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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Review: 2012 Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters

Elizabeth Meek has won the brand new Royal Award - The Prince of Wales Award for Outstanding Miniature Painting  - at the 2012 Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters Sculptors and Gravers.

The exhibition is in the North Gallery of the Mall Galleries and continues until 28th October daily 10am to 5pm; (closing - at 1pm Sunday 28th October).

Part of the Annual Exhibition 2012 of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters Sculptors and Gravers
Below you will find the names of the prizewinners, images of some of their work and links to their websites where available

The Exhibition also contains a special exhibition of "The War Years". This mini exhibition covers the four decades of between the First and Second World Wars and the miniatures painted during those times.  They chart the changes in the way people looked and the topical events of the day.

I found the exhibition to be its usual high standard with many different UK and international artists submitting entries.

Award Winners
  • The Prince of Wales Award for Outstanding Miniature Painting - Amelia by Elizabeth Meek PRMS, PPSWA FRSA.  This is a brand new prize and HRH Prince Charles chose the winning painting by the Society's President.
Amelia by Elizabeth Meek PRMS, PPSWA FRSA
won the Prince of Wales Award
  • The Royal Society of Miniature Painters Sculptors and Gravers Gold Memorial Bowl - Rosalind Pierson HS, MAA, RMS  Ros is a lovely lady who has been painting miniatures for the last 30 years or so.  She's the Co-Founder of the Hilliard Society.  Her work always sets a splendid standard for landscape work in miniature but this year she has excelled herself 
Winner of the The Royal Society of Miniature Painters Sculptors and Gravers Gold Memorial Bowl
Group of six works by Rosalind Pierson
  • Gold Bowl Honorable Mentions
    • Rosemary Bentley for a small portrait
    • Helen White Helen teaches Medieval Manuscript Illumination on the MA course and the Public Programme at The Prince's School of Traditional Arts and her work is very representative of the type of work produced by the School.
    • Yasuhiro Onishi - for a very amusing work involving what looks to me rather like a dormouse
    • Jenny Brooks has painted a delightful geisha girl in watercolour
    • Jill Moger - you'll also have an opportunity to admire Jill's wonderful work when she exhibits with the Society of Wildlife Artists next month.
    • Elizabeth Diggins is an artist who works in graphite pencil
  • Arturi Phillips 'Connoisseur' Award - Tribute to Joanne Woodward by Edward Dyas - who is an Australian Artist
  • The Mundy Sovereign Portrait Award - Ross by Wendy Hyams
Ross by Wendy Hyams
  • Presidents Special Commendation Miniature Work - Herdwick Ram by Suzanne Bradley.  This is a very small work.
  • Presidents Special Commendation Large Work - Bird, Bird what Bird? by John Good
  • Llewellyn Alexander Subject Miniature Award - £500 - Blue Tit, Sloes & Honeysuckle by Joyce Rogerson This is a delightful and very colourful piece.  Unsurprisingly it has sold straight away.
Painting flowers, fruit, birds and a butterfly
combined to make this a
winning watercolour painting by
Joyce Rogerson
  • The Royal Miniature Society Group Award - £500 - Wendy Hyams
Four of the five works by Wendy Hyams
winning the RMS Group Award
  • Anita Emmerich Presentation Award - Wren by Michael Coe
Wren by Michael Coe
  • The Royal Miniature Society Group Award - £500 - Wendy Hyams
  • The Bonhams Portrait Award - Jane in Lace by Bill Mundy 
  • Anthony J Lester Art Critics Award & Connoisseur Commendation Award - Clydesdales 'Hope' and 'Glory' by Gina Morton.  There's a great shot of my hands and pen as well so you can see how small this is!


The Exhibition is spread across three rooms in the North Gallery
Miniature sculptures are exhibited in two glass cases in this gallery and the far gallery.
The miniature paintings are all very easy to see because of the display cases
One of the interesting aspects of the exhibition is that every year there is some aspect of the history of Miniature Art in the UK on display

This year it's a collection of miniature portraits painted in the first four decades of the 20th century.

One of the two cases displaying Miniature Portraits painted between the two world wars.
Demonstrations

As per usual the members of the RMS are diligent in ensuring that there are demonstrations every day during the course of the exhibition.  I've always found that the artists are very happy to answer questions about their work, their materials and the process of producing a miniature work of art. (You can see an interview I did with Jenny Brooks last year when she was demonstrating in this post - How to paint miniature portraits). The artists who are demonstrating this year are as follows:
  • Thursday 18th Jenny Brooks
  • Friday 19th Pauline Denyer-Baker
  • Saturday 20th Joyce Rogerson
  • Sunday 21st Marian Tumelty
  • Monday 22nd George Simpson 
  • Tuesday 23rd Roz Pierson
  • Wednesday 24th Helen White
  • Thursday 25th George Simpson
  • Friday 26th Michael Coe
  • Saturday 27th Jean Canter
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Information about Miniature Art

For those interested in Miniature Art, Miniature Art - Resources for Artists which includes links to lots of sites about art societies, art exhibitions, contemporary miniature art and art materials used by the miniature artist

Links to previous reviews of the Annual Exhibition:









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