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Donna Lowson 'Whispers'
Exploring Shadows, Unveiling Stories: The Art of Donna Lowson
Whispers invites viewers to engage with the unseen and overlooked. Through the intimate and unsettling medium of human hair, Donna Lowson explores the forces shaping our lives.
Drawing from her experiences as a working-class, late-diagnosed dyslexic, Lowson critically examines the tension between what society cherishes and discards. Her intricate sculptures, installations, and garments made from hair address issues of unpaid labour, gendered expectations, and the control of women's bodies. By transforming hair waste into delicate art, she questions who assigns value, when it is granted, and when it is lost.
Lowson connects historical struggles with contemporary ones, amplifying the untold stories of women's labor. Each piece invites viewers to reflect on their own role within these systems, fostering empathy for the often-overlooked narratives beneath the surface.
Artist Statement
Exploring shadows, unveiling essence, and connecting souls through the art of hair.
I create intricate forms using human hair, primarily sourced from salon waste. Whether free-standing or wall-hung, these pieces invite close inspection of their organic textures and delicate construction. Hair, an intimate and unsettling material with its fine strands and varied hues, becomes the focus of my exploration.
At the heart of my work, I explore shadows and the untold stories that linger beneath the surface. Each piece transforms discarded hair into something tactile and complex. Fibers are woven, spun, braided, or shaped into forms that evoke beauty and decay. What is revered as beautiful when attached to the body can quickly become repulsive when found in a plughole. This shift in perception fascinates me.
I hold back from using my family’s hair, revealing the deeply personal connection between hair, love, loss, and memory. This tension between what we cherish and discard becomes a central theme in my work. By transforming disgarded hair into art, I challenge viewers to question where we place value. What makes something precious, and when does it lose its worth? The discarded become significant, turning our ideas of identity, memory, and materiality on their heads.
My practice also revives Victorian hair art, a forgotten craft that once gave voice to women’s experiences. By bringing this lost tradition into contemporary conversation, I highlight hidden histories and offer a new lens to examine the past and the present. I aim to create connection in an increasingly divided world through my art. The stories we disregard, and the materials we discard become central to how I engage with the world. My work raises questions about the unseen forces shaping our lives, urging viewers to look deeper and connect with the untold. Hair transcends the individual, connecting us to collective experiences. Each piece invites viewers to reflect on the stories we often overlook and question what they see.
A collaboration with Open Up Sheffield
Caroline Fisher ‘Memories of Summer’
About Caroline Fisher
I am an Experimental Painter and Printmaker who lives and works in Sheffield and trained at Sheffield Hallam in Fine Art and Printmaking. I like to combine the two methods of working printing and painting to create interesting pieces that inspire me. I like the chance aspect you get when combining the two elements which is why I find it so interesting and the outcomes are never predictable. I work both big and small on wood and paper. I experiment using colour and pattern mainly painting nature and animals but have been known to paint portraits. I cut and print linoleum both alone and over my paintings which gives a great feel to my work and I create individual one off cards. For the past 30 years I have taught Art in Rotherham and I am passionate about education but feel really great about getting back to creating my own stuff again now I have more time.
Works Exhibited
Swallows. 80cmx88cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £850
Early Summer. P 52xcmx72cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £500
Mid Summer. L 93cmx 83cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £750
Summer. L 93cmx83cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £750
Woodland Pale Green P 52xcmx72cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £500
Echinops & Centaurea and Nettle & Cleavers. L 52cmx42cm Acrylic Paint on Wood. £180
Cleavers & Loosestrife and Horsetail & Alchemilla. L 52cmx42cm Acrylic Paint on Wood. £180
Woodland 1. P 42cmx52cm Acrylic Paint on Wood. £140
Woodland 2. P 42cmx52cm Acrylic Paint on Wood. £140
Woodland 3. P 42cmx52cm Acrylic Paint on Wood. £140
Animals 1. P 42cmx52cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £170
Animals 3. P 42cmx52cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £170
Solway Firth 1. P 32cmx42cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £150
Solway Firth 2. P 32cmx42cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £150
Abstract 1. P 42cmx52cm Linoleum Print on Cotton Rag Paper. £50
Abstract 2. P 42cmx52cm Linoleum Print on Cotton Rag Paper. £50
Abstract 3. P 42cmx52cm Linoleum Print on Cotton Rag Paper. £50
Curlew Birds Green. S 25cmx25cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £40
Curlew Birds Green. S 25cmx25cm Acrylic Paint and Linoleum Print on Wood. £40
Carl Whitehouse Documentary & Travel Photographer
Carl Whitehouse Documentary & Travel Photographer
22/08-21/09
Opening Night 18.00-20.00 22/08
The Lower Gallery
Open Monday-Friday 10.00-18.00
Saturday 09.30-16.30
Carl Whitehouse’s exhibition at The Art House presents a compelling exploration of the human experience through the discerning lens of an emerging talent in documentary photography. A recent graduate of Sheffield College and Sheffield Hallam University, Carl’s work is marked by a deep empathy and a profound connection to his subjects, allowing him to capture narratives that resonate with both intimacy and universality.
This exhibition represents the culmination of Carl’s extensive travels and his commitment to social documentary photography. His images traverse the themes of cultural identity, social justice, and the quiet beauty found in the everyday, offering viewers a nuanced perspective on the world. Each photograph is carefully composed, balancing technical skill with an innate sensitivity to the stories being told.
Carl’s approach to photography is both reflective and engaging, inviting viewers to step into the moments he has captured and to consider the broader implications of these stories. The exhibition highlights a diverse range of subjects, from the dignity of those who live on society’s fringes to the vibrant, pulsating life of urban landscapes.
This collection challenges us to see beyond the surface and to engage with the deeper narratives that shape our world. Carl Whitehouse’s exhibition is not merely a display of images; it is an invitation to experience the power of photography as a tool for empathy and understanding. For both seasoned admirers of the medium and those newly discovering its potential, this exhibition offers a thought-provoking journey through the lens of a photographer with a unique and compelling vision.
A collaboration with Open Up Sheffield.
Paul Stockley Exhibition
Paul Stockley Exhibition 18/07-17/08 in the Lower Gallery
Opening Night Reception 18.00-20.00 18/07
In collaboration with Open Up Sheffield.
Paul Stockley is a self-taught Sheffield sculptor working in concrete, focusing not only on animals and the human body but also the abstract form.
He specialises in experimenting with the medium with focus on the practical processes as well as the psychological and philosophical creation of art.
For 20 years Paul has enjoyed exploring sculpture, now the huge potential of concrete as a sculptural medium has led him to this his second solo exhibition at The Art House.
He is interested in the psychological and philosophical process of creating art and the potential that it has to enable self-expression and to represent the hidden inner workings of the mind.
Paul is available for commissions as well as having other work within his studio.
Paul Stockley Exhibition Opening
Paul Stockley Exhibition 18/07-17/08 in the Lower Gallery
Opening Night Reception 18.00-20.00 18/07
In collaboration with Open Up Sheffield.
Trevor Fearnley Exhibition
Open Monday-Friday 10.00-17.30 and Saturdays 9.30-16.30
These fascinating, fun, and provoking works are a delight to behold.
This exhibition is part of our year-long collaboration with Open Up Sheffield who support many of the incredibility talented artists and makers in our city.
List of works on display:
Sculptures
“Let’s Dance “ the crab dance. £400
Birch ply, aluminium wire. March 23“In at the deep end” tripeg fish. £375
Birch ply, aluminium wire. Aug 23“That deadly kiss” scorpio. £195
Birch ply, aluminium wire, ash legs. Feb 23“Say aRrrr” robot. £750
Processed from 2 larch sleepers. Feb 24“The Spirit of Anubis, a modified goD”. £450
Processed from a 60cm square off cut piece of hardwood kitchen work top.
Sep 23
Sculptural wall pieces.
“Let’s build a rocket boys “ Pegs in space. £275
Birch ply, aluminium wire, Feb 23“When the Pieces refuse to fit” dementia. £475
Birch ply, aluminium wire. April 23“The Ascension of Peg “ NFS
The first piece in this style. Birch ply, aluminium wire. Nov 22“Leonardo da vinscales” libra. £150
Birch ply, aluminium wire, May 23“3 is a crowd”. £150
Birch ply, aluminium wire.
Sculptural trial piece from one of many doodles/sketches. Nov 23
About Trevor Fearnley:
I work predominantly in wood and ply.
My sculptures aim to provoke a sense of humour and imagination, are intriguing and sometimes quite complex in their build and design.
I have a degree in fine art, sculpture. I have only in the past 3 years began creating my own works.
I am interested in the idea of chaos and symmetry to produce intriguing thought provoking forms.
My early work was based on the shape of a wooden clothes peg but manipulating this shape into common images and using puns or word play to add a sense of humour to each piece.
Recently I have combined this idea with a simple jigsaw shape that I use as building blocks to create familiar objects, mainly animals but with a twist.I call these building blocks “Jigpegs”, each one is an individual character, a piece of DNA or a kind of hieroglyphic symbol/image that creates the final shape.
It’s all a work in process a never ending development and general interest in shapes and how they can evoke images and emotions.
Hannah Lock 'Dreaming of Spring' Exhibition
Dreaming of Spring
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 10.00-17.00, Saturday 10.00-16.00
The exhibition is a cumulation of my work upon graduating the Cambridge School of Art, to the present date. With a breadth of different work within, from work focusing on nature, wildlife, to people and children's book illustration.
About Hannah Lock:
I'm a freelance illustrator from Huddersfied, West Yorkshire, and currently reside between Sheffield and Huddersfield. I studied my foundation at Leeds College of Art, and went onto the Cambridge School of Art for my Illustration BA. I work traditionally with coloured pencils. I love ecstatic, bright colours, and bold textures, and take a lot of inspiration from nature and wildlife. I've previously worked with clients such as the New York Times, the Bronte Parsonage Museum, Texas Observer, Mother Jones and others.
Hannah Lock 'Dreaming of Spring' Opening Night
Dreaming of Spring Opening Night
Join Hannah as she introduces her exhibition in the Lower Gallery at The Art House. Free entry.
The exhibition is a cumulation of my work upon graduating the Cambridge School of Art, to the present date. With a breadth of different work within, from work focusing on nature, wildlife, to people and children's book illustration.
About Hannah Lock:
I'm a freelance illustrator from Huddersfied, West Yorkshire, and currently reside between Sheffield and Huddersfield. I studied my foundation at Leeds College of Art, and went onto the Cambridge School of Art for my Illustration BA. I work traditionally with coloured pencils. I love ecstatic, bright colours, and bold textures, and take a lot of inspiration from nature and wildlife. I've previously worked with clients such as the New York Times, the Bronte Parsonage Museum, Texas Observer, Mother Jones and others.