Arts and homewares at herb farm

AN art exhibition which has become an annual tradition at the Herb Farm in Sonning Common is back next month.

Organised by Maria Meerstadt, from Maidenhead, this year’s exhibition will feature eight artists.

Maria will be joined by Sue Reeves, Caroline Gatfield and Sue Carter, in addition to Alison Evans, Amanda Launchbury, Donna Starnes and Natalie Clark. “Caroline and Sue Carter are friends of mine and I spoke to Sue Reeves and I said ‘we need some fresh blood’,” says Maria. “She said ‘leave it to me’ and next thing all these people applied, very formally, with pictures. Caroline hasn’t been exhibiting because she’s been moving house. She’s just starting again so she’s really excited to be back on showing her work again and we’re excited to have her.

“Sue Carter and I are both painters, landscapes, you name it, anything but humans. Then we’ve got Sue Reeves, she will have her bonkers collection with her.

“Caroline Gatfield has got ceramics and jewellery. She’s been doing all sorts of courses, she’s really branching out at the moment so we’ll have to see what she turns up with. Alison Evans also does ceramics, homeware, cups and bowls.

“Amanda Launchbury does collage and she uses recycled paper and makes lamps, homeware and framed prints.

“Donna Starnes does three-dimensional designs — she feeds the designs into a computer and it spits them out on a 3D printer. It’s very clever and she’s going to bring the printer so she can openly demonstrate to people how it’s done. Natalie Clark makes framed resin prints and home décor.

“My work is landscapes, I change my palettes and I’ve been doing a lot of big flowers, like two irises or two gladioli. I do lots of meadows.

“I come from Jersey and seascapes are my big love. I’ve been trying to make the skies more floaty and dramatic.

“I can see my work has loosened up quite a lot.” Maria’s works are on display in the Art Hut year-round. “I’m still the ‘lady in the shed’, but we will take over the polytunnel like we usually do.”

The exhibition is at the Herb Farm in Peppard Road, Sonning Common, on Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7, open from 10am to 4pm daily. There will be tea and cakes. For more information, see maria_at_ the_herb_farm on Instagram.