Zimbabwe flag

Flying the Flag

The show is set and now the flag is up!  Fluttering proudly in the autumn sunshine at Fillingdon Farm is the brightly coloured flag of the country of my birth, Zimbabwe.  But it is not up for me.  It represents the numerous talented artists we have from that small country on this exhibition; painters Mary-Jane…

stone sculpture

Poised in Purple

Elegant new stone sculptures from Zimbabwe are in situ at Fillingdon Fine Art, but strictly under wraps.  To keep their sheen and polish, the new collection; like outdoor sculptures at great country houses in winter; have been swathed in plastic.  Not for long though, as “Richly Wrapped” opens in less than three weeks time, and artworks…

new work delivery

The Wrappings Come Off

All the work for our forthcoming “Richly Wrapped” exhibition is now in and the exciting task of unwrapping is in full flow. It always feels slightly like Christmas-come-early, as boxes with menacing red warnings of ‘Fragile’ and ‘Handle with Care’ are stripped of their thick shiny brown tape.  Copious quantities of scrunched African newsheets pile…

new paintings

All Wrapped Up

As expected, we have our forthcoming exhibition “Richly Wrapped” all wrapped up. No peeping before we open our Winter Season 2014 on Saturday 4th October. Tantalising parcels are arriving at the Fillingdon Fine Art gallery, their understated, uniquely African, and frankly often shoddy packaging belying the jewels that lie within.  Do keep an eye on…

Compleat Angler

Swanning through Summer

Many visitors to our gallery travel a long way to see us, so they often wish to see other attractions in the vicinity and ask us for advice. A seasonal favourite of ours is the annual Swan Upping ceremony on the River Thames in nearby Marlow. Rowing in traditional skiffs from Sunbury to Abingdon, the Queen’s Royal…

Aalsmeer

Flamelily Fever

The flamelily, national flower of Zimbabwe, is probably the most recognisable  and universally loved symbol of our country.  The striking red frilly-petaled “Gloriosa Superba” grows in the veld and aptly comes into flower at Christmas.  Many an expedition was embarked upon when we were kids, riding barefoot in the open back of the farm truck…

happy customers

The Long and Winding Road

This sculpture has come a long way.  Made from springstone, a dark, hard, black serpentine which is part of a seam of sedimentary rock forming the horse-shoe shaped geological formation in Zimbabwe known as The Great Dyke, the raw stone is hewn by hand in large chunks before being transported to Harare for sculpting.  Richard…

Fillingdon Fine Art

And the Winner is?

Whose roses look better?  Our abundant “Leaping Salmon” flowering so beautifully during our summer opening, or Cathy Layzell’s luscious, opulent blooms in oil?  Our conclusion is that they complement each other perfectly and both bring the utmost pleasure.  And the overall winners surely have to be the buyers of this exquisite soft and subtle painting…