AS A PART OF ‘OPEN HAUS’ EVENT
BY PUBLIC HAUS
28.03.2026
CURATED BY CLAUDIA LOWE
ASSISTED BY HARRY LECKIE
111 x 161 cm
Oil paint, oil pastels, acrylic mediums & house paint
on canvas, hand sculpted recycled timber frame
109.5 x 84.5 cm
Acrylic mediums and house paint on canvas, with hand sculpted recycled timber frame
ARTIST STATEMENT:
‘Your eyes are dogs, your dog is a horse’ and ‘A horse called forever’ are part of my 2025 body of work exploring my recent battle with cancer through the use of horses as a stand in for self portraiture. Between radiation and operation, I managed to visit my Nana in the UK who also had cancer. While there, I saw horses everywhere; held within fields of green by wooden fences or gold frames at museums. They reminded me of my dog, I missed her. She’s often called a horse, if not for size, then for her long face and yearning eyes. My own dog eyes wanted to cry, I too felt vast space yet confined. I returned home, eventually cancer free. My Nana was not so lucky, but another way free. So here is her and me; thick gestural paint, rolling wood, and tongue in cheek text nod to her fighting spirit she let go of to give to me..”
- Harry Bayston
ARTIST STATEMENT:
‘This series explores the importance of staying true to, developing, and refining one’s sense of self throughout life’s journey. It reflects not only on identity, but also on evolving values, beliefs, and the act of questioning the world around us.
Through two works, Liberty and Becoming, the series considers the relationship between inner transformation and external forces. Liberty reflects on both internal and societal freedom, inviting viewers to consider where they feel liberated or constrained. Becoming explores transformation and the evolving self through the interplay of colour and form, embracing moments of disruption, fragility, and pause.
Together, the works suggest that identity is not fixed, but a continual process of reflection, growth, and returning to oneself.’ - Annika Mae
60cm x 60cm
or 40 × 40 cm
High-quality PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate, a lightweight, durable, and shatter-resistant material that is free from harmful or toxic substances.
Price Upon Application. Please get in touch hello@artclubatourhouse.com
ARTIST STATEMENT:
I use mirrors as a way to study perception and human fascination with seeing ourselves. The further reflection drifts from reality, the stronger our curiosity becomes as distortion turns into discovery.
Much of my work evolves from how people interact with the pieces; their reactions often guide the next idea. Each mirror is designed to adapt, in size, colour, or function, existing somewhere between a useful object and a personal encounter. -DISFERA
90 × 60 × 2.5 cm
Acrylic on upcycled canvas, mounted on MDF panel, framed
90 × 60 × 2.5 cm
Acrylic on upcycled canvas, mounted on MDF panel, framed
ARTIST STATEMENT:
These works explore intimacy, grief, and what remains once something shifts.
‘Saudade’ was created during a period of loss - within a single week, I lost a friend, a relationship ended, and I lost my job. The work sits within that feeling of longing and absence, holding onto something that is no longer there but still deeply felt.
‘After’ shifts in tone. The figure is more self-possessed - feminine, exposed, and unapologetic. There’s a sense of being out in the world again, carrying what’s happened but no longer defined by it.
Together, the works move between closeness and independence, exploring the space between being held and standing on your own.’.-Vanessa Franklin
ARTIST STATEMENT:
‘My work explores the push and pull of memory and photos. Each board acts as a single pocket of memory, coming together to form a larger narrative where some parts are blurred out, and some come forward into focus..’ - Oli McLachlan
64 x 48.5 cm
Acrylic on raw plywood framed in Italian oak frame
ARTIST STATEMENT:
‘Stay Here Longer’ is as an instruction. Or a permission. The first work in Abbey’s upcoming collection ‘No Urgency’, it explores resisting the instinct to move at speed. This piece is inspired by Abbey’s personal decision to press pause on a pace of life that felt constant and unsustainable, yet expected. In parts, the natural plywood is left unresolved, embracing this refusal to overwork or over finish. This work invites you to stay longer, breathe deeper and feel the moment.’
-Abbey O’Connell