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Martin Andrews Past & Present – a retrospective exhibition

March 2022: A retrospective to celebrate the 70th birthday of Martin Andrews runs in Henley from Thursday 10th until Tuesday 15th March.

The exhibition is at the Old Fire Station Gallery, 52 Market Place, Henley-on-Thames RG9 2AG, and is open daily from 11am to 4.30pm. It features paintings, prints, ceramics and sculpture representing over half a century of making. Information about the gallery is here.

Do visit if you can!

As many of you will know, Martin has been involved with Two Rivers Press for many years, contributing many illustrations and writing a few books too!

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In 2014 the Press published Martin’s book about Fox Talbot and the Reading Establishment, which tells the story of the first British commercial photography studio.

Also in 2014 he co-authored, with Robert Gillmor, a beautifully illustrated book about the life and work of Gillmor’s grandfather the prominent wildlife artist Allen W. Seaby.

More recently, with John Froy he co-authored The Art of Peter Hay, celebrating the art and life of the founder of Two Rivers Press.

Over the years, Martin las provided many artworks and illustrations for Two Rivers Press, including the portrait of René Noyau on the cover of Earth on fire, and a wonderful painting which feature on the cover of our forthcoming short history of Reading Gaol.

His painting of the Old Dairy on Upper Redlands Road featured in The Art & History of Whiteknights, and he recorded an accompanying video, which includes a personal tour of his studio in Caversham.

Happy birthday Martin!

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The Art and History of Whiteknights: 3 – Martin Andrews on the Old Dairy, and a tour of his studio

Martin Andrews writes:
“I first got to know Whiteknights in the early seventies as a student and I am still here in Reading fifty years later after a career as a museum designer and then a lecturer in graphic design at the University. Art has always been at the centre of my life and my involvement in the Whiteknights Trail and the Two Rivers Press, both central to the cultural life of the town, has been a source of great joy.”

Martin recently recorded a short video in which he talks about the Whiteknights campus, the Old Dairy on Upper Redlands Road which inspired his painting in the book, and takes us on a personal tour of his studio in Caversham. Take a look!

 

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In a normal year, towards the end of May we would be looking forward to the annual Whiteknights Studio Trail, where our local artists and craftspeople open their houses. This is the trail’s 20th year, and in a joint venture with the Whiteknights Studio Trail, Two Rivers Press is delighted to publish a beautiful celebratory book, The Art and History of Whiteknights, which features 28 artworks all inspired by the Whiteknights area of Reading. The featured artists have all exhibited on the trail over the years, and in the unfortunate absence of the trail itself in 2020 (it will be back in 2021!) we hope that this book will remind you of the wealth of creative talent in our locality, as well as inspiring you to reflect more deeply on the history and roots of this special part of town.