Art Lane, Thurrock Art Trail and Feast & Fayre

After a long break due to the pandemic Art Lane is returning as part of the Feast and Fayre in Horndon On The Hill this weekend.

Art Lane can be found tucked away between Well House Gallery and the Woolmarket and will be buzzing with a hive of artists from all different mediums. There are different artists on Saturday and Sunday. So do go along and see what you may discover!

Saturday’s Artists 25th June 2022:


Kara Thompson


Anna Wojciechowska


Nancy Walker


Thurrock Potters


Cath Daykin


Wendi Lee


Sue Blamey

Sunday’s Artists 26th June 2022


Jackie Burns


Grace Silverwood


Max Blake


Jane Barry


Pat Douglas / Pottery For Children


Vincent Ellis

The village Feast & Fayre is part of Britain’s heritage and the organisers of this event are committed to keeping that tradition alive and well in Thurrock. The preservation and enhancement of Horndon-on-the-Hill is a high priority. It remains one of the most charming and historically intriguing villages in this area.

Thurrock Art Trail is again at this years Feast and Fayre with St Peter's Way between the Woolmarket and the Church transformed into "Art Lane" with a variety of art on show with the opportunity to meet the artists, many of whom will be demonstrating their skills. Other Horndon locations participating in Thurrock Art Trail this weekend include The Well House Gallery and The Ostlers Restaurant. For details click here: Thurrock Art Trail.

For more information on the Feast and Fayre click here and for the Thurrock Art Trail click here.

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Wovenhand - Sparrow Falls.

Mind Changelings

Tim Harrold and John Espin will be exhibiting at St Catherine’s Church (Princess Margaret Avenue, East Tilbury RM18 8PB) from 15 – 30 July (3-7pm daily), as part of the Thurrock Art Trail and Essex Summer of Art. Their exhibition is entitled ‘Mind Changelings’.

Tim is an expressive arts graduate with performance art experience gained at Brighton Polytechnic from 1982-5. He has worked as an art tutor in both secondary and further education, and as a community and youth worker using creativity in contemplative installations.

Tim creates assemblage and photomontage by intentionally arranging found objects and words from a variety of sources into serendipitous tableaux. New metaphysical narratives emerge; playful perceptual parables appear; and re-imagined worlds on rediscovered natural materials or in recycled boxes full of unlikely juxtapositions hint at hidden realities.

He says, ‘My work is parabolic and numinous; where the conceptual meets the spiritual there is the “perceptual”.’

John was born in the mining village of Rossington in South Yorkshire. He moved with his family to Essex in the 1960's. On leaving state education he worked in an advertising studio in Central London. He was disillusioned with the advertising world and obtained a place on a foundation course in art in Thurrock, Essex and went on to obtain a fine arts degree at Maidstone College of Art.

He says, 'My work exists somewhere between painting and sculpture, despite being wall-mounted and marked with colour. Anything can be a starting point – an object, a word, found printed images or text, a photograph...'

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Jimi Hendrix - Angel.

The Perceptualist Eye at Well House Gallery

Last night I visited the Well House Gallery at Horndon-on-the-Hill to see The Perceptualist Eye by Tim Harrold. This exhibition can be seen until 10 June.

The Well House Gallery is a friendly and vibrant art gallery championing artists and connecting creative people, which has developed from the running of ‘24-7 Create’ exhibitions by the 24-7 Prayer Boiler Room Community.

Tim defines 'Perceptualism' as 'the place where the conceptual and the metaphysical meet', and comes from the word 'perceive'. 'The Perceptualist Eye' is therefore about a way of seeing, a worldview, a certain perspective. Informed by his Christian Faith and inspired by his pilgrimage through life with Jesus, many of Tim's pieces are in some way 'prophocative' 'visual parables'.

Working mostly with mixed media, Tim brings together 'found objects' and rearranges them into new contexts, scenes and stories. Tim often incorporates words in the images he creates. This reflects his loves of graphic design and writing, especially 'found poetry'.

The Well House Gallery sits across the street from The Swan with its community art gallery in which Revd Max Blake, Associate Priest in the United Benefice of Orsett, Bulphan and Horndon-on-the-Hill, has just finished showing his visionary drawings of the Life of Christ.

Thurrock is a place of industry and transport. Visually it has little connection with the Essex of John Constable with his idyllic rural scenes of hay carts and country folk. What Thurrock does have is striking industrial architecture and the busy River Thames with its factories and ports visited by ships from all corners of the World. The people of Thurrock regard themselves as gritty realists. Thurrock doesn’t shout about its art. Yet the Thurrock Art Trail, with which the Well House Gallery and Tim Harrold are deeply involved, demonstrates that the area hosts many and varied artists.

In 2012 four local artists sought to raise the public profile of the arts in Thurrock by organising an Art Trail under the aegis of Essex Summer of Art. Their work was shown in various locations round the Borough. Thurrock Art Trail has now matured and is no longer a showcase of the small number of artists organising the event. It is now a framework that sets the dates and co-ordinates publicity to allow solo artists or collaborative groups to present their own exhibitions at venues of their own choosing.
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Iona - The Ancient Wells.

Exhibitions update: Zi Ling, Rob Floyd & Tim Harrold

Zi Ling has won the Leathersellers First Prize of £1000 to a young artist with her painting 'Rikishi' at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours 2016 Exhibition at the Mall Galleries. The exhibition is the 204th by the RI and continues until Saturday 16th April. 

Ling creates portraits or explorations of relationships by working from photographs with which she feels an intuitive connection. Previously Ling has had work in the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize 2016, Columbia Threadneedle Prize exhibition, the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition exhibition, and Society of Women Artists (where she won the Rosemary & Company Art Prize); all at Mall Galleries. Click here to see examples of Ling's work.

‘Stations of the Resurrection’ is an exhibition by Rob Floyd in The Well and Other Areas of Liverpool Cathedral until 15th May 2016, 09:00 – 18:00 (each day).

Rob Floyd brings his distinctive painting style to Liverpool Cathedral in this specially commissioned exhibition that follows on from the acclaimed ‘Stations of the Cross’ cycle previously displayed at Manchester Cathedral.

Speaking ahead of this exhibition, Rob said, “The Stations of the Resurrection is far less well known or, indeed, established than the Stations of the Cross, perhaps this extra layer of mystery appealed. Certainly Liverpool Cathedral being the Cathedral Church of the Risen Christ made the idea of the project feel right.”

The impressive art series has been created with the artist’s preferred medium, oil on canvas. Rob said, “For me oil paint has a visceral, living, even mystical property which I feel has an incredible power and, indeed, life of its own.”

“Painting has always been my means with which to attempt to engage with the Divine. From as early as I can remember I have always felt that the world is inherently full of meaning and I’m thankful that I have never been touched with that modern ‘existential angst’ of being all alone in a meaningless universe. Having the opportunity to directly engage in producing a Stations of the Cross cycle and now the Stations of the Resurrection has been an incredible opportunity and an amazing journey, both in terms of my artistic and spiritual development. I have been shown great kindness and support from the cathedral which has been quite overwhelming.”

The Perceptualist Eye is an exhibition by Tim Harrold at The Wellhouse Gallery from 15 May to 10 June 2016.

Tim defines ‘Perceptualism’ as ‘the place where the conceptual and the metaphysical meet’, and comes from the word ‘perceive’. The Perceptualist Eye is therefore about a way of seeing, a worldview, a certain perspective.

Informed by his Christian Faith and inspired by his pilgrimage through life with Jesus, many of Tim’s pieces are in some way ‘visual parables’ – they have meanings that work on a number of levels.

Working mostly with mixed media, Tim brings together ‘found objects’ and rearranges them into new contexts, scenes and stories. Tim often incorporates words in the images he creates. This reflects his loves of graphic design and writing, especially ‘found poetry’.

Methods used by Tim are:

• Assemblage – 3-dimensional pieces and ‘worlds in boxes’
• Photomontage – collages using images and words from printed materials
• Photography – using primarily the iPhone Hipstamatic app which allows in-camera treatments
• Installation – larger, conceptual ‘pop-up’ works that have an interactive element, which can include sound

Tim’s repertoire covers the commercial and the not-so-commercial. His art is not just about the intrigue of the visual but also the idea behind the image.

From 9 July Tim will also be part of a joint exhibition with John Espin, as part of Thurrock Art Trail, in the small but perfectly formed ancient pilgrimage church St Mary the Virgin Parish Church in Little Thurrock, Grays. Both shows will feature new work, and the latter will hopefully show some larger pieces that have not been previously seen before in public owing to space.

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Blessid Union of Souls - Peace And Love.

Thurrock Art Trail

Tim Harrold is lead facilitator of this year's Thurrock Art Trail (ThAT). He writes that he's involved because he is an artist and because he believes that 'art can be helpful in transforming a community and building community at a social level.' He quotes J. John: 'Creativity has been built into every one of us: it is part of our design. Each of us lives less of the life God intended for us when we choose not to live out the creative gifts God gave us.' Tim says, 'We are all creations of the Creator, created in His image, to be creative! Remember, the first person in the Bible to be described as having been filled by the Holy Spirit was an artist - Bezalel, who worked on the Tabernacle.'

ThAT takes place from 6 to 21 September 2014. Four local churches are involved:

• Grays Methodist Church 6-12 September - Art & Photography Show
• St Mary's, North Stifford 13 September - Art at St Mary's
• Gateway People's Centre 18 & 20 September - GPC Arts & Crafts
• St Stephen's, Purfleet 20-21 September - Local Art & Photography

Tim notes that there are a whole host of Christians involved, obviously in the aforementioned venues, but also in others. These include:

• Lisa Anderson (painting & proprietor) and Kwok Lee (natural sculpture) at Well House Gallery, Horndon on the Hill, 6-21 September
• Dennis Brockhurst (photography), John Espin (multi-media) and Tim himself (assemblage) at High House Artists' Studios, Purfleet 19-21 September

He says, that there are no doubt many others that he doesn't know about!.

At the Showcase event on the evening of Friday 19 September, among those performing are former worship leader at Grays Baptists, Gareth Marsh (aka Sensation Smith, band) and former Stanford Boiler Roomer Steve Lawton (contemporary spoke word). There is also a comedian and a local choir, Funky Voices, appearing. To book, go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-backstage-centre -autumn-showcase-tickets-12014582941

The eye in the ThAT logo represents observation, imagination and creation.

The full list of ThAT's venues, dates and times...

1. Well House Gallery

Saturday 6 to Sunday 21 Sept.
High Road
Horndon on the Hill
SS17 8LF
Monday to Friday 10am-4pm (closed 12-1pm)
Saturday 10am-5pm (closed 12-1pm)
Sunday 3-6pm
http://www.wellhousegallery.co.uk

2. Studio 19

Barry Andrews with Paul Harrison
Saturday 6 to Monday 8
Friday 12 & Saturday 13
Monday 15
Friday 19 to Sunday 21 Sept.
5 Ash Walk
South Ockendon
RM15 6TY
11am-4pm daily
http://www.barryandrews.co.uk/

3. Art & Photography Show

School Arts & photography by Rebecca Street
Saturday 6 to Friday 12 Sept.
Grays Methodist Church
Lodge Lane
Grays
RM17 5PU

4. Expressions of the Soul

The paintings of Christian Squibb, Itan Deterville & Rowena Wright
Saturday 6 to Friday 19 Sept. (except Sunday)
Thameside Complex foyer gallery
Orsett Road
Grays
RM17 5DX

5. Craft Candy Jewellery Show

Saturday 6 & Sunday 7
Tuesday 9 to Saturday 13 Sept.
148 London Road
Grays
RM17 5YD
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday 10am-4pm
then 10am-5pm daily
Yarn Bombing will be on display at High House Production Park, Purfleet, from the Monday 8 Sept.

6. Realist Urban Landscapes

Paul Harrison with Barry Andrews
Saturday 6 to Sunday 21 Sept.
19 Mayflower Close
South Ockendon
RM15 6HZ
10am to 6pm daily
Viewing by arrnagement - please see brochure
http://www.facebook.com/PSHFA

7. Swan Song

The Dacha Group at The Swan Gallery
Sunday 7 to Monday 22 Sept.
The Swan
High Road
Horndon on the Hill
SS17 8LD
Pub opening times

8. Art at St Mary’s

Saturday 13 Sept.
St Mary’s Church
High Road
North Stifford
RM16 5UE
10am-4pm

9. Mucking Marvels

Wildlife & Landscape paintings, Multimedia Timeline & Wildlife Photography
Saturday 13 to Sunday 21 Sept.
including Wildlife Photography workshop on 10am-1pm Saturday 20 September - Booking Essential (see brochure)
Essex Wildlife Trust
Thurrock Thameside Nature Park
Cory Environmental Trust Visitor Centre
Mucking Wharf Road
Mucking
Stanford-le-Hope
SS17 0RN
9am to 5pm daily

10. GPC Arts & Crafts

Thursday 18 & Saturday 20 Sept.
Gateway People's Centre
2 High Street
Stanford le Hope
SS17 OEY
10am -2pm both days

11. High House Artists

ENAS Open Studios
Friday 19 to Sunday 21 Sept.
High House Artists’ Studios
off Purfleet Bypass
Purfleet
RM19 1AS
Friday 10am-5pm
Pop-Up Gallery at Backstage Centre 6-7.30pm
+ Open Vision Showcase 7.30pm
Saturday 11am-4pm
Sunday 11am-4pm

12. Purfleet Local Art & Photography

Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 Sept.
St Stephen's Church
London Road
Purfleet
RM19 1QD
Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday 1-4pm

13. Ron Contemporary Gallery Projects

Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 Sept.
95 Victoria Avenue
Grays
RM16 2RN
11am-6pm

See lots more information on all the above, groups and individual artists onhttp://www.thurrockarts.com.

Tim's collaborative piece with John Espin (see http://timharrold.tumblr.com) called The Doors of Perception, which has been commisioned by ENAS (Essex Network of Artists' Studios), will be on display at an exhibition called Traces at Hadleigh Old Fire Station art studios and gallery (on the A13 giratory section, postcode SS7 2PA) 1-14 September 2014. See also http://essexstudios.org.uk/events-list.

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Shovels & Rope - Gasoline.