Autumn Exhibition 2025 on NOW!
We’d love you to visit our Autumn Exhibition which is on now at the Bear Steps Gallery, Shrewsbury, until 1pm Saturday 11th October, 10am to 4pm daily.
At the Autumn Exhibition, the Walker Harrison Prize is awarded to the painting that, in the opinion of the adjudicator, best represents the Shropshire landscape. The prize marks the contribution made to the founding of the Society by Harold Walker and Reg Harrison: both keen naturalists, they loved our Shropshire landscape. This year our winner is Tim Parker for his painting, “Ragleth from Callow Ridge”. Phil Hadley (our Chair) presented Tim with the Silver Salver at our Exhibition Social. Our 2025 adjudicator was Rick Greswell, a landscape photographer fascinated by the outdoors, the seasons, and the ever changing conditions and light the British weather imparts upon our lands and sea. He praised Tim’s painting, explaining why he had chosen it,
“This work aligns with my criteria perfectly. It’s a dynamic piece, executed in a way that offers the visceral impact of Expressionism, with elements reminiscent of Van Gogh. The artist uses his chosen medium to create a clear sense of place and mood: intense greens from the low-sunlit hills clash against thick strokes of red and brown, imparting a powerful sense of energy and the sense of wild beauty of this landscape. The sweeping marks on the canvas and bowed trees transform the subject matter into a living, breathing landscape, allowing us, as viewers, to feel the wind on our faces and the rugged terrain underfoot. It’s a powerful visual statement that places us directly within the heart of the Shropshire Hills, an area that strongly defines the character of Shropshire itself.”
Winner, Walker Harrison Prize 2025
Thank you Rick Greswell for adjudicating for us, and congratulations Tim!
Our Exhibition Preview Guest List
If you would like to join our Exhibition Preview Guestlist, please email hello@shropshireartsociety.org.uk as we’d be delighted to send you invitations by email to our Summer Exhibition Preview and our Autumn Exhibition Social. We will then email you back to gain the required consent (as required by the GDPR).
Summer Exhibition 2025, thank you for visiting and voting!
Our Summer Exhibition 2025 ran from Monday 23rd June to Saturday 12th July, St. Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury. Thank you to all who visited, purchased works by our members and voted for your favourite paintings in the People’s Prize. Three prizes were awarded this year: the People’s Prize (voted for by the viewing public), the Judy Townsend Memorial Prize (chosen by the Townsend family) and the Members’ Prize (voted for by our members and new in 2025!). All agreed that the quality of work this year was outstanding. See our three winning paintings below and read more about our winners and our runners up, too, in our Summer Exhibition winners blog post, click HERE.
Winner, People’s Prize 2025
Almost 900 votes were cast by the visitors to our Summer Exhibition, and the winner was Ja Edwards for his painting “Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Fading Sun”. Ja is a master of light and this oil painting is a work that absolutely glows. Ja wins £100 and the knowledge that so many visitors loved his painting. Congratulations to you Ja!
Winner, Judy Townsend Memorial Prize 2025
Congratulations go, again, to Ja Edwards for his stunning work entitled “Solent dash”. Making the award on behalf of the Townsend family and in memory of his wife, Judy, Alan Townsend said that the energy of strength, challenge and movement conveyed by the painting was “amazing”. No-one was surprised that by the end of the Preview, the painting had SOLD. Brilliant, Ja!
Winner, Members’ Prize 2025
The very first Members’ Prize, voted for by Shropshire Art Society members only, was awarded to Lena Jarl Churm for her atmospheric and highly-skilled watercolour painting entitled “The Old Sawmill”. Congratulations Lena! This prize awards to Lena the accolade of of being chosen by her fellow members and artists, and we are all delighted for her.
Our annual exhibitions:
The Society traditionally presents two annual exhibitions of members’ work, when both framed and unframed art works are for sale to the public. The Summer Exhibition takes place at St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury — world famous for its stained glass, and the Autumn Exhibition is held at Bear Steps Art Gallery, Shrewsbury — an historic timber-framed gallery.
At the Summer Exhibition three prizes are awarded. The Judy Townsend Memorial Prize is given for a painting chosen by the Townsend family, for a painting showing an innovative approach or a strong design element… a painting that they feel Judy would have said ‘Wow!’ about. The People’s Prize is awarded to the painting receiving the most votes from visitors to the exhibition. A new Members’ Prize voted for by Shropshire Art Society members will be introduced in 2025.
At the Autumn Exhibition The R Harrison and H Walker Prize is awarded for the painting that, in the opinion of the adjudicator, best reflects the Shropshire countryside.
Our Permanent Exhibition:
We have a small permanent exhibition in St. Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury; two or three members or one of our workshops and classes groups exhibit each month. Do drop in and take a look!
