Artizan Gallery is an independent fine art gallery dedicated to championing the work of local artists in the South West. Their inviting gallery space offers a professional, affordable venue for both experienced and emerging artists, as well as providing a venue for events, groups and workshops. Working from their base in the English Riviera, the gallery also manages pop-up spaces across Torbay and the South West. FIND OUT MORE
English Riviera Summer Open 2025
29 June – 25 August 2025 at the Artizan Collective Gallery, Fleet Walk, Torquay
The English Riviera Summer Open Exhibition returns for its tenth year, presenting one of the South West’s largest and most inclusive showcases of contemporary visual art. Hosted by Artizan Collective CIC in their central Torquay gallery, the annual exhibition has grown into a significant fixture in the region’s arts calendar, welcoming both new and established artists working across a wide range of disciplines.
Jury selected through an open call, the 2025 exhibition features over 200 original works, spanning painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, textiles, and ceramics. Together, they form a salon-style showcase of more than 200 original pieces, presented throughout Artizan Collective’s exhibition space at Fleet Walk.
With all works for sale, and a focus on original art, the collection proudly offers pieces at price points for any collector, and the unique opportunity to support local and independent when you buy. A dedicated area for functional and decorative ceramics also offers audiences a chance to explore an exciting media with options for unique gifts through to collection showstoppers.
Originally launched in 2015, the Summer Open began as a small-scale pilot. Over the past decade, it has developed into one of Artizan’s largest and most inclusive exhibitions, providing a platform for artists at all stages of their careers while reflecting the diversity of contemporary practice. It remains a personal homage to the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, reimagined for Torbay, and a celebration of the breadth and diversity of creative practice.
Proceeds from the exhibition support Artizan’s artist development and cultural programming. Visitors are also invited to vote for the Audience Favourite Award, which will be announced during the final week of the show.
The exhibition forms part of Artizan’s wider summer programme, including the Summer Sculpture Season, which continues to highlight outstanding material practice across disciplines. FIND OUT MORE
Brenda Hartill: Five Decades of Printmaking Innovation Celebrated in Major Torbay Retrospective
Continues to: 30th August 2025 | Artizan Printmaking and Sculpture Gallery, Torquay
This summer, Artizan Gallery is privileged to welcome internationally acclaimed printmaker and mixed-media artist Brenda Hartill RE back to the South West for a landmark retrospective exhibition. Celebrating over five decades of creative practice, the show presents an extensive selection of Hartill’s abstract printmaking – bold, textured works that have earned her an enduring place in the hearts of collectors and peers alike.
Working across etching, collagraph, carborundum, and monoprint techniques, Hartill is widely recognised for her richly embossed prints that abstract the essence of the landscape. Her compositions explore geological structure, erosion, plant growth, and weather patterns, conveyed through luminous, layered surfaces often enhanced with gold and silver leaf. Each piece is a tactile record of process and place, balancing control with spontaneity, and rooted in a lifelong fascination with the natural world.
“For me, art is a voyage of discovery,” says Hartill. “A dance between chance and control, the abstract and the personal. Each print tells a story of process, place and possibility.”
Originally trained as a painter in New Zealand, Hartill moved to London in the 1960s to study theatrical design at the Central School of Art and Design. Her early experience in stage lighting and set construction continues to shape her sculptural approach to printmaking, where the interplay of light and structure is key. Now based in East Sussex, Hartill’s work is held in private and public collections internationally and has inspired generations of artists working in print.
“Brenda Hartill is one of the most accomplished and influential printmakers working in Britain today,” says Julie Brandon, Director at Artizan Gallery. “It’s an honour to host this retrospective and to celebrate the legacy of an artist whose work has had a profound impact on the creative community.”
“The exhibition has already proved a meaningful moment for the printmaking community, with fellow artists – many of whom cite Hartill as a major influence – visiting to experience the work first-hand. It has also been a pleasure to welcome long-standing collectors of her work, offering a shared space to reflect on her remarkable legacy and enduring impact.”
The retrospective is supported by Artizan’s Summer Sculpture Season, featuring complementary exhibitions by sculptors Zoe Clare, Emmy Palmer, Emma Baldwin, and Lucy D’Auvergne. Together, they offer a dynamic celebration of material-led practices across print and sculpture. FIND OUT MORE
Exhibition Dates: 12 July – 30 August 2025
Opening Times: Thursday – Saturday 10:00-17:00
Venue: Artizan Gallery, Lucius Street, Torquay
About Artizan Collective CIC
Artizan Collective CIC is a social enterprise dedicated to supporting creative practitioners in Torbay and South Devon, championing opportunities for artists and makers while delivering high-quality cultural experiences for local communities. Since its foundation, the organisation has been committed to fostering an accessible, sustainable, and vibrant arts sector, working in partnership with local and national organisations to nurture talent, provide exhibition platforms, and advocate for the value of the arts in education, well-being, and place-making.
With two dedicated gallery spaces in Torquay, Artizan Collective hosts a diverse programme of exhibitions, ranging from solo showcases and group shows to major seasonal opens, attracting artists from across the UK. Alongside its exhibition programme, the Collective delivers artist development initiatives, workshops, and community outreach projects, ensuring that creative opportunities remain open and inclusive for all.
Artizan Collective plays a key role in regional cultural development, collaborating with public and private sector partners to shape Torbay’s evolving creative landscape. Recent projects include:
• The Great Paignton Paint Out, a large-scale outdoor painting event celebrating Torbay’s heritage and plein air traditions
• The English Riviera Open Studios, an upcoming initiative supporting local artists in opening their studios to the public
• The Geopark Artist Residency Programme, a partnership with Torre Abbey and the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark, supporting artists in responding to Torbay’s internationally significant heritage
• Annual Open Exhibitions, which provide major exhibition opportunities for artists at different stages of their careers
Artizan Collective is committed to ensuring that art and creativity remain integral to Torbay’s cultural and economic identity, offering support, advocacy, and professional opportunities for creative practitioners while delivering inspiring cultural experiences for audiences.
For more information, visit www.artizangallery.co.uk or follow @artizangallery on social media.