Banbury Gallery prepares for all inclusive exhibition

This month's exhibition is actually a specially extended two month show to run until January 7 allowing residents the opportunity to purchase that unique Christmas gift for a loved one.

Some of the featured artists include Fenny Compton's Emma Wilkinson who has been drawing and painting since she could hold a pencil.

Although born in London Emma's links to the Banbury area began in childhood as her grandfather David Robins, also an artist, was the live-in guide and curator of Sulgrave Manor.

Emma's childhood holidays were spent playing in the grounds of Sulgrave Manor so her move back here, she says, felt like coming home.

Family and adventure feature heavily in her work and two paintings in the exhibition, 'Sled Dogs of Flaine' and 'Winter Road Trip' were inspired by ski holidays with family and friends.

While Emma utilises oil pastels in her postcard sized creations, Karen Baum works from still life, sketch book designs and photographs.

Karen says "I use a colourful palette of wools, some dyed naturally from avocados, red and white onion skins and some commercially dyed merino wools. silks and cotton threads.

"My work is inspired by the changing colours, textures and movement of the seasons, from the cascading autumn leaves of crimson, copper and gold to the delicate stirring of pink and white spring blossoms, from fleeting clouds and stormy seas to the quiet still of hazy summer meadows."

King's Sutton's Jill Collier, of Firedupstudios.co.uk, is an award-winning ceramic artist passionate about animal conservation.

Jill has brought orangutans, elephants, lots of baby birds to Church Lane Gallery this year, all with their own distinctive personalities. Her eagerly awaited penguins will soon be waddling their way into the November / December display.

Deepa Chandramohan's Yahzini Jewellery is made by meticulously threading hundreds of tiny individual beads into her distinctive and colourful statement jewellery. Each piece is made with delicate care and no two are ever the same.

The new exhibition begins tomorrow, October 31 and runs until January 7. The gallery, in Church Lane, is open Monday to Friday between 10am and 3pm and on Saturday between 10am and 4pm.