Working on a parallel after 20 years

A GROUP of working artists who came together more than 20 years ago as fine arts students in Hertfordshire launched an exhibition yesterday (Wednesday).

Artworks brings Parallels to the Main Gallery at Letchworth Arts Centre until June 28.

For more than two decades the group have enjoyed the creative and developmental opportunities stemming from a regular programme of working, exhibiting and meeting with a committed circle of like-minded friends and colleagues.

With widely diverse backgrounds and careers, the group have also retained their strong individuality as can be seen by the wide variety of their work. Large, bold oils, delicate watercolours, collages, prints, expressive drawings or sculpture – each artist’s work reflects a very personal perception of the world around them.

They have work in a number of organisations such as Cranfield Management Centre, Champneys Health Resort, GlaxoSmithKline and the University of Hertfordshire conference centre.

Both individually and as a group, they supply work for private collections, and for working environments, and have exhibited widely.

The free Letchworth GC exhibition encompasses a wide range of media and artistic styles, making it a very diverse and exciting show.

The Arts Centre’s Caf� Gallery this month features an exhibition of acrylics and watercolours by Hilary Archer, who has worked in corporate collections and exhibited widely in this country and abroad.

She said: “I also like to carve in various woods or stones (alabaster, soapstone, portland) human or animal forms that I hope people will want to touch as that is very important to me.

“It is difficult to pin down my style of painting, as it has moved on from an obsession conveying speed to expressing my reaction to a specific place, from busy construction sites – one painting won the Lord Mayor of London Award – to sea or rivers here and abroad.”