Art from three local artists will be brought together in an exhibition in Stroud for a week between November 30TH – December 6TH, 2025, in the Yard Gallery in Stroud and with over 25% of proceeds going to Longfield Community Hospice.
Held in memory of both Rachel Stevens (a local artist and Alexander Technique practitioner), and Chris Binding (a Bristol based contemporary fine artist), this exhibition will combine a mixture of fine art prints, original artworks, and practical and decorative ceramic pieces. The work of ceramicist, Chris White, (Hookshouse Pottery, Tetbury) will also be on show.
John Brough the organiser was originally moved to organise this exhibition to celebrate the life and works of his late wife, Rachel, who had been busy creating when she became ill with cancer a few years ago.
“Two Years ago, Longfield provided wonderful care for my wife Rachel Stevens in the last months of her life here at home. Prior to her illness, Rachel had been building up to an exhibition of her paintings, but this was never possible.
I would now like to make the exhibition happen but combining it with fundraising for Longfield.” – John Brough
Sadly, whilst organising this exhibition, John’s closest friend Chris Binding (who was already signed up to be part of this exhibition), also suffered a short illness and passed away.
‘Remembering’… refers to both the viewing friends and family of the artists remembering the artists and the memories evoked in the artwork shown and passed on through the works.
Remembering…
The Yard Gallery, Stroud
November 30TH – December 6TH 2025
10.00 am – 4.00pm
More About Rachel Stevens
Rachel committed her life to healing both herself and others. Training initially as an Alexander Technique Teacher she continued to study and develop new ways to help clients with pain and their life journeys.
She ran a full-time clinic and worked around the Stroud Valleys for nearly 30 years. Many people in the valleys were touched by her hands, care and kindness and she helped relieve hundreds of local people of pain through her techniques.
With a degree in art history and long-time interest in painting she came back to art, following an Access to Art course at Stroud College, exploring many artistic avenues. In recent years she was able to give more time to creativity, expressing her love of nature and its part in healing.
Using feathers, leaves, flowers and found objects, she made beautiful and intriguing paintings and mono prints. Her exquisite use of colour reflected her emotional connection to her subject matter.
A very special artist, Rachel found comfort and healing in making and was always generous with sharing the techniques she was exploring.
More about Chris Binding
Chris studied fine art at Sheffield in the 1970’s and had a deep passion for visual art throughout his life.
He was interested in the fundamentals of painting, exploring its language by using reductive forms of vibration bands or interlocking rectangles, shaping the surface into satisfying rhythms.
Making considered judgements around shapes, colours and textures, he made work inspired by the city landscape and decaying surfaces, creating works with depth and order.
Latterly being Bristol based, his work is highly collected in the South West.
More about Chris White
Hookshouse Pottery was established in 1975, just outside Tetbury by Chris White.
Specialising in wood fired and raw glazed pots, Chris’ pieces include decorated one-off pieces, domestic ware and garden pots, often decorated in geometrical, and ethnic patterns.
Chris was also helped by Rachel “Unfortunately in the ‘90’s I had a real problem with back pain and consulted Rachel Stevens. She was able to home in on the problems I was experiencing and help me to make some simple changes in the way I was working. The back pain disappeared and has never recurred. I was one of the many lucky ones to find her. “ – Chris White
To find out more, please visit longfield.org.uk or call friendly fundraising team on 01453 886868.