Cathy Pearce and Christopher Poyser have been painting together en plein air for several years. Their artistic partnership is rooted in friendship, a shared love of landscape and the outdoors, and a mutual passion for soft pastels. Their friendship developed after Christopher attended a couple of Cathy’s workshops in the field and has since developed a steady rhythm of meeting, painting, and working side by side. Both artists appeared on Sky Arts Landscape Painter of the Year 2026, with Cathy selected as a Pod Artist and Christopher as a Wildcard.

 

Conversations in the Field is their first joint exhibition. The show explores shared landscapes painted with the same tools, yet resulting in distinctly different outcomes. This exhibition examines the ‘artist’s gaze’ and what we choose to see. The works reflect not only individual artistic responses but also the dialogue created through working alongside one another. For this duo, much of the joy lies in the shared experience: out in the landscape, battling the elements, and navigating the challenges inherent in en plein air practice.

 

While art often emerges from solitary endeavour, this exhibition celebrates the creative energy that comes from collaboration. It offers viewers an insight into a practice shaped by companionship, conversation, and a deep, collective engagement with place.