Witley Court - Exhibition May 2014

Over the years I must have visited Witley Court in Worcestershire almost 20 times! Witley Court is a spectacular mansion house and gardens which had a disastrous fire in 1937 leaving the site abandoned to become a ruin. 

I visited for the first time on a university day trip probably around 1994. This was well before the new visitor centre and the site had just closed for the day as we got there so of course we climbed the fence and had a wander like students do! We came back properly a few weeks later and had a great day there sketching and exploring. 

 The ruined mansion itself has inspired my artwork ever since and I still love wandering the site with its archways, ornate windows, balconies and grand sweeping staircases!

Over the years I have built up a large body of artwork based on the site and really wanted to bring it all together into an exhibition. I decided to talk to Gill from the Garden Tearooms which is a tradition English Tearoom right next to the site. She offered me the use of the tearooms for May to exhibit my work and I got framing!

I put the exhibition up yesterday and am really pleased with how it looks all my artwork together so close to Witley Court itself!

East Wing Collagraph Print

Ruined Forecourt Collagraph Print

One of my favourite watercolours of the Orangery steps, it wasn't until I framed this one I realised I had painted it in 2002!

The exhibition is on until the end of May so plently of time to have a look and there is a lovely selection of homemade cakes to treat yourself to while there!

Clare xx