News • April 22, 2020

hree Fine Art Painting degree students from University Centre St Helens will be displaying their work later this month at the AIR Open 2017 at the AIR Gallery in Altrincham.

Current University Centre St Helens students Sarah Gilman and Rebecca Ainsworth, alongside alumna and Artist in Residence, Helena Denholm were all chosen to display at the exhibition after having their work chosen from hundreds of submissions from artists across the globe.

This year marks the first AIR Gallery Open 2017. AIR is a contemporary gallery and exhibition space showcasing emerging and early career artists; bringing cultural diversity and international collaboration of the arts within the local community. The exhibition will be showcasing a carefully selected, diverse collection of artwork from multidisciplinary artists working in the field of contemporary art.

Sarah Gilman’s piece, named ‘TV and Double Socket’ is part of a series of paintings which focus on overlooked objects that can been seen daily yet are often given no attention. Sarah is fascinated as to how images of such objects, translated through the use of paint onto a two dimensional surface, can capture the viewer’s attention and hold their gaze.

Rebecca Ainsworth’s work explores trace. The painting ‘Chicken Wire No5’ is from a series of paintings based on a rubbing taken from Chicken wire. The series focuses on the hexagon design found in materials and objects. The origin of the hexagon is found in nature, used by bees to form the honeycomb. This is a link between humans and nature that may not be apparent at first glance.

Helena Denholm’s, painting titled ‘Subject to Change’ shows Helena’s interest in the transience of flesh; how it adapts and responds to lived experience, underpinned by an investigation of what happens when the digital encounters the analogue.

The exhibition launches on the 10th August from 6pm. The show then continues from the 11th August until the 30th September at the AIR Gallery; part of A4 Studios CIC based on Grosvenor Road, Altrincham.

Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite work as part of the People’s Choice Award during the exhibition.

Many of the works featured are available for sale, providing an ideal opportunity to support emerging creative talent worldwide. More information can be found by visiting a4studios.co.uk.

The AIR Gallery Open 2017 is just one of many exhibitions across the Northwest in which the students are displaying their work. Rebecca Ainsworth has had her work displayed in the St Helens Open Art Exhibition 2017, The World of Glass, St Helens, Lancashire Open Art 2017, Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk and ‘Introducing’ exhibition, Coffee Stop Gallery, St Helens. Sarah Gilman is in the PS Mirabel Open Exhibition, while Helena is exhibiting in the Nasty Woman Exhibition at Cross Street Arts Gallery, Wigan.

University Centre St Helens still has a number of places available on its degree courses through Clearing, including BA (Hons) Fine Art Painting. Click here for further information visit or call the Clearing hotline on 0800 027 1221 to secure a place.

Article sourced from University Centre St Helens. Students artwork chosen from hundreds of entries. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.sthelens.ac.uk/news-ucsh/1942-students-artwork-chosen-from-hundreds-of-entries-from-across-the-globe