June 21 2002, Friday, 11am-9pm

GROUP SHOW - WITH ARTISTS FROM INDIA, POLAND AND STAFFORDSHIRE - IN HAMMERSMITH FEATURES NEW YORK, GARDENING AND BOOKS

Today is the last day of a group show with works from three artists: Ernie Donagh, Mali and Ewa Morawski. Ernie Donagh originally hails from Wednesbury, beside Walsall, in Staffordshire and currently lives in Hounslow. His exhibition of 18 paintings, that range from £250 for "Central Park" up to £2,000 for "Breakfast at Balthazar" (a play on "Breakfast at Tiffany's"), depict scenes in New York, and - more specifically, Manhattan. He has made three visits to this American Metropolis, and each time has made sketches that have formed the basis of varied-sized works that are on show here, today. You can purchase a small picture of Manhattan at £270 up to, one of our favourites, the largest, entitled "Manhattan Bound" (£1,800). Ernie's daughter features in some of them, notably, "Waiting for Holly in Union Square" (£450) and "Holly in Harlem" (£600). Harlem is further depicted with a £350 painting of a tree-lined avenue of shops. Mali is from Bombay in India, and lives in Hounslow Heath. It was he that, enthusiastically, invited us to this exhibition in the first place, for which we are grateful. For Mali, the theme of "The Book" is all-important. 'I started working on the theme "The Book" towards the end of last century.' he told us, on the day we interviewed him along with the two other artists.
 

His works, priced from £85, are essentially glass-covered frames, measuring either 15cm x 15cm (four exhibits) or 36cm x 36cm (six exhibits), that contain a number of miniature, handcrafted books - some open and some closed. There is one circular work, which measures 71cm in diameter called "Book City", which is a celebration of this theme that the artist tells us that he is still working on. Eva, originally from Poland and currently living in Middlesex, is an embroidery textile designer. She has 23 works on show, that range in price from £40 for her cushions - with titles such as, ."..botanical leaf...", ."..geranium...", ."..simple leaf...", ."..poplar leaf...", - up to £380 for "Linen hanging I" (215cm x 63cm). By her cushions you would probably guess that she has an interest in gardening. Well, you would be right. For six years Eva lived in Kew - home to many beautiful trees, and her mother sells plants for a living. Not only this but her favourite parts of England include gardens in the Cotswolds. Her artistic influences are Klimt, Matisse and Macintosh - from Austria, France and Scotland respectively. Admission free to this exhibition, which is well worth a visit. Telephone 020 8741 1940 for more information, if required - about the exhibition and/or the newly decorated venue along the road from the Hammersmith roundabout. Location: Posk Gallery, 238-246 King Street, London, W6. Tube station: Ravenscourt Park (District line).