Destinations (20th September) — today’s theme has been interpreted in different ways: as the end point of a journey – physical, mental, or emotional; or as the purpose(s) for which things are intended.
Staying in: why not armchair-travel around our theme of the day.
Venturing out: there's a number of other open or by-appointment exhibitions and workshop opportunities around the county.
Browse the galleries below, or perhaps view today's flipbook.
Or, follow these links to explore all 30 Art Trails or start from Open Studios central
After studying architecture at university, I began to focus on painting.
I enjoy creating loose, expressive landscapes with a palette knife, which give my work a lot of texture. The inspiration for my work is taken from the beautiful scenery around my home and from my walks in the forest.
Contemporary fused glass & lampwork bead artist, specialising in wall art, splashbacks, memorial jewellery & workshops. Based in Sandridge, St Albans
With a passion for glass, attention to detail and a reluctance to back down from a challenge, Sandridge based Heartwood Glass not only creates bespoke handmade fused glass art, splashbacks and memorial jewellery, but following ‘school’ in Murano pushes the boundaries of heat and gravity to control, blend and shape molten glass in a flame.
What started out as outlet for creativity, has progressed through continual development alongside glass masters from around the world, to crafting contemporary glass designs inspired by playing with light, nature and the desire to keep advancing within the glass medium.
Heartwood Glass brings ‘Glassy Love’ to all through individual pieces crafted with love and attention to detail, encouragement to get out and about in Herts and find “HeART Abandonments”, or for those that want to try the medium through face to face, make at home or virtual workshops created to suit all ages.
Mary Ann has experimented with different styles and textures, using a palette knife in much of her work and has exhibited in Herts and London.
Mary Ann has experimented with different styles and textures and has been painting for as long as she can remember.
A self-taught artist who has, over the years attended numerous workshops, some by eminent artists themselves, . She has been a contestant in the 2016 Sky Landscape Artist of the Year competition.
She says she is "travelling on an artistic journey that continues on a never ending roller coaster of discovery."
"I am excited by the magic of paint and never cease to be amazed at the level of complexity and versatility just one brushstroke can achieve," she says.
Her home country, the UK, has been inspirational in her artistic development. Recently the red earth of Australia and the azure of the sea have been feeding her endless curiosity for subject matter to put to canvas. Mary Ann has featured in several local art exhibitions on the outskirts of London. Currently, Mary Ann has been experimenting with thick layers of paint laid on with a palette knife, using bold, bright colours, depicting a series of scenes showing everyday people at play or at work, on the beach or among their friends, catching them momentarily in a scene as if through candid camera.
Mary Ann continues to paint with both brush and palette knife. She has also allowed her long-standing fascination with the sea to come through her work, developing a series of colourful coastal scenes, reflecting her fascination with wind-lashed islands such as Hawaii and Fiji, where the sun sets in a bright red-gold glow and the palm trees sway in the tropical breeze. You can almost feel the breeze brushing your face as you take in the bright exotic colours, following humbly in the giant footsteps of the trail left by the likes of Gaugin and Cezanne.
"Colour is the key to my work," she explains. "Without colour life would be a very dull place. I feel my job is to project that colour on to walls in generous, daring quantities, providing an uplifting and happy interlude for the viewer."
Denise Bowser - All You Need Is Art. Decorative, modern land-sea-cityscapes & abstracts. Acrylics on canvas and prints.
I paint land/sea/cityscapes in acrylics and oils.
For me painting is like a leap into a magical and fascinating world of colours and shapes. Once I take the plunge and start painting, I may not know where my artistic voyage will take me. This is, however, what attracts and enchants me….. and keeps me longing for more.
I am based in Hertfordshire and my works are often inspired by UK landscapes as well as landscapes from South America and Asia.
I use acrylics and mixed media in my paintings. I regularly exhibit and sell my work at art galleries and art fairs. In 2018 I won the Best in Show 2D prize in an art competition at The New Maynard Gallery, Welwyn Garden City. The NHS has acquired 16 artworks from me that can be seen at various hospitals around Hertfordshire.
My pieces are not for profit. Prints: £25 Originals: between £50 and £200
I hope you enjoy looking at my work.
I have a real passion for painting the local landscape, the views and vistas in and around Harpenden are my inspiration.
I use bright vivid colour and expressive impasto textures to try and capture the essence of a particular landscape. The Nickey Line, The Avenue of Lime Trees in Rothhamsted Park, The Southdown Ponds and Harpenden Common are my main sources of inspiration. I am fascinated by the changing seasons and how these affect the colours and moods of paintings. My technique and approach to painting has been influenced by a number of artists over the years, I admire Pissarro and Sisley in terms of their compositional themes, along with Henri Mattise and the Fauves with the vivid and exciting use of colour in their palette. I have had a series of exhibitions and one-man shows in London and the home counties, while my work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London and it is also represented in private collections in the USA, the Far East, South Africa and Europe.