Sat 1 Oct and Sun 2 Oct 2011 10am to 5pm

FREE ENTRY

The Echium Room at Ventnor Botanic Garden in the Isle of Wight is to host an exciting new exhibition in ceramics and glass by Isle of Wight artists Andrew Dowden and Paul Critchley - Rhythm Form & Fire.

Andrew and Paul have known each other for several years and a mutual respect for each other's work and making methods, and the complementary nature of the sculptural pieces produced, gave them the idea to hold a joint exhibition.

Artist Paul Critchley's love of art began in childhood and led him to study Fine Art Sculpture to Masters level in the Midlands. After a spell teaching in the UK and New Zealand, he transformed some of his figurative sculptures into glass.

Located in the heart of the Isle of Wight at Arreton Old Village, Paul's glassworks - Diamond Isle Sculptured Glass - opened in the spring of 2002. The studio is adjacent to the glassworks, allowing an intimate appreciation of how the various glass sculptures are created.

An adjoining gallery exhibits a diverse range of the work produced in a myriad of colours, from miniature pieces to larger-scale forms.

'The fluid nature of molten glass taken straight from the furnace offers boundless possibilities,' says Paul. 'Rich results can be achieved by experimenting with the application and layering of colours. I take great pleasure in making sculptures that surprise the eye and evoke positive feelings in the viewer.' In some of his more exuberant creations, Paul enjoys hot fusing multiple figures together to create sculptural vases, and pieces that evoke natural forms, such as figurative trees and ocean waves.

Paul is constantly exploring other ways to work with glass and investigate new forms, and therefore an integral part of his work method includes sketching out ideas and developing them over time.

Ceramic artist Andrew Dowden is mainly self-taught. A carpenter for twenty years, he was inspired to take up ceramics, now an absorbing pastime, during research of Isle of Wight pottery—watching a bowl being thrown on a wheel. During his research he came to respect the work of potters/ceramists, and to appreciate the many processes involved in the rhythm of the making process.

Andrew says, 'My work is more sculptural than functional, each piece being hand-thrown, hand-thrown and joined, or slab-built and joined.' Whether a standing form or wall-hanging plaque, all ceramics are individually designed. He says, 'design and form are more important to me than any particular function.'

The wheel is often central to Andrew's work from which many forms develop. He enjoys working with red clay as it has a warmth and glow not readily found in other clay bodies, and also uses a buff-coloured clay. A limited palette of glazes and slips affords a striking contrast, and allows the clay to become an integral part of the surface design. The intense application of heat in the kiln during the glaze firing brings each piece alive.

Ideas for the distinctive hand-carving and textured surfaces, being Andrew's main interest, are inspired by the surrounding sea and countryside on the Isle of Wight—tracks made by man, machine, and by nature, leaving their imprint on the earth. Architecture, engineering and machinery add further interest to designs.

Andrew embraces new challenges and his work continually develops as he strives to achieve complementary forms and surface textures.

Rhythm Form & Fire is to be held on the weekend of Saturday, 1st and Sunday, 2nd October, 10 am to 5 pm. Admission Free.

Further details: Phone 01983 867505 or 523618 www.andrewdowden.co.uk
www.sculptured-glass.co.uk

Additional venue information:

Ample parking (rates apply)
On-site cafe
Disabled access
Toilets
Entrance to gardens free
Access to local walks

NB Details correct at time of posting but may be subject to change.