Bryan Ingham Exhibition at Kestle Barton Showcases Rare Prints and Drawings

Published On: 16 July 2025Last Updated: 16 July 2025By CornishStuff

📷 Bryan Ingham, Bowl of Flowers, 1976. Courtesy Kestle Barton.

A fresh look at a Lizard-based master of printmaking

An exhibition of previously unseen prints and drawings by the late Bryan Ingham, a renowned artist who lived and worked on the Lizard Peninsula, will open at Kestle Barton on 6th September and run until 1st November 2025.

Titled Bryan Ingham: Flowers and Jugs, the show will focus on one of Bryan’s most enduring motifs: jugs and flowers. These objects, often drawn from his own collection or garden at his isolated home in Jollytown, were companions in his lifelong exploration of light, form and abstraction.

Deep roots in The Lizard

Bryan Ingham (1936–1997) lived in Cornwall from the 1960s, making Jollytown his base for over two decades. The house, which had no electricity or running water, overlooked the sea near Kynance Cove and became central to his creative process.

Kestle Barton, which previously hosted an exhibition of Bryan’s etchings in 2015, has once again partnered with the Bryan Ingham estate to bring this new selection of works to the public. The prints and drawings reflect his movement between representation and abstraction, as well as his mastery of etching.

His approach was described by Jonathan Wynne Evans in The Guardian obituary (25th September 1997), who said Bryan’s art aimed “to beg, borrow, consulate and synthesise; to add even, to the classical tradition of harmony and contained chance.”

📷Bryan Ingham, Anemones, 1971. Courtesy Kestle Barton

Printmaking legacy and public workshops

As part of the exhibition, artist and printmaker Simon Marsh from the Bryan Ingham estate will lead two-day printmaking workshops. One will be held with the local secondary school in Mullion, and another will be open to the public. Spaces are very limited, and those interested are encouraged to visit Kestle Barton’s website for more details.

Simon moved to Cornwall in 2014 and now runs Jollytown Editions. His work as an intaglio printer has helped open up Bryan’s archive to a wider audience, giving greater access and understanding to his legacy.

From Cubism to Cornwall

Although the still life is a classical form, Bryan’s visual language leaned towards Cubism, influenced by Cézanne, Gris, Morandi and Nicholson. The ceramics he depicted were not simply objects but recurring characters, portrayed with a sense of play and intimacy. The flowers, often from his own garden, were studied for their grace, complexity and fleeting beauty.

This new exhibition reveals how Bryan used drawing and etching in tandem, giving insight into the emotion and experimentation that defined his work.

📷Bryan Ingham, Tulips, 1977. Courtesy Kestle Barton

A setting that reflects the art

Kestle Barton itself is located above the Helford River and occupies a restored Cornish farmstead. Its gallery space, open from April to November each year, hosts a range of free exhibitions and events. The site also includes stylish holiday accommodation, with profits supporting its cultural programme.

Bryan Ingham: Flowers and Jugs runs from 6th September to 1st November 2025. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday and on Bank Holiday Mondays, 10:30am to 5pm. Entry is free.