Affordable Art & Own Art — Supporting Local Creativity in Chichester

Chichester is home to a vibrant and growing arts scene where creativity, accessibility, and community connection are at the heart of what we do. Local artists and makers showcase original works in a range of media—from painting, printmaking, sculpture and photography to ceramics, textiles and mixed media.  Affordable Art hopes to encourage everyone to discover, enjoy and collect contemporary work without feeling priced out of the experience.

Local venues such as Oxmarket in Chichester participate in the Own Art scheme. Own Art is a national initiative, supported by the Arts Council England, making it easy and affordable for anyone and everyone to buy contemporary art and craft from one of our exhibitions. The scheme allows you to buy a piece of art with 10 interest free payments spread over 10 months, giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy original artworks while supporting creative talent.

Catherine Barnes starts 2026 with an exhibition of her paintings in the Wilson Gallery at Oxmarket Contemporary. Oxmarket are delighted to welcome Catherine back for her seventh solo exhibition at the gallery since 2014. She is showing a variety of paintings, drawings and prints, mainly developed over the past two years since her 2024 exhibition at Oxmarket Contemporary.

Born in London, Catherine Barnes moved to Chichester in 2008, having exhibited in galleries, art fairs and privately in London, the UK and Europe since the 1980s.  Exhibiting at Oxmarket Contemporary provides a good exhibition space and is free to all visitors. Catherine, during her exhibition, will be in the gallery between 2.00 and 4.00 pm each day.

You will find that the Wilson Gallery will be hung with paintings  of different subject matter. A) Nature, B) The City’s River Lavant, C) Coastal, D) Light and structures, E) Figurative and historical. Some are site-specific but most are conceived as more a poetical interpretation.

As well as her 35 works showing on the walls, Catherine presents a variety of works mounted and packed in the two browsers ready to frame. All work is Catherine’s original paintings, drawings and prints.

www.catherinebarnes.com

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome Art Invisible to take over the Wilson Gallery as part of the Gifted Exhibition which runs from 9th - 23rd December. Based in Emsworth and part of The Right to Work CIC, Art Invisible aims to improve the life chances and opportunities for artists with learning disabilities (LD). Art Invisible are dedicated to empowering artists with LD, to have their artwork seen and their voices heard within the contemporary art world.  For their artists, access to conventional art education and employment opportunities have been extremely limited or non existent. Art Invisible aims to create pathways to overcome these barriers, creating opportunities, greater fulfilment and increased self esteem.  

By implementing key resources, support systems, professional development and opportunities, Art Invisible artists should be able to build careers as professional creatives earning both recognition and for some, a meaningful income from their work. Art Invisible works to overcome the under representation of artists with LD working and exhibiting within the mainstream art sector, allowing their wonderful work to be appreciated by many. 

Oxmarket are delighted to celebrate this wonderful time of year with a seasonal exhibition bringing together artists and makers in the lead up to Christmas. All the artworks on show represent the joy and pleasure of this season and celebrating with others through the giving of gifts and the wonder of a winter landscape. We invite our gallery visitors to enjoy browsing in this Winter Wonderland and perhaps find that treasured gift for a loved one from our talented exhibitors. 

The exhibition includes artists, printmakers, glass artists, ceramicists and more...... please join us in ending the year at Oxmarket Contemporary with this warm and inviting exhibition. 

Oxmarket Contemporary are delighted that The Southern Ceramic Group will be with us across both galleries in November.

50 Years Fired Up - the 50th Anniversary of the Southern Ceramic Group

The Southern Ceramic Group was started in 1975 by a small group of enthusiastic potters. Their aim was to enable potters and sculptors normally working alone to meet other like-minded people and share ideas and techniques. The idea worked so well that the Southern Ceramic Group now has over 200 members from Hampshire, West Sussex and the surrounding counties. Our members are potters, sculptors, professional and amateurs, teachers and students, collectors and enthusiasts. The Southern Ceramic Group consists of keen ceramicists who live and work in the South of England and share a passion for creating in clay. The members are as diverse as the objects they create. Some have spent a lifetime perfecting their craft while others have come to it only recently, after careers ranging from engineering to medicine to dance and teaching. What they all share is intense creativity and a love of clay.

The Society of Designer Craftsmen – one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious craft organisations – brings its latest exhibition to Oxmarket Contemporary in Chichester this autumn. 

Supporting its members through major exhibitions, events and creative networks, the Society offers contemporary makers the opportunity to be part of a family that stretches back over 140 years and includes a rollcall of some of the most famous names in craft design and thinking.

Designer Craft – Tales in the Making promises to be more than an exhibition of beautiful craft, it will also be an invitation to peep inside the creative world of the makers themselves. Every work shown will carry a story: a memory, an influence, a spark of inspiration, a material choice or intricacies of the making process. These narrative fragments may intrigue or inform but all will offer fascinating insights into the journey from concept to craft.

Over 40 talented members of the Society will be showcasing work across a wide range of disciplines – ceramics, feltmaking, glassmaking, furniture, mosaics, jewellery, metalwork, printmaking, textiles, paper, weaving and woodcarving & turning. Shown together, these practices illuminate the breadth and vitality of contemporary craft, offering visitors the chance to encounter original works, many being shown for the first time. All works are for sale and the show offers an excellent opportunity for art and craft collectors and well as those seeking to buy unique, hand-crafted pieces destined to be treasured for generations.

To complement the exhibition, artist demonstrations will take place on most days. Visitors will have the opportunity to see craft skills in action – from weaving and embroidery to feltmaking, ceramics, and printmaking – offering a rare chance to meet the makers and watch them at work.

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome back Martyn Jones with his exhibition in the Wilson Gallery ‘Aquarelle’.

Martyn Jones is a painter who works from his studio in Cardiff. Jones graduated M.A. Fine Art, Chelsea School of Art and was awarded a Junior Fellowship at Bath Academy of Art. Among his tutors were the British artists Partrick Heron and Adrian Heath. His work is represented by Ffin-y-Parc Gallery, Wales, Gloria Delson Contemporary, Los Angeles, U.S.A., Lambert Fine Art, U.K.

Jones says 'My experiences of the world are the prime material for painting, employing my personal alphabet of shapes and colour. The watercolours included in this exhibition are a response to natural form and the world at large, generally completed on the spot, 'plein air'. My responses are really a stream of consciousness that I hope evokes the way in which I see the world, which to me is always a place of beauty’.

zero3 was formed in 2003 from graduates of the Stitched Textiles course at Windsor College, Berkshire. Oxmarket Contemporary is excited to welcome the group who celebrate twenty-two years of exhibiting together. The collective was founded to give its members a route to exhibiting their work and to benefit from shared expertise and inspiration. The group has never imposed a theme on the work produced, believing that each artist is involved in their studio practice following their own exploration. This is the sixteenth exhibition for zero3. 

One of the founding members is still with the group, Janet Atherton, whilst Janet Twinn joined some two years later. Others have moved on, and new members have been introduced, some of whom have worked with the collective for more than 14 years.

After twenty-two years, the collective still seeks to share the current output of its members. Monthly meetings have been held since the outset to plan an annual and biannual exhibition programme, discuss works in progress, visit contemporary exhibitions together and share skills in workshop settings. Members have taken routes from many starting points, including traditional quilt making, stitched textiles, mixed media and fine art approaches. Moving forward, zero3’s broad-minded definition of a contemporary textile and mixed media studio practice means that they embrace any shifting direction (on or off the wall) that their members wish to pursue. The members taking part in Signature XII at Oxmarket are Janet Atherton, Janine Ayres, Amanda Duke, Bobbie Frances, Alison Garrett, Susie Grace, Rosemary Hufton, Katherine King, Janet McCallum, Janet Twinn and Anna Woodhead.

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome Richard Dunkley to the Wilson Gallery for a 2 week exhibition of his photographs. Richard Dunkley had a 35 year career in fashion and advertising photography during which he worked for Vogue in five countries and many other magazines.  Based in New York for thirteen years he worked for many American and International clients, including book and record covers.  Richard won numerous awards for his advertising photography including The New York One Club Gold for a Mary Quant Cosmetics campaign.

Richard is now based in Chichester and concentrates on his personal work for exhibitions and two book projects, ‘Chair Stories’ now in pre publication and ‘The Written Word’ aimed at publication in 2026. Richard’s exhibition showcases his beautiful photography in black and white and colour.

Oxmarket are looking forward to an exhibition from four artists titled ‘Time…..’ in our John Rank Gallery.

Linda Foskett trained as a Cartographical Draughtsman at the Ordnance Survey and now enjoys the freedom of all forms of artwork. The thrill is when drawing, painting or printing a landscape she can now place a road, tree or a building wherever she wishes! As a multimedia artist Linda loves painting from nature.  Large and small Landscapes or Seascapes of the local Sussex area. Mainly oil paintings often taking these subjects into printmaking where they become more abstract.

Alexandra Beale is a sculptor and painter creating expressive figurative and semi-abstract works for house and garden. Working in bronze, bronze resin, ceramic, and oil, she focuses on capturing presence and movement-whether in a seven-foot figure or an intimate clay portrait. Self-taught and shaped by masterclasses, Alexandra has sculpted for over 30 years and sells and teaches from her home studio in West Sussex.

Sue Green is a painter inspired by the turbulence of the English Channel and the cultural intrigue of Parisian ‘café life’, Sue’s work is exhibited both nationally and internationally, including in ‘The International Contemporary Masters Volume VII’. A perception of movement is a consistent theme throughout Sue’s portfolio, which is achieved through her versatility in brushwork to embrace the subject matter. Renowned for an extensive palette of subtle hues contrasted with vibrant and tenacious colour, Sue’s art indulges in immersive depth and elegantly integrates abstract impressionism with contemporary vigour.

Frances Knight is a contemporary landscape artist working mainly in oils. She paints outside on location directly from nature, and then works on larger paintings from these studies once back in the studio. Interested in the interplay between abstraction and representation, she seeks to express an inner dialogue between subjective experience and objective reality. Her paintings are a joyful expression of light, colour and atmosphere.

Oxmarket are looking forward to being one of the touring venues for Chichester Festival Theatre’s new exhibition - New Ventures. Discover the fringe venues that inspired the opening of The Nest.

This intriguing new exhibition, will now tour local partner venues, to celebrate the unique history of temporary theatre spaces at CFT – all the way back to New Ventures and The Tent, exploring the roots of the CFT Studio Company and Theatre on the Fly, and never forgetting Theatre in the Park and The Spiegeltent! 

The fourteen artists of Artel are delighted to be returning to Oxmarket Contemporary for their annual collective exhibition - ‘The Space Between’. This band of local creatives came together in 1997 to inspire, generate and incubate work through the sharing of ideas and experiences. Each year, collective thinking arrives at a conceptual theme for this show, and the artists forensically examine and respond to the subject in their individual ways. This year’s choice ‘The Space Between’ will be no exception.

Painting in oils, Sue England explores the separation, reflection and illusion created by windows; Ceramics artist Maureen Brigden’s intriguing sculptures consider how division creates misunderstanding and confusion; Also working in clay, Liz Hanan presents bookends and books that sit between them, each with their unique story, and oversized keys that symbolize home and security; Sculptor Helen Solly reflects on physical and emotional space between people when creating figurative sculptures in metal; Jackie Knee’s charcoal drawings express imagined spaces, suggesting a sense of dwelling, connection and belonging. Linda Nevill, mixed media artist, shows colourful dreamscapes that describe the space between waking and sleeping; Martin Smith’s abstract oil paintings demonstrate space between colour, wavelength and tonal values; Deborah Richards observed the silvery Solent from many viewpoints, and her monotypes depict this ever-changing watery space between mainland and the Isle of Wight; The intensely stitched pieces made by Carol Naylor are inspired by the spaces between sky, land and clouds; Bosham harbour is the inspiration for Isabel Dodson’s seascape collages, which explore the relationship between the manmade and nature; Working in watercolour, Bridget Woods hopes to promote an awareness of interconnecting energy fields; Deborah Mitchelson reflects on her emotions when walking in the landscape, and challenges the viewer’s spatial awareness by encouraging the consideration of the space between her painting and ceramic work; abstract painter Lorraine Molins shows a very large triptych directly inspired by trees and the spaces between the branches; Tiffany Robinson presents burnished wooden panels depicting portals, challenging perception.

Artel would like visitors to spend time and consider their thought-provoking work. A member of the group will always be in attendance to discuss and answer questions. It will be a stimulating, worthwhile visit.

Oxmarket’s John Rank Gallery welcomes The New Embroidery Group for a 2 week exhibition showcasing stunning pieces of work carefully chosen for their exhibition.

The New Embroidery Group (NEG) has enjoyed over half a century with different generations of members, networking and exploring their craft in the arena of the art world.  The group was founded in 1968.  The first president was Constance Howard, a memorable character, artist, and teacher who transformed the status of embroidery and textile design.

The current NEG membership is diverse and comes from a wide area across the UK.  Common to all members is their love and appreciation of textile art.  To maintain a high standard of craftsmanship, all finished pieces for the exhibition go through a selection process.  Members are well versed in traditional and experimental techniques which are reflected in the individual work they each produce. 

A Gallery Community Project, ‘Stitching Together’, aims to create one collage hanging, celebrating the work of stewards and visitors.  Fabric, threads, needles, advice and books freely available.

More information about our group can be found at http://www.newembroiderygroup.com

Oxmarket’s Wilson Gallery welcomes Bristol-based Rossie Henderson-Begg who is a self-taught oceanic abstract artist with a background in drama and global missions work. Raised with a love for painting, singing, and performing, her artistic journey began early but became a central part of her life after a personal tragedy in 2018. Inspired by Parker J. Palmer’s ‘Let Your Life Speak’, Rossie committed fully to her art and embraced her affinity with the ocean. 

When Rossie lost a very close friend in a car accident in 2018, talking things through wasn’t helping her process her grief, and she felt compelled to paint. As she painted, it somehow touched a deeper part of her and she was able to start healing. Rossie believes the arts can be so redemptive and healing, and she want to bring that to as many people as possible.

Rossie has had many highlights of her art career so far, exhibiting at North Street Gallery in Bristol for a 3 month stint which turned into 6 months and while there breaking the record for the most expensive painting ever sold in that gallery!

Another highlight was becoming a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, which Rossie said was a huge encouragement to keep going and sharing her work more widely. 

Rossie’s work is deeply rooted in her lifelong connection to the ocean and the idea of flow—both physical and emotional. She uses intuitive pouring techniques, layering acrylic, inks, and natural elements such as sand to let each piece evolve like a tide or a current. This means no two pieces are ever the same; the process is about embracing unpredictability and letting the painting emerge and evolve as she work.

Rossie is hoping visitors and collectors notice not just the visual layers, but the feeling her paintings evoke—a sense of peace, quiet strength, and connection to something bigger than ourselves. She wants each piece to act as an anchor, bringing a moment of stillness into someone’s space and serving as a gentle reminder to pause and breathe.

Above all, Rossie is hoping people feel drawn into her work, like standing at the edge of the sea—grounded yet limitless.

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome Emsworth Printmakers for its fourth annual group exhibition at Oxmarket Contemporary in Chichester from 2-14 September 2025.  Celebrating the printmaking process in all its forms, from woodcuts to silkscreens, six of its members and two invited guests and friends will be displaying work they have been developing over the last year.

Emsworth Printmakers was formed during lockdown as a means of supporting one another’s artistic endeavours when unable to attend classes and open studio sessions. Many had previously met at the Omega Printmakers workshop in Portsmouth or as fellow Emsworth Arts Trail exhibitors.  Once studios opened again the group continued to unite and is now a proactive community of artists that meet regular to share their printmaking knowledge and to support each other on their creative and personal journeys.

During the exhibition, print enthusiasts can expect to see a mixture of screen printing, wood engraving, lino, collagraph, etching and monoprint techniques on show, mixed with some experimental approaches to printmaking.  All images and a selection of browser works and cards will be available for sale. Every piece is an original print and not a reproduction.

One of the groups printmakers will be in attendance during the entire exhibition and will be on hand to explain the printmaking processes used to create the images on display and elaborate on the different techniques employed in the wide field of printmaking.

The artists making up this fantastic exhibition this year are Anna Couldridge, Alan Davies, Sue England, Adam Howard, Fabiola Knowles, Jean Mallan, Carol Price and Bea Veness.

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome Steve Bicknell, sculptor and Steve Gallagher, fine art photographer to the Wilson Gallery for their exhibition ‘Natural Beauty’. The exhibition brings together the work from both artists and their response to the natural world and beauty around them.

Steve Bicknell started as a self-taught sculptor after a career as a photographer spanning four decades. He works predominately in ceramic and bronze sculpture, often working in a free nature, letting the clay suggest the final form.  He has exhibited in Spain, France and Italy with a selection of bronzes along with work in Surrey Sculpture Society shows, Doddington Hall and Beaulieu. His long-term project is working towards a solo show, “Return to the Earth” a body of work exploring the relationship between humanity and nature. Steve works in ceramic and bronze using no reference material, preferring to let the clay inspire him towards the final form. His work is of contemporary figures in a semi realistic abstract style. Self-taught, Steve has a strong recognisable tactile feel to his work.  

Steve Gallagher is a Sussex-based fine art photographer specialising in large format floral portraits and seascapes. He is known for his innovative approach to fine art photography and for his richly detailed and immersive images. He has a Fine Arts degree in Photography and Visual Design from the prestigious School of the Art Institute in Chicago. After a decade as a fashion photographer in New York and Miami, Steve then transitioned into a career in graphic design in the US and UK. Picking up his camera again during the Covid-19 lockdown, he was inspired by the natural beauty of his surroundings in coastal West Sussex, and has since exhibited successfully in London, Seattle, New York, Sussex and Surrey. His work has been purchased by collectors as far afield as the USA and Australia. Steve Gallagher’s floral artworks are intricate studies of colour, form, shape and texture. He is fascinated by the different stages of a flower’s lifecycle and how the aging process results in new levels of detail, contrast and intensity even as a bloom begins to fade. His most striking works are a series of 3D lenticulars, which showcase the unique luminosity, layering and intricacy of everyday flowers such as tulips, dahlias and peonies. He has also created unique works on glass, metal and cloth. Steve has been inspired by contemporary photography innovators such as Nick Knight and Irving Penn, but his work stands alone as a uniquely immersive and captivating experience for the viewer.

Time & Tide is a collective exhibition showcasing the work of award winning plein air artists, Paula Mitchell WGA, Patsy Moore ARSMA WGA and Mark Buck RSMA. Oxmarket are delighted to welcome all three artists to their John Rank and Wilson Galleries for a 2 week exhibition.

The artists find inspiration for their marine and landscape subjects by working directly in the environment.

Patsy Moore

Patsy Moore is an award winning artist; an associate member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists and a member of the Wapping Group of Artists. Painting en plein air and in the studio in oils and watercolours, she enjoys exploring light and atmosphere in interesting locations

Mark Buck RSMA
Mark Buck is an award winning watercolour artist, and member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists He paints in an energetic and loose style, mostly plein air.

Paula Mitchell WGA

Paula Mitchell is a multi-award winning artist with the Federation of British Artists and member of The Wapping Group of Artists. Her work as a plein air painter capturing the light and life in the environment entirely inspires her urban, landscape and coastal paintings.

JOHN WORLEY HUGILL

21/8/1920 - 27/12/2009

Oxmarket are delighted to announce a fundraising exhibition in the Wilson Gallery of the works of a local artist and supporter of the arts, the late John Hugill (1926-2008).

John and his wife, Patricia were great supporters of Oxmarket Contemporary and on her death earlier this year, Patricia bequeathed a collection of his paintings to be exhibited and sold in our gallery, with the proceeds donated to our charity. This exhibition is held to honour the work of a talented watercolourist and the memory of a beloved husband. To understand a little more of John’s life and works we asked one of his great friends and fellow artist David Buttons for his thoughts.

‘It was Pat , John’s wife, wish that there should be a celebration of John’s watercolours after her death. The Oxmarket Gallery had offered to create the exhibition which was a constant cause of pleasure and discussion when we met her over the years.

These watercolours in the exhibition represent the best of John’s work  carefully selected by Pat.

Rachel and I met John and Pat in the 1980s at the annual 3 Choirs Festival, both were musicians and this festival was one of their passions. When I retired in the late 1990s John was very supportive of my desire to turn the clock back and restart painting. He persuaded me, with little difficulty, to join him on a week’s painting course run by a member of the Wapping group, Paul Banning, in Wiltshire. Paul was an artist whom John enthusiastically followed and he had attended several  courses with him often in France. John has absorbed some of Paul’s techniques into his style.

John’s studio was at home and unlike most artists, and I speak from experience - his studio was tidy and well planned. There were the usual easels and a plan chest where he kept all his sketches , paintings and materials. He was a very studious and careful pencil sketcher, and often his drawings are works of art and can standalone.

Watercolour was his chosen medium and he had a great ability to produce very realistic landscapes , buildings and flowers with fabulous colours. One of John’s paintings of a red Lotus with technicians working on it is now on show in the museum at Goodwood.

Painting was as important to John as music but music and education was his career and paid the bills etc. John was a trained organist (ARCO) and was very involved in musical education in schools. At one time being director of music for Leicestershire schools.

In the late 1990s they moved to Chichester where both became very involved with Pallant House gallery and the local art and music scene. An ideal city in which to live! - David Buttons

AG Creatives is a group made up of artists and makers, several of whom have been working professionally in their chosen genre for decades, others who are returning to art after time out. For all of the artists, creating art is an urge that just can’t be ignored. Self-taught or formally educated art is what brought the group together, sharing what they create with the public to not only enable them to carry on creating by financing their lives, expressing their passions, but it also helps them to validate their work.

For AG Creatives the idea of exhibiting at Oxmarket was something that would be great to do, something that might give the group a new creative focus. The group run the Artisan Gallery in North Street in Chichester as a cooperative, each member displaying work there usually with no connection to the exhibition next to them. The idea of AG Creatives exhibiting together in a ‘loosely’ themed exhibition was a great challenge, giving many of the group the impetus to design something different.

In Echoes of Earth at Oxmarket there will be work from 21 of AG Creatives core artists and makers each inspired in their own way by the theme. Each piece of art in the exhibition has come about with influence, perhaps quite loosely, of echoes felt from the world. Echoes of Earth could be a call to attune the artists to what the Earth is telling them—through its patterns, silences, and a closer look at the materials gleaned from it. Urging them to listen to that emotion, whether it’s ancestral myths, symbolism or ecological.

On display in the exhibition will be work from four jewellers, Katherine Lawrie, Moira Cooper, Karen Saunders and Sylvia Tomkinson, glass artists Nancy Goodens and Heidi Robinson, ceramicists Mim McCann and Heather Muir, Sculptor Deborah Hochreutener, painters, Min Maude, Frans de Leij, Paula Chuter -Baker, Ellie Philpott, Teresa Poole and Bec Hopkins and artist and Lampshade Designer Marie Monro, Print makers Wendy Middleditch and Mark Maidment, Textile artists Jackie Lowe and Valerie McCallum, Surface Decorator Sarah MacLaughlin each interpreting the title in their own specialist genre or media.

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome Dennis Lewis to the Wilson Gallery for a 2 week exhibition. Dennis is a self taught watercolour artist who has lived and worked in France, Wales, Wiltshire and now residing in West Sussex. Dennis paints landscapes, mostly in the same format, there are also a few smaller paintings where he continues the image onto the frame. He loves landscapes and the differences in the light and what the seasons add to the view. Dennis has exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Mall Galleries in the Royal Watercolour Society shows, Painters in Watercolour and the Discerning Eye and was a regular exhibitor at the now defunct Sunday times Exhibition. This is his first solo exhibition.

Painting for Dennis is the thing he does where he feels in control and where he enjoys the creative experience even when the results are not to his liking, he never throws anything away but learns from his mistakes. Dennis says that ‘quite often the mistakes are what makes things interesting’. Dennis is influenced by every painting he has seen and largely from what he sees in nature which never ceases to amaze him.

Unearthed brings together a group of artists whose work explores the intricate relationships between humans and the natural world. Rooted in a deep engagement with ecology, materiality, and place, their practice reflects a sensitivity to the subtle traces left by time, landscape, and memory.

The artists include, painters, ceramicists, textiles, weaving and jewellery, aligning with the exhibition’s focus on the connections—visible and invisible—that bind us to the Earth. Their work often incorporates materials and techniques emphasizing sustainability and a reverence for the land.

Unearthed invites viewers to consider how art can trace, honor, and challenge the lines we draw between ourselves and the Earth, don’t miss this beautiful exhibition in our John Rank gallery.

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome a group of talented Surrey based artists who will be exhibiting in the John Rank Gallery. In my Mind’s Eye regularly exhibits at West Horsley Place in Surrey (aka Button House in the BBC series “GHOSTS”). Initiated by artist Liz Hauck the exhibition has grown from featuring her small collective “Wildwood Artists” to now encompassing over 30 artists, sculptors, ceramicists, original print makers and glass blowers. This non-profit initiative has been raising funds for various charities over the last 5 years including The Lightbox gallery in Woking. From July 8th -20th a small select number of these artists will be at Oxmarket. As the title suggests the emphasis is on contemporary original art - not to be missed.

Oxmarket’s Wilson Gallery will be hosting an exhibition for Brian Toms in July. After 25 years serving as a Gunner and then a Provost Petty Officer, Brian left the RoyaI Navy and worked for different Ad agencies both in the U.K. and Spain. Brian worked as illustrator for some years before taking a job with Gosport Council. 

Brian was originally from Cambridge and brought up in Northampton and his father always said he was born with a brush in his hand!

Brian has been painting most of his life and has portraits and pictures in many places, including Britain, America, Australia, Ireland, and Spain. He moved to Chichester about 15 years ago to be with his partner and had a studio in Runcton for some years, before moving into the old garage renamed The Shack. Brian has just turned 80 and still paints and he still enjoys it!

Say It With Flowers, is a striking and dynamic annual exhibition at Oxmarket Contemporary in Chichester. Featuring the work of over 100 artists and makers — including painters, ceramicists, jewellers, glassmakers, and crafters — each offering a unique interpretation of the floral theme.

This year’s exhibition also includes striking conservation exhibits, such as photographic studies of British butterflies by Pauline Richards, and selections from the ecological diaries of Noar Hill and the Hangars, written by former warden Bill Lowe, who at 87 has generously shared his extraordinary legacy.

Among the highlights of the show is the unique and witty work of Frank Jennings, whose box frame creations — Deceptive Receptacles — are a brilliant blend of craftsmanship, humour, and conceptual depth. His presence adds an unexpected and thought-provoking dimension to the exhibition.

Created from her lifelong love of flowers and botanical art, Sheryl has become the founder and curator of this exhibition. She is an accomplished botanical artist whose work captures the intricate beauty and quiet elegance of the natural world and is a Fellow of the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA) and Artist in Residence for the British Iris Society at RHS Wisley. Say It With Flowers will continue to grow under Sheryl’s curatorial guidance. The exhibition celebrates the power of flowers — and art — to inspire, uplift, and connect us all.

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome Chichester University Fine Art Department once again to Oxmarket for their graduation show. The exhibition is being kindly sponsored by The Arts Society. The group have largely known each other since 2022 when they started their Fine Art BA degree at the University of Chichester. They’ve each developed a unique and particular way of working in Painting & Drawing, Printmaking, Textiles and/or Sculpture that reflects 3 years of focused development. Each graduate has a clear material practice, an understanding of how Art can embody current ideas, and a professionalism that signals a way forward as artists making work that’s interesting and relevant.

These 9 artists have each developed a way of working that’s unusual and personal, and all have been heavily influenced by modern and contemporary artists in terms of technique, style and the ideas inherent in the work.   They have clear intentions in their work and have spent years refining their ability to communicate messages and feelings. These are often ambiguous, requiring the audience to negotiate their way into the work and fill in the gaps.

Each artist has a unique approach to Painting & Drawing, Printmaking, Textiles and/or Sculpture, one that reflects their artistic journey and personal biography. This exhibition will be in our Wilson Gallery for 2 weeks, not to be missed.

Chichester Art Society will be joining us at Oxmarket for their annual show in the John Rank and Wilson Gallery. Chichester Art Society was founded in 1939 and is at the heart of the community in Chichester and surrounding area.

Chichester Art Society says - ‘Artists of all abilities are very welcome to join the society. There are a wide range of activities organised throughout the year and new members are warmly welcomed.

Members benefit from all that is on offer including an opportunity to exhibit and sell at the Society annual exhibition at the prestigious Oxmarket Gallery situated in central Chichester.

Throughout the year we offer fortnightly demonstrations and talks by visiting professional artists. These are then often followed up by day long workshops with the artist. Here, you are encouraged to try out new ways of expression in your own artwork inspired and led by the artist. This can be stimulating, challenging, and ultimately satisfying as you explore new techniques and approaches to creating art.

 We also offer weekly drop-in sessions ‘Painting with Friends’. These are untutored sessions where you can create artwork using your own ideas in a friendly, encouraging and supportive environment.

There is also a programme of ‘Plein-air’ painting and drawing sessions available during the summer months. Here, we visit a wide variety of different venues locally to draw and paint outside.  This is an extremely rewarding experience as a group activity building confidence in creating artwork in a public place which can be daunting on one’s own!

 There is also a reference and borrowing library available at meetings consisting of a wide range of art books on various topics.

We warmly welcome all artists as members and visitors to our meetings. Pick up a leaflet and chat to members at the exhibition or check us out on Facebook, Instagram and our web-site’.

Oxmarket are delighted to display a collection of work by Elizabeth Jane Lloyd (1928-1995) in the Wilson Gallery. A colourist in the grand tradition of English colourists, her bold brushstrokes lay together to build dappled images in oils of luminous flowers against subtle ceramic and soft fabrics. She was a contemporary of Mary Fedden and Julian Trevelyan, and her vibrant still life and landscapes echo with the melodies of Cezanne and the post impressionists.

Lloyd’s talents sprung up from an artistic family and were later honed in the Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art. Much of her life was spent teaching, both from her studio and in various institutions, including at Central St Martin’s, the Cambridge School of Art and a number of others. Alongside this, and raising her four children, she produced a body of work that marries a sophisticated mastery of colour with a sense play - breathing an expansive feeling of life into each painting.

Oxmarket are delighted to welcome Janine North to the John Rank Gallery for a 2 week exhibition. From an early age, Jan’s world has been shaped by creativity. With a natural talent for arts and crafts, she has spent over six decades exploring different mediums and techniques, finding joy and expression in each piece she creates.  

Her artistic journey has been one of continuous evolution. In 1999, she crafted her first Grandfather Clocks, gifting them to her granddaughters as both beautiful keepsakes and functional tools to help them learn to tell the time. Her charming, hand-sculpted toadstools, designed to withstand the summer months in the garden, reflect her playful creativity and attention to detail.   

In 2011, a visit to Western Australia proved to be a pivotal moment in her artistic development. Inspired by the intricate dot paintings and rich storytelling traditions of Indigenous Australian artists, Jan began respectfully incorporating “dreaming” imagery and henna-style patterns into her work, adding depth and cultural influence to her already diverse portfolio.   

However, it was in recent years that Jan’s art took on a deeply personal and transformative role. Following the deaths of her father, mother, and daughter, within the space of six years, and while recovering from a stroke in 2019 and learning to live with aphasia, Jan began using art as a means of escape and healing. During a sleepless night, she instinctively began painting with wild abandon, finding peace and emotional release in her creative expression. This moment marked the birth of her "Crazy" series, a powerful collection of 22 Neurographic Art pieces, with more still emerging.  

Neurographic Art, developed by Russian psychologist Pavel Piskarev in 2014, combines creativity with neuroscience. By drawing fluid, intuitive lines and shapes that mirror the brain's neural pathways, the technique activates neuroplasticity, allowing the mind to form new connections and promoting emotional healing. For Jan, this artistic style became a pathway to self-discovery and well-being.  

Her passion for supporting others led her to join SayAphasia, a charity close to her heart, that helps those with communication difficulties. After attending their support group in Chichester, Janine established her own peer-led SayAphasia group on Hayling Island in April. In support of the charity's mission, she has pledged to donate at least 10% of the proceeds from this exhibition to SayAphasia.  

Jan’s artistic exploration continues to evolve. Starting with acrylics, she has since embraced oils, inks, and watercolours, always eager to experiment and push creative boundaries. Through her art, she channels her emotions and experiences, finding both solace and joy in the process.  

Her motto, proudly displayed on one of her "Crazy" paintings, perfectly captures her spirit:  

"Never give up on the things that make you smile."  

Jan’s work is not only a testament to her talent but also an inspiring reminder of art’s power to heal, connect, and transform.

Oxmarket are excited to welcome back Daniel Freaker to the Wilson Gallery for a 2 week exhibition. Freaker taught art and design for many years at Chichester College and has since developed a large following on Instagram and exhibits internationally with his instantly recognisable palette and bold imagery. Freaker graduated from the Slade School of Art in 2000 and lives and works in Portsmouth.

Freaker’s work is full of opposites, bright and dark, fluid and firm, movement and stasis, real and abstract. He uses many techniques on the canvas and this creates a tension and a balance between abstract and figurative work.

The feeling this creates is almost cinematic in the sense of composition and aliveness. Like light flickering through film and stories told through a lens, the work feels like a story we may have all experienced.

What makes the work stand out is the sense of familiarity within the scenes, where the initial image tells us it’s a normal scene, yet the techniques and palette are so other worldly.  

Oxmarket are looking forward to an exhibition by Consuelo Simpson, Dawn Langley and Janet McWilliam who have come together to share their latest work and their experimental approach to their fine art practices. Each artist embraces investigational contemporary methods as they explore the human experience. 

Through an exploration of colour, line, texture, layering, geometry and repetition each artist produces works that push the boundaries and expectations of their chosen media.  The exhibition is multidisciplinary, incorporating works on paper, textile sculptures, book forms, paintings, photographs and prints.  Abstract 2D and 3D elements will sit alongside each other.  All three artists explore the notion of making as a dialogue between artists and materials.

The exhibition aims to highlight our shared life experiences, encouraging the viewer to pause and consider what might be a curious juxtaposition or an unusual viewpoint.

Consuelo Simpson is a forager and finder of orphaned objects.  Her practice honours lost histories of knowledge and craft as the artist reweaves the story of the networks that bind us together through time and place.

Dawn Langley’s practice uses different approaches to exploring the traces of our lives, her images are based on the notion of disruptive combinations in the form of unusual still lives and work that incorporates collaboration with machines.

In Janet McWilliam’s work, colour is applied in a way that could be said to echo processes used within a household during its lifetime, reminiscent of a repeated activity by those who have inhabited the space.  She shares the making with her materials.

The artists are all interested in the notion of creativity where the artworks draw in the viewer and evoke a physical response in a collaborative interaction. We would like our audience to spend time, to dwell and enjoy a process of slow and deep looking.  The works draw on shared contemporary themes but also evoke a sense of play and exploration, something we hope the viewers will share.