Unveiled Spring 2026 programme

A regular Friday night arts and performance event
at St Andrew’s Church, 7.00 – 9.00 pm
11 London Road, Wickford, Essex SS12 0AN

See below for our Spring 2026 programme and http://wickfordandrunwellparish.org.uk/whats-on.html
for more information.

Exhibitions, open mic nights, performances, talks and more!

Unveiled – a wide range of artist and performers from Essex and wider, including Open Mic nights (come and have a go!).

Unveiled – view our hidden painting by acclaimed artist David Folley, plus a range of other exhibitions.

Spring Programme 2026

• 9 January (7.00 pm) – ‘Fear not, for I am with you: An exhibition of religious paintings’ exhibition viewing evening. Meet artist David Sowerby, see his exhibition & hear him speak about his work. David worked as a freelance illustrator and teacher and was a Principal Lecturer at The University of the Arts London.
• 23 January (7.00 pm) – ‘Writing on the Arts’. A talk by Jonathan Evens reflecting on his experiences of writing on the Arts for publications including Artlyst, ArtWay, Church Times, International Times, Seen and Unseen and Stride Magazine, among others.
• 6 February (7.30 pm) – Meet film director Will Norman and see his acclaimed film My Brother Bob, which explores the meaning of quality of life and won Best Documentary at the UKFF. Will Norman is a London based director known for his surreal and playful approach to storytelling across commercials and music videos.
• 27 February (7.30 pm) – Rev Simpkins in concert. Suffolk-Essex musician, Rev Simpkins, presents an evening of acoustic music of great imagination and charm. The Rev will perform songs from his acclaimed folk albums such as ‘Big Sea’ and ‘Saltings’, together with songs from his band album ‘Pissabed Prophet’. The gig will also feature songs from the Rev’s most recent album ‘Headwater’, a collection of fever dreams and reflections on awe and delirium, recorded in the aftermath of an extreme reaction to immunotherapy treatment for stage 4 cancer. These songs recreate sounds and visions experienced on the hospital ward. The Rev’s sweeping melodies, rich harmonies, and fascinating lyrics have won him both a cult following and national acclaim. This is a rare chance to experience the breadth of the Rev’s  work in one evening. "Bizarre Post-Punk mastery...Ludicrously cool" 8/10 Vive le Rock on ‘Pissabed Prophet’ “Headwater takes us into new ruminative territory with its industrial electronic soundscapes and use of drones and silences to bring us into contemplation.” International Times
• 13 March (7.00 pm) – ‘Nevendon to Wickford’. A talk by Geoff Whiter of Wickford Community Archive. Geoff’s talk will include a number of unseen photographs of Wickford Town centre.
• 27 March (7.30 pm) – Open Mic Night. Everybody is welcome to come along & play, read, sing or just spectate. See you there for a great evening of live performance!

These events do not require tickets (just turn up on the night). There will be a retiring collection to cover artist and church costs. See http://wickfordandrunwellparish.org.uk/whats-on.html for fuller information.

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Rev Simpkins - Speak Low.

 

Mark Cazalet: The Tree of Life

This evening I was at Chelmsford Cathedral for an event with Mark Cazalet celebrating his remarkable painting The Tree of Life. Mark shared insights into the inspirations for and creation of The Tree of Life while exploring some of its key themes with the audience. This event also marked the closing of an exhibition featuring work by local artists from the Artists in the Meadows group. Inspired by Mark’s The Tree of Life, they have created their own collective interpretations, which were on display.

Mark, speaking about the installation, has said previously that the inspiration behind the piece was the music and choral tradition of the Cathedral and that he very much wanted his mural to reflect this, with the swirling motion in the painting representing the musical traditions. Mark wanted the symmetrical design of the tree to represent opposing ideas with the tree bursting into life on one side and dying back on the other.

The lighting in the Cathedral was very different from the church Mark had painted the mural in and he spent several weeks on a cherry picker, changing the colour and bringing the panels to life. His favourite part is Judas resurrected and the idea of the possibility of Judas being resurrected and spending a long time (hence the sandwiches and thermos) at the top of the tree and in turn that we too can be fully forgiven.

I wrote about The Tree of Life, Mark's image of St Cedd, and other artwork in the Cathedral (which includes the sculpture of St Peter holding the key to heaven by Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones on the exterior - see photos above) during my sabbatical art pilgrimage - see here. As part of my sabbatical, I also visited St Alban's Romford which has a ceiling painted by Mark - see here. In the area covered by the Diocese of Chelmsford, works by Mark can also be seen at Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls in Romford and Our Lady of Lourdes, Wanstead.  

Click here to read my Seen & Unseen article on the tradition of visionary artists whose works shed light on the material and spiritual worlds which includes Mark Cazalet, Thomas Denny, Richard Kenton Webb, Nicholas Mynheer, and Roger Wagner. In his talk, Mark mentioned stained glass windows at St Mary's Iffley by John Piper and Roger Wagner - see here.

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The Trees Community - Jesus He Knows.

Unveiled: An Evening with Neil Tye

For the last 25 years Neil Tye has been working professionally, as a physical visual theatre performer, instructor, teacher, and installation artist, and has taken his performances, and teaching skills around the world. At Unveiled tonight, we heard stories about his music, performance, and painting.

He had examples of paintings and a sculpture from two recent series. He spoke of his current series as follows:

'These paintings were born from a simple encounter. A visitor wandered into my studio, drawn first by colour, by shape, by the unspoken language of image.

What began as casual conversation about my art soon deepened, the lines between art and life quietly dissolving. Before long, they were sharing their joys and wounds, their quiet sorrows, their unguarded hopes.

It always stirs me how a canvas, streaked with pigment and possibility, can open hearts wide. How abstraction, unburdened by logic, slips past the mind and speaks straight to the soul. A silent painting, yet somehow, it listens and replies.

After they left, their words lingered like incense. And I, stirred by something sacred, picked up the brush. Each mark led to the next a choreography of colour, a prayer in movement.

When I stepped back, the painting looked back at me. I saw layers like life itself layers of ache and ascent, of hope tangled with hurt. But what caught my eye most were lines piercing through the forms, bold and unwavering. They whispered of Christ, not with fury, but with grace. Not to judge, but to heal.

Through every shape, He moves breaking through the clutter of our days with quiet, radiant mercy.'

Artist Statement

Neil’s artistic practice is grounded in an intuitive and process-driven approach, wherein the act of painting itself dictates the final composition. Rather than adhering to predetermined concepts, he engages with the canvas through spontaneous mark-making and gestural forms, allowing the work to evolve organically. While his initial engagement with a piece may be sparked by a particular colour or shape, it is the dynamic interplay of movement, texture, and form that ultimately guides its development.

By embracing spontaneity and fluidity, his work exists at the intersection of abstraction and interpretation, inviting viewers to engage with the imagery in a way that is both personal and open-ended. Through this interplay between process and meaning-making, Neil`s paintings function as both intuitive expressions and conceptual explorations of movement, memory, and transformation.

About the artist

Neil Tye (b. 1963, London UK) is a Denmark-based artist with a background in both visual arts and physical theatre. Initially working as a performer and educator in physical theatre, he transitioned into visual expression 15 years ago. He holds an MA in Professional Practice from Middlesex University, London, and has exhibited, performed, and taught extensively across Europe and beyond. His exhibitions include venues such as the arts and culture centre Spinderihallerne (Denmark), the arts centre Banco de Nordeste (Brazil), and The Post Houston TX (USA), among others.

Drawing from his multidisciplinary background, Neil’s work explores movement, form, and storytelling through visual mediums. He continues to create from his studio M10 in the Art zone area here in Spinderihallerene.

Tomorrow, 'Make Space for God' is a day of creativity and inspiration led by Anja and Neil Tye, the visionary leaders of "Art Encounter" from Denmark, at Miracle House, Silva Island Way, Wickford from 10.00 am - 4.00 pm.

Art Encounter is an international arts ministry under Rescue Team which is run by married couple Neil and Anja Tye who are based in Denmark.

Neil and Anja are trained artists, and have been using their artistic skills as artist missionaries for many years. They have worked with different Christian organisations and churches from around the world such as Creative Mission in Sweden, Creative Arts Europe in Belgium, YWAM Costa Rica, Circus Victory Brazil, Ad Deum Dance Company USA, Iris Ministries Brazil, Acts Academy International Bible College, to Euroclass youth Mission boarding school in Denmark.

Art Encounter communicates the Gospel by using the arts, from dance, theatre, creative writing, and the visual arts and painting in various settings both in Denmark and around the world.

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Resurrection Band - Colours.

St Mary with St Leonard Broomfield: Thomas Huxley-Jones and Gwynneth Holt

Today, I gave a talk at Broomfield Parish Church about Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones and Gwynneth Holt, two of the Broomfield artists who, along with Rosemary Rutherford, created artworks for many churches in the area covered by the Diocese of Chelmsford in the twentieth century. 

Some of the works I included in the talk were the following:

Given the amount of work by the Broomfield artists within the area covered by the Diocese of Chelmsford, I suggested that it might be possible to create an art trail around the Diocese as a way to highlight their contribution to the churches of the Diocese. Such a trail would begin at Broomfield Parish Church with the artworks the, the graves of Rutherford, Huxley-Jones and Holt in the churchyard, and the wonderful Rutherford exhibition, but would then take those following the trail around the Diocese to demonstrate the importance to the churches of the Diocese of these three Broomfield artists.  

Broomfield in Essex became a village of artists following the arrival of Revd John Rutherford in 1930. His daughter, the artist Rosemary Rutherford, also moved with them and made the vicarage a base for her artwork including paintings and stained glass. Then, Gwynneth Holt and Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones moved to Broomfield in 1949 where they shared a large studio in their garden and both achieved high personal success. My poem 'Broomfield', part of my 'Five Trios' series, reviews their stories, work, legacy and motivations.

For more on the artists of Broomfield, all of whom are commemorated there with blue plaques, see here, here, here, here and here.

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Bono, The Edge & Friends - Invisible.

Broomfield artists talk: Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones and Gwynneth Holt

 

Tomorrow, I am speaking at Broomfield Parish Church about Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones and Gwynneth Holt, two of the Broomfield artists whose work features in many churches within the Diocese of Chelmsford. Both were significant artists whose work would benefit from rediscovery. Find out more at 2.00 pm tomorrow.

This talk is a Project Rutherford talk. Project Rutherford promotes the life and works of the artist Rosemary Rutherford through an exhibition, talks and trails.

https://stmarybroomfield.org/rutherford-project/

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John Taverner - Ikon Of Light.

Five Trios

'Five Trios' is a series of poems on thin places and sacred spaces in the Diocese of Chelmsford. The five poems in the series are:

• 'Barking';
• 'Bradwell';
• 'Broomfield';
• 'Pleshey'; and
• 'Runwell'.

The poems have been published by Amethyst Review and International Times.

The series draws inspiration from T.S. Eliot's 'Four Quartets' and, in common, with the 'Thin Places and Sacred Spaces' anthology reflects on the experience of feeling the touch of eternity in art, nature, silence, or sacred architecture. The ‘thin place’ is a Celtic term, originally indicating a specific geographical location where the veil between heaven and earth seems exceptionally thin or lifted altogether. Barking, Bradwell, Broomfield, Pleshey and Runwell are all places in the Diocese of Chelmsford where I have had that experience and where heaven and earth, past, present and future seem to be intermingled.

'Barking' is about St Margaret’s Barking and Barking Abbey and draws on my time as a curate at St Margaret's. My other posts about St Margaret's Barking can be found here, here, here, and here. See also here and here.

'Bradwell' is a celebration of the history of the Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall, the Othona Community, and of pilgrimage to those places. My previous posts about Bradwell and the Othona Community can be found here and here.

Broomfield in Essex became a village of artists following the arrival of Revd John Rutherford in 1930. His daughter, the artist Rosemary Rutherford, also moved with them and made the vicarage a base for her artwork including paintings and stained glass. Then, Gwynneth Holt and Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones moved to Broomfield in 1949 where they shared a large studio in their garden and both achieved high personal success. 'Broomfield' reviews their stories, work, legacy and motivations. For more on the artists of Broomfield, all of whom are commemorated there with blue plaques, see here, here, here, here and here.

'Pleshey' celebrates the Diocesan Retreat House at Pleshey in Essex and the legacy of Evelyn Underhill as a retreat director. My posts about Pleshey can be found here and my posts about Evelyn Underhill here. My poem can also be found on the Diocesan Retreat House website here.

'Runwell' takes the reader on a visit to St Mary's Runwell, while also reflecting on the spirituality of the space plus its history and legends. This poem has also been included in the Amethyst Press anthology, 'Thin Places and Sacred Spaces',

I am giving a reading of the five poems accompanied by photographs at St Andrew's Wickford on Friday 31 January at 7.00 pm and am also giving a talk at St Mary with St Leonard Broomfield about two of the Broomfield artists on Saturday 8 February at 2.00 pm.

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Billy Bragg - A13, Trunk Road To The Sea.