RIVER’S EDGE
www.contemporaryandcountry.com
New paintings by Kate Giles exploring the Nar and Bure river valleys with sculpture by Jack Wheeler, Beth Groom and Emily Mayer. Joined by artists and makers with strong connections to East Anglia and its coastal landscape. The Ballroom / Courtyard Gallery, Aldeburgh Suffolk: 7 to 19 June 2022
This is an exhibition in two parts. There will be new paintings by Kate Giles exploring the Nar and Bure River valleys in the first floor Ballroom. Complementing these new landscapes there will be new work by Jack Wheeler and Beth Groom and sculpture by the late Emily Mayer (who passed away in April 2022). The second component on the ground floor Courtyard space, will be a group exhibition of artists and makers with a strong connection to East Anglia and its coastal landscape. Their work encompasses the coastal environment, marginal land use, creative use of natural materials in the art and handmade objects made, and the flora and fauna of the area.
In recent years Kate Giles has focused on the landscape of the Bure and Nar River valleys. Norfolk is one of a few counties in the country in which elements of the landscape have been formed by chalk streams. The rivers Nar and Bure are chalk rivers, rising from aquafers deep underground ensuring features particular to their source, as they join the Broads and the River Ouse. It is a realm carved by alterations in their flow over time. Kate’s compelling interpretation of these distinctive geological anomalies have been closely observed, adding to the tradition of English landscape.
Kate Giles’ installation on the first floor will be accompanied by new sculpture derived from forms found along the tidal waterline by Jack Wheeler and Beth Groom who have collected the subject matter for their sculptural objects while on their walks of Norfolk’s beaches. We will also be showing a selection of intricately constructed sculptures of birds fashioned from repurposed materials by Emily Mayer. Emily has worked as an artist and sculptor for many years using techniques as diverse as construction in wood, mechanical components, plastic, and taxidermy.
The second part on the ground floor Courtyard Gallery will be a group exhibition of contemporary handmade objects, paintings, prints, photography, and sculpture. Contributing artists and makers pursue their individual interpretations of East Anglian landforms or use sustainably sourced materials to create unique three-dimensional work and beautiful handmade objects. The exhibition’s coastal site where the River Alde runs into the sea will provide an appropriate setting for participating artists.
www.contemporaryandcountry.com