Cause and Effect: Hetty Haxworth / Andrew Mackenzie

21 January - 25 February 2017

To what extent is our outlook on life influenced by the things we see around us, by the ideas we read in books, by the news, by poems, music and by Art?

Over many centuries Artists and Poets have taught us to find something new in life and nature, something that might not really be there, through art; thus promoting a new way of seeing and feeling. It can be thought that Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.

You don’t have to look far to see truth in this cause and effect and the important role that Art has to play in the way in the way we see the world.

Many of us may think that these life changing and life enhancing art works need to be by the Masters in the National Galleries who have already made their mark and influenced thousands over years, if not Centuries. It is true that mutual and mass appreciation and celebration can help make something resonate more but these golden nuggets that help us change or understand ourselves and the world we are in, can also be found in paintings or artworks by lesser known artists who dedicate their lives to the creation of new visions and new masterpieces.

Art as with music lets us connect subconsciously with and celebrate or make concrete our thoughts or even imbue a sense of escapism by suggestions or echoes of memory or a utopian infused sense of hope. Art can unearth and unveil a new way of seeing the world and can take us to these new wonderful places.

Abstraction has the power to permeate and subtly suffuse our lives with new ideas, welcomed moments of nostalgia and also excitement for new things coming.   Our first 2017 exhibition celebrates just this. Five very talented artists are showing together in what will be a colourful, thought provoking and inspiring show.

Painting and abstraction is very much alive.