Rye lost Martin Bradshaw to Hastings a few years ago, as an artist he was responsible for the art trail in the town’s windows, which was magical. He lived in Rye for about 20 years before relocating to run Hastings Arts Forum in St Leonards. His solo painting exhibition with his sculpture friend Frances Bristow, a sculptor, opened on November 16 and ends on November 28.
Martin says: “The paintings in this exhibition mark a departure from the style and medium I had employed until fairly recently. I was used to working almost exclusively in watercolour, but a desire to paint in a different way, on a larger scale, and to experiment with different techniques resulted in what is exhibited in this show. I hope to evince an ongoing fascination created by light in a variety of contexts. I aim to engender a sense of drama and atmosphere.
Martin’s friend Frances Bristow, a sculptor, also living in Hastings and carves in stone, from the hardness of granite to the softness of alabaster. Living near the sea she was inspired by the shapes, curves and waves, the patterns left on the sand by the tide. Most of the stone she carves comes from India where she spent time working in a stone yard. She was deeply inspired by the country and the culture.
For more information go to hastingsartsforum.co.uk. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday 11-5pm at 20 Marine Court, TN38 0DX
Image Credits: Heidi Foster .