Precious Little Exhibition
Opening Sunday 24 November till Christmas Eve you are warmly welcomed to ‘Precious Little’, an exhibition celebrating art which explores moments and experiences in life that touch and fill us up… small everyday glimmers that can evoke feelings of joy, safety, peace, or calm. My paintings ‘Crossings’ and ‘Bramble’, two of my earliest landscapes, are inspired by wintery walks with my daughter when she was newborn. Its the perfect display of beautiful art to enjoy in the midst of busy Christmas preparation, in a gorgeous setting.
Exhibition Opening: Sunday 24 November, 1400 - 1700
Opening Hours: Fridays - Sundays, 1000 - 1700
Special Opening: Monday 23 December and Christmas Eve, 1100 - 1600
The Old Lock Up Gallery,
19 The Hill, Swifts Hollow, Cromford, Derbyshire, DE4 3RF
‘Crossing’ - Mill Brow, Marple Bridge
One of two original paintings available at the Old Lock Up Gallery
The Torrs Collective - Debut Exhibition
You are welcomed to the debut exhibition of The Torrs Collective this November at Milestone Studios & Gallery. Showcasing work from all our members, the exhibition is running weekends from Saturday 2 November until Sunday 1 December 11-4pm.
We are a group of creatives living in and around New Mills in the High Peak. Our work spans a variety of media, including homewares, embroidery, sculpture, glass, printing, painting, pencil drawing and more. If you would like to purchase a painting (images below and on my website shop) or a print on display, but can’t make it in person, you are welcome to email via rachael@rachaelmerrisonart.co.uk to enquire.
Opening Weekends
Sat-Sun 1100 - 1600
Opening Night
Friday 1 November 1830 - 2030, all welcome for a complimentary drink
Meet the Artist
I will be in the gallery space greeting visitors and demonstrating my studio practice Saturday 23 - Sunday 24 November, 1100 - 1330. You are welcome to pop over for a chat and get to know my work; I look forward to seeing you there!
Milestone Studios, Unit 3, Rockmill Lane, New Mills, High Peak, SK22 3BN
Saltaire Art Gallery Summer Exhibition
Situated in UNESCO World Heritage site, Saltaire (Shipley, Yorkshire) you are welcomed to Saltaire Art Gallery & School’s 2024 Summer Exhibition, which opens on Friday 10 May.
Comprising 19 artists, the Summer Exhibition showcases standout work from our respective practices, including two landscapes from my ‘Rooted Collection’. Painted ‘en plein air’ with finishing details in the studio, ‘Lock 6' (Marple) and ‘Drift’ (Torrs Gorge, New Mills) are inspired by a need for escape amidst the interior chaos of new motherhood: each painting documents an exploration of a new route with my daughter.
As a nurturing artistic destination, Saltaire Art School offers high-quality tuition to the close-knit community of Saltaire and beyond, and led to the opening of the associated Gallery. It is well worth a visit for a fabulous range of art, in amongst gorgeous scenery.
Opening Hours
Thur-Fri 1000 - 1500
Sat-Sun 1000 - 1600
13a Victoria Road, Shipley, England, BD18 3LQ
‘Lock 6’ (Marple, Greater Manchester), Acrylic on canvas panel (6” x 8”), Lime wood float frame
‘Drift’ (Torrs Gorge, New Mills), Acrylic on canvas panel (6” x 8”), Lime wood float frame
Purple Days (Epilepsy Action) Exhibition
The Purple Days Exhibition is an exhibition of work created by artists with lived experience of Epilepsy. The preview evening will be held on the 26 March - Purple Day - the national day for Epilepsy Awareness, and you’re invited!
The preview will be open between 7 - 9pm, and we encourage all who attend to wear a little (or a lot) of purple!
As well as raising awareness, this exhibition is about raising funds for Epilepsy Action, a UK charity improving the lives of people affected by epilepsy. 50% of profits from every artwork sale will be donated towards the charity.
Preview evening: Purple Day, Tuesday 26 March 2024, 7 - 9pm
Exhibition Open Hours: Wednesday 27 - Saturday 30 March 2024, 11am - 4pm
Milestone Studios, New Mills, SK22 3BN
You will have an opportunity to view the following works for sale at the exhibition and if you would like further details click through via the Enquiry button below, or email rachael@rachaelmerrisonart.co.uk
‘Iris’ (Acrylic on canvas board, 42 x 31.8cm)
£300
A proud purple-blue Iris, created as a respite as part of a series of botanical focusing on the beauty of natural forms in the middle of national lockdown, 2020.
‘Brabyn’s, Marple Bridge’ (Acrylic on canvas board, 15.5 x 20.6cm)
£225
Captured just as the leaves were disappearing at the start of winter, the warmth of the foliage is a perfect foil to the soft purple-grey of the shadowed path. This quiet view of Brabyn’s Park, Marple Bridge, is part of a series of landscapes recalling walks with my daughter. Each piece reminders me to take time to enjoy the moment, even when life rushes you along.
Manchester Open 2024
Held every two years, the Manchester Open Exhibition 2024 is the biggest celebration of Greater Manchester’s creative community and is free to visit from Friday 2 February - Sunday 28 April 2024. You can select a free day ticket (or a timed slot on the opening weekend) and you’ll have the opportunity to see 480 wonderful artworks created by artists living and working within Greater Manchester.
“Hold” - Hydrangea blooms in Winter (ink on paper, 22.86 x 30.48cm, £270) was chosen by the selection panel for display, and celebrates the resilience and fragility of common plants, as our climate shifts. The composition is deliberately cropped with negative space highlighting this imperfect specimen’s history. Pruned inconsistently and leaning towards the light, it is a fond reminder of rambling family gardens, rather than a traditional botanical depiction.
“Hold” will be available for sale via the exhibition and you are welcome to get in touch with me directly if you would like to enquire after the drawing: I will be happy to help.
Book your free ticket via the link below!
“Hold” - Hydrangea blooms in winter, ink on paper, 22.86 x 30.48cm
£270, inclusive of charcoal frame, anti-reflective Artglass and hanging fixings
Evolving Horizons: An Exhibition of Contemporary Landscapes
Selected by the Neighbourhood Gallery for display within the ‘Evolving Horizons’ exhibition featuring contemporary landscapes by North West artists, 'Rooted - Bramble' is one of a growing collection recalling walks with my daughter. It documents my navigation of life as a new parent by exploring unfamiliar routes through our local landscape, rooting myself and forming friendships in the process. Each walk over the course of a year offers a different quality of light, and this quiet frosty path was a calm respite. Winter scenes are frequently cool in tone with a certain stillness, but I was struck by the beautiful richness of colour and the dominance of the frosty brambles tumbling towards and, over time, seeking to block the route forwards.
Working with acrylics, I apply paint in thin layers, gradually adding texture towards the concluding stages of a piece and with a playful use of colour to reflect the tendency of details to fade with time. With paintings of this size taking between 20 and 30 hours, each is a labour of love.
‘Rooted - Bramble’, Marple, Acrylic painting on board, 24.4cm x 25.4cm, with 5cm mount
Lime wood frame, with art glass (UV protection, low reflective) and hanging fixings included£480
Enquires email: rachael@rachaelmerrisonart.co.uk
Private view (free ticketed event): 1830 - 2130, Thursday 5 October 2023
Opening hours: 0930 - 1730 Wednesdays - Sundays (closed Mondays - Tuesdays) between Friday 6 - Saturday 28 October 2023
Unit 23, Stanley Square, Sale, M33 7WZ