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| View of the Threadneedle Space |
Changes made to the annual exhibition
Some of the changes:
- The first impression from the top of the mezzanine is more "contemporary art gallery" than "parochial suburban art exhibition". Indeed when I walked in yesterday, the exhibition it reminded me of most was the Threadneedle! I revisited that reaction about an hour into my visit and decided that it definitely looked more Threadneedle than a trad. art society exhibition.
- They've paid attention to my call to pay more attention to how many non-members get into the OPEN exhibition and this year aimed for 50:50 members and non-members. The much higher number of works by non-members in this open exhibition means that there is much more variety and diversity and it doesn't look like yet another rearrangement of last year's exhibition
- As a result they've got more innovation in this year's exhibition than I've seen in the exhibitions of other societies (with the exception of the SWLA who favour innovation). More of this in tomorrow's post.
- They've opted to fill the entirety of the Mall Galleries - which makes a huge difference to the overall impact - and exhibit for a shorter timeframe. Mainly on the basis that the bulk of sales come at the Private View and in the first week
- The hang is well designed and mixes members with non-members. There are no traditional groups of four or five paintings by one member - and what a big difference it makes. The most I saw was three paintings hanging together or four split by others. As a result the exhibition is a lot more visually exciting to the eye
- I like the way the views across the gallery have been designed - almost as theatre sets
- There is some very fine draughtsmanship in the drawings prints and paintings in the exhibition - something I always value very highly when I see it.
- It's also notable that the exhibition includes works by senior / prominent members of FBA Art societies who are honorary members of the SWA - e.g. I very quickly spotted works by Daphne Todd and Susan Ryder - plus paintings by former winners of top art prizes eg Susan Angharad Williams who won the ING Discerning Eye in 2007
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| Threadneedle Space |
The rest of this review is going to be pics of the exhibition - followed by the Awards
Tomorrow I will post a video which will need some time to put together - plus pics of artwork which caught my eye - so come back and take a look round with me if you are unable to pay a visit.
The exhibition opened last night with an extremely well attended Special Review yesterday - with a particular focus on raising money for Young Artists.
Today is the Private View when Princess Michael of Kent presents the Awards (see below). The exhibition then opens to the public tomorrow (10am to 5pm. ) and closes at 3pm on Sunday 9th July.
Soraya French VPSWA, who will be taking over as President, is delivering a Contemporary Landscapes Workshop In the Threadneedle Space on Saturday the 8th July.
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| The Prints Wall |
Awards
£2,000 SWA Special Fine Art Award for 2D/3D Work
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| Diana by Elaine Peto ceramic (£900) |
The first year of this award - worth £2,000 - it went to a sculpture, the next year to a painting and this year it's been awarded to a very dynamic ceramic work by
Elaine Peto who exhibits in galleries around the UK.
£1000 Derwent Special Award of Materials
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| Lisa - by Roxana Halls oil on panel (£895) |
Personally, my only quibble with this is that this painting by Roxana Halls is small and yet hung high on the wall and difficult to see. I think I'd have rehung it after it was selected for an award. (PS Take a look at her studio on her website - it's huge and located in the disused bar of a 1930s London theatre, now a bingo hall!)
£500 Premium Art Brands Materials to a Young Artist
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| Remote by Anna Tveritnova YAA (oil on linen) £1,400 |
£500 Great Art Materials for most innovative work
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| Sitting Pretty by Heather Meyerratken (Edition 1 of 6 - five available) £1,200 |
This work is the sort of thing I expect to see in the Threadneedle - not the SWA and is why I've been so impressed with this year's exhibition.
£500 SWA Fine Art Award for a Young Artist in any medium
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| Shadow Tree II by Maite Cascon Etching Aquatint and Drypoint Edition 2 of 30 (15 available) £250 |
A young artist to keep an eye on!
£300 Cavendish Venues Sculpture Award
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| Pegasus and Bellerophon Maquette by Amy Goodman (Bronze on Hardwood Base) Edition 3 of 9 £6,500 |
Rosemary & Co - £100 Brushes for any work on Canvas or Paper
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| Madonna Art by Eva Podles (oil, Gilding, Paper Collage on wooden panel) £3,000 |
Interestingly the focus of her website is on women, children and families
Artist’ Editor’s Choice Award for work to be used in an article in the Magazine
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| It's my fEUture by Lara Cobden oil on wood £625 |
HRH Princess Michael of Kent Watercolour Award – a signed Certificate
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| Half Pint Pot by Dianne Unwin acrylic £650 |
President and Vice Presidents Award – a signed Certificate for an Up and Coming Artist/Sculptor
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| Urban Landscape by Kaija Bulbrook SWA Acrylic oil and graphite £3,850 |
This is one of the finer large paintings in the exhibition which gets the feature spot on the end wall of the main gallery.
I commented last night that one niggle about the exhibition was the dearth of large paintings. I gather the problem was one of quality rather than submission.
Barbara Tate Memorial Award - Silver Ingot to an SWA Member
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| The Traveller by Jean Noble Acrylic £2,850 |
St. Cuthbert’s Paper Mill Award for any works on paper
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| Tulips and Plums by Liz Seward Mixed media £595 |
Hello Katherine,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed chatting with you at the opening and its always very interesting to get feedback In relation to my work and the materials used ands also how the work may fit in elsewhere.
Many thanks and I do hope to meet you again soon.
Your blog is a great read - very honest and informative.
Many Thanks
Heather Meyerratken :)