Welcome

The Fry Public Art Gallery was opened in 1987 and houses an impressive number of paintings, prints, illustrations, wallpapers and decorative designs by artists of the 20th century and the present day who have local connections and have made a significant contribution to their field. There is an emphasis on those who for a variety of reasons settled in Great Bardfield between the early thirties of the last century and the death in 1983 of John Aldridge RA who had lived in the village for fifty years.

The Gallery is run by volunteers, both invigilators when it is open to the public and other helpers throughout the year. Please contact us if you would like to become more involved.

The Fry Art Gallery is now closed for 2023. We re-open on Sunday April 7th 2024 with these exhibitions:

Great Bardfield and Beyond: A Working Landscape, in the main gallery, and Working Women – The Art of Sheila Robinson & Chloë Cheese in the Gibson Room.

Film by Thomas Völker © 2022

Online Shop

The Fry’s online shop has a range of gifts, from textiles to books.

Please click HERE for more information.

The Fry receives no regular funding. Should you wish to contribute to our running costs, please use the button below.

Become a member

If you would like to become a Fry Gallery Member you can now do so online. Please choose an option below.

Visit the Collection

Browse the Fry Gallery collection online here.

News and Events

The Fry Art Gallery Gifts Sale

The Fry Art Gallery Gifts Sale

Saturday 2nd December, 10.30am to 1pm, at the Fry Art Gallery. The final event at the Gallery for this year is our Christmas gift sale, where you can view and buy a range of items available exclusively from the Fry Art Gallery including: Ravilious wood-engravings...

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Work of the month

Work of the month: Autumn by Edward Bawden

Work of the month: Autumn by Edward Bawden

Lino print on paper, 1950 A typically ebullient and Bardfield-themed picture this month from Edward Bawden. As well as showing off Bawden's graphical skill, the print demonstrates how he used a simple colour palette to bring an image to life. This seasonal linocut...

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Work of the month: October by Richard Bawden

Work of the month: October by Richard Bawden

Colour Aquatint and Etching Richard Bawden works in various media including watercolour, etching, linocut and also glass engraving. He has produced illustrations for many books, as well as murals, mosaics and furniture. He is closely linked with the 'Bardfield...

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Work of the month: September Leaves by Chloë Cheese

Work of the month: September Leaves by Chloë Cheese

September Leaves Lithograph. 1985 Chloë Cheese, illustrator, artist and printmaker was born in London and grew up in Great Bardfield, Essex. Her parents Sheila Robinson and Bernard Cheese were both artists and lived in the village with fellow artists Edward Bawden,...

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Exhibitions

A World of Private Mystery:  British Neo-Romantics

A World of Private Mystery: British Neo-Romantics

8th July – 29th October 2023 Apart from the Great Bardfield Artists, after the end of World War II, north west Essex became the home for a later group of younger, more radical artists, embracing neo-romantic ideals. These were Michael Ayrton, Robert Colquhoun, Robert...

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Art and Design

Art and Design

2nd April  - 29th October 2023 Art and Design will draw from our Permanent Collection works which emphasise the contribution which the artists made to British design.

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Visiting us

Opening Times

The Gallery is now closed for the 2023 season. We re-open on Sunday 7th April, 2024.

Admission is free.

 

Monday Closed
Tuesday 2pm – 5pm
Wednesday 2pm – 5pm
Thursday 2pm – 5pm
Friday 2pm – 5pm
Saturday 11am – 5pm
Sunday and bank holidays 2pm – 5pm

Contact us

We would be delighted to hear from you and you can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The links are in the footer below.

 

Location

The Fry Art Gallery
19a Castle St, Saffron Walden CB10 1BD
THE ART FUND
THE ART FUND
THE ART FUND
THE ART FUND