Opening on Thursday 1st May this exhibition features the work of Michelle Dash and Penelope O’Gara | Painting, sculptures and textile works depicting magical beings and unusual oddities from otherworldly realms, dreams and stories…
Join us for the Open View & meet the artists on Saturday 3rd May from 2-4pm. Free drinks, nibbles and everyone's welcome. No need to RSVP - just turn up!
A Celebration of the Strange, Beautiful and Imaginative: Michelle Dash and Penelope O’Gara Exhibition.
Heart of the Tribe Gallery is delighted to announce an extraordinary new exhibition featuring the captivating work of two remarkable artists: Michelle Dash and Penelope O’Gara.
Running from May 1st to June 24th, this immersive exhibition promises to transport visitors into a world where the surreal meets the soulful, and the whimsical dances with the thought-provoking. Bringing together Michelle Dash’s distinctive paintings and sculptures with Penelope O’Gara’s enchanting dolls and illustrative artworks, the show invites audiences to explore the creative minds of two artists who see the world through a wildly imaginative lens.
Michelle Dash, a painter and sculptor known for her bold, evocative works, presents a collection that delves deep into the realms of the strange and wonderful. Her art challenges perceptions, often balancing delicate beauty with an undercurrent of oddity with each piece inviting contemplation. Sometimes unsettling but always intriguing, Michelle’s work draws the viewer into a universe where nothing is quite as it seems.
Penelope O’Gara, a renowned doll maker with a passion for sustainability, brings her utterly unique creations to the gallery walls and shelves. Fashioned from recycled and reclaimed materials, Penelope’s dolls are more than mere objects, they are characters, each with their own personality, quirks, and histories. Alongside her three-dimensional work, she will also exhibit a selection of etchings. Her illustrative pieces offer an intimate glimpse into the stories behind the dolls.
To celebrate the opening of this unmissable show, Heart of the Tribe invites art lovers and curious minds alike to a special Open View event on Saturday, May 3rd, from 2–4pm. Visitors will be treated to complimentary prosecco and a rare opportunity to meet both Michelle Dash and Penelope O’Gara in person, hear about their creative processes, and gain deeper insight into the inspirations behind their work.
Located in the heart of Glastonbury, the Heart of the Tribe Gallery is committed to showcasing contemporary and visionary art that speaks to the soul and challenges the mind. This upcoming exhibition exemplifies the gallery’s ethos, shining a spotlight on artists who dare to venture off the beaten path and create work that is both visually arresting and emotionally resonant.
Whether you’re a lover of the unusual, a collector of the curious, or simply looking for a new experience, this exhibition promises to be a highlight of the local cultural calendar.
Admission is free, and all are welcome.
Exhibition Dates: May 1 – June 24, 2025
Open View Event: Saturday May 3, 2025 | 2pm – 4pm | Free prosecco ; artist meet-and-greet
Michelle Dash
Michelle works from her home studio in Old Sodbury, South Gloucestershire. She makes two and three dimensional figurative work, in a variety of media, with a strong narrative element, often evoking mystery, the uncanny and dark humour.
She is influenced by the aesthetic of medieval religious art and the visual and dramatic potential of myths and fairy tales with their magical beings, hybrid creatures and themes of transformation. She is also drawn to the logic of dreams, and the way certain ordinary human-made objects and spaces can be imbued with atmosphere and mystery… perhaps haunted!
Penelope O’Gara
Pen studied theatre and costume design at Exeter University and Southern Methodist University in Dallas before putting together an impressive CV of professional costume work, including with puppets. Dolls as medium spoke to Penelope not only because of her career experience, but more deeply because of the symbolic resonance of their historical use as totems. Her work explores ritual objects, archetypes and symbolism. At the heart of what she creates is a narrative, and Penelope’s calling is to go deeper. She explains, “whether working in two dimensions or three, story-telling is at the heart of my work. Each character has a unique tale to share – I am currently exploring ways to stitch in symbolic elements to further deepen the narrative.”
The dolls are usually based on characters from Penelope’s journals. They are sustainable art—she uses recycled cotton cloth, silk scraps, antique lace and old velvets. She dips them in dye and adds particular details using pastels and graphite. Penelope says that her method of allowing the fabrics to show through paint reminds her of old film grain.
Penelope’s work is inspired by the myths and legends of Avalon. She explains, “Since moving to the Somerset Levels, I have been increasingly drawn to the spirit of the place. Burrowing into the treasure trove of English folklore and local fauna, I find myself creating liminal creatures that cross the divide between animal and human, mythic and mortal.” Penelope has created hand-stitched dolls of totem animals like rabbits, which symbolise fertility and immortality and are common in Avalonian iconography.