Free admission. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm, from 25 June until 20 July.
Laurel’s signature, large abstract paintings are primarily an exploration of colour and mark making. They are often energetic and evocative, creating resonances which are personal and individual to the observer. They invite you to take your time to discover your own, person response.
Laurel’s canvases are non representational. She works intuitively, her paintings evolve and develop their own character. She builds layers of paint with colour and marks which begin to speak to her and make demands of her. She will rarely know where this will take her and it can be many months before a painting is resolved.
There is an intensity about her compositions. Busy, crowded surfaces take your eye on a journey of discovery. Her paintings reveal themselves as you explore them. They are forever evolving, always offering up new interpretations..
The exhibition opening times are 10-4pm Wednesdays through Sundays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays and occasionally for other events in the main hall: we recommend you call first if travelling a distance to avoid disappointment.
Meet the Artist: An opportunity to meet Laurel Smart, the artist behind our current exhibition, the visually captivating, Colour Contemplations.
This is an informal drop-in during which Laurel will be on-hand to discuss the exhibition and how she created the works on display.
No need to book, just come and say hello between 12 and 3pm..
About Laurel
Laurel is an artist, educator and painting mentor. She has taught in secondary schools, universities and art galleries, including Arnolfini and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Currently she delivers Space for Creativity, a series of mentoring workshops for painters run by @bristolcourses.
Laurel organises the Friends talks at the RWA and has shown regularly in the Friends exhibition at RWA.
Laurel is a member of an artists group The Power of 10 and shows regularly on the North Bristol Art Trail.
Laurel tends to show her work in solo exhibitions. She has works in collections in Australia, Austria, France, Wales, London, and across the country..
Instagram: @laurelsmartpainting Facebook: laurelsmartpainting