Artist gets new (From Stroud News and Journal)

Artist gets new

WOODCHESTER based artist Nicholas Bechgaard opens his Theatre of Life exhibition in Stroud next week.

It is being staged at 15 Union Street - which was until recently computer games shop Cyberdyne, but has been standing empty for several weeks.

Douglas Maxwell, who helped organise the exhibition, said: "This is Nicholas' first exhibition in Stroud and it's long overdue. How it came about is pretty unusual.

"All artists struggle to get a gallery to show their work. Standard responses vary from the 'Not really our kind of thing' to 'We're fully booked for the next five years'.

"So I thought why not approach some estate agents and see if an empty shop could be temporarily taken over for a couple of weeks between lets?"

Maxwell then approached commercial property agent Andrew Watton, whose response was enthusiastic.

"He warned it could take a while to find the right space and persuade the owners to let their empty property be turned into a temporary gallery," said Maxwell. "It's taken a while for Andrew Watton to find the right space."

Now Bechgaard has the exhibition he's been hoping and working for. With the help of friends the space has been cleaned up, re-painted, gallery lighting installed and pictures hung.

"The main subject of my work is the human presence, particularly the feminine. From veiled beggar, dancer, bride and mother Theatre of Life celebrates the mystery of our existence," said Bechgaard.

His paintings feature a variety of local faces, notably a sequence of portraits of Egyptian belly dancer Hazel Kayes and members of Giffords Circus, plus scenes from around the world.

The exhibition will be open to the public from Monday, June 27 to Friday, July 8 between 10am and 4pm daily.