Penwith Gallery St Ives

The Penwith Gallery in St Ives has a wealth of different shows at present. The members have their exhibition, where informed visitors can easily spot who has done what as most of them have recognisable styles and many repeat the same subjects. My favourite was Rod Walker’s ‘Pendeen Gold’ which combines observed landscape with wonderfully decorative elements in glowing colours. In the small Studio Gallery Teresa Pemberton has in a way a similar approach but is a new exhibitor there. At the back of the main room in a newly made space is an interesting group of photographs by Brian Seed of famous St Ives artists. There is one of Terry Frost with his large family eating around a table. Then there are archival images by Denis Mitchell alongside the Hepworth ‘Magic Stone.’ Finally the associate members have their show. As there are well over 200 of them many will not be selected by the changing hanging committee of members but they submit work hoping to be included. I detect recently that there are some new artists being chosen and a few more figurative images disturbing the usual predominance of abstraction based loosely on landscape. Renee Spierdijk has a striking portrait ‘Immigrant Girl (Ellis Island) Delpha Hudson shows one of her lively pictures using many figures called ‘Babble Tower-the life raft of language’. These galleries are some of the most attractively spacious in St Ives and the paintings and sculptures are generally beautifully hung at a good viewing level and well spaced out. There is also a shop area with jewelry and catalogues. No staff will pester the visitor or expect them to do more than stroll round taking a look and I urge people to do so. It is free to enter.