Leighton Buzzard artists invite you to experience ‘Wonder’ at new exhibition

Local artists Stephen MacPhail and Matteo Cancellieri are joining forces this season to present Wonder, a captivating joint exhibition organised by the Leighton Buzzard Art Society and hosted at the Library Theatre Café in Leighton Buzzard. Opening on Monday, 9 November, the collection promises to encourage visitors to experience "wonder" in all its meanings: from finding beauty hidden within everyday forms to engaging with rich textures and stories, offering a pause from life's troubles and distractions.

Wonder brings together two distinct creative perspectives. Stephen MacPhail, a Royal College of Art alumnus (MA Fine Art) and former Bedfordshire 'Touring Artist', brings figurative and visionary paintings that combine intuitive storytelling with expressive colour to engage viewers mentally, spiritually, and visually. Joining him is Matteo Cancellieri, an Italian-British mixed-media artist whose work translates our digitally saturated reality through paint, tactile materials, and a touch of surrealism, exploring the weird and wonderful spaces where modern life, nature, and imagination collide. While their underlying themes often align, the two artists approach their subjects from strikingly different viewpoints, creating a fascinating and complementary visual dialogue.

The exhibition runs throughout November and December and is accessible whenever the Library Theatre Café is open.

Below are some sample timings:

• Friday, 14 November: 4:45 PM – 5:50 PM

• Saturday, 29 November: 2:15 PM – 3:20 PM

• Thursday, 11 December: 6:45 PM – 7:50 PM

• Friday, 19 December: 1:15 PM – 2:20 PM

Admission is free, and all members of the local community are invited to drop in during the opening night to meet the artists and experience the collection firsthand.