Prints of Josephine Chisholm’s views of Winchester are familiar to many local residents. Her colourful freestyle rendering of buildings and people seems to sum up the quirky appeal of the city.

Travels, her latest exhibition at The Minster Gallery, finds her going around Europe and the USA and responding with the same joy and excitement. From Lisbon to Venice to Chicago, buildings come alive through her free flowing gouache strokes. They jostle, snuggle up and dance with each other. You feel the sunlight shimmering on their surfaces (and it is nearly always sunny in Josephine’s world). You sense the human touch that shaped the cities she so clearly loves.

The humans in the paintings remind one of the ‘matchstick men’ of LS Lowry but whereas his bowed figures seemed oppressed by the rigid buildings around them, Ms Chisholm’s are animated and enjoying life.

You might say that she takes a rose-coloured view of the world (although rose is only one of many vibrant colours she uses!). It’s true our quotidian life can seem hard and our environment grim but we all cherish that feeling when the sun is out and everything around us seems good. Josephine Chisholm captures it wonderfully.

Travels by Josephine Chisholm continues at The Minster Gallery, Great Minster Street, Winchester until 22 July

This review appeared in the print edition of Hampshire Chronicle. Paul Lewis owns the Winchester based marketing consultancy Seven Experience

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