End of Year Roundup
As 2023 draws to a close, we wanted to thank you all for your support of Fen Ditton Gallery this year and celebrate some of our 2023 activities with you alongside a quick preview of what you can look forward to next year.
Printmaking has, once again, remained a key strand to the 2023 gallery programme kicked off by the second edition of Hannah’s Contemporary Printmaking Prize, supported by our generous and scholarly judging panel: Kip Gresham, Richard Heaton and Elenor Ling. Many thanks to them for their time and knowledge shared.
Left image: The opening night of the Contemporary Printmaking Prize - Sir Richard Heaton, Hannah Munby, overall winner Amber Jesson, Elenor Ling and Kip Gresham
Right image: Willard Boepple and Kip Gresham working together at The Print Studio, Cambridge. Photo by Hannah Munby.
Lotte, Amanda and Hannah have been observing the magic of printmaking first hand throughout the year, with several visits to see Master Printmaker Kip Gresham at work with American sculptor Willard Boepple at The Print Studio, Cambridge. Their 20-year collaboration was celebrated in the gallery in May with a major exhibition of original prints and low-relief sculptures titled ‘Shards and Sources’. Lotte’s portrait photographs from these visits are due to be published in a major book on The Print Studio next year.
Willard’s prints were highlighted again in ‘Going Yellow’, this autumn, alongside linocuts by Andrew Carter, which brought together artists who have found new ways of drawing attention to the expressive and symbolic power of yellow. Other highlights included two exquisite woven textile works by Ptolemy Mann and ceramics by UK-born Australia-based potter Stephen Bird. The exhibition raised awareness of and funds for Hospice UK’s ‘Go Yellow for Hospice Care Week’ campaign. You can still view works and add further support online at fendittongallery.com/going-yellow.
Left: ‘Yellow Woman Plate’ by Stephen Bird, glazed earthenware, 27 x 37cm
Right: ‘Marigold Grid Minimalism’ by Ptolemy Mann, hand-dyed and woven viscose, 60cm x 60cm
Wood engravings by Andy English alongside etchings by Norman Ackroyd completed our printmaking year in the recent ‘Wintering’ exhibition, which is still open by appointment in the run up to Christmas. These were shown alongside Cambridge-based artists, including works by David Emond, whose solo exhibition ‘Light, Colour, Pattern’ was held at the gallery in September.
Left: Stonechat by Kittie Jones, screenprint, edition of 18, 38cm x 28cm
Right: Scottish-based Society of Wildlife Artist, Kittie Jones, will be taking up the artist residency in May 2024
Our artist residency programme has continued to grow this year, with Carmen Renwick and Chris Winch, and Lotte with the help of her son Luke, has restored a garden building as part of her ongoing woodland restoration project in land adjacent to the gallery. Four skips of old bikes and rubbish have been recycled to better lives this year! Next year, we look forward to welcoming Scottish-based Society of Wildlife Artist and regular Fen Ditton Gallery exhibitor, Kittie Jones (May 2024), and local artist/photographer Kay Goodridge (August 2024) to take up residency. Both artists will be holding a workshop and open studios during their residencies and we look forward to sharing more details with you soon.
Hannah’s Young Collectors club have enjoyed a flurry of events this year, including a special visit to Kip at The Print Studio, Cambridge in September. Hannah’s support for emerging artists starts the 2024 gallery exhibition programme in February with a chance to discover the next generation of talent in ‘Voices in Drawing’. Works by Felix Higham, Otis Blease and Agnes Treherne, all of whom exhibited in the first edition of the exhibition in 2021, will be on show alongside three more artists who have graduated from the The Royal Drawing School; Euan Evans, Ellie Lonsdale and Olly Williamson. Date for your diary: Special Preview Night on Thursday 1st February, 6 – 8pm.
Left: ‘Devils’ by Agnes Treherne, oil on birch
Right: ‘End of the Shift’ by Felix Higham, oil on canvas
In March, we will be celebrating the life and work of leading glass designer and artist Kathryn M Holford (1962 – 2023) who was born here in Fen Ditton and became a regular visitor to the gallery on her return to Cambridgeshire in 2020. This memorial exhibition will highlight her important work as a glass designer, including a rare re-issue of designs in collaboration with glassmaker Bob Crooks, alongside a body of more recent paintings and is organised in collaboration with Kathryn’s widower Mark Rowden.
Left: Kathryn M Holford working with master-glassmaker Bob Crooks
Right: One of Kathryn’s designs for a sculptural vase 1992: triple sided with double curves on each face. The crystal is hand blown and hand finished to a smooth satin surface.
In the meantime, the gallery will be open by appointment up until Friday 22nd December and again throughout January, showing a selection of works from our gallery artists. Viewing appointments can be made by contacting Hannah on info@fendittongallery.com or calling 01223 295657. Available works can be viewed online at fendittongallery.com.
We look forward to seeing you all at the gallery again in the New Year and wish you all the best for a wonderful festive season.
Hannah, Lotte and Amanda x