Gary Cook’s High Ground Exhibition at The Art Stable

by Charlotte Moreton
12th June 2020

High Ground, The Art Stable, Child Okeford, Dorset DT11 8HB

June 20 – July 18, 2020

10am – 3pm, Thursday – Saturday

or at other times by appointment with Kelly Ross on 01258 863866

I first came across Gary Cook’s work with The Arborealists’ exhibition at the Young Gallery, Salisbury and then again with the Bruton Arts Society in their last Summer Exhibition.  Recently he has been creating twenty two new paintings focusing on Hambledon Hill in Dorset, in the beautiful, and yes, outstanding landscape.  He has other work featured on his website that depicts sites within the Chase and Chalke area and Cranborne Chase AONB, notable at Melbury, Compton Abbas and Ashmore.  This is how he describes his current exhibition of dramatic and evocative work….

We have been drawn to this magical spot for 5,700 years – that’s a full 1,000 years before Stonehenge was established – when our ancestors dug out the first earthworks here, using flint and antlers.  I’ve been ‘drawn’ to it too, with pencil and paint.

SECRET PLACES

There are incredible, wildly different woodlands on the slopes of Hambledon.  A yew wood, thought to be about 700 years old, has an amazingly moody atmosphere.  In other areas, overgrown glades of ash contrast beautifully with the open chalk fields.  The paintings record the hill’s precious fauna as well as found flints and timelines of our powerful connection to the site.

See more of the work on the Art Stable website.

INSIDE OUT

Restrictions to working en plein air means that some of my watercolours have been painted at home.  Luckily for me, the building of my new studio finished two weeks before lockdown so I’ve been painting in comfort.

Have a nose around in this YouTube video.

The cafe and farm shop are open during gallery times and showcase the best organic produce.  I will be at the gallery or cafe as often as I can, but please call the gallery to arrange to meet me there.  It would be great to see you! 

All the best,

Gary Cook