Isle of Wight artist Steve Baxter is showing a new exhibition at Gallery 44 on Ventnor High Street until 18th August 2026.
The show splits across two floors and tells two different stories.
Upstairs, visitors find fresh work Steve created during July 2026 at Ventnor Botanic Garden. He describes these pieces as early steps in a much longer project.
A two-year commitment to responding to the seasons
Steve plans to create new work every month for two years, each piece reacting to what he finds at the Garden.
He calls this first batch “a dipping toe” into the material, and admits he’s still testing forms and techniques. That experimental spirit gives the upstairs collection an in-progress feel – which seems entirely the point.
Older work explores our changing landscape
Downstairs holds a different body of work, one Steve has developed over a longer period.
These pieces examine the link between our shifting physical environment and the spaces we inhabit.
Together, the two floors offer a kind of before-and-after: settled reflection below, live experimentation above.
Baxter welcomes questions from visitors
The artist has one simple request for anyone who stops by.
He’d like people to ask him about the work directly, saying conversation helps sharpen his own thinking. He’ll be there in person from Friday 14th, although the exhibition is open every day.
Visiting details
The exhibition runs at Gallery 44 on the High Street in Ventnor until Tuesday 18th August 2026.
Doors open daily from 10am to 4pm.
