I’m excited to announce our penultimate show of 2025 - Halcyon

‘Halcyon’ - Exhibition opens 11th Oct 2-5pm all welcome to the opening of the show, and then continues until - 9th Nov: we are open Friday - Sunday 10-5pm. Our Summer hours change on 31st October: we will then close at 4pm until next Spring.

In a world where conflict, disharmony and doom scrolling feel ever present - are we able to find & maintain our own sense of inner peace? And how might we symbolise or express this felt sense of peace, tranquility and calm via art?

The English adjective halcyon “calm; peaceful; tranquil” is rooted in ancient Greek—and classical mythology. Halcyon ultimately derives via Latin alcyōn from Greek alkyṓn “kingfisher.” In ancient myths, the halcyon named a bird, usually identified with the kingfisher, that was said to breed around the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, and was believed to have the power to charm the winds and waves into calmness. Halcyon frequently occurs in the expression halcyon days, a period of calm weather in the winter, historically a stretch of fourteen days around the winter solstice connected with (the myth of) breeding kingfishers. Halcyon days evolved to mean, more broadly, “a time of peace and prosperity,” and the adjective halcyon evolved to mean, variously, “calm; rich; carefree.” Halcyon is recorded in English by the late 1300s.

What words are synonymous with Halcyon?

calm; peaceful; tranquil. halcyon weather, joyous, joyful, golden, contented, windless, temperate, stormless, pleasant, mild, balmy, unruffled, still, serene, quiet, placid, pacific. happy; blissful; carefree. halcyon days of youth.

Exhibiting Artists

Christopher Noel - Nick Pike - David Tidsall - Nic Gear - Bernie Rutter/Vitor Azevedo - Sujata Aten - Rosie Shaw - Hazel Mutch - Jackie Bevis - Rosemary Blake - Anna Cumming - Linda Mustapha - Kate Marchuk - Corrina Rothwell - Sandy Constable - Tru Udell - Robert Evans - Lynne Lamb - Becky Atherton - Dominique Holmes - Joy Gosney - Catherine Ogilive - Kerhys Farley - Brett Evans Biedscheid - Ash Martin - Helen Smith - Nigel Smith - Kate Norman - Kris Stokes - Stella Dunkley - Zophiel Webb - Charley Hellier - Julia Lambert - Tracey Macleod - Florin Nkuriza - Maria Bolton - Ally Kendrick Clew

Worried by Mary Oliver

I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers

flow in the right direction, will the earth turn

as it was taught, and if not how shall

I correct it?

Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,

can I do better?

Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows

can do it and I am, well,

hopeless.

Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it,

am I going to get rheumatism,