The Gallery.
WHAT'S ON
MRS JONES Gallery opened our doors in 2022, passionate about creating a space to celebrate contemporary art and design from across the UK.​ We now operate through our online platform and design shop.
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This December, we are thrilled to showcase the work of ten finalists who recently entered our 'Love Letters to the Future' creative art competition. We invite you to explore the winning entries below...​​​
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‘Love Letters to the Future’ was an idea that evolved in response to conversations between artists and customers and the owner at MRS JONES Gallery during its two years in Shrewsbury.
With a level of uncertainty around world affairs and changes to our environment, many of us wanted to find creative ways to articulate our concerns, our hopes and solutions for a better future.
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We are thrilled to announce that this December, we will be presenting the works of ten finalists who were chosen by a panel of professional artists, writers, and poets for their creative interpretations of this theme.
COMPETITION WINNER
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'JOY' by artist Hilary Reed
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​"My gift to future ancestors would be seeds! Seeds are love, potential, and nourishment. A tiny seed is easily shared and will transform into food and beauty or both! It’s a gift of love and sustainability. I imagine conversations around abundance and joy, advice for seed saving, storing, and growing, and networks for sharing seeds freely.
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Growing food and flowers is empowering, improves health and well-being and brings people together in community so I would advocate for seed banks, education, knowledge and seed sharing now as this information will be vital for future generations as we move through climate uncertainty and corporate seed licencing."
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- Hilary Reed, artist
RUNNER UP
Artist: Steve White
Title: Severn Reflections II
"The river Severn, a metaphor for life - reflections and memory, flow and continuity, vital for a sustainable future."
Finalist
Artist: Izzy Barratt
Title: Tawny Mushrooms
"This textile design is a celebration of the magnificent mushroom! These guys could change the world. From mycelium to magic, earth changing to mind changing. Surely these incredible organisms have a place in our future and could, in many ways, hold the key to a more sustainable and happy future. This design preserves the beauty and fragility of mushrooms and fungi, in the form of a fabric design. This print was painted by hand using gouache paints, digitally constructed into a half drop repeat using Photoshop and intends to be printed onto a linen."
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Finalist
Artist: Morgan Bird
Title: D is for... R was for...
"Focusing on drawing, line and colour, this diptych aims to communicate cause and effect in regards to environmental issues and damage. The style is deliberately naive and replicates my usual way of drawing but on this occasion the childlike quality emphasises the seriousness and implications of our reckless decision making. The gold leaf on recycled card, hopefully makes the scrap material something of value as well."
Finalist
Artist: Irvine Peacock
Title: Postcard
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"This archival print is a page from a future postcard album.
The postcard title in Japanese on the card means ‘I am so sorry’, while the postcard message probably reflects the general response to the various problems listed. It’s about meaningless hand wringing. I used a stamp from the Festival of Britain as that was a high point of optimism and striving for a better future and a fairer society."
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Finalist
Artist: MJ. Ryle
Title: Pandemonium
"This painting is a love letter, a plea, and a prayer. Each element carries a part of its message. The flowers and bees represent the delicate beauty of nature which we’ve taken for granted. The hourglass warns us that time is running out to protect what we hold dear. The melting toy soldiers symbolise our history of conflict. Their distorted plastic forms represent not only the scars of war but also the effects of an ever-changing climate - both of which have reshaped our present world. The box is a modern reference to Pandora’s box and it holds a hand-mirror which reflects the future we fear - absence and fire. The pearls spilling out signify our greed and consumerism which continue to be the driving forces behind much of the harm we have caused. And yet, the key offers a glimmer of hope. It’s a nod to our ability to unlock the future where we can make different choices. A future where our destructive patterns are replaced by care and balance. It is a reminder that it’s not too late to change our course. Dear future, this painting carries my wish for you. That we may learn from our past and act with intention to protect the beauty of nature for generations to come."
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Finalist
Artist: Amanda Swannick
Title: Paper Boat
Description:
"This is a still life containing symbolic objects in the Dutch vanitas style. A visual representation of what we have, what we might lose and what we hope to keep."
Finalist
Artist: Sarah Kowenicki
Title: Take-away Fish Supper
"Inspired by a trip to Canada, this black bear pictured on Vancouver Island has caught his fishy supper. Black bears are a popular attraction for tourists and locals on Vancouver Island, and bear watching tours are a popular activity. However, conflicts with humans can arise when bears become dependent on human food sources, such as garbage, fruit, and beehives so bins are "bear-proof" and when wild camping we had to tie all our food up high hanging from trees, well out of bears' reach so that we can keep them on their traditional fish take-aways rather than ours! We can admire nature and marvel at it, but we have a huge responsibility to minimise our impact on it."
Finalist
Artist: Lou Bailey
Title: 1.0
1.0 is a poem that explores the idea of the 2.4 nuclear family as a set of social values. In a society where more people by choice or otherwise are having fewer children, how can we celebrate and be more socially inclusive to those who live alone or do not have children. "I hope for a future where every individual is celebrated and included."
