Sisters in second home

Vicki lives in Derbyshire and Carolyne lives in Enfield, but the Chichester area has long been a second home to them.

Their first major collaboration, Faces And Places, offers an exhibition of portraits and landscapes at the Oxmarket Centre of Arts from September 19 to October 1.

Vicki and Carolyne spent their childhood summers in the area.

“We first started going down there when I was seven years old,” Vicki says. “My parents bought a holiday house down there, and we spent pretty much every weekend and holidays there.”

In fact, it was on the beach that she met her husband. They have now been married 27 years. And their parents now live in Birdham.

“This is the first time we have exhibited together. My mother is in her 80s and she has always been very keen behind us, trying to egg us on to exhibit together.”

It has been an enjoyable process preparing for the show: “The fact is that we were able to get together a little bit more. We have sat painting together for the weekend which is something we have never done before. It has probably brought us closer together.”

Carolyne draws on her training as a stain glass designer; she paints simple, bold but striking portraits of her subjects. Vivid colours and dark outlines define the facets of each sitter’s personality.

Vicki finds her inspiration from the seascapes and countryside around her. She will be displaying a new portfolio of subtle impressions of the beautiful beaches and vistas of Chichester Harbour as well as work inspired by the rocky headlands of the Yorkshire coast.

“All who’ve visited this area will recognise the pebble beaches, the sands stretching for miles at low tide, the timber breakwaters marching out to sea and the faint but familiar profile of the Isle of Wight on the horizon,” Vicki said.

“These images portray a sense of endless time and space. I spent many happy months on these beaches. Their memories are vivid and lasting.’

The exhibition is open Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm. Entrance free, but the sisters have pledged to donate a proportion of their sales to St Wilfrid’s Hospice.

“We have lost quite a few relatives in the past few years to cancer, and the hospices have been brilliant,” Vicki said. “The hospices are so important.”