‘Daphne’s Daughters’ Summer Exhibition

Opening Event: Friday 14th September 1-8pm. 

Daphne’s Daughters are holding their second summer art exhibition at Jellyfish in Buckfastleigh.  Sylvee, Kat, Lynny and Chrissie’s artwork brings them the opportunity to collectively display their work as well as commemorating their wonderfully inspirational mother, Daphne.  The four sisters’ eclectic works of art draw on a variety of subject matter including differing memories of their childhood growing up on the farm, their love of gardens and the wider environment. Introduction to art started at a young age and they spent many happy hours drawing and painting.  Their mother, being a teacher, encouraged their artistic talent but having to be frugal she would cut up the inside of animal feed bags and stitch them together to use as scrapbooks with flour and water mixed to use as glue and brushes made from twigs and horse hair.

Daphne was inventive and made the girls pretty flowery dresses and colourful knitted or crocheted jumpers; it was a bonus if they fitted.  When the girls were young they would have the pleasure of wearing knitted swimming costumes, which were fine until they actually went in the sea!  Daphne played the piano and the violin (not at the same time though!), she wrote poetry, stories and plays, she loved drawing, painting or making pottery objects, in fact tried whatever craft took her fancy. Daphne even had a crochet pattern printed in a French magazine and won a competition in the Farmers weekly.

The sisters shared memories include hay making time, when their Dad, Jim would spend long hot days in the fields.  The smell of newly mown grass still conjures up scenes of the hayfield; when Daphne would appear through the field gate carrying a big basket stuffed with sandwiches, freshly baked cakes together with a huge jug of hot sweet tea.  That was heaven after working or playing for hours in a hot dusty field.  Whatever age the children were expected to help; driving the tractor, loading the trailer, stacking the rick.  Often they would try to avoid doing any of this and hide away in the ‘houses’ they built out of the bales.

This exhibition is a lovely family experience and affords a unique opportunity to showcase the four sister’s artwork.  We hope you will enjoy visiting the exhibition and find something that appeals to you.