ART EVENTS
Between the Woods and the Water -
our current exhibition from May 7th 2013
Walking the Land link with The Old Passage to show selected artworks by painters, printmakers, photographers, ceramicists poets and sculptors who examine and reflect on our land and waterscape.
Gloucestershire's woodland, waterways and rivers provide a huge range of locations that give creative inspiration to our artists and writers.
This 'in-between' land, on the boundary of the aquatic and the terrestrial, provides us with special places to stop, to reflect and to become a little more aware of this fragile and vulnerable environment – our woods threatened by a variety of pests and diseases; our principle river, the Severn, from the destruction that may arise from the proposed barrier scheme.
Often sublime but sometimes ferocious, the River Severn's elemental force contrasts with quiet brooks and gentle streams. Small springs and water courses make gradual gravity-fed transitions into ever larger bodies of water as they progress to the Severn and on to the sea. Our rich and varied woodlands, coppices and spinnies each possesses their own quality as they enclose and embrace these meandering 'watery arteries', creating their individual micro-climate and habitat.
'Between the Woods and the Water' has inspired 20 of Walking the Land's Associated Artists to make artwork using a multitude of different approaches and media, each offering a unique and original way of seeing our natural and made environment.
As usual instead of paying a commission after every sale, our artists are proud to make a donation to the Severn Area Rescue Association to help support their valuable work on the River Severn.
Fish
This exhibition featured
a subject dear to the heart of The Old Passage. An array of 17 artists look at fish from all manner of challenging ways and different perspectives. You may notice that one of the challenges our artists faced was to include the word; 'fish' or a species of fish in their titles.
Click on the image below and you'll be able to scroll through all the artwork. You may even see one that will make the perfect gift.

from June - November 2012'
earth.wind.water.sky'
Artists, photographers, printmakers, ceramacists and sculptors explore subjects inspired by our land and waterscape, it's wild (and not so wild) places examining it's various natural elements and forces.
Opening on from 4th May, 'earth.wind.water.sky' is a site12 exhibition
view the accompanying book by clicking below:
Artist's donation to SARA
Walking the Land artists were delighted to brave a very windy morning down by the Severn to meet with The Old Passage's Sally Pearce and representatives of SARA to make donatations that will be used to help fund a new lifeboat for the Sharpness Lifeboat Station. The money was raised as a percentage of sales made during this year's Summer exhibition 'WaterWay'.
The Old Passage Art Award 2011

Winning artist Roger Jones, Sally Pearce of the Old Passage and Gillian Keightley
This years' annual Art Award attracted considerable interest and we're grateful for your support and for voting. Jointly organised by Sally Pearce of The Old Passage and Kel Portman of the arts collective Walking the Land, the exhibition was based on the theme 'WaterWay', featuring images and works associated with Gloucestershire's close relationship with water, rivers and canals.
Works were submitted by 24 artists and included painting, printmaking, photography and sculpture.
Every year, the public vote for their most popular artwork and after counting the votes for this year's Art Award, First Prize which went to Randwick's Roger Jones with his painting of canal lock at Chalford.
Second Prize was awarded to photographer Gillian Keightley with her photograph of the atmospheric river bend near Frampton.
Winner of the Public Voter Prize was Judi Fairbairn
Seen in the photo above are the artists and the Old Passage's Sally presenting the new 'Award Prize', a sculpture by Sophia Hughes.
We're also proud to announce that artists generously donated a percentage of the revenue made from the sales of their artwork to the Severn Area Rescue Association.
WaterWay
a site2011 exhibition
opening 14th June during restaurant hours
Our waterways have long provided creative inspiration for artists and writers. Gloucestershire's canals and rivers provide a huge range of locations from the sublime and sometimes ferocious River Severn, the busy Gloucester/Sharpness canal, to the long abandoned but soon to be renovated Stroudwater canal.
'WaterWay' examines these arteries of wildlife, trade and recreation, while also looking at the surrounding landscape, those who make a living along its shores, the communities who live close-by waterways or those who come simply to enjoy the water in all its various moods.
Exhibition Archive
Jo Newman
Exhibition by Jo Newman, textile illustrator.
Other local artists also exhibiting throughout the restaurant
Throughout November and December
2010
Peronel Barnes
An Oxfordshire painter, exploring colour and mark making
from 3rd August 2010
Peronel is from Oxford, and shows at local exhibitions,
and in London at the Royal Watercolour Society in their 21st
Century Watercolour exhibition (2005). Her work “Beyond
the sand” triptych
seascape was purchased by a private collector in South Africa.
2010 saw her composite painting, Summer Sandwich accepted by
Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour for their Mall Gallery
exhibition.
The Mall Gallery describe their choice of pieces as “demonstrating
a versatile and vibrant use of watercolour” by some of
the country's leading artists producing exciting paintings including
figurative and abstract, traditional and experimental work.
She spends as much time as she can out walking in the countryside
or by the sea, watching the light, how it changes, moves and
alters her surroundings. Peronel’s aim is for the viewer
to bring their own experiences, their own imagination onto a
painting so that each viewing is emotive, and a pleasure that
will shift and change just as light shifts and changes.
Her paintings are in private collections on 4 continents, in
USA, Canada, South Africa, Europe, Australia and London.
'between...2 Shores'
opening 1st June 2010
a 'site2010' exhibition, part of Stroud's Contemporary Arts Festival
The area close to Britain’s longest river provides the
subject for this exhibition. The dramatic river carves it’s
path, snaking through the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside
and close to ‘The Old Passage’ on it’s 354
km journey to the sea. With a ferocious reputation, the famous
Bore and the second largest tidal range in the world. The River
Severn has long been held in awe by navigators, naturalists and
artists.
Organised jointly by Sally
Pearce of the Old Passage Inn and ‘Walking the Land’,
the exhibition includes works by painters, printmakers, photographers
and sculptors. Their subject is the space between the 2 shores,
it’s landscape
and the communities who make their living in this threatened,
fragile and volatile area.
Take part in voting for the winner
of The Old Passage Art Award - the Public’s favourite artwork
from the collection.
•
click here to see the catalogue
EXHIBITION ARCHIVE
The Old Passage Art Award 09
left to right: Nigel Noyes, Jo Newman, Sally Pearce and Alan
Hazelwood
Our annual Art Award has once again attracted a lot of interest
and we're grateful for your support and for voting. Jointly organised
by Sally Pearce of The
Old Passage and Kel Portman of the arts collective Walking the
Land, the
exhibition featured works based on the theme 'thinking about
food'. Works
were submitted by 17 artists and included painting, printmaking,
photography, poetry and stained glass.
We are delighted to announce that after counting all the votes
for this year's Art Award, you have selected the Winners.

Winner of the Public's favorite artwork was Jo Newman with
her textile study
'Preparing the Land'.

Runner up was photographer Nigel Noyes with
his image 'Old Bag, New Tricks'
Winner of the Public Voter Award was Alan Hazelwood.
Painter and Colourist Walter Cherry
New Small Paintings by the painter and colourist Walter
Cherry. His
vibrant, abstract paintings offer a new look to our dining area,
with interactions of colour and linear constructions.
The exhibition will run until 26th October.

site09 arts festival
The Old Passage will once again be hosting artists
who will exhibit as a part of this major arts event that centres
on this part of Gloucestershire and which takes place throughout
June.
This years show curated and arranged with Stroud-based artists
'Walking the Land' is entitled 'thinking about...food' and
is a visual celebration of all things gastronomic. It also
features the Old Passage Art Award where members of the Public
vote for their favourite artwork.
•
click here to see the exhibition
You'll be able to find out more about the site09 festival by clicking
on their website www.sitefestival.org.uk
SUPPORTING SARA 2008
The Old Passage and
SARA (Seven Area Rescue
Association joined together to host a charity dinner and auction,
as part of The Old Passage fundraising project 2008-09.
SARA's role is to assist the Coast Guard and land-based emergency
services on the River Severn's very dangerous flow of water between
Beachley Head and the Wyre Forest. Their life-saving work is
entirely voluntary and often goes without recognition.
The event,
was held on Thursday 4th December at The Old
Passage was hosted by John Harvey from Sotheby’s.
The auction offered an enticing selection of lots, (see below)
many of which were unique. The evening raised a significant sum
for SARA. The total proceeds from the auction, along with £10
for each ticket sold, were donated to SARA.
Our head chef Mark Redwood devised a special tasting menu
for the event, with each of the five courses accompanied by notable
wines from Berkmann Wines.
This is just a sample of some of our benefactors and lots that
were auctioned on the evening...
Berkmann
Wines.... supplyied champagne for pre-dinner drinks
and wines to go with dinner.
www.berkmann.co.uk
Calcot Manor.... A days Spa break for two. Includes
use of their heated indoor pool, gym and steam room and a mini
facial with back and neck massage – ooh bliss! www.calcotmanor.co.uk
Daylesford Organics .... Lady Bamford, the owner
kindly donated a
'mystery' hamper.
www.daylesfordorganic.com
Flax Clothing....ladies designer clothing of
Montpellier, Cheltenham
www.flax.org.uk
The Goring Hotel, London.... One night in a
deluxe twin or double room in London’s only privately owned
five star hotel. A deluxe hotel which has been loved and nurtured
by the Goring family for over 90 years. Value of this is £500.00
www.goringhotel.co.uk
The Feathers of Woodstock....offered an overnight
stay in this magnificent 17th C hotel
www.feathers.co.uk
Russells of Broadway....Contemporary Chic in
the Heart of the Cotswolds. A restaurant with rooms in centre
of Broadway
www.russellsofbroadway.com
Norman Thomas.... kindly donated a weekend in an
apartment for two on the Pembrokeshire coastal path overlooking
the picturesque beach of Cwm yr Eglwys.
Artwork, paintings, jewellery, photographs, stained glass
and basketware
donated by
the following artists:
Along with SARA we woukd like to thank everyone who gave
so generously to the auction and those who were able to join
us on the evening to contribute to this very worthy cause.
• click here to see SARA's website
ART AWARDS AT THE OLD PASSAGE
Sally and David Pearce take considerable pride
in showing and placing original artwork in the restaurant and
throughout The Old Passage. Keen to promote local artists, they
have worked with local landscape arts collective
'Walking the Land' to inaugurate their first 'Art Award', with
presentations to the Public's favorite artists.
The Old Passage Arts Award Presentation 2008

Winner of this years Old Passage Arts Award, textile artist Jo
Newman (right) and runner-up photographer Sylvain Guenot.
Voting was close and tensions were raised as the Public's votes
were counted in the first Old Passage Art Awards. Votes
had been cast by visitors to find the most popular artist at
the month-long art exhibition entitled 'River'.
Held as part of the 'site08' visual arts festival, the Awards
were hosted
by Sally and David Pearce of the popular Old Passage
in Arligham.
The show which featured artwork by 18 local artists
was organised and curated by the Stroud based landscape
arts collective 'Walking the Land'.
Exhibition organiser Kel Portman said "We were keen to
involve the public in celebrating this very special and dynamic
natural feature of our landscape and this was reflected in the
large number of votes cast for the very worthy winner”.
Featuring
artists, ceramacists, photographers and printmakers, the exhibited
work reflected visual, ecological and
social, aspects of the magnificent River Severn.
“We very much hope the Awards will become an annual part
of Gloucestershire’s vigourous art calendar” said
David.
The Winner, textile artist Jo Newman received her
prizes from Sally and David Pearce of the Old Passage, along
with the runner-up, Stroud photographer Sylvain Geunot.
Jo’s artwork was a large study of Old Tom, the last ferryman
to row passengers across the river. Sylvain produced a fine portrait
of another of the river’s characters, elver fisherman Hartley
Everett.
river
an exhibiition held as a part of the 'site08' visual arts festival
of artworks that celebrate the River Severn and curated by landscape
arts collective Walking the Land • click
to see a slideshow of the exhibition