A NEW exhibition by Care Bottomley is being hosted at the recently refurbished Robbins and Roberts gallery project in John Street, Stroud, this month.

Robbins and Roberts met whilst working as art lecturers at Stroud College (now SGS) and both have a strong commitment to arts education and inclusivity within the arts. The two fledgling gallerists are artists in their own right, working across different media including drawing, sculpture, video and performance. They have exhibited widely both nationally and internationally as well as curating exhibitions and events. Robbins and Roberts hope to bring this understanding to their work at the gallery.

Robbins says: "In our own art practices we take risks, experiment and attempt to create socially engaged work . We plan to bring this ethos to the gallery, curating work that, though challenging, is open and inclusive. We want to prompt discussion, for us that's the importance of art, to create a dialogue, to spark a conversation that might not have otherwise happened."

The first event at Robbins and Roberts is an exhibition of photographs by young artist, Clare Bottomley, which begins on Saturday 18th October. 'Playing with the Gods' is an exhibition of photographic works by award winning artist Clare Bottomley who documents herself, family and friends in poses that often reflect upon religious iconography, addressing uncomfortable issues in society.

She says of her work: "I like to consider modern day problems within my photography such as body issues, self-esteem and the pressure put upon people by the morally questionable influence of today's media."

Clare was awarded the prestigious Deutsch Bank Award in 2013 whilst completing her MA at RCA, London, where she also received the RCA Fine Art Bursary in 2012.

Clare Bottomley 'Playing with the Gods' takes place October 18 to November 1, Tuesday - Saturdays, 10am-4pm.