Moreton-in-Marsh experienced a surge of artistic vibrancy on Thursday 27 March as we attended the packed private view at John Davies Gallery, marking a significant revitalisation. After nearly 50 years of operation, including 30 in Stow-on-the-Wold and a subsequent 17 in its current, refurbished 1920s dairy plant location, the gallery is embarking on a new chapter, one that begins with John Davies’ own exhibition, ‘Two Aspects of an Artist’.

This exhibition, and the extensive refreshment and refurbishment of the gallery, signals a renewed commitment to becoming a cultural destination, hosting exciting exhibitions and events, and serving as a vital community hub. In the face of increasing development, this gallery’s role in preserving cultural and social spaces for both visitors and locals feels more important than ever.

Visit John Davies Gallery

The ‘Two Aspects of an Artist’ exhibition remains open until 3 May, during which time the gallery also showcases other featured artists. Regular opening hours are Wednesday to Friday, 10.30am to 4.30pm and Saturdays 11am to 4pm. Visit John Davies Gallery in The Old Dairy Plant, Fosseway Business Park, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9NQ.

∙ SEE THE FULL CATALOGUE OF THE EXHIBITION HERE ∙

High Naturalism

The exhibition’s title aptly reflected the dual nature of Davies’s work. On one side, attendees were treated to his signature style of High Naturalism: breathtaking landscapes rendered in muted, lifelike tones. These pieces, familiar to many, possess a unique allure. From a distance, they capture the serene beauty of the natural world. Upon closer inspection, however, they reveal an intricate, almost pointillist technique, where layers of delicate brushstrokes create an incredible level of detail, inviting viewers to discover new nuances with each glance.

Abstract compositions in recent explorations

In stark contrast, the exhibition also featured Davies’s more recent explorations into a more abstract composition. These vibrant works, born from a creative impulse sparked by classical music and the nature around him, represented a bold departure from his established style. Here, form and colour took centre stage, with geometric shapes and bold hues colliding in dynamic arrangements. This new direction, only explored in the last four to five years, demonstrated Davies’s desire to grow and experiment with his art.

A thoughtfully curated gallery space

The gallery space, thoughtfully curated, provided an ideal backdrop for both styles, allowing them to complement and contrast each other. The private view drew a diverse crowd, including local art enthusiasts, friends, neighbours, and connoisseurs from across the Cotswolds and beyond. A lively atmosphere filled the room, with guests engaging in animated discussions about the artwork while enjoying delectable canapés and sparkling bubbly. The event was a resounding success, celebrating not only the opening of a new gallery space in Moreton-in-Marsh but also the remarkable talent of John Davies, an artist whose vision continues to evolve and inspire.

The first exhibition

The John Davies Gallery has launched its 2025 exhibition calendar with “Two Aspects of an Artist” with artworks ranging from £575 to £8,500, all are presented in this online catalogue for wider accessibility. A private view weekend, held on Saturday 29 March and Sunday 30 March, offers guests an opportunity to engage with the artist’s work and the gallery space. The exhibition remains open until 3 May, during which time the gallery also showcases other featured artists. Regular opening hours are Wednesday to Friday, 10.30am to 4.30pm and Saturdays 11am to 4pm.

John Davies

John Davies’s ‘Two Aspects of an Artist’ exhibition offers a compelling look into his evolving oeuvre. Davies, who initially established himself as a landscape painter in the early 1970s, revealed a parallel exploration into abstract compositions, a direction he has pursued more recently. This dual approach stemmed from his lifelong passion for art, nurtured during his formative years at Solihull and Oundle schools, and later at Birmingham Art School. Despite a brief period of technical illustration studies cut short by a car accident, Davies found inspiration in the Pre-Raphaelites and the landscapes of David Cox, shaping his early artistic vision.

His career trajectory took him from exhibiting at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists to establishing his own gallery in Stow-on-the-Wold, a venture that, while successful, temporarily halted his personal art practice. However, the enforced solitude of the 2020 lockdown reignited his creative spark. Finding himself with unexpected time, Davies returned to his roots, venturing into the local landscape to draw and paint. He developed a style he calls “High Naturalism,” characterised by meticulously detailed, almost pointillist depictions of the Cotswold countryside. This technique, demanding and time-consuming, reflects his deep connection to the region’s natural beauty.

Simultaneously, Davies’s abstract compositions, born from his love of classical music, offered a stark contrast to his landscapes. These vibrant, experimental pieces showcased a different side of his artistic expression.

Two Aspects of an Artist

The exhibition’s title, ‘Two Aspects of an Artist’, therefore, encapsulates the essence of his artistic journey, highlighting the interplay between his established naturalistic style and his newfound abstract explorations.

John Davies’s foray into abstract composition stemmed from a long-standing fascination with mid-20th-century artists like Sonia Delaunay and Willem De Kooning, alongside influential British painters of the 1950s and 60s. He sought to create expressive works, driven by felt experience rather than observed reality, using shape and colour instinctively. Music, particularly classical pieces, served as a profound inspiration, though Davies acknowledges the impossibility of directly translating music into paint. Despite this, he aims to channel musical inspiration into his abstract works. His deep love for music, cultivated since childhood with his father’s Hi-Fi system, extends to his reliance on BBC Radio 3, which permeates his daily life and work. Davies notes that abstract art, unlike representational work, is driven by instinct and feeling, and while some readily embrace it, others struggle to understand its non-representational nature. He emphasises the richness and stimulation found within abstract art, while still appreciating the beauty of representational forms.