Prelude through art

All the artists from the Chichester area arts collective will be exploring the notion of prelude through their art.

Among those taking part is Liz Hanan who is exhibiting “porcelain notes hanging in a big group clanging together so that it sounds like wedding bells - a prelude to marriage”.

The exhibition runs from June 19-25 in The Guildhall, Priory Park, Chichester, from

12 noon-7pm, admission free.

One of the highlights of the show, just before the end, will be a performance from the Minerva baroque trio (Karen Glenn harpsichord, Sophie Willis and Harriet Wiltshire cellos) on June 24 at 6.30pm.

They will present a concert of Bach preludes and other works for two cellos and a harpsichord (tickets £10 from www.chifest.org.uk).

“One of the people in this trio is the daughter-in-law of one of the artists,” Liz explains. “Because we were using Prelude as the title of the exhibition, what’s what prompted us to invite this trio along.”

Liz did a fine art degree at the University of Chichester, graduating four years ago: “Joining Artel seemed a very good continuation, to join a group of artists and so continue with my professional practice.

“I joined Artel so that my art wouldn’t just slip by the wayside,” says Liz who works as an air ambulance nurse in the holidays and in school nursing during term time.

Artel is based primarily in Chichester, but this base includes artists living in Hampshire and East Sussex.

The group dates back to January 1999 when three artists from Chichester called an open forum meeting of artists to meet together and discuss whether or not an artists group would be viable. Out of this initial meeting 17 artists formed the group and decided to call it Artel, from the Russian word for a workers’ guild.