Six Artists, One Family

Tuesday 9th April - Sunday 14th April

The Setting Gallery, Three Storeys, Nailsworth, GL6 0JE. Open weekdays 10am to 4pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 10am to 3pm.

‘Art & Creativity are subjective and personal. For us, as a family, we have all, quite by chance, found ourselves strongly linked to it in very different ways. We have all taken up art as a study, a hobby or a career and for the first time, we are showing our work together’

Helena Panks

Helena paints plein-air and still-life in oils, having studied on Foundation at ‘The Sir John Cass School of Art’, London, and a 3yr. Degree course in Fine Art at ‘Pittville College of Arts and Technology’, Cheltenham, where she met her husband, Bryan.

Painting took a back seat when their 4 children were young, but other creative pursuits filled the artistic gaps. In the late 80’s and 90’s, career changes led Helena and Bryan to starting a t-shirt printing company, which set a twisting pathway into television, by way of writing and producing a children’s animation for Channel 4.

Since then, painting has been very much back in the spotlight, as Helena makes the most of her free time around cheesemaking on a local farm.

Bryan Panks

After studying Art & Design, to Foundation level in Yorkshire, Bryan headed off to the Cotswolds to study for a Fine Art printmaking degree at the Cheltenham School of Art. It is here where he met Helena and a deep love of art, and each other, blossomed.

From time spent designing and printing fashion garments for companies such as Harrods and Liberty and setting up retail outlets, Helena and Bryan found themselves in the world of TV Animation. Their project, “Max Bear”, began as a series of Dean’s Rag Books and a comic strip in a Japanese magazine, it was then developed into an animation by the couple, two Christmas Specials and a series was aired in the UK on Channel 4, followed by a series on France 3. The world of animation led to Bryan to be invited to teach at his old art school, now the University of Gloucestershire. He is currently the Academic Course Leader for the Animation BA.

Pursuing an Animation MA, at UWE in Bristol, brought him back to his first love, landscape drawing and he is very excited to present a new collection of local landscape works.

As the years rolled on lots of little Panks arrived and Bryan & Helena are pleased to say that all have proved to be as fanatical about all things “Art” as they are!

Max Panks

Graduating from London College of Music in 2013, Max Panks, artist and actor, has been painting exclusively with watercolour for the last 8 years, developing a style characterised by movement and speed aiming to tell a story with as few brush marks as possible. In 2021, he appeared on Sky Arts' Landscape Artist of the Year as a winning wildcard contestant, and has since worked in collaboration with Cass Art, leading tutorials and workshops in store. In recent months, Max has expanded his artistic reach into the whisky world. His work has been commissioned and featured commercially by Fragrant Drops, an independent bottler, as well as by Ardray Whisky, a blender.

Max’s dual career as an actor has taken him (and his palette) all over the world, affording him the unique opportunity to immerse himself in a myriad of cultures and settings, providing him with an ocean of subjects to draw upon, and having worked in London’s West End, touring shows, as well as performing on cruise ships in Europe and the Americas, the stark differences captured in his works are brought to light.

George Panks

George began his artistic journey at a young age, with an affinity for drawings in biro and pencil.

He developed his artistic skills at school, and continued on to Stroud College, achieving a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, followed by a 3-year (BA Hons) Degree in Graphic Design at The Arts University Bournemouth.

Upon returning to Stroud after finishing his degree, George's career in design was kick-started when he joined a local catering consultancy, MYA Consulting Ltd, as a Junior Designer. Over the last twelve years, he has progressed to Creative Director, heading up a team of specialist interior, technical, and branding designers, working on commercial catering projects for clients such as Google, The City of London and the NHS.

George also runs a growing Instagram food blog with his wife Stef, which allows them the opportunity to visit some of the most creative venues in the Cotswold area, some of which have become subject matter for his intricate drawings.

Rosie Panks

Rosie has loved art since she was tiny, everything from small paintings to murals, to fashion and sketching.

Having completed GCSE and A level, she went on to Foundation in Art & Design at Stroud College, including work experience with Nicholas Georgiou and Paul Costelloe in London.

Rosie currently works at Wotton House International School in Gloucester where she teaches the Bronze Art Awards and has recently started to deliver art therapy sessions for students who have learning difficulties and anxiety, helping those who struggle with words, to express themselves.

A lot of her work has been requested through commissions in many different styles, sizes and formats, including replicating an existing wallpaper print at one of Gloucestershire’s National Trust properties, Sherborne House.

Fred Panks

Fred discovered his love of pencil drawing during his Art A-Level, where he developed his photorealistic style and attention to detail. He has been completing portraiture commissions of both people and much-loved pets since 2011.

After completing a Masters in Mechanical Engineering, he pursued his passions in the design world, and over the past 5 years he has honed his skills in graphic design.

He is currently a Senior Creator at McKay Williamson in Notting Hill, an art gallery and creative agency specialising in bespoke art, illustration, photo editing and videography. Presently completing commissions depicting favourite destinations and buildings, in the style of the popular Art Deco designs of the 1930’s.