MAY 17TH - JUNE 8TH 2024

MORLEY COLLEGE
WORNINGTON ROAD W10 5QQ
OPEN - AN OPEN EXHIBITION
MAY-JUNE 2024
MORLEY COLLEGE
NORTH KENSINGTON CENTRE FOR SKILLS
WORNINGTON ROAD W10 5QQ

Curated by
Ronald Best RCA
& Tobias (Toby) Laurent Belson

Supported by Morley College

OPEN - AN OPEN EXHIBITION AT MORLEY COLLEGE

This is the inaugral open exhibition of the new gallery space at Morley
College North Kensington Centre.
Our intention is to continue to develop this space in order that it may
become an established and well known site for our local arts communities
and those who dedicate themselves to celebrating and enhancing the
locality through the practice of the arts.

We are proud to present the work of over 30 local artists, all of whom
submitted their works of fine art through our open call.

See more at www.brownbaby.co.uk/open

RONALD O’NEAL BEST
LYING NUDE, OIL ON CANVAS
3 NUDE FIGURES, OIL ON CANVAS

Ronald O’Neal Best’s art explores the boundaries between figuration and
abstraction.
Founding the Portobello Group of Artists in 1989, he has organised and
participated in numerous exhibitions and events, promoting and inspiring a
great diversity of talent. He has also established The Chelsea Printmakers.
Encouraging students of all abilities, the Portobello Drawing Academy, where
the traditions of studying from the life model is practiced, was founded in
1997. It is open to members of all ages – currently 18 to 85.
 TOBIAS LAURENT BELSON
FRENCH DISCOTHEQUE, SCREENPRINT
NOT ENUFF GRN, SCREENPRINT

Tobias (Toby) Laurent Belson is a multidisciplinary artist and designer

working across fields in North Kensington. Self taught and constantly
seeking new skills, he is adept at utilising a wide range of techniques to
achieve striking works that communicate his take on the modern and
postmodern world.
He founded community arts group, Brownbaby, in 2006, to support the
local community with bespoke arts, design and educational interventions,
often involving hundreds of participants from the local area.
OTHMAN ALI
NIGHT MUSIC, ACRYLIC ON PAPER
VARIATIONS IN YELLOW, ACRYLIC ON PAPER

I have been painting since my teenage years when I was taught at

Heatherley school of art, after which I decided to follow a degree in Textiles
at Chelsea College. After years in freelance I returned to painting taking an
MA in Fine art at UAL, Wimbledon. There I developed a hybrid style, drawing
on abstraction, textiles and calligraphy. I use a mixture of improvisation and
more deliberate techniques sometimes taking a found object, a textile or
a box, as a starting point.

Here I am showing two small triptychs. They are responses to songs. One is
a sunny energetic trio, the other a night song, both subdued and passionate.
 ALEX ARTISS
BAVOVNA, ACRYLIC ON WOOD/FROZEN DREAM, PENCIL ON PAPER
WISDOM, PENCIL & DECOR ON PAPER

Originally from Ukraine, Alex Artiss is an artist that paints life. Trained as a
lawyer and civil servant, Alex moved from Ukraine to London in 2020 and
has produced a large body of work of varying styles and mediums.
URSULA BAYER
NUDE, OIL ON BOARD

Born in 1947, Ursula Bayer studied at Goldsmiths College. She was a member
of the Portobello Group of Artists and a regular exhibitor, including solo and
group shows in Germany and the UK.

Ursula Bayer 1947-2023

 CAROL A BENNETT
AMPHORA WITH FIGS, OIL ON BOARD
A local artist living and working on Portobello Road for many years. As a
member of the Portobello Group of Artists I have exhibited in the London
area from the Mall galleries in 2016 to a variety of local venues organised
by The Notting Hill Housing Trust.

An associate member of the St Ives Society of artists with accepted

work for the St Ives Open Exhibition in 2017, 2018 and 2023.
Still Life painting has been of great interest since the pandemic, this
the third piece in a short series of small intense studies.
ISOBEL BRIGHAM
STUDIO NUDE, GOUACHE ON PAPER

Isobel studied at the Chelsea School of Art and Slade. She lives and works in
London, exhibiting regularly in solo and group exhibitions.
 DANIELLE BUNKER
SEASIDE POT 1, HAND BUILT GLAZED STONEWARE
SEASIDE POT 2, HAND BUILT GLAZED STONEWARE

Studied ceramics at Canterbury Christ Church College. Making pottery since

1994.
Exhibited at Art in Clay: Hatfield and Farnham; Kingsbury Barn, St Albans;
The Gallery, Olney; Living Crafts, Hatfield House; The Pie Factory, Margate.
Teaching at: West Herts College; Morley College
PIERS BUTLER
CAFE CONVERSATIONS, OIL ON CANVAS
MANIFESTATION OF A CIRCLE, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

Piers Butler is a local artist, who attended the Kensington and Chelsea Art
College, The Chelsea College of Arts and The Royal Drawing Studios. He has
exhibited figurative and abstract paintings with the Portobello group for 25
years.
 DAVID DAVIDSON
TARRAGONA. COPENHAGEN. ST PETERSBURG, ETCHING
VILLAS, ETCHING

David Davidson trained in architecture and building conservation. His

recent printmaking work explores unusual juxtapositions of real or
imaginary buildings to illustrate contrasts and connections in building form,
scale, material and decoration.
VIVIENNE DIXON
COLOUR TULIP TRAILS, ACRYLIC ON MOUNTBOARD
URBAN STREETS, ACRYLIC ON MOUNTBOARD

Vivienne is a mixed media artist whose practice uses painting, printmaking

and collage making semi abstract/abstract work.
She is making an experimental body of work loosely based around rows
of tulips seen in Amsterdam. As a result of looking at American artists
experimenting with their work during the 1950s - 70s. Her interest in the
way that the printmakers and painters used different formats, papers and
ways of using brush strokes and materials led her to use brushes and varnish
to make marks on printing plates and to become strict with taped straight
edge painting in her current work.
 MARK EVE
PORTOBELLO ROAD, OIL ON CANVAS
PORTOBELLO ROAD, OIL ON CANVAS

Mark studied at Glasgow School of Art and Heatherley School of

Printmaking. He recently took Portobello life drawing classes and exhibits
regularly with the Portobello Group of artists and Notting Hill Visual Arts
Festival.
He has produced many paintings of Portobello Road.
LISA GRAY
FIGURE STUDY, PEN & INK ON PAPER
FIGURE STUDY, PEN & INK ON PAPER

Art has been my passion for over 40 years. My creative practice has been a
progress of self-discovery and joy, as well as the opportunity to share and
create alongside other local artists.
I enjoy working on large canvas in mixed media, and my abstract paintings
are often informed by changes I observe in the London Skyline as well as
texture and colour from surfaces of weathered buildings around the city
- or my inspiration can come from noticing certain shapes and colours in
unexpected combination.
I have studied at City Lit London and Chelsea College. I have exhibited in
solo and group shows locally and regularly attend life drawing classes to
both challenge myself and keep things interesting.
 MARIO HAMAD
BEATNIK CHICK, LINO PRINT
EXISTENTIALIST ON BLUE, LINO PRINT

Mario Hamad is a film maker and visual artist working primarily in drawing
and printmaking using various techniques.
He is a lecturer in film at both University of the Arts in London and
University College London.
NABIL HAMAD
COUPLE, OIL ON CANVAS
RECLINING WOMAN, OIL ON CANVAS
Nabil is a visual artist working primarily in drawing and painting. He was part
of the 1960s Lebanese artisits circle known as the ‘Artists of the Horseshoe’.
Rsident in London since 1977, he has exhibited widely in the UK and abroad
in both group and solo exhibitions.
 LUCY HEATH
SHELLS AND SEAWEED, ACRYLIC AND MIXED MEDIA
SHROOMY DAY, MIXED MEDIA

Lucy lives in London and Cornwall. She took up painting and drawing at
Heatherley School of Art in London in 2009, followed by printmaking in
2012.

She paints on discarded wood and board. She works on projects taking
ideas from nature and incorporating them into the complex relationship
between the natural environment and human development.

Her mushroom paintings and printing are following a mental health path,
incorporating refuge, identity, and depression.
Lucy has participated in group shows in London, Cornwall and Scotland.
JENNIFER HUIE
AUTUMN, ACRYLICS, CHALK AND PASTELS ON CANVAS
SHE, OIL, PASTELS, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

I am a self-taught artist that has lived locally for over 45 years. I have
made many visits to Jamaica, where my husband is from. I love the island
for its vibrant colours, which I try to instill into my paintings. I use African
fabrics and vintage jewellery purchased locally from the “Bella”.
For the past 2 years I have hosted an art group at the Venture Centre every
Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. It is a welcoming place for community
members to come and express themselves through art, and offer support.
 HELENE JOFFE
VASE, ACRYLIC ON BOARD WITH LINEN
STONE, MONOTYPE PRINT

Helene Joffe is a mixed-media artist who explores people’s inner worlds

via abstract and figurative forms. Helene uses sheets of acetate and steel
plates to create her monotype prints and her paintings incorporate mixed-
media elements such as Iinen. She works as both an academic and an artist
and each informs the other. Her love of colour and form characterise her
work, which has been shown in various exhibitions in the UK and beyond.
GILEAD LIMOR
BLOOD & GOLD, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
SERENADE, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

Working with acrylics enables me to explore the space between

impressionist and abstract visualisation. The former tells the story through
subject, composition and motion, whilst the latter does so through colour,
shape and texture. A fine line, often blurred, distinguishes between the
two, and indeed some works exhibited here draw from both genres to tell
their tale, leaving space for you to complete the narrative in your own way.

For my abstract work, I prefer to use a larger number of colours to create

complex strokes and marks, occasionally utilising metallic paints such as
copper, bronze and gold to create focal points and enhance some marks.
 JOY MAY
IF EVER, ACRYLIC & GOUACHE ON CANVAS
Joy May studied Art in the Community and Educational Studies at the
Roehampton Institute 1995-1998.

Her work intersects with Impressionism and Abstract surrealism. It

comments on the nature of social interaction.

May is a mixed media artist, she uses gouache and other pigments in
her works and continues to challenge orthodox ideologies on painting
techniques and materials.
JO MINTON
GREEN THERAPY, MIXED MEDIA
I live and love in West London. Being creative helps me through the highs
and lows of my life. I like working in mixed media, as I can be more freely
expressive and spontaneous. Colour plays in big part in my work-l use it to
express my emotions when I just don’t know what to say!
 PAT MORTON
SUNBATHING, OIL ON CANVAS
SITTING NUDE, FIRED CLAY
FISH SHOP, PORTOBELLO, OIL ON PANEL
Local artist and painter Pat Morton is a member of the Portobello Group
of Artists. She regularly attends life drawing classes and exhibits with the
Notting Hill Visual Arts Festival.
COLIN NICHOLS
COURTNEY’S CAT, OIL ON CANVAS

Colin Nichols studied at Byam Shaw school of painting. He paints animals

portraits and landscapes.

At present he is studying printmaking at Heatherley School of Art with Ron

Best.

He exhibits regularly with the Portobello Group of Artists and the annual
Notting Hill Visual Arts Festival.
 GEERT OLIVER
APOPHENIA, MIXED MEDIUM

Geert Oliver is a South African born artist living in London since 1999.

This abstract painting titled “Apophenia” relates to the human psychological

instinct to look for patterns.

The red line represents the eye scanning the data noise below searching for
a pattern, where there is none to be found.
THIRZA PHILPOTT
SMOKE FIRED BOWL & BALLS
STONEWARE PLATTER

My younger years were spent in Devon, immersed in nature, giving me

a strong connection with the elements which inspire me most and will
never leave me, even though I’ve lived in the local area for over 35 years.
In my 40s/50s I began to explore and practice through formal study -
first on a BTEC in Design Crafts at the Wornington Road site of Kensington
& Chelsea College, focusing on ceramics. I went on to take a BA (Hons) in
ceramics at the University of Westminster (Harrow).
 PASCALE FRANÇOIS REEVE
CRÉPESCULE, ACRYLIC ON PANEL
Pascale Françoise Reeve is a multidisciplinary artist and creative, working in
all media.
Graduating from the University of Westminster with a BA in Architecture,
her work explores composition colour and light.

She has participated in group shows including the Notting Hill Arts festival
exhibition in 2023, and has collectors of her work in the U.K and abroad.
NELLY ROUCO
UNTITLED, MONOPRINT
UNTITLED, MONOPRINT

Born in Brazil, Nelly Rouco’s artistic journey began in her native country. In
2005 she moved to London. She studied Printmaking at the Heatherley
School of Fine Art; and at Rosetta Arts she studied Fine Art and Design,
Islamic Art and Geometry.
Her designs are influenced by Impressionism, Expressionism, and
Middle Eastern artists and artisans. Rouco’s vibrant canvases capture the
ephemeral beauty of nature, plants, and flowers. The influence of Islamic
art and geometric design results in compositions that harmoniously
blend organic forms with intricate patterns. Rouco’s paintings invite
viewers to appreciate the fleeting moments of natural splendour, frozen
in time through her deft handling of colour and light.
 GAIL SAGMAN
OVERLAY, MIXED MEDIA ON WOOD
Since 1979 I have been involved in a fascination with researching what may
constitute the abstract in 2 dimensions. Utilising an overwhelming impulse
towards specific materials at any given time, processes evolve with respect
to the technical elements in painting. The method includes a high regard for
an intuitive response towards building the picture plane, in the belief that
creativity arises beyond a practical application of mind.
DAVID SREEN
BUSKER, KENSINGTON GARDENS, OIL ON CANVAS

David is a local artist and member of the Portobello Artists Group.

 BARBARA TOMLIN
NINA SIMONE, CHARCOAL & PENCIL ON PAPER
ANGELA DAVIS, CHARCOAL & PENCIL ON PAPER
Hailing from Notting Hill, my work is a miriad of different mediums. I am
self taught but enjoyed a 10 year period as a graphic designer. I enjoy
embarking on new projects, testing myself with different combinations.

These are two of my heroines. Two women whose lives were similar, who
rose above adversity.
JUNIOR TOMLIN
RECLINING NUDE, SKETCH ON PAPER

A renowned local artist, Junior studied at Byam Shaw and Goldsmiths. He is

an accomplished graphic designer and is well known for his comic and music
industry artworks.
 JULIE TURNER
SONIA NOIR, ETCHING & AQUATINT

Julie practices abstract, still life and landscape art and studies printmaking at
Heatherleys.

‘Sonia Noir’ is one of her first etchings in a series influenced by Sonia

Delaunay.
ROBIN WATT
SEATED FIGURE, ETCHING & AQUATINT

Robin is a part time student in printmaking. She likes to create etchings

with aquatint, to explore the possibility of light and dark tones inherent in
the processes. Robin usually works from the figure. The work on display is
a seated figure printed in blue tones.
 WAYNE YAYA
TWO WOMEN ON PORTOBELLO WITH A BICYCLE,
OIL ON CANVAS

Wayne is a local artist who attends Portobello life drawing classes.

OPEN - A FINAL WORD
The community campaign to save the college on Wornington Road
had, at its heart, a desire to save and cherish the collective memory and
achievements of the thousands of local people who have benefited from
education and opportunity at this beloved site in North Kensington.
These exhibition spaces will provide further generations a chance to add
their memories and achievements to that enviable legacy of community
creativity.
- Tobias Laurent Belson, curator

This new art gallery at Morley College and this first open art exhibition
provides an exciting opportunity for local artists who would not normally
have a space to show collectively.
- Ron Best RCA, curator
SALES ENQUIRIES

CONTACT
info@nottinghillvisualarts.com
hello@brownbaby.co.uk

See more at www.brownbaby.co.uk/open

 MAY 17TH - JUNE 8TH 2024
MORLEY COLLEGE
WORNINGTON ROAD W10 5QQ

in collaboration with
notting hill visual arts festival
&
morley college

brownbaby.co.uk/open