The Resilient River
Artists explore the Western Rother
17 July – 2 August 2025
For this year’s Petworth Festival, we have invited nine of our artists to explore a section of the River Rother. This ‘Resilient River’ is fed by springs and streams from the North and South Downs as it meanders on a west to east flowing course through villages to the west of Midhurst to Stopham, just to the east of Petworth where it joins the River Arun.
The exhibition will show the artists’ contrasting responses to the river, in drawings and paintings in charcoal, graphite, and ink, paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolour, as well as wood engravings and collagraphic prints.
Ink, watercolour and charcoal on board
22 x 32 cm (image) 30 x 40 cm (frame)
Walking from the Swan Inn along the River Rother, as it meanders through Fittleworth.
Names of species dependent on the river are written into the background.
Ink, watercolour and charcoal
50 x 67 cm (image) 73 x 89 cm (frame)
Low winter sun at the humpback Selham Bridge.
Acrylic, charcoal and graphite
61 x 91 cm (image) 67 x 97 cm (frame)
Looking upstream at South Ambersham as the Rother wends its way past Cowdray
Ink, watercolour and charcoal
24 x 34 cm (image) 30 x 41 cm (frame)
Ivy-clad alder line the steep banks of the river as it twists its way past Selham.
Ink, watercolour and charcoal
24 x 34 cm (image) 30 x 41 cm (frame)
Upstream of Rotherbridge a beach of sand and silt on the bank captures the paw prints of an otter.
Ink, watercolour and charcoal
50 x 67 cm (image) 73 x 89 cm (frame)
Ground-hugging morning mist in the reedbed downstream of Selham.
Oil, charcoal and graphite
91 x 122 cm (image) 99 x 128 cm (frame)
A foggy morning walk down to the river. A memory of sun shining through an old hedgeline oak.
Watercolour and charcoal on board
22 x 32 cm (image) 30 x 40 cm (frame)
Walking from The Swan along the Rother as it meanders through Fittleworth.
Ink, watercolour and charcoal
24 x 34 cm (image) 30 x 41 cm (frame)
At the millpond just outside Petworth.
Acrylic, charcoal and graphite
61 x 91 cm (image) 67 x 97 cm (frame)
Walking to the Ruins in winter frost.
Oil, charcoal and graphite
91 x 61 cm (image) 97 x 67 cm (frame)
Morning mist rising around an ancient oak tree.
Ink, watercolour and charcoal
24 x 34 cm (image) 30 x 41 cm (frame)
Downstream of Cowdray where the Rother divides and meanders through reeds and willows. Grey heron floats past in the winter sun.
Graphite
6.5 x 7 cm (image) 15 x 15.5 cm (frame)
‘The presence of Damselfly is sign of a good ecosystem, with plenty of insect prey and clean waterways for breeding, where eggs are laid in plant stems and the larvae feed underwater.’
Collagraph with viscosity inking printed on blue Somerset paper
30 x 23 cm (image) 46 x 38 cm (frame)
Feather collage with hand-printed goose, duck, turkey and dove feathers
37 x 24 cm (image) 49 x 37.5 cm (frame)
Feather collage with hand-printed goose, duck, turkey and dove feathers
40 x 79 cm (image) 57 x 94 cm (frame)
Nature print in oil-based ink on cotton paper
37 x 26.5 cm (image) 46 x 35.5 cm (frame)
Nature print in oil-based ink on cotton paper
37 x 26.5 cm (image) 46 x 35.5 cm (frame)
Nature print in oil-based ink on cotton paper
37 x 26.5 cm (image) 46 x 35.5 cm (frame)
Wood engraving
15 x 10 cm (image) 36.5 x 31 cm (frame)
This engraving shows a hidden scene under the northern arch of Shopham Bridge on the river Rother near Petworth. A trapped tree limb drew my attention, and then I noticed hidden in the banks grasses that there was a ledge tucked under the arch. When I explored further I found it to be the remains of a beautifully cobbled tow path from the 1794 canalization of the river. I was drawn to the story that told of the river's history and humans' use of this natural resource.
The strong geometric shapes, the arch turning into a complete circle by the reflection and shadow cast on and into the water (which could also be seen as a metaphor for the water's journey the sun sat at the top, driving this cycle), the towpath describing the vanishing point made this an exciting composition to attempt. Light and reflected light has become so important to me as an engraver; we literally let the light in to create form on the wood block.
Oil on canvas
90.5 x 90.5 cm