PARADISE FOUND: New Visions of the Blackdown Hills. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton.

 

Maxine was one of thirty six painters, printmakers and photographers walking in the footsteps of the Camden Town Group. An exhibition conceived by Tim Craven, co-curated by Sandra Higgins and FionaMcintyre. She was invited by Sandra Higgins Art to create a piece of work, responding to Robert Bevan's, painting The Plantation (1916).

 

Maxine visited the Luppitt area three times, searching for the exact coordinates she had been allocated (ST 1740 0710) the reference for Robert Bevan’s painting. The first visit was on a swelteringly hot day with blue skies in July. With the help of Google Maps she was directed to a wooded area behind Marlpit, it was incredibly hilly, muddy and access was impossible, so she recorded some lovely images on route, of trees and a gate, a present day version of Bevan’s painting. However Maxine wasn’t convinced that she was in the right place… she hadn’t yet found paradise! Three months later and she had the opportunity of viewing the area from above, a birds eye view of rolling hills, patchwork fields and trees with autumnal turnings. Excitement and anticipation of being up in the air, there was a sense of being closer to the location of Bevan’s inspiration. A week later Maxine visited again. This time on foot from the direction of the village hall. It was a beautiful sunny day, she was surrounded by striking autumnal colours that lead her down the right-hand track. The route took her past a farm with rusty corrugated iron, mushrooms that resembled sound mirrors and an American post box... had she found Paradise!