Galleries - November 2010

Kentmere House. "Painting is a mysterious business" he once observed, though the lyrical bea- uty of his Italian and Scottish land- scapes is quite unmistakable. YOUNG MASTERS Cynthia Corbett must surely rank among the more energetic of London's contemporary dealers – her large programme of very varied 'Young Masters Revisited' shows this autumn covering 3 var- ied venues across London. Just time to catch the last three weeks of Part 1 at the Sphinx Gallery, Notting Hill Gate – well worth the effort. ART AFFAIR November is a busy month for Bath. Hot on the heels of ‘Illum- inate’, a festival featuring such jol- lities as a kinetic light bicycle ride and an outdoor light and sound show (what was known last cen- tury as son et lumière), comes the Bath Art Affair, a collaboration of public and private galleries which aims to stake out a place in the in- ternational art calendar. Still in its infancy (no mention as yet on the catch-all Bath Festivals website) it will be judged by the quality of its offerings. There is certainly a vari- ety, from the Victoria Art Gallery's showing of Somerset-based Don McCullin's photography of strife, to Peter Hayes ' ceramics, which have been described as leading unusually adventurous lives be- fore ever reaching a gallery. No to mention the arts press, came to rely on her wit and wisdom. She will be much missed and hard to replace. MARYLEBONE PIONEERS When they first opened their tiny Railings Gallery in Thayer Street in 1980, Eric and Geihle Sander were, remarkably enough, just about the only dealers in the whole Marylebone area. The 80s and 90s property booms soon changed all that of course while the Sanders themselves soon moved to the same, much larger premises in New Cavendish Street that they still occupy today. Their two core activities, top class picture framing and conservation and contemporary limited edition prints, also remain very much the same – Victor Pasmore, Peter Blake and John Hoyland being among their current crop. Happy 30th Birthday! MAN OF YORK Brought up in the Towner Art Gal- lery in Eastbourne where his father was curator and where, among others, he met Eric Ravilious, David Fowkes has had a remark- ably peripatetic painting career, teaching at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen and then York where he has also lived for the last 30 years. Much collected in the city, York is now celebrating his 90th birthday with a large show at the King's Manor in the University of York, organised by Ann Petherick of room here to explain why, but the fact that his studio is on the old toll bridge over the Avon may give you a clue. His work can also be found alongside that of Ian Gregory and Robin Welch at Apollo Contemporary . Beaux Arts have Gabrielle Koch as their 'pot' rep for the occasion (with the extraordinary Halima Cassell fol- lowing towards the end of the month). bo.lee have Gill Rocca's quiet but powerful paintings, plus video installation, and Edgar Modern has Heath Hearn, ano- ther Sheffield boy made good, now working on the Rame Penin- sula in Cornwall, absorbing local influences but retaining his own interesting sense of structure. There are many events and en- tertainments laid on. Those who like to browse, booze and boogie should head to Nick Cudworth's open evenings, on the 19th the cluster of venues near the Royal Crescent, Quest , The White Room and Gallery LeFort , are offering music and refreshments, and there's “Giant Painting by Num- bers” at the Atrium Gallery on 20th. My advice is go there to ap- preciate what’s going on in full. LH L .S. Lowry ‘The Witherns’ at Crane Kalman Sheena Vallely ‘Headland No 4, oil on wood at Decerning Eye Photo Chris Wakefield ( detail) at www.thewhiteroomgallery.com 11. GALLERIES NOVEMBER 10