Botanical, Lund Gallery, near Easingwold, until September 6 (From Gazette & Herald)

Botanical, Lund Gallery, near Easingwold, until September 6

2:37pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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IF you pop into the Lund Gallery, near Easingwold to catch their new summer show, you could be mistaken for thinking you’d wandered into the garden instead.

Called Botanical, the exhibition brings together some of the UK’s most inspiring contemporary designers, artists and makers, and features a range of ceramics, textiles and paintings which celebrate all things which grow from the ground.

Colourful bold ceramics by Lisa Katzenstein, whose style is inspired by post-war British abstract art and design of the 50s and 60s, complement contemporary large-scale botanical images on canvas and paper by David Campbell and a beautiful range of paintings featuring orchids by Malcolm Whittaker.

David Campbell’s passionate interest in the natural world has always under-pinned his work. Yet, although inspired by botanical forms, David would be reluctant to be cast solely in the role of plant illustrator. The paintings are as much to do with surface texture, gesture and alchemy as they are to do with the natural world.

Malcolm Whittaker’s orchid paintings, on the other hand, reflect his interests as both an artist and a plantsman. Sensitive and evocative rather than simply natural history paintings, they describe the orchid in all its detail.

Honesty seeds and pods have been meticulously sewn into the fabric of Pauline Burbidge’s Studio Quilt, which she describes as a little like a painting in fabric inspired by the natural world.

The botanical theme extends to the jewellery showcases – in particular the one-off pieces of jewellery by designer Beth Legg, with her designs ultimately reflecting the bleak and fragile nature of the environment. These range from pod earrings to sycamore brooches, created using a selection of precious materials and found objects.

Meanwhile, Claire Palastanga shows a series of dramatic abstract ceramic pieces, where inspiration is derived from the rich and varied range of colours, surfaces and sculptural qualities found in botanical life forms.

And for those who want to enhance their own outside space, there’s a selection of outdoor planters, pots and sculptures by Nigel Edmonson and Marianne Von Tucka, along with birdhouses for the discerning made by Andrew Burningham.

The summer show also sees the launch of Room – a selection of unusual items for the home including domestic ceramics, lighting, textiles and wood.

Gallery owner Debbie Loane said: “We are recreating a room within the gallery to give the area a more lived-in feel – the idea is that this will demonstrate to potential buyers what items will look like in a domestic setting and makes the browsing experience more fun. Very often customers say to me that an object looks lovely on the pristine white walls of the gallery but that it would not transfer well to their homes. In creating our Room, we hope to encourage buyers to experience how an object can enhance their living space.”

Botanical runs until September 6. The gallery is open from Thursday to Saturday, 11am–5pm, and Sunday and bank holidays from noon until 4pm.

For more, phone 01347 824400 or visit www.lundgallery.co.uk

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