The Strange Times art group marks five years with exhibition

The Strange Times Quest exhibition took place during the August bank holiday weekend in Kings Worthy, as part of the Hampshire Open Studios.

The group was established during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since grown to 46 members.

(Image: Paul Young)

The exhibition featured work inspired by this year’s quests, including “There Will Always Be Flowers” and “As Long As Autumn Comes.”

Each year also sees a special group creation, which this year was based on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and consisted of a puppet theatre made with help from the Winchester Musicals and Opera Society.

Visitors were invited to vote on their favourite artwork, and artist Amanda Bates put together a “Wildcard” display of her top picks.

Chairman Paul Young said: “What you are seeing here today is just a small fraction of the artwork produced each year by our wonderful artists. We started with just 15 members in our first year and after every exhibition we have new members join us.

“We all bring something special and unique to the group, such as different techniques or materials that inspire us all.”

Alison Browning  (Image: Paul Young)

The exhibition was also attended by the Mayor of Winchester, Sudhakar Achwal, who said: “When I was invited here, it triggered my curiosity. I thought it was brilliant and a fantastic idea to bring people together.

“When I see the artworks, I think these people are out of this world.”

Since the group’s first year, members have completed approximately 12 quests annually, exploring themes across a variety of mediums.

The exhibition was attended by members, supporters, the Mayor and MP Danny Chambers.

The group includes members from a variety of backgrounds and ages, with an age range spanning more than 60 years.