Autumn Might Be Here – But Hurry to See ‘Summer Green Scenes’ At Guildford House

Published on: 10 Sep, 2014
Updated on: 11 Sep, 2014

The Time of  Wild Roses – Edward Waite – By kind permission of Guildford Borough Council.

By Ruchi Srivastava

If you want a last chance to enjoy a fresh breath of summer art at Guildford House then hurry to see the Summer Surrey-Scenery exhibition on show until Sunday, September 14.

Showcasing the beauty of nature in Surrey, in both its glorious and simplistic forms, the paintings of this exhibition are all from the Guildford Borough art collection.

Being free and open to all, the green scenes of the exhibition offer curious visitors, and in particular art lovers, the chance to observe Surrey through the ages. Along with nature, you are also offered a glimpse of our county’s often overlooked rural life.

Visitors are treated to scenes of beautiful gardens, mills, meadows and parks, with occasional human figures in the background. But the focus of most of the paintings is on the leafy, floral delights of nature.

One rather stunning painting by Edward Wilkins Waite, The Time of Wild Roses, perfectly encapsulates nature with its peaceful view of a person looking upon a pond. The beauty of the roses in the forefront of the painting, is striking undiminished by over a hundred years of ageing.

Another from the early twentieth century is the watercolour, Flower Studies on the Wey by Charles Robertson. The series of paintings uses contrasting colours to emphasise the intricate details of the flowers.

One set of pictures are by Helen Allingham the famous painter who in 1881 moved to Witley. While there she started to paint the beautiful countryside around her and particularly the picturesque farmhouses and cottages of Surrey and Sussex.

In addition to the watercolours and oil paintings, visitors can also spot engravings and even ceramics, which contribute to a sense of variety. John Selwyn’s ceramics use bold, bright colours to depict flowers, a common symbol in the most of the art works.

So hurry to catch this unique collection of summer artwork. Who knows it may even give you the inspiration to find your own summer landscape to paint.

The Summer Surrey-Scenery exhibition is on show at Guildford House, High Street, until Sunday, September 14 . The exhibition has been organised by Guildford Borough Council and entrance is free.

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