nurturing young talent

Congratulations to Mirren Kessling, winner of ginny gray gallery Art Idol 2010. Sixteen-year-old Mirren has been drawing obsessively for as along as she can remember and her winning drawings show a level of skill, maturity and panache well beyond her years. We're delighted for Mirren and extremely impressed by her abilities. A bright future in the art world surely lies ahead of her.

 Mirren Kessling and her work.

Mirren's work appeared in the gallery as part of the Art Idol Finalist's Exhibition alongside that of two other talented teenage artists. A public vote was held to decide the overall winner from a shortlist drawn up an expert judging panel.  Thank you to all the talented young visual artists from across Bucks, Oxon and Northants who entered our inaugural Art Idol competition.  The amount and standard of work submitted far surpassed our expectations and with so much talent and skill in evidence the judges were faced with some tough decisions. So too were the voting public. Thank you to everyone who cast their ballot.

featured artist - Janet Rogers

We're always replenishing with exciting fresh work. We now have a new series of landscapes by Janet Rogers. These beautiful mixed media pieces are heavily textured and feature either gold or silver leaf. Applying the same techniques as Samuel Palmer used in the early 19th century, Janet mixes gum arabic with watercolour, painting it on in layers and then varnishing. This unique three-dimensional effect captures the English countryside perfectly. Janet is a very popular artist whose work is in demand in the UK and abroad.

featured artist - Sue Moffitt

Sue Moffitt is famous for her characterful portraits of cows, which are both quirky and technically accomplished. Her style has been widely imitated, but seldom matched. Coming from a family that has farmed for generations – her grandfather established the famous Hunday Herd of Holstein Friesians, while her father John received a CBE for services to agriculture – Sue’s innate bond with cattle is clearly evident in her work. Her paintings are statement pieces, full of vividness and vitality, but what sets them apart from the work of lesser ‘cow painters’ is their emotional depth. Given its broad appeal, there is strong demand for her work.

featured artist - Peter Kotka

Peter Kotka is internationally renowned for his Still Life oil paintings of fine wines and other subjects. In his work he blends contemporary and traditional styles, colours and techniques to give his paintings individuality, detail and atmosphere. Although UK based, he has exhibited frequently in the US where his work is popular.