Watts Gallery

Watts Gallery news  

Dates for your diary:

• Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Watts Gallery!

  • Watts Contemporary Gallery’s annual print exhibition has returned just in time for Christmas. In Print: Nature's Realm hosts the work of eight UK artists, with a particular focus on celebrating the natural world. Meet some of the exhibiting artists on Saturday 7 December 2024 and Saturday 1 February 2025 to find out more about their work and the inspiration behind it. Exhibition on display until Sunday 2 February 2025.

  • Start your Christmas shopping early at Watts Gallery's first ever Christmas Market on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December. Find unique, handcrafted gifts from local artisans.

  • Families can get stuck in with lots of festive fun at Watts Gallery this December. Enjoy Festive Family Days (Saturday 14, Sunday 15, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 December) and meet Victorian Father Christmas, explore the Flower Fairies exhibition and get creative during drop-in workshops, or head to regular Clay Club sessions and join Watts’ ceramicist for an hour of hands-on messy fun! After Christmas, look ahead to the New Year at The Make Space.

  • Start 2025 with a splash of creativity and book onto a creative workshop. Fill up pages in your sketchbook with regular Saturday sketch sessions or discover the world of ceramics on a five week pottery course starting Tuesday 14 January 2025.

  • To celebrate Mary Watts’s 175th birthday anniversary, Watts Gallery is delighted to present Mary Watts: A Legacy Reimagined, an exhibition featuring the work of five artists who have previously worked at Watts Gallery as artists in residence and exhibitors. On display until Sunday 22 December. On display in the Artist in Residence Studio.

  • Head to Watts Gallery on Saturday 7 and Saturday 21 December for a guided tour exploring the life and work of Mary Watts. Discover the beauty and community spirit she brought to Limnerslease, the Chapel and Compton Pottery. Please note that parts of the tour take place outdoors, so warm clothing and sensible shoes are recommended.

  • Explore Cicely Mary Barker's enchanting world through original artwork and personal sketches in Flower Fairies The Magical World of Cicely Mary Barker. Until Sunday 27 April 2025.

    DON’T FORGET, COMPTON RESIDENTS GET 50% OFF ADMISSION! VALID WITH A PROOF OF ADDRESS. www.wattsgallery.org.uk. Please check the website for opening times over the Christmas holidays. KD Fine Art’s last day for Christmas will be on Saturday 21 December and it will reopen on Thursday 2 January.

  • Check the website for details of events and to book tickets: www.wattsgallery.org.uk

Nestled in the beautiful Surrey Hills, Watts Gallery first opened its doors to the public in 1904. It is unique in the UK being the only purpose-built art gallery created for the display of works by a single artist, the great Victorian artist G.F. Watts (1817-1904). Over one hundred paintings and sculptures are on permanent display; spanning a period of 70 years, they include portraits, landscapes and major symbolic works.

Perched on a hillside, overlooking the Gallery sits Limnerslease, the Autumn and Winter home and studio of G.F. and Mary Watts, originally built in the Arts & Crafts style. Limnerslease recently underwent a major restoration project. Don’t miss the chance to join a guided tour and glimpse the start of this nationally important project.

To this day, the legacy of G.F. and Mary Watts lives on, with artists working onsite and a contemporary gallery selling artwork by local and national artists. Watts Gallery also runs an extensive events programme for families, adults and young people, offering the opportunity to improve your art skills, attend a lecture, or meet one of the artists in residence.

George Frederic Watts 1817 - 1904