Watts Gallery has opened 'Beyond Strawberry Thief', a new exhibition that brings together contemporary painting and stained glass in response to the legacy of William Morris. Running from 2 July to 13 September 2026 at Watts Contemporary Gallery in Compton, Surrey, the show features Rosalinda Kightley and The British Society of Master Glass Painters, presenting two strands of practice linked by Morris’s Arts and Crafts ideals.
The exhibition is shown alongside 'The Art of Wallpaper: Morris & Co.' in the gallery’s historic spaces, giving the new display the role of a contemporary counterpoint to Morris’s original designs. Watts Gallery says the project draws on principles associated with Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement: reverence for nature, commitment to beauty, and faith in skilled craftsmanship. The gallery frames the exhibition as a way of showing how those ideas continue to shape artists working today.
Rosalinda Kightley contributes around 35 paintings in her signature vibrant style, with works rooted in close observation of the natural world. Her paintings are described by the gallery as joyful depictions of flowers and still life, sometimes with birds adding movement. Alongside the original paintings, the exhibition includes a selection of prints, with works offered in a range of sizes and price points. Kightley was named SAOS Artist of the Year in 2024 and lives and works in Guildford.
The stained-glass component comes from members of The British Society of Master Glass Painters, who have created a series of vibrant panels in response to Morris’s ideas. Watts Gallery says the works explore themes that remain central to Morris’s legacy, including environmental stewardship, community activism and the value of handcraft in a mechanised world. The society, founded in 1921, is identified by the gallery as the UK’s leading organisation devoted to the art and craft of stained glass, with members ranging from historians and conservators to students and contemporary glass artists.
According to Watts Gallery, the exhibition first opened in Stourbridge in August 2024 and has since toured to Ely, Rochdale and Ripon, evolving along the way. The Compton presentation is described as its only visit to the South of England. Works by The British Society of Master Glass Painters will remain on display from 2 July to 23 August, while the full exhibition runs until 13 September.
All works in 'Beyond Strawberry Thief' are for sale, and the stained-glass panels are shown in a specially commissioned, purpose-built unit sponsored by Sanderson. With integrated lighting, the structure allows the panels to glow at the centre of the gallery space. Watts Gallery has also linked to an interview with Kightley as part of the exhibition’s online material, while the gallery shop lists works from the show for purchase.
