Art5ive is a new exhibition showcasing the work of five local artists, Tracey Rapson, Lynda Kettle, June Murrell, Kimmy Thomson and Stephen Williams.

Tracey Rapson

Tracey Rapson’s practice intertwines her deep connection to nature with her creative interpretation of artmaking. Living in Devon, Tracey is known for continuously pushing her own boundaries drawing her inspiration from the diverse landscape around her. The lure of mixed media enables her to capture the essence of what she wants to portray, adding an element of surprise and dimension of the unexpected, working up initial sketches and photos into expressive artworks that vibrate with colour and texture.

Lynda Kettle R.B.S.A

Lynda has painted and drawn from an early age and now is a professional artist living in Devon. She trained at Stourbridge Art School, and then continued to Birmingham College of Art, specializing in Theatre Design, leaving with a First Class Honours degree. She first became a Designer in the theatre and then moved to a career as a Production Designer for the B.B.C. She was the creative set designer for over 200 high profile television productions.

Lynda enjoys painting in different styles inspired by the natural environment. She paints in a variety of mediums such as pastel, watercolour, oil and acrylic.

Lynda has a studio/ gallery near to the sea in Sidmouth, called Loft Art Studio in Libra Court. She sells paintings internationally and exhibits her work at galleries and exhibitions. She is a highly experienced demonstrator in all mediums with an audience and teaches art in short courses or longer workshops at holiday destinations.

June Murrell

“My love of art started with flowers - arranging them, exhibiting them, and generally getting stuck into anything colourful. That’s where I first learnt about colour, texture, rhythm, and harmony - it was therefore only a matter of time before I picked up a paintbrush.

Living in Devon, right by the beautiful Jurassic Coast, I never run out of inspiration. The light changes constantly, the sea and sky are never the same, and nature throws a new colour palette at me every single day. I find myself itching to capture it all. I paint in acrylic, mixed media, and oil, and when the weather permits, I take my easel outside. Of course, it doesn’t always go to plan - many a time it has blown over, the sunshine, standing on the beach, people come and chat, I get out, and just enjoy it. Sometimes I come back with the start of a painting, I may alter it or discard it, whatever I’ve enjoyed my afternoon. This is where nearly all my paintings start.

My studio and plein air practices feed each other. Working directly outdoors allows me to connect with nature as I explore ideas and inspirations that I will take back and develop. Painting outside and working in my studio go hand in hand. Being out in nature gives me ideas and energy that I bring back inside to develop further (and to dry off if I’ve been caught in the rain!).

Kimmy Thomson MA

Living where the rolling fields meet the Jurassic Coastline, where flowers grow in cliff cracks and birds swoop down and pinch your lunch, I observe the beauty and humour that nature offers up freely to us all.

My focus is on the simplicity of line and shape from everyday observation with drawing being the root of my practice.

This can be seen in my work whether it’s acrylic painting, digital art, relief printing or mosaic art.

As a Mosaic Artist, I give discarded, broken, unwanted crockery another beginning, allowing the ceramic pieces to continue being enjoyed in a new, unique and contemporary form.

Stephen Williams

Stephen has been making pots since the age of 16, where he learned to ‘throw’ at school. He is an architect and a lawyer but despite his busy professional life has always maintained his enthusiasm for creating ceramics.

He retired from architectural practice and moved to Devon, where he has set up a small studio and continues to indulge his passion for pottery. He is a skilled potter and makes a range of thrown ware including decorative and functional household items including mugs, bowls plates and dishes concentrating in high-fired stoneware. Not surprisingly, given his background he has more recently concentrated on making hand-built sculptural pieces with an architectural theme, reflecting a coastal flavour with ‘dockside’ hostelries and houses, incorporating driftwood and ‘found’ objects. Stephen also practises calligraphy and often incorporates this skill in decoration on fantastical, imaginative pieces.

The exhibition runs from Monday 24 February until Wednesday 5 March and is open daily from 10am until 4pm. Entry is free of charge.