provides endless inspiration. Adam’s signature fluid style of simple lines and flowing forms beautifully captures the movement and essence of his subjects. Working primarily in bronze treated with rich, earthy patinas, Adam’s work is recognised and collected world-wide.

‘Nature is a wonder and a joy to observe and it’s through my sculpture that I endeavour to connect further with wildlife and capture the character of my subject. While I’m sculpting, I feel I’m engaging with the spirit of the animal, sensing its subtle movement and body language,’ he states. ‘For me, nature and sculpture are the perfect marriage. Nature is my passion and my constant distraction.’ An elected Member of the Society of Wildlife Artists, Adam won the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year in 2010.

 

Gallery Pangolin

Gallery Pangolin in Chalford, Stroud is a world-class sculpture gallery with a renowned reputation for works of quality and excellence by Modern and contemporary artists. Gallery manager Sally James recommends Hannah Lim and Peter Oloya. 

Born in 1998, award-winning sculptor Hannah Lim (BA, MFA) works with clay, chalk, painting and, most recently, bronze. Her work displays a playful defiance, anthropomorphism, and mythical storytelling. 

Winner of the Bloomberg New Contemporaries award (2021) and commissioned by the Tate for Women’s History Month (2022), Hannah’s work has been exhibited by the Royal Scottish Academy, Christies, Commonage Projects and Edinburgh Printmakers. She recently collaborated with Dolce & Gabbana on a sculptural work titled Chest of Flames.
Hannah draws on the exuberant, ornamental, and fantastical nature of Chinoiserie, an 18th-century aesthetic trend in which elements of Chinese design are recreated in relation to European aesthetics and tastes. 

Aware of its colonial history and similarities to cultural appropriation, Hannah reimagines Chinoiserie by using her practice to explore and reflect upon her own mixed Chinese-Singaporean and British heritage, whilst cherishing its extravagance and vibrance. Many Chinoiserie style objects and furniture pieces had arms and legs inspired by mythological Chinese creatures. ‘I liked this idea of making my work feel more playful and peculiar by bringing in these strange anthropomorphic features,’ she says. ‘By giving my larger and smaller sculptures these arms and legs, it was almost as if I was imbuing them with a life of their own.’

Gallery Pangolin also recommends Peter Oloya, a dynamic, multifaceted artist and sculptor, characterised by a remarkable journey that intertwines personal resilience with a profound commitment to his community. His art stands out for its emotional depth, thematic richness, and ability to provoke lasting impact on the viewer.

Born in Uganda in 1979, Peter’s experiences as a ‘boy soldier’ abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army, deeply influenced his artistic path. His work showcases technical skill (he works with marble, bronze, bark cloth, stone, and wood) and embodies a deep commitment to addressing contemporary African experiences and societal challenges. In 2019, Oloya received the PJLF Pangolin London Sculpture Prize, allowing him to explore a new body of work delving into the modern African cultural experience. Peter’s art articulates the complex and rapidly evolving cultural responses to contemporary issues and his latest work intricately weaves modern African culture into themes of modernity, culture, beauty, and climate.

His international acclaim includes his sculpture Crane, presented by the people of Uganda to Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. Peter also designed the ‘African Footballer of the Year’ BBC award trophy. 

 

Spencer House Gallery

Owned by Chris Woodcock, Spencer House Gallery in Tetbury showcases contemporary art created by exceptional British-based artists through an exhibition-based programme of shows and events. Chris recommends internationally selling artists Wendi Weller and Denise Liebermann.

Whilst the two artists share studio space, Wendi and Denise differ entirely in aims and ethos. With a passion for garden design and a background in textiles and block printing, Wendi Weller innovates with rich lustrous colour, pattern and form to create her own brand of floral art, experimenting with botanical reality and fantasy. Tuned into interior trends and fashion, her paintings enhance contemporary and boho interiors and more traditional settings.

Transitioning between semi-abstract and semi-figurative floral art, canvases are usually large and make exuberant statement pieces in a room. The garden is Wendi’s inspiration, and her studio provides an oasis of creativity and positivity that translates into her work, which appeals across generations, cultures and nationalities. She delights in viewers responding to her paintings in an immediate sensory, expressive way.

The reaction to the striking large and lean oil figurative paintings by Denise Liebermann is more cerebral and thoughtful. Denise explores 21st century themes of identity, introspection and connection, playing with co-existing ideas of human attachment and detachment.

Working with a limited palette and taking on daring feats of perspective and pose, Denise depicts ambiguous figures who curl into a chair or turn away. Depictions are not about likeness but the human condition and deep feelings – solitude, strength and, sometimes, rebellion. Dogs, often equally present, are resilient, intelligent creatures suggesting the human-to-animal emotional bond. Denise states: ‘When you look at my paintings, you’ll first notice the daring perspective and foreshortening or the unusual viewpoint. Then you’ll wonder what came before and what happens next. I want you to enjoy wondering and reflecting.’

Chris Woodcock adds her thoughts about investing in art. ‘It appears a simple question, but the answer is complex – in a good way. Connecting with, and taking home, original art goes way beyond colour or decoration. The price ticket or the artist’s name is often less important than the content, skill and mood of the piece. I strongly believe having original and limited-edition art in the home can be vital to well-being.’