RADICAL BEAUTY
Visiting the Exhibition
Radical Beauty is open to the public at St Stephen's Church, St Peter Port, Guernsey from 19th September – 17th October 2026.
The church is open 10am–6pm every day. Exhibition lighting will only be on at the weekends, 10am–6pm.
The exhibition is free to access and open to all.
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Radical Beauty celebrates handmade and meaningful creativity. Crafted with intention, each piece in this exhibition challenges societal notions of fast-paced productivity. In a world where many prioritise efficiency and speed, we embrace slowness. Considered, creative and conscious of the natural world, the artists and craftspeople in this show honour traditional artistry, craft and community.
Our setting, St Stephen's Church, is home to 13 stained glass windows designed by William Morris and his fellow creatives. Globally recognised designer, poet, author and social activist, Morris was also a founding figure of the British Arts & Crafts movement. As a collective, we feel humbled to have our work alongside these cherished windows, providing both the backdrop and the inspiration for this exhibition.
William Morris wrote extensively on the value of labour, and this show has truly been a labour of love - the combined work and passion of everyone involved in the William Morris Collective is clear to see. Thank you for joining us at the start of this journey.
WMC Founder, in her own words:
"We would like to thank the church for giving us such a warm welcome. We feel honoured to be sharing the space with these beautiful stained glass treasures. My painting for the exhibition is called The Three Graces, based on Primavera by Botticelli. In his painting, Botticelli's three graces are said to symbolise social joy, artistic inspiration and goodwill - all of which I hope are reflected in the ethos of this Radical Beauty exhibition."
Olympia McEwan
CONTRIBUTORS
The exhibition has been supported by 20 artists, without whose contributions this celebration would not be able to go ahead. Browse our artist biographies and find their website, social media and contact details here.
Radical Beauty is kindly supported and sponsored by Guernsey Arts Commission. "Guernsey Arts is pleased to be supporting this collaborative project celebrating the Island's cultural and heritage links with William Morris. We look forward to seeing local artists come together to explore and shape contemporary creative dialogue, reinforcing the Island's reputation as a place where heritage and creativity go hand in hand."
With special thanks to:
Guernsey Arts Commission — support & sponsorship / Olympia McEwan — William Morris Collective founder & exhibition curator / Anna Symons — Marketing, Comms & assistant curator / Fr Joe Thompson — St Stephen's Vicar / Tony Kaines — St Stephen's People's Warden / Rosalyne Le Huray — St Stephen's Church historian/ George McEwan — Graphic designer / Oliver Brock — Website designer and content provider.