Friday 22 November – Sunday 22 December

Watts Gallery Artists’ Village is delighted to present Mary Watts: A Legacy Reimagined, an exhibition featuring work and information about the processes of five artists that have previously worked at Watts Gallery as artists in residence and exhibitors, each of the artists now has work in the gallery collection:

Charlie Betts & Anna Marie Lamond (Artists in Residence, Collaboration, 2017, 2018)
Mary Branson (Artist in Residence, 2019)
Halima Cassell (Exhibitor, 2023)
Ashleigh Fisk (Artist in Residence, 2021)

This studio showcase offers a unique opportunity to explore how these contemporary artists were profoundly influenced by the work and vision of Mary Watts (1849–1938), an artist, master craftswoman, and pioneering suffragist.

Mary Watts: A Legacy Reimagined showcases the innovative artistic responses that emerged during each artist’s time at Watts Gallery, drawing on Mary Watts’ enduring legacy of community-building, collaboration, and creative empowerment. As a central figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, Mary Watts’ contributions, from her terracotta pottery and gesso reliefs to the design of the symbolist masterpiece Watts Chapel, remain a rich source of inspiration. The exhibition explores how the artists immersed themselves in her world, discovering her diaries, her creative process, and her deep connection to Limnerslease, the historic home and studio she created.

Exhibition highlights

• Community collaborations: Like Mary Watts, many of the artists worked closely with local communities to create participatory projects, celebrating the power of art to bring people together.
• Artistic dialogues: This exhibition opens a creative dialogue between the past and present, as the featured artists respond to Mary Watts’s life and her themes of legacy, craftsmanship, and social justice.
• Heritage-inspired art: Drawing on Mary Watts’ original works—such as her pottery, gesso creations, and architectural symbolism—the artists provide fresh, contemporary interpretations that bridge the gap between the 19th and 21st centuries.

The residency experience at Watts Gallery - Artists’ Village had a profound impact on many of the artists, providing an immersive opportunity to engage with the rich heritage of Mary Watts’ home, studios, and chapel. Their time spent within this unique environment has significantly shaped their artistic practices, deepening their understanding of the relationship between art, community, and historical legacy.

As the exhibition invites viewers to explore these contemporary responses and artistic processes, it celebrates not only the lasting influence of Mary Watts but also the transformative power of the residency programme. The exhibition reflects the continued relevance of Watts’ pioneering vision in today’s art world, where themes of collaboration, craftsmanship, and social change remain as vital as ever.