The John Mitchell Exhibition resulting from the co-incidental meeting between the artist and myself at the Royal Academy Francis Bacon Retrospective in 2009, is one of our best Art Exhibitions to date, and was well received on its opening night.

The works displayed are oil paintings on board or canvass and have a heavy psychological overlay – hardly surprising since the artist (pictured right) is by training a Gestalt Psychotherapist. Their initiation was from photographs and pictures chosen by the artist, their manifestation however is entirely visual and the interpretation left to the onlooker.
This one-man show of 32 pictures has a remarkable unity through its figures, movement and particularly facial expression. As is so often the case with the “real thing” in art many onlookers found them disturbing. This event coincides with the BRLSI Gallery’s acceptance into the Bath Galleries Group originally set up by all Bath Galleries and implemented for the BRLSI by David Lewis-Baker. It is intended that the basic mission of the BRLSI will be reflected in the exhibitions, in that we seek, above all, true artistic merit and originality.
 
– Rex Valentine, BRLSI Exhibitions co-convenor