Artists celebrate canals past and present (From Times Series)

Artists celebrate canals past and present

10:57am Friday 25th May 2012 in Exhibitions By Rosy Moorhead

Keeping alive the spirit of the last few weeks of carnivals and festivals in the town, Rickmansworth and District Art Society (RDAS) has moved its exhibition, which was on display during the Rickmansworth Carnival, to a new home at Artistsmeet, the exhibition space in the Watersmeet Theatre.

“It’s for the people of Rickmansworth to know the range of what artists in their area are doing,” says member and treasurer Brian Morgan.

On display will be a collection of watercolours, oils and mixed media on a variety of themes, with animals, flowers, abstracts and landscapes.

As well as at the exhibition, the society members’ work can be seen in situ – they have painted a mural on the canal-facing wall of Tesco in Rickmansworth on the theme of Canal folk: past and present, which went up last week for the annual canal festival.

“We have painted a mural there for the last five years,” says Brian. “Last year we did ‘flowers’, which the members found quite easy so this year I thought I’d challenge them a bit. I was amazed by the response, they’ve produced some really lovely pieces.”

Approximately 20 artists contributed, including Brian himself. For the ‘past’ part of the theme, he painted the local lock-keeper who has been working the waterways for almost 40 years and who has been invited by Inland Waterways to a garden party at Buckingham Palace to mark his long service.

And for the ‘present’, he says: “I saw a lady from one of the narrow boats wearing a Jubilee hat so I rushed out and took her picture and painted it. She was very amused when she saw herself!”

The Rickmansworth and District Art Society’s exhibition will be at Artistsmeet in Watersmeet, High Street, Rickmansworth until Tuesday, June 5. Details: www.rickyart.co.uk