Bonhoga hosts mixed open show
The next exhibition showing at Bonhoga Gallery, Weisdale, is a mixed show by the winners of the 2009 Shetland Open Art Exhibition.
Shetland Arts decided to reward the winners of the open by giving them not only the £100 prizes donated by the show’s sponsors, but another £100 towards preparing work for a joint exhibition in the gallery.
This show, entitled V, features the work of the five winners. Ross Fulton won Baker Tilley’s prize for the best newcomer, Peter Biehl won the Vaila Fine Arts award for the best painting or drawing, Dave Donaldson was the successful photography winner for the prize donated by Millgaet Media and Hilary Seatter won the John Goudie prize for best print. Shetland Arts and Crafts gave the prize for best craft piece and this was won by Ruth Fisher.
The exhibition opens tomorrow and runs until 11th April. The preview is tonight at 7.30pm and everyone is welcome.
Artist and retired art teacher Peter Biehl is originally from Copenhagen and now lives in Shetland. He trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Art in Copenhagen and spent most of his working life in Denmark.
Biehl, who based his exhibition on studies of Shetland ponies, said: “Shetland with its perpetual poetical nonchalance has been an inevitable challenge to my art since I paid the remote islands a visit over 15 years ago. Past and present converge in my mind and challenge the borders of my fragile and material world.”
Seatter, who is studying art and design at Shetland College, said: “My ‘printed paintings’ are individual works of art; the screens were destroyed after printing. As a textile designer I have taken my work forward into fabrics offering a unique opportunity to enjoy Shetland landscapes within the home.”
Growing up on a croft in the North Mainland, Fisher frequently crafted playthings from the natural and unwanted materials she found, and has continued that into adult life.
She said: “My sculptures are mostly carved and crafted from wood and I embellish and detail using rusted metal, worn leather, bones and skins. My tools may have become a little more sophisticated than those of my childhood (except for my old pocket knife) but the joy of searching for and creating something unique from discarded objects remains the same.”
Shetland Times photographer Donaldson’s work covers news and landscape photography that has appeared in local, regional and international publications. He has lived in Shetland for the past 14 years after moving from London.
Donaldson studied scientific illustration and worked in the exhibition industry for a number of years before deciding to jump on the 7am from King’s Cross to board the north boat, finally arriving at the place he now calls home.
Recent graduate Fulton is currently travelling the world so will unfortunately be unable to attend the preview of his show.
He said: “I paint in a detailed, realist style to encourage the viewer to look closely at something they would pay little attention to when encountered first hand. For the same reason I paint on a small scale to draw the viewer in.” His subject matter will make you look at pallets in a totally new way.
Work in the exhibition is for sale and this is an opportunity for visitors to Bonhoga to purchase work by five Shetland artists each with their own distinctive style.
Bonhoga curator Mary Smith said: “I hope everyone who visits this exhibition will enjoy the show as much as I have. It is an interesting selection of work that will appeal to Shetland residents and visitors and an opportunity to purchase work from both established and emerging artists.”
Bonhoga Gallery is open from Tuesday to Saturday (10.30am to 4.30pm) and on Sundays from noon to 4.30pm.
