Beneath The Surface: Leamington Spa
- Louise Brook
- Mar 13
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 15
Beneath The Surface: Leamington Spa
An exciting new group exhibition at The Stoneleigh Arms
I am delighted that my mixed media abstract "From Marks to Meaning III... has been selected for an exciting new exhibition at The Stoneleigh Arms Arts Hub in Leamington Spa.
📍 The Stoneleigh Arms Arts Hub, 31 Clemens Street, Leamington Spa, CV31 2DP
📅 Exhibition: Sunday 15 March – Saturday 12 April 2026
🥂 Private View: Saturday 21 March, 6:30 – 8:30pm
I will be at the Private View and it would be lovely to see you there, if you are local.
Beneath The Surface: About The Exhibition
Beneath the Surface invites artists to explore what lies underneath; materially, emotionally, psychologically, or socially. This exhibition is concerned with depth rather than appearance, asking what is concealed, overlooked, or slowly revealed over time.
The artwork selected responds to ideas of layering, excavation, memory, tension, and the unseen. This might include hidden narratives, internal landscapes, suppressed histories, environmental strata, or works that suggest more than they immediately show. Artists may explore surface as a threshold; something that both reveals and obscures.
The artwork in this exhibition encourages and rewards the slower looking; artworks reveal themselves gradually, invite contemplation, or hold quiet intensity beneath an apparently resolved surface.
From Marks to Meaning III... The Artwork x The Exhibition Theme
From Marks to Meaning III by Louise Brook (2025) is a bold, exciting mixed media abstract, which sits at the intersection of psychology, symbolism, and the unseen structures that shape human experience. The work explores the deep, often concealed layers of meaning embedded within the symbols we use to communicate. While symbols appear simple on the surface, they carry vast histories, emotional weight, and cultural memory—quiet strata built over generations.
This piece responds to the exhibition theme by examining what lies beneath our shared visual language. Symbols act as thresholds: they reveal and obscure, offering immediate recognition while holding deeper narratives that require excavation.
Through rich layering, collage, and mixed media, the piece mirrors the way symbols accumulate significance over time. An iterative process of addition and subtraction creates a sense of depth and tension between what is immediately visible and what lies underneath. This process reflects the erosion and reconstruction of meaning across generations, as symbols shift, adapt, and carry forward the traces of human experience.
The work invites viewers to consider the unseen narratives that shape our understanding of the world: the psychological associations we inherit, the cultural stories embedded in familiar forms, and the subtle presence of histories that sit just beneath the surface.
By revealing and concealing in equal measure, From Marks to Meaning III encourages a slower, more reflective engagement—one that acknowledges the complexity within even the simplest mark, and the enduring human impulse to create meaning through symbols.
About The Artist
Louise Brook is a multidisciplinary artist based on the Northamptonshire–Oxfordshire borders, creating abstract work driven by a deep curiosity and a love of learning. Her practice blends research, storytelling, and discovery to form accessible narratives around complex themes, inviting viewers into conversations sparked by intrigue and exploration.
With a background in Psychology from UCL (2000) and a successful corporate career before moving into the arts in 2019, Louise brings a thoughtful, analytical lens to her creative process. Since 2022, she has exhibited across major UK cities including London, Nottingham, and Banbury, and has received recognition through awards such as SAA Artist of the Year 2024 (Highly Commended), Women United Art Prize 2024 (Longlisted), and multiple VAA and VAO long-listings. In 2025, she completed the New Platform Art Professional Development Programme.
Louise's inspiration is rooted in a broad, natural curiosity—drawing from current affairs, academic research, and the natural world, which she is passionate about protecting. Recurring themes include psychology, the layered complexity of human experience, and the beauty and fragility of nature.
Louise’s process is a balance of intuition and intention. Working primarily with acrylics and mixed media, she builds rich layers and textural detail that encourage viewers to explore the narrative within each piece. Collage plays an integral role, offering glimpses into the ideas, research, and evolution behind the work, and reinforcing her commitment to creating art that informs, engages, and invites discovery.
About The Stoneleigh Arms Art Hub
THE STONELEIGH ARMS is a community arts space dedicated to making the arts more accessible. It's run by Lighthaus Arts; a not-for profit Community Interest Company. We offer artist studio space, creative workshops and exhibition opportunities in Leamington Spa.
We know that an arts practice is not easy for the average person and our space exists to make it easier.
ART FOR EVERYONE
Because creativity should never be out of reach.
POWERED BY COMMUNITY
Shaped by the people who use it. Built on trust, care, and collaboration.
ARTIST-LED | GRASSROOTS
Run by artists, educators, and makers who believe in shared ownership and collective impact.
OUR PURPOSE
Lighthaus Arts CIC is a grassroots, artist-led organisation rooted in South Leamington Spa. We’re a community of artists, educators, and cultural workers creating a new kind of space—one that’s open, inclusive, and shaped by the people who use it.
Our purpose is simple but powerful: to make the arts more accessible, relevant, and empowering for everyone. We support local artists and creative practitioners at every stage of their journey, with a strong focus on those who’ve faced barriers—whether through financial hardship, mental health challenges, or systemic exclusion.
Through artist residencies, mentoring, studio space, exhibitions, and opportunities, we help creative people build sustainable careers and connect with others.
But our work goes beyond the studio. We collaborate with charities, grassroots groups, and residents to co-create programmes that respond directly to local need—from free workshops and creative outreach to community exhibitions and public art. Whether you’re an emerging artist, a local parent, or someone who’s never picked up a paintbrush before—there’s space for you here.
At Lighthaus, we believe that creativity belongs to everyone. And together, we’re building a space that proves it.
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Beneath The Surface: Leamington Spa
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