UNDER THE SUN
A Celebration of Landscape in Paint & Print
The Paragon Gallery invites visitors into a world of colour, rhythm and atmosphere with a vibrant new exhibition dedicated to contemporary landscape. Bringing together a distinguished group of painters and printmakers, the show explores how artists continue to reinterpret the natural world through bold palettes, expressive mark-making and original print techniques. With a focus on original works, spanning oil and acrylic painting, alongside etchings and screenprints, the exhibition highlights the enduring appeal of the landscape as a subject that is both timeless and constantly evolving.
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At the heart of the exhibition are works by Donald Hamilton Fraser and Barbara Rae, two leading figures whose approaches to colour and abstraction have shaped contemporary interpretations of place. Their works resonate with energy and structure, where landscapes are distilled into luminous fields of colour and gestural forms, capturing not just topography but the emotional essence of a location.
Alongside them, Louise Davies presents atmospheric paintings that draw on the shifting moods of the British landscape. Her use of oils and colour screenprinting techniques creates layered surfaces that echo the fleeting qualities of light and weather, inviting viewers into quiet, contemplative spaces.
In contrast, Chitra Merchant offers a vivid and richly patterned vision of nature. Her work, often rooted in memory and cultural landscape, combines acrylic painting with hand-pulled screenprints, producing compositions that feel both intricate and expansive. Inspired by natural environments, her practice captures a sense of movement and vitality, balancing vibrancy with moments of calm. Completing the line-up is Bruce McLean, whose distinctive visual language brings an expressive and often playful dimension to landscape. Known for pushing the boundaries between sculpting, painting and printmaking, McLean’s works bridge spontaneity and control, offering bold, gestural interpretations that challenge traditional expectations of the genre.
What unites these artists is a shared commitment to originality. Each work in the exhibition—whether in oil or acrylic, an etching or screenprint, is an original piece, emphasising the tactile, handmade qualities that distinguish fine art from reproduction. This focus reflects the gallery’s broader dedication to showcasing authentic works and highlighting the unique value of original prints and paintings.
Together, the exhibition becomes a journey through colour and place: from the structured abstraction of Fraser and Rae, to the atmospheric stillness of Davies, the intricate vibrancy of Merchant, and the expressive dynamism of McLean. It is a compelling reminder that landscape is not merely a depiction of scenery, but a deeply personal and imaginative response to the world around us.
In an age saturated with digital imagery, this exhibition reasserts the power of the original artwork, objects that carry the trace of the artist’s hand, the richness of material, and the immediacy of lived experience. At The Paragon Gallery, colour becomes a language, and landscape a means of connection between artist, place and viewer.
Silkscreen on Paper, 2008
Edition of 175
Paper size: 85 × 69cm
Framed size:
£750 Unframed / £950 Framed
Or 10% per month using Own Art payable in 10 equal interest-free monthly instalments