Thirty30 Ceramics, Glass and Sculpture exhibition, Pyramid Gallery, York, May 19 to September 1 (From York Press)

Thirty30 Ceramics, Glass and Sculpture exhibition, Pyramid Gallery, York, May 19 to September 1

12:43pm Friday 18th May 2012 in Exhibitions

THE second of Pyramid Gallery’s 30th anniversary shows opens tomorrow at 11am, this one focusing on three-dimensional work.

Thirty artists and craftsmen are taking part in the Thirty30 Ceramics, Glass and Sculpture exhibition, among them several names that have been associated with Terry Brett’s gallery in Stonegate, York, for many years.

The most eminent is probably ceramicist Mary Rich, from Truro in Cornwall.

“Her gold lustre porcelain bottles and bowls were an important feature in the gallery when I first became involved,” says Terry.

“Each of her pots is exquisitely lustre painted in a style that is reminiscent of Arabic decoration, but it’s the form that fundamentally defines her work. Every piece takes many hours to make and each is a highly collectable item.”

Four glass artists on show have each had a long relationship with Pyramid. The gallery was the first to show the work of Colin and Louise Hawkins of LOCO Glass, from Cirencester, and one of the first to showcase work by Liverpudlian Charlie MacPherson and Amanda Notorianni in the mid-1990s.

The fourth is Kevin Wallhead, from Lincoln, who uses fused plates, glass frit and wire to create works for the wall. “The gallery places great importance on its relationship with many British glass artists, such as Kevin, and we’re always very proud to hang his artwork,” says Terry.

Look out too for Peter Humpherson’s porcelain bowls and his new venture into sculptural ceramics inspired by razor shells; glass artist Griet Beyaert’s delicate, snow-like sculptured forms made by pate de verre and her paintings of the human form in kiln cast glass; and Trudi Weir’s ceramics with highly textured surfaces.

Nika Shirocorad, Russian-born composer, concert pianist and artist, will be launching a range of hand-painted silk scarves available previously only in Paris and London, and Marianne Von Tucka will exhibit ceramics vases and wall plaques.

The walls of the upstairs gallery will be given over to a solo show of paintings in watercolour and mixed media by Snainton artist David Baumforth, who specialises in coastal scenes and landmark buildings executed in a style redolent of JMW Turner.

Thirty30 Ceramics Glass and Sculpture will run through the summer months until September 1 with several new additions to the show on the way.

At tomorrow morning’s launch, composer and guitarist Peter Byrom-Smith, will give an informal recital.

Images of work from many of the artists can be seen by logging on to the gallery website at pyramidgallery.com

To mark the 30th anniversary, the website provides a potted history by way of interviews with the founder Robert Feather and subsequent owners, including Terry Brett.

Gallery opening hours are 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and 12 noon to 5pm on most Sundays.