It’s an impressive sight, the cloisters of SJE arts on Iffley Road lined with some truly beautiful and impressive pieces of art.
The FREE annual The Oxford Art Society Open Exhibition 2022, which opened today, features 230 pieces by local artists, hand-picked in a rigorous selection process that saw the judges processing over 398 artworks, with the chosen pieces ranging from mosaics and portraits to sculpture and prints.
Nearly all of it is for sale, and with the likes of Tom Croft‘s portrait of Tinie Tempah as featured on TV’s ‘Extraordinary Portraits’ on show (READ ABOUT IT HERE http://551.326.mywebsitetransfer.com/artist-tom-croft-on-tvs-extraordinary-portraits-tonight-as-oxford-art-society-exhibition-opens/), alongside work from numerous other famous artists who grace the walls of the nation’s galleries, it’s quite a show!
Exhibiting artists range in age from 17 to their 90s and hail from within 30 miles of Oxford. Prices range from £50-£8500.
“There is an air of expectation surrounding our summer show and The standard this year is really high”
“There really is something for everyone, whether you fancy picking out a piece for your home or just wandering around the exhibition and soaking it all up,” Harriet adds.
The Oxford Art Society was founded in the 1890s and thanks to Chair Lucy Stopford and exhibition co-ordinator Harriet Eagle‘s careful administrations, is going from strength to strength, more and more artists clamouring to be shown in this increasingly prestigious exhibition.
Which is why it manages to attract big stars to its launch night from Prof. Samson Kambalu and Mark Haddon to Sir Philip Pullman.
There is also a Young Artist Competition, and prizes for the best art pieces in 2022’s exhibition with Sky Portrait Painter of The Year presenter Kathleen Sorriano judging this year.
“There is certainly an air of expectation surrounding our summer show,” Lucy agrees, “so our artists are really pleased when they get through. The standard this year is really high.”
So what do they look for? “Original, well executed, competent, exciting work to enable us to keep promoting our artists and their work,” Lucy explains.
“And SJE Arts is such a lovely, light, space. It’s a great venue for the exhibition.”
The OPEN Exhibition 2022 will take place at the Cloister Gallery at SJE, Iffley Road, Oxford OX4 1EH from Saturday 20 August – Sunday 4 September every day from 11am-6pm.
Go to https://oxfordartsociety.co.uk/exhibitions/ for more details.
