The Returning Light exhibition, featuring oil paintings and charcoal drawings by Lauriana Glenny paired with poetry by Elaine Rumboll, will be held at Art.b Gallery in the Bellville Library Complex.

Returning Light brings together new work by Lauriana Glenny, shown alongside poetry by Elaine Rumboll. The exhibition unfolds as a conversation between image and text, where both practices explore similar themes, light, landscape, and the quieter parts of human experience.

Glenny’s paintings and drawings focus on place and belonging. Working with oils, charcoal, and mixed media, she builds layered surfaces that feel both expressive and grounded. Her work often includes subtle traces of text and mark-making, drawn from journaling and observation, adding another layer to the landscapes she creates.

Rumboll’s poetry moves through themes of silence, doubt, and reflection. Her writing is direct and thoughtful, paying attention to small, often overlooked moments. In this exhibition, her poems sit alongside the artworks, creating a shared space where viewers can move between reading and looking.

Together, the works explore the idea of “returning light”, not as something dramatic, but as something gradual and often found in ordinary moments. It’s an exhibition that rewards slowing down and spending time with both the visual and written work

About the Artist — Lauriana Glenny

Lauriana Glenny is a contemporary landscape artist working with oil, charcoal, and mixed media. Her practice explores place, belonging, and the natural environment through layered, expressive mark-making. Drawing from journaling and observation, her works often include traces of text and texture, creating surfaces that feel both personal and grounded in real spaces.

About the Poet — Elaine Rumboll

Elaine Rumboll is a South African poet whose work explores themes of faith, silence, and the natural world. Her writing is known for its clarity and depth, focusing on small, often overlooked moments. She is the author of several poetry collections, including Unfinished Faith (2026), and her work has been published internationally.

Event Details

Date & Time

11/04/2026 until 30/04/2026
Hours:
Monday to Thursday – 10:00 to 18:00
Friday – 10:00 to 17:00
Saturday – 10:00 to 13:00

Location

Artb Gallery ( The Arts Association of Bellville)

The Arts Association of Bellville, The Library Centre, Carel van Aswegen Street, Bellville, 7530, Cape Town
South Africa

Admission

Free:

Contact

artb@artb.co.za
+27 21 444 6500
Website

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Event Schedule

Organiser

Artb ( The Arts Association of Bellville)

The Gallery consists of the Main Gallery and the Vestibule. The combined exhibition space is approximately 420 square meters, with excellent natural and electrical light. The Art Centre provides for various art disciplines, including pottery, drawing, painting, photography and life drawing classes. It also caters for disadvantaged and disabled learners.

For almost 60 years, the gallery and art centre have served as a hub of cultural and community activities, offering art exhibitions of high standing such as the Absa L’Atelier, workshops, art classes and music concerts.

Organiser Profile

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