Bratton artist to exhibit at new Wiltshire exhibition

An artist from Bratton will be one of the exhibitors at a new exhibition in Wiltshire, which is bringing together emerging and established artists to showcase their work side by side. 

Caroline Wood will be exhibiting her latest pieces of art for sale along with over 30 other artists at the Lower Leigh Atelier in East Knoyle, Wiltshire from 12th to 15th July. 

“Painting has always been a significant pursuit for me, driving me to explore various mediums and refine my style,” she said. 

“As a military wife, I moved ten times in 20 years and have always managed to find an opportunity to paint independently or within a classroom environment wherever the posting took me.  

“I have finally put roots down in Bratton and have created a garden studio where I paint and carry out my property healing work which was born out of my experience as an interior architect and a Reiki healer.  

“As a member of the Lower Leigh Atelier group of artists I have finally found my tribe of artists where I can continue to develop my style under professional tuition.  

“I now integrate my art into my professional endeavours, enhancing property healing with paintings that evoke calm and tranquillity.” 

More details can be found on her website – www.astartehealing.co.uk. 

Another Bratton woman, Cheska Hill-Wood is one of the driving forces behind the new exhibition.  

“I was approached by artist Elaine Heseltine Carp who lives in East Knoyle with the idea of setting up a focused five-day exhibition to create a platform for emerging and established artists to exhibit alongside one another,” she said. “The response has been fantastic with 35 artists participating and we are extremely excited to open the doors to the first Lower Leigh Atelier (LLA) from 12th to 15th July. 

“I have worked in the London art world for more than 20 years and the opportunity to offer my guidance to artists and to use my experience in the setting up of an exhibition was an exciting challenge. 

“The idea stemmed from the frustration that a lot of artistic talent is overlooked, either due to lack of representation, rapidly changing fashions in the art world or lack of connections. The LLA seeks to provide a platform and a voice for these artists and plans to become an annual event in the art calendar. 

“Among those exhibiting are the president of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly and Chelsea College of Art alumnus Rob Wyn Yates who brings his stunning geometric abstracts having recently shown during the Chelsea Flower Show 2024. We are also delighted to be showing a selection of paintings by young prodigy Makenzy Beard, who became an internet sensation after teaching herself to paint during the Covid pandemic. Her large-scale portraits of those close to her or who are inspirational to her, have meant she is now considered one of the most important artists of this generation. The full list can be seen at www.lowerleighatelier.com. 

“The exhibition will take place against the stunning backdrop of the glorious grounds and historic buildings of Lower Leigh Farm in East Knoyle, near Shaftesbury, Wiltshire. 

“We are combining the exhibition with HC Classics who will showcase a breathtaking collection of classic cars, the idea being that there is a big crossover of art buyers and classic car collectors and enthusiasts.  We hope to provide something for everyone in the glorious Wiltshire countryside. 

“Our vision for the Lower Leigh Atelier is that it becomes a much-looked-forward-to summer event where existing collectors and those new to the art-buying scene feel confident and that our selection of engaging and exciting exhibitions grow from strength to strength.” 

The exhibition is free to attend and will be open to all from the 12th to 15th July from 10am to 6pm. 

For more details visit www.lowerleighatelier.com