Manhar Chauhan.

Two shows signal welcome return for Zoom Arts

Zoom Arts is back with a welcome contribution to the town’s cultural regeneration after lockdown with a two-handed photography exhibition featuring Manhar Chauhan  and Maxine Simmonds at Oscar’s and, later in the month, Denise O’Neil’s canvasses at Zoom’s own Warrior Square station gallery. Nick Terdre reports.

Manhar Chauhan and Maxine Simmonds are in residence at Oscar’s on the Square for the month of August,  showcasing recent projects focused on the natural world.

“Moving to St Leonards a few years ago has re-ignited Manhar’s creativity, and sitting on the seafront in all seasons is such a pleasure and an inspiration to him,” says Zoom’s Maxine Simmonds.

“The huge expanse of sky and sea has opened his eyes to nature in its raw and beautiful state, and he has started to capture it as it has unfolded before his eyes. Watching the sea as he has done hour after hour, he wanted to capture the dance of the waves at a moment in time to show their beauty, majesty and power.”

Lamb’s Ear, Maxine Simmonds.

Manhar’s fellow exhibitor is Maxine herself, “an emerging, self-taught photographer.” Although interested in documentary photography, she has started exploring the camera as an expressive tool.

“Botanical imagery is a new direction, initiated over the restrictions of Covid lockdown and focusing on avenues of explorations to represent the wonder of the currently vulnerable natural world through the value of plants.”

Exhibition of photography by Manhar Chauhan and Maxine Simmonds Oscar’s on the Square, Lower Promenade opp. Warrior Square, Grand Parade, St Leonards-on-Sea TN37 6FA. To 1 September, Thurs-Sun, 12-6pm.

Denise O’Neil’s expressive seascapes

The sea is also the theme for Denise O’Neil, who will be exhibiting her large, expressive  seascapes in the Zoom Gallery at Warrior Square station in St Leonards for a week from 28 August.

She is, she says, an amateur painter – by amateur she understands “to do something for the love of it.”

“I have painted most of my life. I use oil and usually painting knives or old credit cards or fingers or anything else that gets me the effect I want.

“The sea is my preferred subject, it’s always changing, it’s a moody subject, like me! I love clouds too, sky, sea and clouds, all moving, and moving me.

“Wheatfields too fascinate me. They are like golden seas, and if there’s a big harvest moon,  it’s a subject I can dream over. I like my colours to reflect how I feel about the scene, to reflect the mood I am in.”

Summer Storm, Denise O’Neil.

Seascapes by Denise O’Neil Zooms Arts Gallery, Warrior Square Station, Kings Road, St Leonards-on-Sea TN37 6DY. Sat 28 August to Sat 4 September, 11am-6pm.

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