This weekend we visited an extraordinary exhibition at The Serpentine Gallery of a Swedish artist Hilma af Klint. While this exhibition has attracted a huge amount of press, prior to this show she was virtually unknown in the UK.

Being a woman, producing pioneering and unconventional artwork such as this, is probably the greatest reason for af Klint's exception from history. She began her career by painting landscapes and portraits and gained some recognition at that time. It was her protestant upbringing and studies of Theosophy however that was the pivotal inspiration for her abstract works - this was also the first religious group in Europe to accept women in senior positions which must have empowered af Klint herself. Between 1906-07 she created her most revolutionary paintings which derived from automatic drawings she produced during seances - some encompass swirling abstract patterns, others follow geometric structured diagrams.

She painted the work below in 1907, years before Kandinsky or Mondrian or Malevich had ventured into abstraction. Looking into her colourful swirls, bold splatters and geometric shapes painted in the early 1900s it is undeniable that af Klint is a true pioneer of abstraction.

Hilma af Klint was certainly a complex and creative character, drawing on spiritual experiences and unconscious thoughts. This is an unmissable exhibition and an important step in making sure that she gains recognition - open until May 15th 2016.

This painting by Hercules Brabazon Brabazon really caught our eye for its subject matter and colour palette. Brabazon was an accomplished watercolorist, after graduating in Mathematics from Cambridge University, Brabazon travelled to Rome to study art, pursuing his true passion. During his life he continued to travel, mostly across Europe, to explore the artistic feats of artists such as Velazquez, who he greatly admired. His watercolour style was also very much influenced by Turner. This work below depicts Santa Maria della Salute in Venice and is painted in watercolours heightened by white on blue paper. The colouring is sensitive and subtle yet still evokes this Venetian scene.

These next drawings, by Henry Parsons Riviere, are on sale as a pair. One depicts the Colosseum in Rome, the other shows a view at Tiber and St Peter’s Cathedral. Like Brabazon, Riviere was also a renowned watercolorist. He also travelled to Rome where he lived and taught for several years. During this time his work became increasingly focussed on ancient ruins and Rome’s historic landscape. These works are both executed in pencil and watercolour, and are beautifully detailed.

This painting by Fred Yates has a lovely colourful and cheerful quality which caught our eye. Yates took up painting during his time as a painter and decorator. In 1970 he moved to Cornwall where he painted outdoor landscapes scenes, and became commercially popular following the Tate’s ‘St Ives’ exhibition. His work is often likened to L. S. Lowry for its aesthetic similarities. This painting below depicts the town of Urmston in Manchester, Yates’ hometown, and we love the use of blues, yellows and reds. A work like this would enliven a modern interior, and look lovely in a muted colour scheme to add a splash of vibrancy.