Tregony Contemporary is delighted to present Familiar Things, a two-person exhibition bringing together new paintings by Alex Cree and Michael Weller NEAC.

Friends as well as fellow painters, Cree and Weller share a commitment to painting from life. Although their work is unmistakably individual, both are drawn to the quiet richness of everyday experience, finding inspiration in the people, places and objects that surround them.

Cree’s paintings often begin with quick drawings made from everyday life, family, friends, musicians and familiar surroundings, before evolving into compositions of remarkable economy, colour and vitality. Weller returns repeatedly to the quiet arrangements of his studio and, more recently, to the harbours and coastline of Dorset, exploring subtle relationships of colour, tone and form through sustained observation.

While their subjects differ, both artists reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary. Whether depicting a child absorbed in reading, musicians gathered together, a simple arrangement of flowers on a table or boats resting quietly on the water, their paintings invite us to slow down, look carefully and rediscover the richness of the familiar.

Beautifully observed and deeply personal, Familiar Things celebrates the enduring pleasures of painting from life and the poetry of everyday experience.

About the artists

Alex Cree studied at Bournemouth College of Art and Design, Canterbury Christ Church University and the Royal Drawing School. Working from direct observation, drawings and memory, his paintings distil everyday moments into compositions of striking clarity, colour and wit. He has received the Sidney Cooper Drawing Prize, the Denis Mahon Scholarship from the Royal Drawing School and the Phyllis Roberts Prize from the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. His work has been exhibited widely throughout the UK and Ireland, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the New English Art Club and the 2026 exhibition Looking for Appearance at Thelma Hulbert Gallery.

Michael Weller NEAC paints from life, working between carefully observed studio still lifes and the landscapes of Dorset. His paintings explore the relationships between colour, tone and form through sustained observation and repeated looking. After studying Fine Art at London Metropolitan University and portraiture at Lavender Hill Studio, he became an NEAC Drawing Scholar, later receiving both the Winsor & Newton Award at the New English Art Club Annual Exhibition and the Le Clerc Fowle Medal at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. He was elected a member of the New English Art Club in 2022 and teaches regularly alongside his studio practice.

About the gallery
Founded in 2015 by gallery directors Brian and Judi Green, Tregony Contemporary is an artist-run gallery in the historic coastal village of St Mawes on Cornwall's Roseland Peninsula. Representing both established and emerging contemporary painters, the gallery champions work rooted in observation, technical excellence and individual vision. Through an ambitious programme of exhibitions, artist talks and publications, Tregony Contemporary has built a reputation for thoughtful curation, fostering lasting relationships with artists and collectors while maintaining a close dialogue between Cornwall and London.

Tregony Contemporary / St Mawes
11 Bohella Road, St Mawes, Cornwall TR2 5DL
+44 (0)7496953471
hello@tregonycontemporary.com
www.tregonycontemporary.com
From Tuesday - Saturday : 11 AM - 1PM | 2 PM - 5 PM
‘Out of hours’ viewing available