The Rye Society of Artists (RSA) 65th summer exhibition started on a positive note, with buyers on the preview night snapping up almost £12,000 worth of artworks.
Most of the 45 members of RSA, who all live within a 15 mile radius of the town submitted works for the show, some showing up to six pieces. But the RSA summer exhibition is also open to non-members and 44 of these are represented this year.
There were many old favourites showcasing their latest pieces. I enjoyed seeing Tony Bennett’s Paranoid Pot Head which represents an evolution on previous works. A year ago he featured on the poster for the RSA summer show with his Blood Head.
Carole Sheldrake’s ceramics are always worth close inspection. This year she has some new hoodies to display as well as some unsettling baby heads which I hadn’t seen the like of before. There are some also familiar and welcome themes covered by the big names in the RSA, including Richard Adams’ The Sound Mirrors and Louis Turpin’s Windmills, Farmstead Cover & Ewe. Royal Academicians Fred Cuming and Gus Cummins have interesting and thoughtful works to ponder.
It was good to see some new work from non-member Heather Collins, who makes very original and beautiful pieces from fabric and fine stitchwork. I particularly liked her Pathway Winchelsea Beach, which merits a close inspection as the detail is extraordinary.
Anna Wilson-Patterson is another non-member with two pieces in the show this year, one featuring the black cat that often appears in her works, which are usually of local scenes.
Matt Hardman is always popular and has four intriguing mixed media pieces on show this year.
There is a good selection of affordable items, such as Judith Rowe’s earthenware vases (£20 each) and Timothy Smith’s pigs (£15). It’s likely that some of the smaller items will be taken away by purchasers as the exhibition continues, meaning that new pieces will take their place and offer something new to see.  People with bigger budgets will be spoiled for choice by the range and quality of unique and inspiring pieces on offer.
This year’s exhibition, held at the Dance Hall, by the Community Centre on Conduit Hill, is open every day until August 21, from 10:30am to 5:30pm each day and costs just 50p to go in, 20p for concessions.