Renowned Oxford artist Sarah Spackman invites us to take a walk in the park, but not any old park. She wants to take us through those beautiful parks that act as the city’s green lung.

During the past year, Sarah has been sketching and painting each of the many parks in Oxford. Her aim has been to show the changing seasons and the delights of each park in every canvas.

A close study of Parks of Oxford instils in the viewer a whole new level of understanding of the relationship between the confines of open space and the enclosure of buildings around that space. Views of the cricket pavilion in University Park and the backdrop of the science buildings behind the trees remind the viewer that, despite the abundance of vegetation, these paintings represent areas within the city and not the open countryside.

The exhibition begins in the gallery’s windows where an evocative work entitled Autumn Hinksey, depicting the autumnal colours of Hinksey worked in mixed media hangs next to Spring Hinksey and a view of the Pavilion University Parks painted in the vibrant greens of spring with yellow undertones. Move on to the second window and green and red hues give way to brush strokes of white that create the brittle chill of winter and ice covering the landscape.

One of the fascinating things about the show is Sarah’s ability to work with all mediums. Many studies are worked in oil on linen (including the one above), but many are mixed-media. She has even included some preparation sketches of bare-branched trees, so well executed they stand proud alongside the other paintings.

This collection, which shows Oxford in a new light, continues at the Wiseman Gallery, South Parade, Summertown, until March 26.

Just a few yards down the road you will find another exhibition on show at the North Wall Gallery until tomorrow by Jake Sutton.