That Place, That Moment

Our new exhibition opening in August, showcasing the sublime work of William Bickerstaff

New exhibition opening soon in August 2022!

We are pleased to announce the upcoming solo exhibition of William Bickerstaff, an artist based in the village of Linton, Cambridgeshire.

William’s work centres on the experience of being in the rural landscape, predominantly through the mediums of pen and ink. Having worked as a graphic designer for 30 years and co-founding the London-based branding studio OPX, William returned to fine art and printmaking after 2020. Drawing strongly on walks in the surrounding countryside with his dog, Lola, William creates his masterpieces from a studio in an old Guildhall.

“In my work I try to capture the intensity of being in the rural landscape around Cambridge, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. Its scale and emptiness can be beautiful and benign, but hurrying to get out of a wood as darkness falls, or the rapture of being immersed in forest, fields or sky can be a different and overwhelming experience. It is the intense feeling of these moments that I try to communicate. Many of my images are concerned with darkness. Writer and Cambridge Fellow, Robert MacFarlane said recently, that "we go into darkness to see." At dawn or dusk, when the world can feel somehow other, the intensity of the landscape is multiplied. My black and white work uses fine pen, sometimes combined with printing or sprayed ink, to record the subtle shifts in darkness and tone. Alternatively, I use expressive colour in acrylic, gouache or chalk to reveal the rapture of that place, that moment.”

‘From Rivey Hill’ by William Bickerstaff

William’s pictures delight the eye with both the most miniscule pen detail up close, and a powerful and unnerving impression when viewed from afar. His discernible skill and precision, alongside a wonderfully textured technique, have created a series of unforgettable works. Our upcoming exhibition features seven of his original works, alongside a number of high-quality prints for sale in the shop. These prints are now available in the art store section of our online shop. To see more of William’s work, take a look at his website and Instagram. William is also taking part in Cambridge Open Studios in July 2022.

Exhibition open 3rd August – 31st August 2022

Open Tues, Weds, Thurs 12-5pm

Meet the artist in the gallery (Fri 12th/26th & Sat 13th/27th)

Address: Cam Rivers Arts, 33 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QY