
The LAKE gallery: Shore, Sea, Sky (the North Wales coast project)
In this exciting collaborative exhibition, three artists explore the spaces where the shore, sea and sky meet, responding both to the land and seascape of the North Wales coast and to each other’s work. With painter David Kereszeny-Lewis, contemporary artist Jon Clayton and glass artist Helen Smith.
The son of a miner and part-time gamekeeper, David Kereszteny-Lewis’s work is an autobiographical visualisation of his experiences in the landscapes he has come to know and understand intimately.
“My work is fundamentally about places I know, the emotional connection I have with them and the physical effect that society has had upon them, especially in mining and agriculture. I look for the physical scars our actions have, such as paths, fields and fences.”
Jon Clayton’s paintings are informed by his connections with place, with many of his works depicting places of personal significance where he has spent time, often a lot of time. He continually returns to the same small localities. Their familiarity is their strength – it is what holds and moves him. Revisiting them – walking, running, drawing and photographing – he feels part of something already known. And yet, still, there is always something new, a fresh source of surprise.
Created from kiln-formed glass, Helen Smith’s tactile glass curves are strongly influenced by place. However, rather than depicting the landscape directly her focus is always on the interpretation of found textures within the landscape in combination with a sense of the atmosphere of a place. The pieces she has created for this collection developed from the initial sketches made by David and Jon on their trips to the coast in combination with observations made on her own visits.
The exhibition runs from Thursday 19th October to Saturday 25th November 2023
Preview evening on Thursday 19th October from 6pm-8pm. All welcome
To accompany the exhibition there will be an artist’s talk at the gallery on Saturday 4th November, 2.30 – 4pm. An opportunity to meet all three artists and hear about their inspirations and processes. Entry is free, but please contact the gallery to reserve your place.
Opening times: Thursday – Saturday, 10am-4pm
You’ll find the LAKE gallery in the heart of West Kirby, opposite The Concourse, a couple of minutes walk from the train station.
52 Grange Road, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 4EF.
0151 625 6000
thelakegallery.co.uk