It was a pleasure to walk into
the 298th Exhibition of the
Royal Society of British Artists yesterday - particularly after
my very disappointing visit to the RWS Contemporary Painting Exhibition on Tuesday.
I write very few negative posts about exhibitions - one was this week (see above) and another was three years ago - see
RBA 2012: An exhibition of Middle England? Since that post both the RBA and the exhibition seems to have come on in positive leaps and bounds. It's good to see that the problems I alluded to in my 2012 post are much less evident and/or have disappeared. In particular the issues in relation to the calibre of artwork seem to have disappeared.
In addition, I do remember it thinking it was somewhat ironic that I was seeing better watercolours from artists selected from the open entry than I did from artists selected for the RWS competition's exhibition.
This is an exhibition worth entering if you want your artwork to be seen in London and/or want to become a member of a national art society.
Things to note about this exhibition
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8vlgOXGup7Bx0sKBwYof82maibypgxg_XmbNa7jHxrOKMjDcJiGgGQqaQJQNLs8wCTDKGOcrJ3rEfzpyQ1I7_F76PatUjxNBzOu7VXufAsyFMgXaHFMEZaiqj3lVq7UC5qgIPA/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-59.jpg) |
Paintings and sculptures in the Threadneedle Space |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTd1LlWRBnpbrPjOhXyHMemSPdaybb4Qg0I_BZx0TOW8lZKWH9cpx-xL2moupLwVz9_iOEZlsJD6O8pnMNMcHDFD_J5ed-A842bO7WtSTUgA_gXwRiEwEL1aEDowWaRwBmWJlMyg/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-71.jpg) |
More paintings and sculpture
Includes: (top left) The Davison Award for Oil Painting - won by Olwyn Bowey RA RBA
(column of small paintings - The Alfred Daviels 'Personal Favourite' Award - Barbara Richardson
|
There is LOTS of artwork in this exhibition - covering every type of media except digital, photography and video. Most but not all is figurative/repsentational artwork.
This is also an art society which believes in well and truly using all three galleries and getting a lot of artwork on the walls and around the exhibition. I personally love this!
- 504 artworks in the main part of the exhibition from members and selected artists via the open entry
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1i0b0kIBPyItBFX8si1Y_qAmXISrj12FhTTo8-uuh0Ehm13KDGryfXBjnt45QgWTieFPuXsBJbk1ycVGsv7i0b8-2y-lVJfGg6QCi2kvH9VFeEzN8A3dI-HcFllhl4Bo-4673pg/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-62.jpg) |
Paintings and sculpture in one of the bays in the West Gallery
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7rbaP2H2zWSfV1F_XZOYvoOoKwCu97rwxzKscKpKzsXMGN0D2Fc7Cjq8Xyf169qjLZDbgCv4orxwdnMRnVNj0PXT1WARG6BgTu2QdVTjG8ffh-f6tB5nefHZMwGT88UXYpQ_UQ/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-68.jpg) |
Paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolour and pastel - in the same bay in the West Gallery |
This year fifty six NADFAS Societies supported the venture and they submitted a staggering 368 images of original student work including paintings, ceramics and sculpture. The challenge was for RBA President James Horton and his fellow council members to pick a number of pieces which combined the highest levels of skill, expression and draughtsmanship.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSZQhI5Tkcdb2JrJl0lbLcMeMoc1Rtt0rmQ8n8Hf4RWjeyyy8y_4Da3XmbGlPWXo0i0bGvdvCrEDrY0tGreMqEBeaoSCD7tuPiIJrW37YkihvbVLe-7F5mO65Q5JyMr9djNQEMg/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-32.jpg) |
artwork by RBA Scholars |
In general, it's a good-looking exhibition which was a pleasure to photograph.
You can also see:
There seem to be LOTS more fine art prints in the exhibition this year - submitted by both members and open entry artists
There seems to be
a trend towards larger and detailed monochromatic works - using pencil or pen and ink in particular
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UyqD8AKVMkMiNZbWsxasr5Umm_Zi_M-9qnJ_OR2G6HyM-JpXwma4Tw73B3zuql_wZBU7CkhWAeIjNh7483XljU9BsVacptGHHOqoRN2pifE_i8qnXO_Bbj93zvIej87UnnajIQ/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-23.jpg) |
Monochromatic entries - etchings, pencil and pen and ink artwork - from the open
North Gallery |
This is an open exhibition worth entering. However you do need to be aware of the numbers. I gather the open entry was c.1,500 entries of which c.300 were selected for review and about 100 were selected for exhibition. That's a lot more than get into other exhibitions by the other art societies.
I'll see if I can get hold of more accurate numbers.
The RBA Award Winners 2015
The 2015 prizewinners are listed below.
The De Lazlo Medal (£1000 plus medal and a special display in next year's exhibition) 2015
To be decided
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPMp4AZQwY8611iuW3sgXp7RxsLx8ZY-uHcEiFhTxWtEC4gGnkl4oNP5ReSiBGyKWlR-y6ghbdEcCAjWoVBhu2DItV1HMxQ7JUcRJlJldIOhhyphenhyphenOZv0ozu8d3CU-CjgvFk8VXOuQ/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-40.jpg) |
The Arts Club Charitable Trust Award in association with The Arts Club
£1,000 Prize
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFykZH7ckNo2WHxZhB8RtSAAI8kcouAyu_GHkrxJITLm6Jvfrjxe7CG74T7B3U6_hofyTMu9_DK5q_NeVHyA8He3rYDM0-GPvPP52Q6nLZ_uZi8gEjIn9hholLT07rNni7nrtAfg/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-55.jpg) |
The Artist Magazine Award (A feature in The Artist Magazine, print and digital edition)
all three paintings by Andrew Marr |
I have to say I knew Mr Marr could draw but I'd only ever seen his paintings in his book
A Short Book About Drawing and I have to say I like them! He's got a great eye for composition.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiHkmaCAcrorEEs2JvElwPi_rEXdDsD0I4Ip_9n84K6emrKnLRUc3vV_utZ7GKja7oN1skHFV6a492-DS_Dcmyfjvl327Wkc6D9j75hyCPBQSUrTn2nqSL2ytCoRvQqhwRMdclw/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-33.jpg) |
The Dry Red Press Award (work published as a greeting card) Christopher’s Tomatoes by Jacqueline Taber |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0JFFJaJ-dlYlkzQ_hP_rdTcSl9rcV-JnNpuMqVm-akgqKlzd1pxyAIxtKj6w62-8M1UJtiSYUK_QrX6hA_kjZdtOLbBHFw4US10BYsHg-y4CPcKeUxExG52HwCqxNxK3EMz8pw/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-30.jpg) |
The Edward Wesson Award (£100)
For watercolour painting
Glass Eyes by Mollie Andrews |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40Q6S04LQUMrBPnRtjms5eDWKCQGppGRciQd5bkBk-Qn6cWWTC2pltSQzmJJISVPywzzD2MdmJdbJINwT6IxIU7h5iUCD7UMHVsRd61OR4SlGe7QXoxqjNqIJxawenNG53vFpbw/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-22.jpg) |
Frinton Frames Award
(£200 of picture framing at Frinton Frames bespoke picture frame makers)
Breakfast Table by John Martin RBA |
The Michael Harding Awards - Two prizes of £500 and 10 painting sets
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOS9ucBRzYzki6kx61LcUGwzA93zJBwkDzHScPwBzdgKK0na7w9wET1JkfgKX488bUjflNRaMVMAd7FYIVhwMznoINDd0rrpEqeCTlAcqa2zCprZsC8NuAyZIQu5_OyWxkOvSMKQ/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-05.jpg) |
The Michael Harding AwardDungeness by Martin Leman
plus The Alfred Daniels ‘Personal Favourite’ Award for a Narrative work - all work |
and
Reverie by
Charles Hardaker
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo95WBVEdvyhyphenhyphenv7tx4-LxLju7qcWZuhuoTqi-tDl_aB0YCumTuLj699BCulZ7m7-t7FdZyVtBA7RLCW1jwfYMMaM3FWbn8w1M6mfX-5RkrjY7EhCSU1JAA0MRh5YhBuk_CYY3AeA/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-41.jpg) |
The Geoffrey Vivis Memorial Award (£100) The Green Bridge of Wales, Pembrokeshire by Tim Galton This was a very large painting |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93wIGW0H2vKokpGAA3y4OyYGj_qbLMZCCQb9bRMiuPZ4k6CaGxBm99s3CrzutZ_Ar2Lj3Ln6AThBFY4_gHYL5XoUo-PEFChgVQ6snrzrLx0dN1Ukdz9CMZxxj-L_SGVpSY5fpYQ/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-28.jpg) |
(Bottom left)
The Gordon Hulson Memorial Prize for draughtsmanship, variety and explorationSelf portrait facing Artist’s Block by Robert Lloyd (top right)The Lazlo Award to a Young Artist for Technical ExcellenceWeightless by Tatyana Kulida Shelley |
The John Ingram Memorial Prize for a Young Artist -
Self Portrait by
Stanley Welch (Truro College)
The Alfred Daniels ‘Personal Favourite’ Award for a Narrative work (six prizes of £100)
Artists I liked
I liked the suite of small works of fantasy art by
David Eustace RBA. It seemed to suggest a complex interior world.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN36vFydTelpU-PijuV7JIzzRV1O39GSNBx0WS615iy98ZaYTKILJT5DUVZ_8ng4jDdtuleEgozkIQdSafrYHe9xcziREKgP3OSlu7Y9oXk-KqjI4UVazs4awUdHQ5pcfjj_T-rQ/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-15-david-eustace.jpg) |
Paintings by David Eustace (oil and acrylic) £750 each |
I'm also a perennial fan of
Annie Williams RWS RE RBA still lifes in both watercolours and fine art prints (see my blog post from a past RBA exhibition
Annie Williams demonstrates a still life in watercolour)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOq6-UbDvz8hYfJpYEFDBJ_vJfdLbrG_0bFnMy4hor7Lx0wuLebeNKh5SrXjupIY5pUReyTstrRk9zY6iVHzSwSrXLtF00VXB4D-Z5YqSaWZYJWNemgB0KB3v1MAlyDZVazTCoA/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-46.jpg) |
Paintings and prints by Annie Williams
they sit well with one another in frames which don't compete |
Every year I am entrances by the printmaking of
Austin Cole. He's superb at using the panoramic format. This year he had a set of six based on a visit to China. If you like fine art prints you should have a serious look at his website.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuNBBIYWTUJJNQ7PLOunSNl7Z5dXJwvecSx-Mprw-s0zUhDbj16wwPKzp3lR75iBW8MNJJg0Y6Z6QLHxqOrE8fMnMWwBxZBevzhkqHVWLavykGZH-EbroBGSa-yIzA6_V83OPkw/s1600/RBA-annual-exhibition-2015-17.jpg) |
Part of Austin Cole's series of etchings (edition of 20)
"Beijing Hutong" |
There was also a lot of sculpture to like!
[
PS I'd have loved to write about this earlier but commitments elsewhere prevented this. Next year I will be there at the beginning!]
Recent RBA Exhibitions
No comments:
Post a Comment
COMMENTS HAVE BEEN CLOSED AGAIN because of too much spam.
My blog posts are always posted to my Making A Mark Facebook Page and you can comment there if you wish.
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.