There's no question about who's in charge of the Oxford Art Society's Open Exhibition this year. It's Bully, the papier-mch bulldog created by Joan Dutton. There he stands on his plinth against the wall surveying the other 126 exhibits with that all-knowing arrogance this breed displays. His nose, which was once a military button, and his elephant eyes created from larger tops say everything that needs to be said. There will certainly be a great number of visitors to this exhibition at the Said Business School who will be disappointed when they discover he is not for sale.
Most of the other exhibits are, however, including a superb limited edition print of Winnie the Witch by Korky Paul.
Two barscenes in oil by Rona invite us to question who the drinkers she's depicted at the bar are, and ask what it is that the two men gazing out into the middle distance in Barscene III are looking at? Perhaps they are trying to catch the eye of the three women in Barscene I? These are certainly two very powerful pictures, painted mostly in black and white.
Christine Burgess gives us the perfect sculptured head, entitled Woman of Another Time. This haunting image, created in weatherproof ceramic in autumn colours, has a mysterious quality which commands attention.
She stands close to an oil painting of a man's face etched with character by Alan Mynall entitled Oh Yes. I and a wacky lion-type sculpted figure in mixed media by Eleanor Edwards entitled Fire!.
Rosie Howlett's view from a window in ink and watercolour, entitled Sienna, does what the title suggests - it celebrates the many tones of this magnificent earth colour through the rustic finish of ancient bricks and tiles, then highlights its beauty by threading a line of washing in contrasting whites across the canvas. A superb picture.
We get two images in one from Wendy Skinner Smith's oil on board Quod to All Souls. Using the glass doors of one of Oxford's most popular restaurants as the mirror, she cleverly captures the carved stonework of All Souls. This is an Oxford artist whose work is continually embracing more and more with every passing year.
To confirm that there is still a place for the classical oil still-life in an exhibition such as this, Jessica Christian gives us German Jug with Pears. This small picture is, as the title suggests, just a decorated jug and a couple of pears, highlighted by a small square of floral wallpaper in the far corner - but that doesn't stop it being admired.
This exhibition continues until October 31, but will not be open today.
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