New Gallery: The 21 Group of Artists

11th September 2021 - 9th October 2021

Private View: Friday 10th September, 17:30 – 19:30 All welcome!

The 21 Group of Artists.

Formed in 1967, the 21 Group of Artists is now one of the longest established groups of exhibiting professional artists in the South West. In 1963 the painter Harry Pye organised the first of a series of Open exhibitions at Torre Abbey in Torquay. These annual exhibitions, entitled simply VISION, showed selected work by artists from all over South Devon. The more committed painters whose work was invariably selected included, amongst many others, Beryl Clark, Elsie Holliwell, Kenneth Fernee, Jane Prout, Joyce Earle, Colin and Rosemary Bigwood, Christine Raikes, and Vincent Wilson. In 1967 the Vision exhibition confined itself to invited artists only and this led directly to the creation of the 21 Group of Artists itself.

From its inauguration the Group decided to limit itself to a maximum of 21 members in order to maintain high standards and preserve the opportunity for creative dialogue between its members. Since its early exhibitions at Birdwood house in Totnes, the group now exhibits more widely across the South West including shows at Exeter Arts Centre, Dartington Arts Gallery, and the Penwith Gallery St Ives. More than 50 years on, the 21 Group still places experimentation in painting at the cornerstone of its ethos, and mounts an average of two exhibitions a year.