Exhibition will be one of the highlights of the year once more
The Autumn Exhibition by members of Welland Valley Art Society has been one of the annual highlights for lovers of visual art in the area for almost 80 years.
Back in late 1945 a handful of enthusiasts in Rutland formed the Society, but today it can boast more than 200 members, including a number of painters and sculptors from Peterborough and surrounding areas.
One of the attractions of any WVAS exhibition is the sheer variety of subject matter and media used, but landscape painting has always been one of the most popular genres – with both artists and visitors to the shows held in the Stamford Arts Centre.
Interest in the subject has been developed in recent years with the introduction of outdoor painting sessions organised by Teresa Sands. Inspired by the French Impressionists, ‘en plein air’ sessions at scenic locations such as Crowland Abbey, Launde Abbey and Fineshade Woods near Oundle have attracted up to a dozen members during 2025. The weather was generally kind, but on two occasions brollies were the order of the day!
This latest exhibition features realistic landscape work by artists such as Helpston’s Will Thompson and Werrington’s Barry Frostick, delicate watercolours by Phil Hemsley and impressionistic oils by Jerome Hunt (Orton Longueville) as well as powerful colour explosions of paint by Warmington’s Debbie James and Mary Kemp (Parnwell).
Other exhibitors from the Peterborough area include sculptor Paul Bainbridge (Werrington), Deidre Blackburn (Woodnewton), David Cromack and Pru Pye (both Longthorpe).
The Exhibition runs from September 30 until October 24 (10am to 5pm each day except Sundays when the Art Centre is closed).
Once again, there will be a section of the exhibition devoted to smaller original artworks, with a maximum price tag of £75. There will also be a selection of unframed prints, drawings and paintings to appeal to bargain-hunters.
For more information about the exhibition visit: www.wellandvalleyartsociety.co.uk