Evoke:Invoke Exhibition presented by the Free Painters and Sculptors Group
Wednesday 4 March-Saturday 21 March midday
Evoke: to summon a memory, sensation, or philosophical state through artistic expression Invoke: to apply a method, process, structure, or constraint to the making of the work.
Evoke:Invoke brings these two ideas into conversation. For this exhibition, artists from the Free Painters and Sculptors were invited to consider how their head and heart converge within their practice—how intuition meets intention, how emotion informs method, and how memory, discipline, and experimentation intertwine.
The resulting works reflect the breadth of the cohort: artists at different stages of development, working across diverse mediums, each approaching the prompt from a distinct vantage point. Some pieces reach inward, drawing on personal histories or emotional states; others lean into process, rule‑making, or material exploration. Many occupy the fertile space between the two.
What emerges is a collection that is innovative, thoughtful, and deeply invested in creative growth. Evoke:Invoke celebrates the dynamic interplay between feeling and form, inviting us to understand how artists navigate between what moves them and how they choose to make.
Featured Artists: Ken Ager • Rosalind Barker • Nicholas Cheeseman • Joanna Ciechanowska • Sarah Cliff • Louisa Crispin • Susan Evans • Leila Godden • Richard Heys • Simon Hook • Maria Kaleta • Solange Keschmann • Alex McIntyre • Bettina Reiber • Veronica van Eijk • Sally Ward
Events
FPS Artists Discussion March 4 6-8pm
Sevenoaks Visual Arts Forum monthly meeting: A discussion with exhibiting FPS artists,
Exploring Graphite with FPS artist, Louisa Crispin in the gallery and Meet Curator, Sarah Cliff
Thursday, 5 March 11:30-2:30.
The Sevenoaks Visual Arts Forum Fine Art Professional Development group and tutor, Samuel Herbert, will be attending this event.
Vocal Effectiveness for Artists workshop
Friday, 6 March 10:30 – 12:00 at Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Gallery
Talking about your art practice is challenging even if you are well-prepared, relaxed and know what you want to say. But how do you ensure you use your voice effectively and increase engagement? In this short workshop, visual artist and tutor in voice modulation, Solange Keschmann, is generously offering insights and notes on how to achieve this. Solange will also be exhibiting in the gallery in March with the Free Painters and Sculptors group.
“What is it: To paint a tree?”
Friday March 6 1:30 – 2:15 at Sevenoaks Kaleidoscope Gallery
Free Seminar for adults and teenagers.
Explore what it means to paint a tree — not just technically, but philosophically and artistically.
Bettina Reiber will draw on:
- Her outdoor painting practice in Epping Forest, where she studies trees directly in their natural environment.
- Martin Heidegger’s philosophy, especially his idea of poeisis — the act of “unconcealing” something hidden. In Heidegger’s view, art (including painting) reveals aspects of the world that normally remain unnoticed.
The session blends art practice, philosophy, and personal experience to explore how painting can reveal deeper truths about nature.
Bettina is known for making complex ideas accessible. Her background teaching at Central Saint Martins and presenting at academic conferences means she’s skilled at translating deep theory into something lively, relatable, and meaningful. Her goal is to help ordinary people see why these questions matter in everyday life — how painting, perception, and philosophy connect to how we experience the world.
The Free Painters and Sculptors
Founded in 1952 by artists associated with the ICA, FPS emerged in post-war Britain with a radical belief in artistic autonomy. Originally known as the Painters Group from the ICA, FPS welcomed artists with a ‘modern approach’—those working in both abstract and figurative modes—at a time when breaking from rigid, academic conventions was both bold and necessary. The group quickly became a vital force in the British art scene, playing a significant role in the establishment of abstract art during the 1950s and ’60s. Key founding members such as Roy Rasmussen, Lyall Watson, and Maurice Jadot helped define this legacy and are now represented in the permanent Tate Collection.
Today, FPS remains an established, artist-led organisation, based in London and exhibiting regularly across the capital and the Southeast. The evolving membership of painters, sculptors, printmakers and photographers represents a broad spectrum of contemporary practice and career stages. Through initiatives such as Monthly Artist Exchange sessions—informal Zoom-based gatherings where members share updates, present work, and connect in a supportive environment—it continues to foster a culture of artistic generosity, critical thinking, and creative growth.
With over 70 years of experience FPS helps artists build long-term networks that develop artistic sustainability, exposure and sales, encouraging artists to create works on their own terms and therefore be ‘free’.
