Frances Martin & Richard Cleland
Cartoon Darkness at St Margaret’s Gallery, Norwich
An exhibition of works by Richard Cleland and Frances Martin, Norwich artists who both create work in the city at St Etheldreda’s Studios, King Street.
Frances and Richard are highly active artists based in Norwich, playing a key role in supporting exhibitions and creative spaces across the city. Through their involvement with the Makers and Artists Collective (MAC) and as members of the Norwich 20 Group, they continue to champion the local arts scene.
They have exhibited widely, including numerous group shows across the region, and are currently presenting a diverse selection of work at St Margaret’s Gallery in Norwich. The exhibition opened on Tuesday 31st March and runs until Sunday 12th April, with opening hours from 10am to 5pm.
All artworks are available for purchase, offering a fantastic opportunity to acquire original pieces. It’s a vibrant and engaging show—well worth a visit, so don’t miss the chance to see it before it closes.
Frances Martin
On the Norwich 20 Group website Frances has written the following about her work.
“I have enjoyed a return to figurative work, investigating the ways that the body, or parts of it, can convey different emotions, like hope, or despair”.
Tranquillity Within The Subject
“One focus is on finding tranquillity within the subject. I have found that regular life drawing has fired my thirst, and also working outdoors as well as the more contemplative surrounding of my studio in St Etheldreda’s church”.
I Aim To Give A Sense Of The Person
“I love the immediacy of working from life, capturing the essence and physicality of the body’s form with use of gestural mark-making; sometimes using oil bars which can have a rhythm and speed for creating. I aim to give a sense of the person, and also my own state of mind – whether positive or negative at that moment”.
Form And Colour
“My art work has been based on my perceptions, with a focus on form and colour”.
Richard Cleland
Richard Cleland has been drawing and sketching from an early age he developed a more focused approach to art in the 1990’s. In professional life, Richard comes from Project management in the engineering industry. He has been a Member of the Norwich 20 Group since 2011 and a committee member since 2012 and is now, the group Treasurer.
Shaped By Memory Rather Than Observation
His work often draws on landscape themes, frequently shaped by memory rather than direct observation. Alongside this, he explores a wide range of subjects, embracing mixed media techniques to create distinctive, layered images. A subtle, tongue-in-cheek sense of humour occasionally weaves its way into his work, adding an unexpected and engaging dimension. The title image ‘Enterprise’ is a perfe3ct example.
Richard works from his studio in Norwich.
St Margaret’s Gallery, Norwich- The Makers & Artists Collective (MAC)
The Makers & Artists Collective is a pressure group formed from several Norwich based arts groups and societies with the common goal of creating a permanent gallery where artists & makers could show and sell their work affordably in Norwich City centre.
Seek Out A Suitable Venue
Initially considering other options, our group aimed to seek out a suitable venue from the existing City stock of retail or Council owned buildings that could be easily be rented and modified to form an exhibition space for our purpose.
We seek to obtain funding and sponsorship to cover part of the running costs, making the project sustainable over many years. The gallery’s hire fees could then be used to top up the deficit.
Promotion Of The Arts In Norwich Is Sadly Lacking
We feel the promotion of the arts in Norwich, by the Council and other commercially run institutions that might be expected to promote the arts, is sadly lacking.
The creation of an independent, permanent and affordable city centre art gallery (or negotiating affordable rates of hire for existing venues) would begin to re-establish the importance of the arts in Norwich.
Sponsorship
This is only the beginning – and at the moment we have no sponsorship. If we can succeed in making this work for the time we have taken St Margaret’s we will endeavour to make this a permanent arrangement.
Our agreement with the Norwich Historic Churches Trust to occupy St Margaret’s Church is one way we can achieve our aims.
Some members of MAC have now set up a CIO to run St Margaret’s Gallery as a not for profit exhibition space.
Norwich 20 Group
Norwich 20 Group has a firmly established regional art presence with active involvement by its selected members, including monthly discussion meetings and topical presentations by invited artists, members and new graduate members.
Membership Has Grown
After 80 years membership has grown to approximately 80 artists, which include painters, sculptors, digital video, installation and conceptual artists, printmakers and photographers. The group maintains a vibrant connection with the city’s cultural life.
Active Liaisons
As well as the meetings, talks and exhibitions, the group liaises with Norwich University of the Arts, and each year some graduating artists are asked to join the group for a two year period as graduate members.
The group runs a weekly life drawing workshop and has an annual exhibition, also displaying large format and experimental works within group exhibitions.