Special 'Lilies and Illusions' event to be held at Harbour House

Harbour House invites you to a special evening with Cornwall-based artist Ben Sanderson, in conversation with fellow artist and long-time friend Naomi Frears. Together, they will reflect on Sanderson’s latest exhibition at Harbour House, Lilies and Illusions, sharing insights into his creative process and the themes behind the work.

The event will also feature the premiere of an updated version of Frears’ film The Work, which now includes new reflections on the collaborative projects made with children during the installation of the show. This unique screening highlights the vibrant imagination and energy that helped shape the exhibition.

Naomi Frears is an artist based in Cornwall whose practice spans painting, printmaking, and film. A long-standing friend of Sanderson, she brings a thoughtful perspective to their conversation at Harbour House. Frears is no stranger to Harbour House audiences, having presented her solo exhibition The Days of the Future Stand Before Us in 2024. Her return for this special event continues her creative dialogue with the gallery and its community.

Currently in the Gallery at Harbour House, Lilies and Illusions brings together two distinct but interconnected bodies of work: deeply personal paintings created by Sanderson during a time of loss, and large-scale wall drawings made in collaboration with local young people.

The wall drawings were developed through a week of summer 2025 workshops led by Sanderson in partnership with Kingsbridge Foodbank and Kingsbridge Community Primary School, generously supported by the National Lottery Community Fund. These workshops, part of Harbour House’s wider community programme championing creative wellbeing and access to the arts, gave children the opportunity to explore movement and mark-making alongside the artist. The resulting works celebrate collective creativity and freedom of expression, offering a joyful counterpoint to Sanderson’s more solitary practice of painting.

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