Award-winning New Forest artist Pete Gilbert and his long-time friend, photographer Hugh Lohan, are collaborating once again on a new exhibition at Red House Museum and Gardens in Christchurch.
From Saturday 7 March to Saturday 18 April 2020, Take Another Look will feature new work created especially for the exhibition alongside their signature New Forest imagery. The exhibition will also be an opportunity for visitors to explore the pair’s individuality and creative inspiration, which has taken them to physical locations far further afield and into the world of abstract art, a new direction for them both.
Over over 50 pieces of work will be on display at the museum, which is operated by Hampshire Cultural Trust. Visitors will be able to experience Gilbert’s vibrant paintings juxtaposed against Lohan’s evocative black and white photographs and will see stunningly colourful paintings showing the New Forest’s Beaulieu River, Priests Cove in Cornwall and beach huts at Hengistbury Head, as well as hauntingly beautiful photographs of views including the New Forest’s Godshill Inclosure.
Having spent his early career in a range of professions, from restaurateur and nightclub owner to graphic designer, Pete Gilbert decided to focus his time on his art, something that had always been a passion in his spare time. Living in the New Forest home that he lovingly restored, he found a passion for capturing the landscapes of the area. He produces initial sketches in a location to capture the immediacy of the moment before returning to his studio to finish them or use them as a reference for larger canvases in oil or acrylic.
Greatly encouraged by Pete Gilbert, Hugh Lohan seriously took up photography in 2007 having had a passion for the art form since his teenage years. Lohan’s early career took him into the army and then into specialist security companies before he finally took up his hobby full time. Over the last 10 years, he has honed his skills and displayed his work in numerous exhibitions, many of which were alongside Gilbert. As well as photography, Lohan is a talented illustrator, producing cartoons for the Cyprus Mail and Gibraltar Chronicle as well as illustrating Bryan Philpott’s The Real Aviation Enthusiast and its sequel.
Red House Museum and Gardens explores the story of Christchurch from before the Ice Age to modern times. Situated in a former Georgian workhouse, visitors can discover fascinating facts and displays about Saxon princes and Iron Age dwellers before getting a glimpse at life in the 19th century. Red House Museum and gardens is operated by Hampshire Cultural Trust, an independent charity set up in 2014 to promote Hampshire as a county that offers outstanding cultural experiences to both its residents and visitors.