Sea Around Us

When you visit the current exhibition at the Pannett Art Gallery, not only can you see a wonderful selection of paintings all on a seaside or marine art theme, you can also read about the reasons these paintings appealed to local people.
Sea Around Us includes nearly 40 pictures from the Pannett collection which are not normally on display. They were selected by fourteen local people who attended a series of workshops where they viewed and discussed a wide variety of pictures from the collection before nominating the ones they wanted to include in the exhibition. As these discussions progressed participants also considered what each painting meant to them, the memories they evoked, personal stories and the tales the pictures tell. Many of these reflections are featured in the exhibition.
The Community Curators were encouraged to consider why artists make certain choices. Some of these discussions are reflected in the gallery information panels, for example,

About colour:

“The green-brown colour of the sea also suggests turbulence; it has shades that convey the sea’s depth … In contrast to the wild sea, the sun on the cliffs casts a pink hue – a reflection of warmth.”
“The dark, gloomy sky adds to the horrendous mood of this painting.”

About style:

“I feel the size and wide-angle of the painting are perfect for the subject matter and for the balance between the river and the cliff. The artist has made the scene rather stylised”
“The paint is applied in sweeping strokes and curls to give movement to the sky, while long horizontal strokes are used to make calm water in the bay.”
The group also considered their own responses to the subjects:
“I could weave a variety of stories into this picture. Is it a rescue from a ship, or a return to a ship? What is the final outcome of the story? “
“The image evokes strong memories of my childhood spent on Larpool Lane and in the woods”
“The painting evokes memories from my childhood, of photos of my grandmother and great-grandmother, and it gives me a happy feeling”

Come and learn more about these wonderful paintings and the reasons our Community Curators selected them, enjoy the pictures and the stories and tell us what the paintings mean to you.

Sea Around Us will be on display until 18th March.

The gallery is open Tuesday – Sunday, 9.30am – 4.30pm (last admission is ½ hour before closing) and admission is free.