Caroline Buretto visits Watt Gallery Artist's Village:
When you consider visiting a museum or an art gallery, London is likely to be the first place that comes to mind. The hustle and bustle of the big city; the noise, the crowds, the queues, the travelling by train. Often the hassle of getting there outweighs the desire.
Watts Gallery Artists' Village, near to Guildford, contradicts London in every possible and perfect way. With a picturesque drive through the Surrey Hills, before even setting foot into the nineteenth-century buildings you are put into a contemplative state of mind. The escape from London was very much the appeal for the Watts couple who chose Compton as their retreat from the confines of London.
Watts Gallery was owned by George Frederic Watts and Mary Watts, both prominent artists in the Victorian era. The village is divided by a small road. On one side, nestled in the woodlands, stands the Watts' home and studio. A peaceful walk amongst the trees leads you up to their handsome, tranquil home, Limnerslease. From Tuesday to Sunday you can tour the house and see the Arts and Crafts design as well as find out more fascinating details about their lives. The Studio is set out in an immersive way. Paints are scattered across the table with stacked books; canvases are set upon easels and the large window illustrates the positive effect the surroundings had on their work with its uninterrupted views.
Across the quiet road, there is a short and pleasant walk to the historic Watts Gallery. The Gallery displays Watts' paintings such as his "Protest Pictures" which may resonate with today's audience with their focus on poverty and injustice. It finishes with his impressive sculpture depicting a man on a horse - Physical Energy. The current exhibition is John Frederick Lewis, a Victorian Orientalist artist. The paintings are sensuous and experimental. Lewis is beautifully echoed throughout the village by the contemporary artist Fiona Grady's installation of light and colours splashed across windows...