CIRCLE Contemporary: SUMMER — Subject In Motion
Creative by name, creative by nature. At Coast Creative, all the work we do is rooted in both function and form. We celebrate pieces that are as practical as they are beautiful, and we constantly seek inspiration from Cornwall’s rich cultural and creative landscape. Among the leading voices in the region is CIRCLE Contemporary, whose evolving programme continues to bring together artists working with integrity, intention and depth.
(Header image: painting by Amy Wright)
CIRCLE Contemporary can be found at Hawksfield on the Atlantic Highway. Nestled between other independents, the gallery homes both local and international artists. From late June, gallery directors Lucy Thorman and John O’Carroll are hosting SUBJECTS IN MOTION — 2.1-2.2 SUMMER the next configuration in its seasonal programme — an exhibition attuned to the shifting rhythms of summer. Integrating painting, sculpture, print, and ceramics, the artworks explore the delicate balance between improvisation and structure, inquiry and mastery.
The theme of the exhibition holds several degrees of meaning: it refers to the artists themselves, their viewership and the evolving ideas engaged with — the landscapes being inhabited, the materials being exercised and the questions being carried forward — each artist responding with chosen mediums.
“In time, a like-minded audience forms — and your sensibility becomes quietly recognisable,” Lucy reflects. “You build a community of collectors who trust your eye and understand that a carefully curated space, grounded in intention, nurtures not only beauty but enduring connection and long-term value.”
Nearly 30 artists are represented within the roadside space, which welcomes visitors Monday to Saturday, 10am–4pm. With such a breadth of artistic talent, the process of selecting works for exhibition is no small task — but for Lucy and John, it remains essential to shaping CIRCLE’s distinctive curatorial voice.
With so many artists involved and so many pieces to choose from, how did you go about selecting the works that would appear in SUMMER?
“With so many artists and works to consider, the selection for SUMMER was shaped by intuition as much as intention,” explains Lucy and John. “We are always looking at how one work speaks to another, the pauses in between and the mood of the season. Each piece has to hold its own, but also belong to something greater than itself.”
The role that galleries and curators have in exposing great art to the right audience is integral so that individual artists are able to be discovered and commercially viable, therefore helping the artist to continue doing what they love and sharing their art with the world. Lucy and John’s jobs in discovering art and curating shows at Circle involves diving deep into the art community, featuring work that will stand out from the rest whilst also sitting aesthetically alongside other pieces.
John O’Carroll works from his studio within the gallery — he engages in a practice that is both process-led and contemplative, layering gesso, raw pigment, wax, and precious metals to create surfaces that feel weathered by time, drawing on the language of ancient sites, eroded coastlines and elemental forces. O’Carroll divides his time between Cornwall, Amsterdam and a long-standing studio in Egypt.
John, how do you find the balance between having your studio within the gallery and continuing to develop your own independent practice outside of it?
“Lucy really leads the way when it comes to design, web, and photography — and that’s played a huge role in shaping the gallery into what it is today. I opened the gallery 11 years ago as a very raw studio / gallery, with a vision of creating something different in Cornwall. My own practice is slow and meditative; I need time to fully absorb myself in the making process. The studio has a particular energy — the light, the atmosphere — it’s a very grounding space. I’m grateful for the time I spend working in my studio in Egypt, alongside the Dakhla Oasis Archaeological Project and other research programmes, as well as for my ongoing connections in Amsterdam and with Roger Katwijk Gallery.
“Whether we’re curating together or working independently, we’ve found a natural rhythm. Lucy often helps in the studio too — we’re a robust, dynamic duo. The age gap between us works in our favour and brings a sense of balance that keeps CIRCLE feeling both rooted and timeless.”
How important do you think the backstory behind an artist or a particular piece of work is to its artistic merit?
“Absolutely — the story behind a work is essential.’ States Lucy ‘While a powerful piece may be beautiful, understanding the artist’s process and the context in which a work was made enriches that connection. At CIRCLE, we believe this knowledge deepens the encounter.”
Jynsym Ong is a studio potter born in London and currently based in Oxford. Jynsym furthered her craft through the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Scholarship, enabling her to travel to Japan for an immersive apprenticeship. During her two years in Japan, she honed her skills and deepened her appreciation for traditional ceramic techniques and aesthetics.
“Inspired by the patterns and surfaces found in nature, Jynsym’s work reflects her fascination with organic textures and the ineffable qualities of the natural world. She incorporates found materials such as wood ash, rocks, and clays into her practice, allowing the raw beauty of these elements to shape her creations.” Jynsym Ong
Many of the ceramic artists featured in the current exhibition draw inspiration from traditional Asian techniques. Peter Hayes uses the ancient method of raku firing, creating richly textured surfaces that reflect both elemental process and time. Joseph Bull incorporates tree ash and iron oxide glazes, allowing chance and chemistry to shape the random yet beautiful patterns and tones across his forms.
Susan Bleakley is an abstract artist who produces colourful canvases also largely influenced by ‘mother earth’, with inspiration found in the flowers and foliage growing in her carefully tended clifftopgarden. Another painter displaying her work alongside Bleakley is Ali Bassett, a Penzance-based fine artist. Her paintings are influenced by nature, from the water surrounding her hometown to the patchwork fields that lie inland.
“Folktales, morals and old wives’ tales, overheard stories and the proverbial wisdom of the superstition are the pro dominant themes and interests that are common throughout my work. There’s a real beauty in stories handed down from generation to generation, words of advice as we make the same mistakes, repeat the same heartbreaks and share the same love and joy!” – Ali Bassett
Lisa-Marie Price is a painter who uses natural pigments on off-cut linen. The restrained mark-making, tonal subtlety and thoughtful use of negative space invite prolonged looking — a quiet resistance to acceleration and excess.
Also working with pigments you will see works by Adam Halls, a Cornish artist whose large-scale textile paintings push the boundaries of traditional craft. Working from his studio on Bodmin Moor, Halls uses hand-dyed fabric and thread to create layered compositions inspired by the landscapes he explores in Cornwall and beyond. Represented by CIRCLE for over a decade, his work is now held in collections internationally. Roof Top Garden is currently on view on the ground floor.
Is SUMMER in two parts simply because of the volume of artists being featured? And how have you decided to divide and display the works across the two phases?
“The two-part structure allows us to curate a thoughtful hang which can be seen anew over time,” says Lucy. “Each phase is a considered moment within a larger conversation, allowing new artworks to be scheduled and planned for release.”
The changing seasons have become a central force in artist Marina Nimmo’s creative process. Her labour- intensive sculptures explore the delicate relationship between the natural world and the materiality of earth, with raw clay as her primary medium. On the gallery’s first floor, a display of her wall-mounted ceramics — inspired by the intricate forms of lichen.
The SUMMER show is varied, and alongside the artists’ canvas’s you’ll also find photography work by American artist, photographer and filmmaker Joni Sternbach, who utilises a traditional, labor-intensive tin- type technique from the 1850s. The range showcased at CIRCLE feature surfers and their boards, posed within otherworldly landscapes.
Also housed on the gallery’s first floor — and a valuable complement to the space — is Carol Coulter, a talented picture framer open Tuesday to Friday, 10am–5pm.
We encourage you to visit CIRCLE Contemporary to really appreciate the diverse range of hand-picked artists that are on display this summer. From wood and steel sculpture by Simon Gaiger and Henry van der Meer, to the expressive, colour-driven compositions of Adam Bridgland, Wil Jansen, Adam Halls and Amy Wright this exhibition invites you to immerse yourself in the rhythm of the season — where meaning is formed in motion.
Click here for more information about CIRCLE Contemporary. Explore all the artists included in 2.1 Summer – Subjects In Motion, here.