Current Exhibitions
'Extended Breastfeeding' by Tracey McEachran
Breastfeeding is a series of rich images depicting mother breast-feeding their toddlers in public settings. These images are inspired by the mothers who collaborated with me and the paintings of Dutch artist Pieter de Hooch.
Returning on a flight from Spain I was sat across the aisle from a mother who was breastfeeding her two year old child. I was aware seeing a mother feeding an older child in a public space in the UK was a very rare sight.
On returning home I began to research various aspects of breastfeeding. To my surprise both our government and the W.H.O recommend breastfeeding children up to the age of two as a minimum. Given this advise why do we not see more mothers breastfeeding children beyond six months?
My aim was to produce a series of environmental portraits of breastfeeding mothers. I did not want to over sentimentalise the images, but wanted to question westerns society's taboos concerning breastfeeding older children in public spaces. I went on to work with young mothers as in the UK there is a very low percentage of young mothers that breast feed at all.
Upcoming Exhibitions
'Textile Exhibition' by Barbara Parker and Jane Roebuck
Wednesday 1st - Tuesday 21st November
Barbara Parker and Jane Roebuck - both dedicated patchworkers and quilters. The origins of patchwork quilts are rooted in a "waste not, want not" ethos going back hundreds of years. Nothing was wasted so even flour sacks were cut up and made into quilted blankets and the tiniest scraps were always used. Having been through a phase of buying costly fabrics to make beautiful quilts for all our family members and friends, we have made a conscious decision to "waste not, want not" ourselves. While we are still making quilts, none are made with specially purchased fabrics. We are not afraid to take other people's scraps and unwanted pieces of cloth, sometimes clothing and turn it into something, at best, beautiful or at least interesting! This has led us into a world of textile art that we have both embraced and are now fully committed to. The opportunity to express ourselves has been nothing short of uplifting. In addition, our awareness of the impact of wastage on the environment has increased and affected our daily lives in very positive ways. Everything you see at our exhibition will be made in this way. We are using our own imaginations to run free and produce items that we hope you will enjoy and be inspired by.
Open Exhibition
Saturday 28 November 2023 - Friday 4 January 2024
Call for Artwork:
We are calling for artists and aspiring artist who would like take part in this exciting exhibition to send in artwork that measures 6x4” in either landscape or portrait format. You can submit up to 5 pieces of work. The piece of work doesn’t have to be 2D, it can be in any medium or material and any subject matter, it doesn’t have to be a new piece of work it can be a crop of an old piece of work or from a sketchbook.
All art work should be priced between £10-20.
The exhibition is open to all ages and abilities.
6x4” Exhibition Submissions
Please send all artwork along with submission form to Ashcroft Art Centre, Osborne Road, Fareham, PO16 7DX, or alternatively drop in in person.
Submissions are open now and will remain open till Friday 17 November.
Thank you in advance to anyone that supports 6x4” exhibition
If you have any questions about the exhibition, please contact Ashcroft@hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk
Previous Exhibitions
Karl Rudziak
Monday 6 February - Friday 31 March 2023
Rudziak is a figurative painter based in Portsmouth, UK with a focus on portraiture. His work resides in private and public hands as part of Portsmouth city art collection and has been exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Academy, the Royal Society of Marine Artists and the National Gallery of Scotland.
Karah Mew - Chyrsalis
Monday 6 March - Friday 31 March 2023
To celebrate this year's International Women's Day, we are exhibiting the work by Karah Mew a UK documentary and environmental portraiture photographer with a Fine Art background. Working on preserving her family's everyday normality, she is passionate about photographing through all stages and emotions to produce honest imagery packed with sentimental layers.
Chrysalis is a photographic series exploring and celebrating the changes, juxtapositions and collective memory of a mother watching her daughter navigate the complex transformation from child to teen, girl to women.
Toni Ndikanwu
Monday 3 April - Saturday 12 August
Toni Ndikanwu is a Nigerian born and trained artist. He graduated in 1988 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he majored in Sculpture. After he lectured at the Kano State Polytechnic the subjects of Drawing & Painting, he received in 1989 the NYSC Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Performance in his field. Years later in 2011 after moving to Europe he would obtain an MFA from the University of Portsmouth.
He has worked as a professional artist exhibiting in and around Nigeria until 1996, when he left for Europe. He lived in Turkey and Greece before settling in the UK.
Toni is one of the most creative contemporary artists.
His fascinating figurative motives in watercolour in all shapes and vibrant colours trap strong emotions and states of mind.
His search for meaning and intuition takes him to the use of repetitive patterns in his vibrant acrylic paintings, like the ‘circles of life’, often with a hidden image behind the ‘first impressions’. Perhaps the search for inner peace and safety and also the powerful sense of being in control take us to the well-known paths and the predictability of the routines. Because, when the ‘activity’ around is too much, the person ‘disappears’ and it requires a strong brush stroke to reinstate it.
Every work is unique and speaks a different language to each audience.
Toni Ndikanwu is exhibiting for the first time in Ashcroft Art Centre
