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On a grey, rain-soaked afternoon in September, St John’s Kendrew Barn Gallery offers a quiet beacon away from busy St Giles’. The mix of warm light and colour provides a welcome retreat from the weather, and an inspiring insight into the local artistic talent of Oxford.
It is the perfect setting for the Oxford Art Society’s latest Open Exhibition. With four light, airy rooms inviting you to explore, the space is still “small enough to take in”, according to Caroline Moore, an oil painter and member of the society. They hold two exhibitions a year: one Open Exhibition in September, and a Members Exhibition in March. Kay Gibbons, a committee member and glass artist who helped curate this exhibition, told Cherwell that members must live within 30 miles of Oxford, and have their art accepted into two open exhibitions, before receiving an invite from the committee.
The focus on local artists was the founding principle of the society, established by watercolour painter Walter Tyrwhitt in 1891. The Society’s 134 years of commitment to promoting local artists has revealed the wealth of artistic talent in and around Oxford. Previous members include Henry Lamb, Paul Nash, and Nancy and Richard Carline. The prestige of this society is evident in its committee members: in July none other than Kathleen Soriano was announced President Emerita, and Oxford-based artist Francis Hammel opened the private viewing of the current exhibition.
This year’s Open Exhibition was arranged such that the eye was drawn around the rooms by changing colours and themes, with each piece complimenting and contrasting its peers in complete harmony. There was something in every single one of the approximately 250 pieces which captured my attention. The range of styles and media meant each brought something unique, and although there was no theme, there was a sense of coherence running through: a boldness, and a striking novelty, no matter the subject.
OAS also focuses on promoting young artists in Oxford: their OAS Young Artists Exhibition is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 30, and students are encouraged to apply. There are further links between the University and the city in the Oxford Art Society Associates, led by President and Emeritus Professor Martin Kemp. The OASA was founded in 1962 with the aim of making art regularly accessible to the people of Oxford. They provide six lectures a year on the visual arts, delivered by specialists in their fields.
From the mix of media, to the Society’s mission to promote local artists: collaboration and integration is at the heart of what I took away from my visit.
Kay told Cherwell about how she integrates different surroundings in art – sometimes drawing inspiration from the poetry she reads – and finding new meaning in different forms. Another member of OAS who draws inspiration from the local area is Mark Clays, whose first volume of his long term project A Never-Ending Way, a four-volume concertina sketchbook of the Hinksey Heights Nature Trail, is featured in the exhibition. Mark uses his experience as a volunteer on the trail, as well as the words of Wordsworth’s The Prelude, an extract of which he takes as the epigraph for his work. His project is still ongoing, and will take 18 months to complete. This piece, placed in the centre of one of the rooms, contributed to the extremely ‘Oxford’ feel of the exhibition, and shows that the Society’s focus on locality is still strong.
In a city so deeply rooted in artistic and intellectual tradition, the Oxford Art Society’s Open Exhibition stands as a testament to the enduring vibrancy of local creativity. This exhibition is both a celebration of Oxford’s past and a glimpse into its artistic future, and I will definitely be going back to see their Members Exhibition in the spring.
You can view the exhibition artworks in the online gallery on the OAS website, and visit the Members Exhibition in March 2026.
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