Everything Was So Pretty at the Preston Gallery

Artist Stephen Altena’s solo exhibition, Everything Was So Pretty, is about looking at the world and all of its beautiful things through the eyes of a child. The Cambridge Art Galleries’ exhibition will be opening at the Preston Gallery this month.

“Stephen has created a fantastical scene of plants and flowers in full bloom, coexisting despite their diverse needs,” expressed Karly Boileau, exhibition curator. “It is a wondrous landscape that piques curiosity, a space where imagination, escapism, and acceptance are encouraged.”

Hidden among the plants and flowers of Everything Was So Pretty, child-like figures and familiar objects peek through. These decorative objects are markers of the artist’s childhood memories of the Victorian farmhouse he grew up in and, later on, his visits to some of the world's renowned museums and galleries. However, in this place of contemplation, of the beautiful, and of familiar things, Altena subtly draws attention to the often-romanticized depiction of rural life and childhood.

The community is invited to a special opening event (Saturday, April 5) to tour the gallery and meet the artist. Everything Was So Pretty will be on display in the Preston Gallery from March 29, 2025 to June 14, 2025