'Song of the Earth Spring' exhibition to share beauty of nature

The Song of the Earth Spring Exhibition, which opens at the Old Chapel Gallery in Pembridge on Saturday, March 12 and which will run until the end of April, features stained glass, pastels, acrylics, textile art, ceramic and silver jewellery.

Each piece has been inspired by nature and organisers have said that they hope the collection will strike a "heartening mood of optimism in visitors".

Tamsin Abbott, who works on mainly British made mouth-blown glass, will be heading the line-up of exhibitors.

Sue Hayden will be exhibiting her paintings based on the relationship between texture, shape and light.

Starting from observational drawings, she uses bright acrylics and pastels on layered surfaces to add randomness and energy to her work.

Sue said that she is "particularly drawn to natural objects and landscapes and her work emphasises a love of colour, texture and movement in what can be touched and seen in the distance".

Rachel Wright will be exhibiting her work which takes inspiration from many sources including landscapes, seascapes, wildlife, harbour towns, boats, lighthouses and windmills and sees her translating these themes into machine embroidered fabric collages.

Like other exhibitors her work provides a rich source of colour using threads like a paintbrush to fill in details.

Mike Parry, from Wales, will be displaying his functional slip-ware pottery pieces, some of which have a sculptural element and which are intended to be used on a daily basis, on special occasions or admired on a shelf.

Former graphic designer Joanna Griffiths, who studied at the London College of Printing and had a career in commercial art, now paints full-time and her pastel artworks which capture the hills, moors and farmland of the Welsh Marches will be on show.

She studies local subjects and said: "I breathe it in every day, sun, rain, sleet and it does not matter as I never tire of seeing the same vistas, trees, hedgerows and livestock which change constantly.

"My focus centres around one hill and one farm near to where I live."

Rachael Blakeway enjoys the freedom and challenge of up-cycling and recycling everyday materials and found objects into three dimensional pictures.

Her work shows scenes that are humorous and have a hint of nostalgia.

Visitors will also find premium limited edition prints on display from the Lost Words book by Jackie Morris which are hand-finished with gold leaf and include subjects such as bluebells, dandelions, conkers and acorns.

The exhibition will run from Wednesday to Saturday from 11am to 4.30pm and on Sunday from 12pm to 4pm with other times available by appointment.