Colourful works of art inspired by Africa are the subject of a new fortnight-long exhibition at Gayton Library.
Paintings, prints, textiles and 3D works from Lynne and Tim Oelman, and Francis Smith, will go up at the centre in St John's Road, Harrow, from Monday December 1 to Saturday December 13.
Tim says: "This exhibition is the result of visits made by Lynne and I to Mali - the land of the fabled city of Timbuktu.
"Our paintings, prints, basketry and installations draw on the local waxprint cloth and the colours and images of the West African savannah.
"The artists are joined by expressionist painter and printmaker Francis Smith whose work reflects his long-standing interest in Arabic calligraphy and his recent explorations of African iconography.
"Included among my pieces are paintings and mudcloths produced in collaboration with Malian artist Kader Keita."
Lynne's work centres around the colourful wax print cloth of the region, both as visual imagery and as the key element of her installations.
These use fragments of cloth, gathered in the dusty streets of the cities, and branches which reference the use of wood as fuel or in construction.
Tim's dye paintings draw on the same source in printed cloth.
His acrylic and oil pastel pieces explore signs and symbols from Africa but also more personal sources, while visitors can see Tim's mud cloth textiles which exploit the traditional Malian techniques of 'bogolan'.
In the cabinets will be examples of Lynne and Tim's small basketry pieces, which draw on the colours and shapes of the savannah landscape and often incorporate pieces of wax print cloth.
The trio also exhibited together in Encounters at the Mile End Arts Pavilion in London's East End in September 2007.
* Gayton library is at Garden House, 5 St John's Road, Harrow HA1 2EE. Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 9.30am-8pm, Friday 9.30am-5.30pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, closed Sundays.
For further information, telephone 020 8427 6012 or 020 8427 8986 or visit www.harrow.gov.uk and click on 'libraries'.
