The Hampstead Flower Show Now On – it's Smart as Paint

With Chelsea Flower Show over for another year, the Catto Gallery in North London has leapt into the breach. The Hampstead Flower Show is a bit like Chelsea,they say, “but with no hay fever, free admission and fewer bees”. In other words, it’s an exhibition of garden art.

The Catto is an active gallery, exhibitions-wise, with a large stable of artists. One of my favourites is David Gerstein, who produces brightly coloured creations in cut out steel, mostly handpainted, though some of the smaller pieces are wooden or coloured by silk-screen printing. All are exuberant, joyful works, often created in three layers to create movement and depth. I defy you not to smile when you see them. And they make great garden art because the metal ones are weather-proof. I can just see the flowers pictured against a white-painted wall on the patio.

Totally different is Alan Parry’s work. Parry is new to the Catto Gallery but has had very successful shows at the Montpellier Gallery, Stratford-upon-Avon, nearer to his Worcestershire home. I think he’s the highlight of this exhibition.

The Catto Gallery describes his work as tranquil, shimmering with the warmth of late summer evenings. For me, his oil paintings have a dream-like atmosphere, combining beauty with a touch of unease. This is partly achieved by a lack of people in the pictures. “It gives them a stillness,” he told me. “There’s more of a narrative if you put a figure in, but I don’t feel it’s necessary to set the mood.” This stillness isn’t dull; his pictures feel as if something were about to happen, or has just happened, with the result that people have left the scene.

Alan Parry himself says he’s not really a gardener, but finds English gardens outstanding. “There’s so much variety,” he said. The sculptural forms of topiary he considers marvellous subject matter and the Catto gallery exhibition is showing several strong scenes, including some at Hidcote.

Alan had a traditional art school training and then moved on to commercial art, which reflects in the strong structure of his scenes. Prints of some of his work are available from Aquarelle Publishing and Red Rag Gallery.

The Hampstead Flower Show runs at the Catto Gallery until 23rd June.