Previous Exhibitions at Upfront Gallery
15/11/2011 - 08/01/2012
Light and Landscape
Heather has a solo exhibition at Upfront every two years. The title of this years exhibiton describes her work perfectly - the stunning way in which she captures changing light on the landscape.
Exhibitors: Heather Blanchard
04/10/2011 - 13/11/2011
Land & Sea
Jonathan and Alison have become synonymous with landscape painting in this region. Both have their own distinct approach, which creates an exciting dialogue and contrast. A fresh and modern approach to landscape painting.
Exhibitors: Alison Critchlow and Jonathan Trotman
23/08/2011 - 02/10/2011
A Dales High Way
The natural beauty of A Dales High Way is not just attracting walkers to the
Exhibitors: David Starley
12/07/2011 - 21/08/2011
"Landscapes in the Frame"
A mixed show inspired by the landscape. Featuring work by Eddie Potts, Debbie Lucas, Val Corbett, Mark A.Pearce, Tessa Kennedy, Godfrey Tonks and Alan Rutherford.
Exhibitors: Val Corbett, Debbie Lucas, Tessa Kennedy, Mark A. Pearce, Godfrey Tonks, Eddie Potts and Alan Rutherford
07/06/2011 - 10/07/2011
"Flowers in the Frame"
A mixed exhibition that includes photography, felt and paintings.
Exhibitors: Julie Dumbarton, Mark Pearce, Tina Balmer, Janette Phillips, Damian Reid & Debbie Lucas
19/04/2011 - 05/06/2011
"Group of Seven"
Mixed exhibition of paintings by a newly formed group of well established artists. Over the years each of the artists has shown work at Upfront, but this will be their first exhibition as "Group of Seven". We hope their new group venture proves to be a success and it is the beginning of many more exhibitions to come.
Exhibitors: Group of Seven
08/03/2011 - 17/04/2011
LIVING WITH THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
A photographic appreciation of Egypt by Mike Shepherd
The exhibition at Upfront will show an edited, framed selection of images from Mike's recent self-published book, plus many other limited edition prints, as well as a few surprises.
Where relevant, short explanations will accompany images. There will also be a detailed explanation of how rock art is recorded, with several examples.
Come and join the adventure, from 7th March to 17th April.
Exhibitors: Mike Shepherd
25/01/2011 - 06/03/2011
"10th Upfront Cumbrian Artists Open Exhibtion"
Selected 2D Work by Cumbrian artists This annual prestigious exhibition is now in it's 10th year and showcases the wealth of artistic talent within the county.
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Exhibitors: Cumbrian Artists
09/11/2010 - 23/01/2011
Winter Exhibition
All female mixed show by invited artsist who have all exhibited at Upfront previously. The Show is an eclectic mix of textile work, felt, collage and oil paintings.
Andrea Hunter, from Wensleydale is a felt artist who brings to her craft a highly skilled and innovative approach that has brought her deserved acclaim. This is celebrated in her first publication "A HEART felt LANDSCAPE" that will also be on sale during the exhibition.
Heather Blanchard has regular solo shows at Upfront and she is well known for her beautiful landscape oil paintings. She lived in Cumbria for many years before moving to Dumfriesshire. Her inspiration comes from the challenge of capturing a moment of dramatic light, weather, colour or pattern in the landscape, before it dissipates and moves on.
Julie Dumbarton is a lansdcape artist. Her passion is painting and she endeavours to inspire and nurture our love of the natural world. She describes her work as dreamlike, nostalgic, yet contemporary. Now based in Scotland, she says that The Scottish Borders and South West Scotland is a wonderful place to live and it provides many of the necessary elements for her landscape paintings.
Jennie Ashmore's "Leafworks" reflect her passion for the countryside and gardens. She uses the colours and textures of leaves and petals to create images reflecting her strong interest in pattern and design.
Sandra Howe has had work selected for the "Cumbrian Artists Open Exhibition" for the past couple of years. Her textile pictures use machine embroidery, reverse applique and ink on silk.
Exhibitors: Heather Blanchard, Julie Dumbarton, Andrea Hunter, Sandra Howe, Jennie Ashmore
06/10/2010 - 05/11/2010
"Vital Signs"
Recent 2D work by 10 North-West abstract artists and sculpture by Brian Cowper.
28/09/2010 - 07/11/2010
"River Run"
Clare Money and Peter Flannigan are both well known artists from the North East. Clare is a regular exhibitor at Upfront. The inspiration for the exhibition is the journey of the River Tyne. The artists each live at differend ends of the river and they are both interested in the landscape and industrial areas that the river runs through, as well as the atmosphere created by changing light and weather at different times of the year. The exhibition will include some of the powerful seascapes for which Clare has become well known.
Exhibitors: Clare Money & Peter Flannigan
17/08/2010 - 26/09/2010
"New Paintings by Award Winning Artist, Mary Ann Rogers"
Mary Ann has a solo exhibitions at Upfront every two years. Since her last exhibition she has received a well deserved award, recognising the popularity of her limited edition prints worldwide.
‘For artist, Mary Ann Rogers, receiving the coveted award for ‘Best Selling Published Artist 2009’ is a huge accolade. To follow in the footsteps of former recipients of the award, Jack Vettriano, Beryl Cook and David Shepherd is one thing, but for Mary Ann Rogers, the only self-publishing artist, to have received this award without the full might of a large fine art publishing house behind her is a remarkable acheivement.’
Annabelle Ruston, editor Art Business Today, author of fine art books
06/07/2010 - 15/08/2010
"Lakeland Landscape"
Solo exhibiton of recent oil paintings by Godfrey Tonks.
25/05/2010 - 04/07/2010
"Tracing Colour - Images from the Alhambra and Rajasthan"
Lynda Roberts is one of Upfront's most popular artsists. Her mixed media work with the inclusion of three dimentional detail is both fascinating and enthralling. Lynda's work is inspired by her many travels around the world.
Exhibitors: Lynda Roberts
27/04/2010 - 23/05/2010
"Alston Artists"
First exhibition at Upfront by a newly formed group of artists from the Alston/North Pennines area.
Exhibitors: Jules Cadie, John Fowler, Alan Hayward, Lionel Playford
30/03/2010 - 25/04/2010
"Landscapes of The Lake District and Scotland"
First solo exhibition at Upfront by Yorkshire artist, Paula Dunn. Other work to be featured during the exhibition will be Raku fired ceramics by Eric Moss and Wire Sculptures by Chris Moss.
Exhibitors: Paula Dunn
02/03/2010 - 28/03/2010
"Close Enough to Touch"
Landscapes and Seacapes by Scottish artist, Marcer Campbell.
Exhibitors: Marcer Campbell
19/01/2010 - 28/02/2010
"9th Upfront Cumbrian Artists Open Exhibition"
2D Work by Cumbrian artists, selected by an independent panel of judges. This annual prestigious exhibition is now in it's 9th year and showcases the wealth of artistic talent within the county.
Please will artists interested in entering the exhibition email for details and an application form. Alternatively you can download our application form.
Exhibitors: Cumbrian Artists
17/11/2009 - 31/12/2009
"Framing the View"
Heather Blanchard is a regular exhibitor at Upfront. She has a solo show every two years and the Gallery usually has examples of her work in their permanent exhibition area.
"Framing the View" is an exhibition of Heather's new body of work. The majority of the paintings are in oils, although she has also been experimenting with limited edition screen prints.
13/10/2009 - 15/11/2009
"Uplands and Downlands"
This is the 5th solo exhibition at Upfront by Bob Armstrong. Since his last exhibiton two years ago, Bob has had generous coverage in the "Artist" and "Artist and Illustrators" magazines.
08/09/2009 - 11/10/2009
Recent Paintings by Chris McLoughlin
First solo exhibition at Upfront by contemporary British landscape artist,Chris McLoughlin.
Exhibitors: Chris McLoughlin
28/07/2009 - 06/09/2009
Godfrey Tonks: An Alternative View
Latest collection of landscape paintings. Godfrey is well known for his bold use of colour which is refreshing and up-lifting. He has been a professional artist for many years and is constantly inspired by the changing views of the landscapes of Cumbria, Italy and Spain.
23/06/2009 - 26/07/2009
"Land and Sky:Paintings from the Hudson River Valley and Cumbria
Rebecca Allan has a studio in New York City. She has spent the last few years making paintings based on the watershed and coastal landscapes of the Pacific Northwest and the Atlantic Northeast. She is deeply concerned about the preservation of the environment. Her process of painting begins in and with nature - "it is a combination of many visual, physical and emotional experiences that occur while I am working on site, and later working in the studio".
As well has having a long standing interest in landscape, Rebecca is also an accomplished botanical illustrator. She is currently the Director of Public Programmes at The Bard Graduate Centre for Studies in Decorative Art, Design and Culture in New York.
20/05/2009 - 21/06/2009
"From Life: Scottish Contemporary Painting"
Contemporary art does not need to be Conceptual to be intelligent or relevant to our everyday life. This latest generation of "Glasgow Boys" and Girls are painters of vivid imagination, subtle emotions, compelled to scrutinise every element of contemporary life.
All of these artists are critically and commercially successful, recognised with international awards, and their work resides in private and public collections across Scotland, the UK and the world, from South Africa to the USA. Unlike many of their generation, oil painting remains the way in which they relate to contemporary life, and this show demonstrates the continued vibrancy of that medium. Upfront is grateful to The Collins Gallery, Glasgow and to their Curator, Laura Hamilton, for making it possible to show this exhibition in Cumbria.
22/04/2009 - 20/05/2009
"Impressions of Nepal"
The artists spent 3 weeks in Nepal, spending time in the cultural ancient city of Bhaktapur and the surrounding villages and temples (Hindu & Buddhist) where they painted & collected information for their work.
The group travelled out to Pokhara to start their trek in the Himalayas. They followed a section of the Annapurna Circuit, staying in tea houses along the way. The mountain scenery was fantastic and inspirational. Since their visit the artists have been busy working towards this exhibition which promises to be a fascinating culmination of their three weeks experiences in Nepal.
07/04/2009 - 19/05/2009
"Mood & Light"
Janet Kenyon is from Lancashire and recently moved to live in Carlisle. She was a finalist in our "Cumbrian Open Exhibition".
Janet has been a finalist in many national art competitions such as the Singer & Friedlander Competition, the Daily Mail "Not the Turner Prize" Competition", the Royal Society of Women Artists and "The Royal Institute of Watercolour". She is currently exhibiting at the Royal Society of Watercolours at the Mall Galleries in London.
03/03/2009 - 05/04/2009
"Moving On"
E Squared are returning to Upfront for their fourth exhibiton.
Over the years the 10 exhibiting members of E Squared have developed in different directions which has enabled them to create exhibitions that are always varied and intersting.
03/03/2009 - 05/04/2009
"Floating World"
A group of paintings, created and inspired by oriental painting styles.
20/01/2009 - 01/03/2009
"Upfront Cumbrian Artists Open"
This will be the 8th Upfront Open Exhibiton. It is a selected exhibition of 2D work by Cumbrian artists. The work is selected by an independent panel of judges. Interested Cumbrian artists please email or call at the Gallery for information and an entry form.
The Upfront "Open" has become a very popular and successful exhibiton. The standard of entries is always high & the show is selected anonymously so there is a good mix of work, by both professional and non-professional artists. The final exhibiton is usually selected down to about 150 pieces of work. There are prizes awarded in various categories as well as 1st, 2nd & 3rd prizes. Visitors to the Gallery are also asked to vote for their "favourite" and a prize is given to the artist whose painting receives the most votes.
Exhibitors: Cumbrian Artists
18/11/2008 - 31/12/2008
"A Long Way Down The Line"
A highlight of the show will be the "home premiere" of "City of Carlisle at Upperby" - as perfect an example of a Cumbrian railway image as you can imagine.
Many people find railways a fascinating subject and Stephen has acheived his reputation partly because he uses a variety of approaches to the subject. There are railways in landscape, railways as social history, realistic, impressionist and even Expressionist paintings to be seen in the exhibiton - something to interest everyone, not just "train buffs"!!
14/10/2008 - 16/11/2008
"The Three Brushketeers"
Joint exhibition by three local artists who are regular exhibitors in the "Upfront Cumbrian Artists Open Exhibition". This will be their first solo show at the Gallery.
02/09/2008 - 31/10/2008
"Ivver Sen"
"Ivver Sen" is Cumbrian dialect for "ever since". This is an exhibition of over fifty original pastels which are all in the new book "Ivver Sen" that is to be launched at Upfront Gallery.
The book "Ivver Sen" is written by Keith Richardson with pictures by Keith Bowen. It is the culmination of five years work in and amongst the rural and farming folk of Cumbria. The exhibition and book promises to be one of the highlights of the Cumbrian cultural calendar.
Exhibitors: Keith Bowen
01/09/2008 - 12/10/2008
"New Paintings from the Country"
Latest collection of watercolours and limited edition prints by North East artist, Mary Ann Rogers. This will be Mary Ann's third solo exhibition at Upfront.
21/07/2008 - 31/08/2008
"Out in the Open"
New collection of work inspired by locations in the North of England. The title refers both to Clare's preferred method of working and also to the revealing of deserted, forgotten or abandoned spaces.
Clare's new collection of work incorporates Industrial, Seascapes and Landscapes. The landscape, whether it is coastal, rural, urban or industrial, is a constant source of inspiration to Clare. The exhibition features work based on the windswept beaches of the Northumberland coast as well as images of a less conventional beauty - the landscape of the traditional Tyneside industries of mining and shipbuilding.
16/06/2008 - 20/07/2008
"The Art of Printmaking"
An exhibition of work by selected artist printmakers from within and outside Cumbria.
The exhibition will include different techniques of printmaking and an explanation of the processes involved.
13/05/2008 - 15/06/2008
"Distant Perspectives"
This will be Lynda's fourth solo exhibition at Upfront. "Distant Perspectives" is about her travels to Skye and Venice.
Mixed media collage, incorporating photographs, textured papers, scrim and printing using emulsion paint, fabrics and papers trapped with wax and completed with a mixture of acrylic and emulsion paint.
07/04/2008 - 11/05/2008
"Cumbria Life Illustrations plus Recent Work" by Trevor Green
An exhibition of the original watercolour illustrations by Trevor Green that have appeared in "Cumbria Life" magazine.
Trevor has been working as a full time painter, illustrator and cartoonist since 1991. Locally he is well known for his illustrations in "Cumbria Life" magazine. His illustrations and cartoons have been published in numerous magazines and newspapers. His oils, acrylics, watercolours and drawings can be found in private and corporate collections in the UK and abroad.
04/03/2008 - 06/04/2008
Alive & Stitching
Second exhibition at Upfront by a group of six profressional artists who have been exhibting their work together since 2001. From large, bold wall hangings to small intricately worked pieces, their eclectic mix of style, technique and approach results in a dynamic and exciting exhibition of textile art.
"Alive & Stitching" are committed to raising the profile of textile art. They exhibit nationwide and hold workshops on a regular basis. Their work can be found in homes, museums and hospitals around the country.
21/01/2008 - 02/03/2008
"7th Upfront Cumbrian Artists Open Exhibition
Entries welcome from Cumbrian Artists. Please request an application form.
Annual exhibition of 2D work by Cumbrian artists. Work submitted is selected by a panel of judges and prizes are awarded for various categories.
29/09/2007 - 04/11/2007
"Objects & Intervals: an Installation"
Third exhibition by London artist, Philip O'Reilly. Another opportunity to be amazed by his skill and creative use of materials. Work will include techniques in felt making, casting, digital imagery, graphic media etc.
The artwork is conceived as an installation whereby the distinction between one group of parts and another are deliberately fused in the arrangement. The materials also change identity and in a subtle way, the strategy of applied colour changes with the forms and format. Part of the exhibition is also "selected works" - "art products". Works that are made for the commercial fun of it. Textiles and paintings, from another time "recycled" via the computer have re-emerged as new subject matter with a new identity and purpose.
Exhibitors: Philip O'Reilly