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…
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…
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…
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…
Summer may be nearly over but there is still time to wake up and smell the roses – or the flamelilies as the case may be – and realise that what your garden needs is a piece of African stone sculpture. Such artworks not only provide a focal point for an open space, but, being…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Ever since my Junior school friend Gina wowed me with their family heirloom of a glass replica of the famous 3,106 carat Cullinan diamond, I have been fascinated by that mine. So when I heard about local resident Johan du Plessis making sculptures out of horseshoes there, I decided to visit. After an hour and…