Contemporary Passions 2022

An exhibition by members of South Hams Arts Forum (SHAF)

Tuesday 5th – Sunday 17th July 2022

Since at least 2009, SHAF members have been holding the Contemporary Passions exhibition in Harbour House.  Each Summer, a number of SHAF artists collaborate on the theme of their new work, and their current passions.  It is always a pleasure to take part, and the resulting exhibition showcases a variety of media, in 2D and 3D. Such as painting, printmaking and ceramics, mosaics, plus occasional surprises, making an interesting and varied exhibition.  

This year SHAF Contemporary Passions has attracted artists and crafts people who are new to South Devon, bringing with them their established reputations. The exhibitors this year include both professional and semi-professional artists, several of whom also teach.  

Artists taking part in 2022:

Marble artist Rachel O’Connell creates home accessories including aprons, soft furnishings and vessels using sustainable leather, cork, fabric, paper, glass and ceramics and, with her zero-waste philosophy in mind, vintage denim and repurposed copper thread. Rachel uses the traditional tools and slow, considered process of heritage crafts to produce her contemporary designs.

A mosaicist since 1994, Kate Rattray will show wall sculptures, constructed with wire, cement mixes, plaster and polystyrene before the addition of a mosaic skin. Themes include birds and moths in flight, and alongside nature Kate’s inspiration includes religion, mythology, metamorphosis – and the apocalypse.

Patricia Hitchens, known for her expressive painting and life drawing, has recently also rekindled a love of jewellery making, upcycling older jewellery and incorporating sea plastic and glass to give a distinctive look to her statement rings and quirky pieces.

A professional ceramic artist since 1998, Susan Luker has established a name for herself with her smoke fired Raku work. In recent years she has explored the potential of crawl and lichen glazes, clay slips and engobes, painted directly onto her hand built sculptural pots. Her newest work is inspired by human interaction with nature.

Alison Hannah’s creative practice combines poetry, paintings and ceramics, inspired by the landscape and shoreline of the south west and capturing the interactions between people and landscape. Social and conservation issues are considered in her practice.

Having lived on the edge of Dartmoor and now in the South Hams, watercolourist Christine Pascoe takes inspiration from her surroundings and she enjoys painting en plein air and in a naturalistic style. Her commissioned work has included animal portraits, houses and gardens, and from her self-taught beginnings she has gone on to tutor others.

Jane Davarian is inspired by memories, people and “cultures rich in indigenous art”, and architectural and textile designs encountered on her travels may find their way into her printmaking, where bold monochrome allows for clarity of detail.

Heather Morfett enjoys the endless possibilities of working with clay and the need to embrace its unpredictability. Working as a therapist she is interested in how art and artmaking can shine a light on hidden issues, and she takes her creative inspiration from events in her life which have moved her as well as from her environment and her travels.

South Hams Arts Forum (harbourhouse.org.uk)