Time to say goodbye...
The last viewing for the work of artist John Reay - The Lowestoft collection
Dear Friends
My greatest thanks to you all for supporting our gallery and exhibitions here at Another Angle Studio.
It's time to celebrate the work of artist John Reay's Lowestoft-themed work for the last time before it leaves (last day is the 10th August) and we finally close the business after 5 years in operation.
It's been an absolute joy to realise a long-held ambition to start my own business, but the highlight has to be the chance to bring the work of John Reay back to Lowestoft after a long 11-year absence.
I first met John whilst working at Lowestoft Library managing the exhibition space around 1988/90 where he was certainly one of the most popular exhibiting artists in terms of visitors and sales. It is where John showcased his marvellous Punch & Judy, which now adorns our gallery wall and leads people to the exhibition 'Reay of Light'.
John was a painter and draughtsman who trained at both Brighton and Norwich Schools of Art. He lived in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in Denmark Road (opposite the grain store and railway lines) with a print studio in Battery Green Road.
He was noted for his beach scenes with figures channelling his inspiration from both Seurat and Hopper. John's work covered other subjects too and he exhibited as far afield as New York and St Petersburg.
For those people who knew John it has been the most emotional and gratifying experience to have a chance to view and pay tribute. The exhibition notebook has been enthusiastically contributed with marvellous anecdotes, reminiscences and appreciative comments which are heartening, funny and give a real sense of how much people appreciated this wonderful man.
He worked in the Planning Department of Suffolk County Council and also taught art in local schools in Beccles (Sir John Leman) and Lowestoft in Benjamin Britten and Denes HIgh School (once bringing in a motorbike to strip down and show the pupils who otherwise were difficult to engage)!
Reay had an affinity with young people and visitors to the gallery often told of stories where his good nature helped, encouraged and set them on a path, with a debt of gratitude expressed by many.
John's print studio (coincidentally, neighbouring our 'most-easterly gallery') produced lithographs gifted to dignitaries for the Town's 'Twinning' with Plaisir
From the late 1970s Reay appeared in many exhibitions, including:
Piccadilly Gallery - 1978
Solo show at Alwin Gallery - 1978
Aberbach Fine Art - 1980, 1981, 1982
Bohun Gallery, Henley-on-Thames - 1982
Crane Kalman - 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987 1988
Bury Art Centre, Bury St Edmunds - 1988
Phoenix Gallery, Lavenham - 1988
Thackeray Gallery 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 (& shared show in 1990)
Chappel Galleries, Essex - 1989
Fieldborne Gallery - 1988, 1989–90
Studio is open 11 am to 4 pm for the exhibition on the following dates:
Sat 29 & Sun 30 July
Wed 2 Aug
Sat 5 & Sun 6 August
Wed 9 Aug
With a Final Viewing will be held from 4.30 pm until 7 pm on Thursday 10th August
You are invited and encouraged to share this invitation with friends and colleagues
