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 open from Sunday 6th April to Sunday 26th October 2025.
The Gallery is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. We are delighted to have as guest curator of the exhibition in the main gallery Ella Ravilious, with a celebration of art and design depicting or made for the domestic space ‘Finding a Home at the Fry’.
In the Gibson Room, Alan Powers and Neil Jennings present a fascinating insight into the murals work done by the Bardfield artists, with many rarely seen pieces.
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
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Work of the month
Work of the Week 36: Turkey & Farm Machine III by Michael Rothenstein
linocut, 1959 (No. 31) Artist, illustrator and printmaker, Chloë Cheese, selected this work for the Random Spectacular exhibition in 2020: 'This linocut is drawn with great freedom but vividly evokes the Essex farmyards of my childhood. When we lived in Bardfield End...
Work of the Week 35: Model of a Chapel by Tirzah Garwood
mixed media The Fry's collection includes a number of three dimensional works and this small model dates from around 1946. Eileen Lucy "Tirzah" Garwood was married to Eric Ravilious from 1930 until his death in 1942. Her daughter, the writer Anne Ullmann, commented:...
Work of the Week 34: Study of a Ballet Dancer by Isabel Rawsthorne
chalk, ink and gouache c. 1960 Just as Degas had studied the ballet dancers from the wings and in the classrooms of the Palais Garnier in Paris in the nineteenth century, Isabel Rawsthorne depicted performers from the Royal Ballet in London. Between around 1952 to...
Exhibitions
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Visiting us
Opening Times
The Gallery will open in 2025 from Sunday 6th April to Sunday 26th October.
Admission is free. Step-free access is available.
| 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
