Our 2025 Summer Exhibition has completed its successful three-week run at St. Mary’s Church in Shrewsbury. Thank you to everyone who exhibited work and especially thank you to all who visited and voted for your favourite paintings. Read on for all our winners!

We were delighted to welcome the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Alex Wagner, to open the Exhibition at our Preview event on Saturday 21st June. He gave an inspiring speech asking us to celebrate our members’ and our Society’s contribution to the flourishing Shrewsbury and Shropshire arts’ scene. Thank you Alex!

At that same event the first of our three prizes this year was awarded, by the Townsend family and the Society, the Judy Townsend Memorial Prize of £100. This went to Ja Edwards for his painting, 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”. He and his daughters, Sally, Jane and Jo, unanimously felt the strength of the composition contrasting with the incredible portrayal of the light in the sea’s spray to be exciting and innovative, with the figures seeming to move as one with the yacht. He said he was inspired by the work and that the quality of it bode wonderfully well for the future of our Shropshire Art Society. No-one was surprised that by the end of the Preview, the painting had sold.

Wonderfully for Ja, we are also happy to announce that he also won the People’s Prize of £100, voted for by members of the viewing public, but for a different painting. Everyone who visits the Exhibition can vote for their favourite painting… and you chose… Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Fading Sun by Ja Edwards. Ja’s Solent Dash was voted in second place, and in third place was Lifebelt by Phil Hadley. Very well done Ja and Phil!

This year, for the first time, a third award was made, by our members themselves, the Members’ Prize. Our members voted for their favourite painting. In first place was The Old Sawmill by Lena Jarl Churm. Solent Dash took second place and Lifebelt third place. So our congratulations go again to Ja and Phil, but this time especially to Lena, who receives the accolade of being chosen as the winner by her fellow Shropshire Art Society members!

We are grateful to everyone involved in choosing these winners, and, of course, to our Exhibition Secretary, Tim Parker, and his team of volunteers who did such a splendid job of staging the Exhibition this year. As always, too, we must express our gratitude to the Churches Conservation Trust for the beautiful historic space that is St. Mary’s. We are all already excited for 2026.

Meanwhile, we have our Permanent Exhibition space in St. Mary’s as the next part of our contribution this year to the Shrewsbury Arts Trail.

And, our Autumn Exhibition will be held in the Bear Steps Gallery, Shrewsbury from 29th September to 11th October. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Shropshire Art Society’s Summer Exhibition 2024 has kicked off in splendid style. Eight original artworks were sold during the private preview event, reflecting the exceptional quality of this year’s submissions. Officially opened on Saturday June 22nd, 2024, attendees at the preview were impressed by the diversity and excellence of the works on display, all created by Shropshire artists.

The exhibition features over 130 framed pieces and  60 unframed works, along with a variety of greeting cards, available for purchase. The event is hosted in the beautiful St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury, reknowned for its stained glass and providing a stunning backdrop for the artworks.

This year, the exhibition was inaugurated by Robert Milton, Volunteering Officer for the Churches Conservation Trust. Robert, a pivotal figure in fostering the relationship between the Society and the Trust, has been instrumental in the success of the Summer Exhibition during his 15-year tenure. His work in engaging local communities to support and value their churches has been invaluable, and he spoke passionately about his admiration for the artistic talent in Shropshire. Robert will continue his association with the Society and the Friends of St Mary’s Group after his role with the Trust concludes in six months. His continued support is highly appreciated by the Shropshire Art Society.

Phil Hadley, Chair of the Shropshire Art Society, expressed his gratitude to the volunteers, committee members, and exhibition organisers for their hard work and dedication in helping to make the exhibition such a success.

The Judy Townsend Memorial Prize

Awarded jointly by the Society and the Townsend family and judged by the Townsend family on Monday 24^th June, the 2024 winner of the Judy Townsend Memorial Prize is Nicky Lokier for her striking and vibrant portrait titled “Karen”. The Townsends loved the portrait’s strength softened by the eclectic mix of floral designs in its background. ‘The portrait demands your attention when you turn the corner and see it for the first time. It draws you in, you want to know more about the person in the painting,’ said Sally, Judy’s eldest daughter. Congratulations Nicky!

The Shropshire Art Society is a vibrant community of over 200 local artists and art enthusiasts. In addition to their two annual exhibitions, the Society offers a variety of events for members, including lectures, workshops, classes, sketch and print clubs, holidays, gallery trips, and other social activities throughout the year.

The Summer Exhibition is free to the public and runs from June 22nd to July 13th, open daily from 10am to 4pm, excluding Sundays. Don’t miss this opportunity to view and purchase original artwork by talented local artists and to vote for your favourite painting in the People’s Prize, awarded at the close of the exhibition. Visit the exhibition at St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury, and immerse yourself in the creativity and talent of Shropshire’s artistic community.

With thanks to our Exhibition Secretary, John Willetts, and his team and to Tamara Hackett and Frank Hilton for their contributions to this article.

Shropshire Art Society Celebrates 75th Anniversary with Spectacular Summer Exhibition

Shropshire Art Society is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated 75th-anniversary summer exhibition, featuring an exceptional collection of over 160 original artworks created by more than 50 talented Shropshire artists. The exhibition, held at the historic St Mary’s Church, was launched with a special preview on Saturday, June 24th, exclusively for members and invited guests.

The event began with an insightful talk by Dr. Rachael Abbiss, who shared her expertise on the St Mary’s stained-glass project, focusing on music and the Churches Conservation Trust. The delightful ambiance of the occasion was enhanced by the mesmerising performance of Stewart Goodhew, a well-known local jazz musician, pianist, and composer.

About Shropshire Art Society: Shropshire Art Society is a prominent artistic community that fosters creativity and showcases the diverse talents of Shropshire’s artists. With a rich history spanning 75 years, the Society is committed to organising engaging events and exhibitions throughout the year.

Highlights of the Exhibition: The summer exhibition has garnered tremendous support, attracting a large number of art enthusiasts. Phil Hadley, the Society’s Chair, expressed gratitude to the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) for hosting the exhibition for the 12th consecutive year. Appreciation was also extended to John Willetts, who has expertly organised another successful exhibition. Margaret and Malcolm were acknowledged for their efforts in arranging the delicious refreshments.

Opening Ceremony: Dr. Rachael Abbiss, esteemed guest and speaker, inaugurated the exhibition. Dr. Abbiss shared insights into her new role with the CCT, managing a crucial conservation project to preserve and restore 12 historic windows within the church. She commended the Society on the exceptional artwork and the superb choice of St Mary’s Church as a venue, which harmoniously complemented the artists’ creations.

The Historical Significance of St Mary’s Church: Dr. Abbiss highlighted the remarkable history of St Mary’s Church, which was founded in AD965, boasting an Anglo-Saxon foundation, a Norman nave, and a stunning 15th-century hand-carved oak ceiling. The church’s floor tiles, dating back to 1840 before the renowned Minton range was launched, added to its allure. The stained-glass windows, a blend of European and English glass from the 13th century, have garnered worldwide acclaim. Notably, Dr. Abbiss shared the story of a 16th-century window that was recently restored after being transported from St Jacques in Liege, Belgium, in the early 1800s. She highlighted the restoration efforts led by David Owens in the 1800s and expressed the necessity of ongoing restoration work due to unfortunate acts of vandalism.

Engagement and Workshops: Dr. Abbiss emphasised the importance of community engagement activities and shared details about the upcoming Stained-Glass Festival in August 2023. The festival will showcase a variety of artists specialising in illuminated artwork. She encouraged Society members and attendees to explore the hidden gems within St Mary’s Church and take part in the workshops organised throughout the year.

The Exhibition Prizes: The winner of the Judy Townsend Memorial Prize, awarded by the Townsend family and the Society each year, is Lynne Morgan for her painting ‘Flax Mill Façade’.

It’s number ‘90’ in the exhibition, so look out for it if you visit! The Townsends thought Lynne’s painting to be a brave approach to expressing its popular Shrewsbury subject, the Flax Mill: it focuses on just a section of the Flax Mill wall, prior to the current renovations. This original viewpoint as well as the variety of exciting mixed media techniques used skillfully by Lynne meant that they were drawn into the beautiful multilayered painting. Judy would have loved it, we are all certain. Congratulations Lynne! Meanwhile, if you visit the exhibition, make sure you vote for your favourite painting for the People’s Prize!

The Exhibition Workshops: We are holding drop-in ‘taster’ art workshops for members of the public in St Mary’s Church on Wednesday mornings, 28^th June, 5^th July and 12^th July. Call in and try your hand at something new. All are welcome. Here’s the programme:

Wednesday 28th June 10.30am – 1pm Watercolours with Wilf Langford
Wednesday 5th July 10.30am – 1pm Acrylics with Lynne Morgan
Wednesday 12th July 10.30am – 1pm Coloured markers with Paul Cronin

The 75^th Anniversary Summer Exhibition opens Monday 26^th June until Friday 14^th July admission is free and open daily (except Sundays) from 10am – 4pm.

You can get a flavour of the exhibition from the photo collage below.

Looking Ahead: As the summer exhibition captivates art enthusiasts, the Shropshire Art Society is excited to announce that its autumn exhibition will be held at The Bear Steps gallery in October 2023, promising another extraordinary showcase of local artistic talent. We look forward to welcoming you.

Thank you to Tamara Hackett for the lovely report of our celebrations and to all members who supplied the photos included in this article and on our Exhibitions page. We also thank everyone who has contributed, in whatever way, to staging this wonderful summer exhibition, as well as all who came to the preview event and helped make it such a success.