Art fair will be a hard act to follow

The fair opens today (Friday) and will run at the PowderMills Hotel, Powdermill Lane, Battle, 10am-6pm every day until Friday September 23.

Artists exhibiting this year include Guy Portelli VPRBA FRBS, Cheryl Culver PSRBA, Brenda Hartill R E, Will Taylor PSGFA, Stephanie Davies-Arai ARBS, Colin Ruffell FRBA, Louis Turpin, Paul Apps, Helen Masacz and Svetlana K-Lie to name but a few.

Seventy artists in total will be exhibiting around 300 individual pieces of art work, each piece for sale between £100 and £10,000.

Tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday, artists will be working live on site at the hotel.

Paul Apps, Karl Terry and Angus Ryall will all be painting outdoors, well-known local artist Juliette Dodd will be doing on-the-spot portraits, whilst artisan blacksmith Remuna Pickard will be setting up his mobile forge and making sparks fly. On Wednesday, the Observer caught up with artists Guy Portelli and Svetlana K-Lie (pictured above), who were busy installing their show-stopping sculptures at the PowderMills.

Guy Portelli will be exhibiting his sculpture ‘Into the Light’.

On show to the public for the first time since its unveiling at Canterbury Cathedral in July, it celebrates the life of Nelson Mandela.

Svetlana K-Lie, will be showing her controversial installation sculpture ‘Last Supper’.

Award-winning artist Helen Masacz will be showing her brand new painting ‘Unmade Bed’ which will be on show to the public for the very first time at Battle Art Fair.

Feature exhibitions will also be taking place across the county in various venues. The Blackshed Gallery, Robertsbridge, and the Roche Gallery, Rye, will both be holding individual taster shows, featuring art work by a selection of art fair artists.

Crowhurst Park Holiday Village will be hosting a solo show by Martin Pinder, who is their current artist in residence and the Michelin-starred Curlew Restaurant, Bodiam, will be treating diners with a show of beautiful mezzotints by highly accomplished local artist Marina Kim.

The Battle Art Fair is organised by the Pure Arts Group.

Lesley Samms, director of Pure Arts Group, said: “This annual art fair exhibition is going from strength to strength and Pure have several other exhibitions and events planned for the coming months, including a solo show for artist Amanda Hughes at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in October and a Giant Print Event to take place on the Abbey Green, Battle in the spring of 2012.

“So watch this space for details.”

Battle Art Fair artwork will be available to purchase at the fair and online at www.pureartsgroup.co.uk from today (Friday).

Admission to the art fair is free.