Review: Society of Graphic Fine Art Annual Exhibition 2023

The Society of Graphic Fine Art is holding its Annual Open Exhibition in the East and North Galleries of the Mall Galleries this week (13th - 18th March 2023) - and I went to see it yesterday after it opened at midday.

View of the East Gallery of the SGFA Annual Exhibition 2023

You can view the artwork ONLINE:

• either in the SGFA Online Art Gallery where you can view:
• members artwork
• non-members artwork selected from the open call
• plus those artworks receiving 2023 Awards - which will be announced at the Prizegiving this evening.
• or in my Facebook Album
  SGFA Annual Exhibition 2023
   of my photos taken yesterday - accessible to all

There are also a number of Demonstrations in the East and North Galleries being used for the Exhibition - see details at end. 

• HOWEVER please note that there is no underground service on Wednesday and a reduced service on London Overground on Thursday and Friday although the buses will continue to run - but might well be a bit busier than usual. I'd avoid the commuter rush hours if possible. (Check status for a specific date with TFL as the situation can change)

About the SGFA

This is an exhibition by an art society which also calls itself 'The Drawing Society'. It focuses on drawing and the graphical qualities of fine art. Consequently it's an exhibition which should be of interest to anybody interested in drawing

Founded in 1919, the Society promotes fine drawing skills in both traditional and contemporary media. Today there are more than 130 elected members of the SGFA across the UK — professional artists from all areas of the art world who work in all drawing and printmaking media.

You can find out more about the activities of the SGFA and see artwork by its members in its bulletins which are available online e.g. SGFA Winter Bulletin 2022.

The Artwork

One of the interesting aspects of the exhibition is to look at the very many different ways in which drawing can be expressed across paintings, drawings and original fine art prints - from conventional graphite and charcoal - through ink in all its many forms - to coloured pencils and watercolour which are most typically used to add in colour to artwork. However there are also examples of silverpoint on gesso and needlework being a couple of examples I spotted yesterday

I found LOTS of monochromatic examples of drawings in graphite, charcoal and ink.

Monochrome artwork in the far north gallery

There are also very many drawings in coloured pencils and/or soft pastels or oil pastels in the show - and some which mix media.

More colourful artwork

In terms of paintings, there were many excellent watercolours - but I did find some paintings which puzzled me in terms of not being artwork I normally associate with SGFA.

One interesting aspect I noted this year is that more and more artwork is being produced by artists who have earned their membership of FBA art societies (the Mall Galleries is the home of the Federation of British Artists).  That's not to say that all are also members of the SGFA but rather that other FBA members (eg Ian Sidaway RI) are sending entries in via the open entry

• The SGFA is not a member of the Federation of British Artists and hence exhibits at the Mall Galleries on a hire basis. 
• However if they continue to improve the quality of the exhibition and the calibre of the artists who are members, then my guess is that they will attract more FBA members (with a strong bias towards drawing) to enter via the Open Call.
• this could lead - if they wish - at some point to an application for membership of the FBA. 

The SGFA and the SBA are the two art societies which have a very distinctive focus - and hence don't compete per se with other FBA art societies and, to my mind, would make the obvious next members of the FBA if the latter were ever minded to expand their membership at any point - and likewise if those two societies were minded to 'join the club' and were able to 'jump' over the entry hurdles. 

Two drawings of trees by Ian Sidaway 
drawn with a fineliner pen

The Hang

I thought the hang was well done. The larger works were typically hung in the more open space of the East Gallery. 

East Gallery - more larger works

Smaller works were typically in the North Gallery. Interestingly hanging small works together actually succeeded in making the gallery seem much bigger to me. 

North Galleries

Middle North Gallery

Overall, I thought splitting the size of the works in this way worked really well.

Size of artwork

However, on the whole, there were very few really large artworks with only one of a significant size - the coloured pencil on acrylic gouache drawing by Curtis Holder, winner of the Portrait Artist of the Year Award in 2020. (see Curtis Holder wins Portrait Artist of the Year (Series 7 Autumn 2020)

There's a bit of a tendency in this show for conventional perspectives e.g. on how to do a portrait drawing - but Curtis broke the mould with his.

Conventional portrait drawings and Curtis Holder's drawing!

I'm always a bit concerned when lots of the artwork hung tends to be small, that people are not drawing bigger because they either lack the confidence or the skills to do so. It would be nice to see more of a mix of sizes next year. However the bonus of showing more smaller works is that you get to show MORE artwork by MORE people - which is also good so long as standards are good. 

small artworks in the North Gallery

It's always a difficult one to call - my priority would always be to go for the best artwork irrespective of size. Although a lot of the artwork is comparable to that seen in other FBA Society exhibitions, some of the artwork hung in the exhibition is what I usually refer to as "good amateur society standard". I think this is maybe an area for the SGFA to aim to raise standards in the future.

Overall, work has been hung thematically with examples of different subject matter typically being hung together which I felt gave the exhibition of this size a more coherent feel. I confess I'm not a fan of everything being completely mixed up. 

I was amazed at the number of  artworks portraying trees in the exhibition and wondered if this had been a theme set for members. Or some other reason? Can anybody help me out on this one?

The excellent Wall of Trees (East Gallery)

Some of the pricing looked really, really odd across the exhibition. Artwork seemed to be both overpriced and underpriced i.e.

• artwork which is underpriced relative to its quality. This often tends to be the result of a lack of experience of pricing at a national level and/or for shows in London.
• artwork priced way over the top for its size relative to:
• either its quality
• or the exhibition venue
• the artist's skills, reputation and demonstrable credibility.

I can only conclude that those exhibiting:

• do not go to other exhibitions at the Mall Galleries and 
• don't look at other artwork and how it is priced 
• or NEVER ever read my blog posts about the pricing of artwork which has sold in an FBA Exhibition at the Mall Galleries. e.g. see 
• 2019 post about Pricing a Watercolour & RI Annual Exhibition Metrics and  
• 2020 post Pricing a marine artwork & RSMA Annual Exhibition Metrics
• 2022 post Pricing 'Winners"

More guidance is obviously needed. 

• It occurs to me this is an aspect where the SGFA might like to offer guidance to both their own members and those submitting through the open entry.  
• Besides my regular blog posts about what price artwork sold for in exhibitions at the Mall Galleries, I also offer guidance via my section on How to price your art on my Art Business Info for Artists website.

Artwork I liked

I'm going to highlight a few artworks I liked a lot.

Woodcuts with Watercolour by Helen A Taylor MA ASGFA

Two woodcuts with watercolour by Helen A Taylor

These are really well drawn and executed woodcuts with a watercolour finish. I was very impressed and though it was sad they were quite low down on the wall - especially given their content and complexity - and hence difficult for people like me who like to avoid bending down in case I fall over!

Sea and Coastal Artwork by Felicity Flutter RI SGFA

Paintings by Felicity Flutter

Felicity Flutter has three watercolour paintings with pencil in the show of the sea and the coastline. She just gets better and better. Check the link where she describes how she produces her work. I'd be attending her demo on Wednesday were it not for the underground strike. I hope it gets called off.

Views of Beech Woods by Gary Cook RI SGFA

Beech Ravine and Beech Stream by Gary Cook RI SGFA

Gary used ink, watercolour and charcoal for these two artworks. I'm a fan of people who submit paintings for an exhibition knowing that they will "hang well". I'd be very surprised if these two paintings are not bought by the same person.

The Awards

I'll fill in names of the prizewinners after this evening's prizegiving. 

• Best in Show Selected by Lesley Samms, founder of Pure Arts.
• Aspiring Artist Award Selected by Lesley Samms, founder of Pure Arts. To be announced.
• President’s Award - To be announced.
• Small Works Award - Sponsored by Dr. Susan Poole VPSGFA UKCPS - To be announced.
• Best in Colour Award - To be announced.
• Drawing Monochrome Award - To be announced.
• Print award - To be announced.

Demonstrations

• Jackie Devereux PPSFGA Tuesday 14 March 2.00 to 4.00 'Loosen up with Ink and watercolour - ' Wild ones' - floral impressions'
• Louisa Crispin SBA, FPS, SGFA Wednesday 15 March 12.30 to 2.00 Look Closer - Drawing Insects with Louisa Crispin
• Felicity Flutter RI SGFA Wednesday 15 March 2.00 to 4.00 Drawn to the Sea
• Kaye Hodges SGFA Friday 17 March 12.30 to 2.00 Heads Up - Drawing a portrait

More details in the Demonstrations pdf

CAUTION: When you enter the Mall Galleries, turn right into the East Galley to access the SGFA Exhibition. The exhibition in the West Gallery has nothing whatsoever to do with the Society of Graphic Fine Art. I cannot recommend it.