Jeff George wins top prize at CPSA Annual International Exhibition 2015

The 23rd Annual International Exhibition of the Coloured Pencil Society of America is currently on display at Oglethorpe University Museum in Atlanta, Georgia - until 23rd August 2015.

Every year this exhibition comprises artwork drawn using 100% colored pencil and is based in a gallery in a different part of the USA.

I liked the way CPSA announced their prizewinners on the CPSA facebook page - giving each a proper introduction to members.  The prizes were split between"

• 8 still lifes (50% of the total)
• 4 human portraits and 2 animal portraits
• 2 works which are figurative urban landscapes - but with a concept

Below you'll find:

• a list of the prizewinners - with links to their websites embedded in their names. The link in this bullet point is to the website where you can see the images for all prizewinners.
• a list of the coloured pencil artists selected for the exhibition. I've taken the list and then organised by country and state - illustrating the main areas where coloured pencil is strong.

Thanks to Shawn Falchetti CPSA for permission to use his photographs of the exhibition and some of the artists.

The 2016 Exhibition will be in Tacoma, Washington.

The Prizewinners Page on the CPSA website

The prizewinners were announced at the Annual Convention Banquet and are as follows

CPSA Best Of Show And Cippy Award ($5,000) 

• Jeff George, CPSA (CA) "What So Proudly We Hailed" - 20 X 16 Inches (see above)

Jeff George has won the top award of at least two other occasions that I can think of and has been a regular prizewinner for as long as I have been covering this exhibition - which is nearly 10 years!

For the uninitiated, 'What so proudly we hailed' is a line from the Star Spangled Banner, which celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2014 and became the national anthem of the USA in 1931.

Oh say can you see by the dawn's early light,What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

CPSA District Chapters Award For Exceptional Achievement ($2,000)

• Arlene Steinberg, CPSA, CPX (NY) - "In The Beginning" - 15 X 21 Inches

In the Beginning by Arlene Steinberg
coloured pencil, 15 x 21 inches

The Cretacolor Award For Exceptional Merit ($1,000)

• Jonavon Herr (OH)- "Threads Of Time" - 7 X 7 Inches

The Derwent/Conté À Paris - Colart Americas Award For Exceptional Merit ($1,000)

• Jesse Lane (TX) - "Gravity" - 18 X 29 Inches - you can see a much larger image of the artwork  on his website (click the link in the title)

Gravity by Jesse Lane
coloured pencil, 18 x 29 inches

The Dixon Ticonderoga Award For Exceptional Merit ($1,000)

• Rhonda Nass, CPSA (Wi) - "God's Will, Finding Your Niche In Him" -12 X 14 Inches

Award For Outstanding Achievement ($800)

• Tracy Frein (Il) - "Kit" - 23 X 17.75 Inches
• Elizabeth Patterson, CPSA (Ca) - "Rue De Rivoli, Paris" - 18 X 28 Inches
• Amol Saraf (India) - "Cuteness At Its Best" - 12 X 19 Inches

Award For Distinction ($600)

• Suzanne Marcil, CPSA (Fl) - "My Sister's Crystal" - 20 X 16 Inches
• Bonnie Sheckter (Canada)- "Second Thoughts" - 19 X 16.75 Inches
• John Ursillo, CPSA (Wa) - "Hydrangea-Scape #2: Last Blush" - 24 X 24 Inches - the stpry of how he came to produce this artwork is on its page on his website. Click the link in the title to have a cler look and read all about it.
• Ranjini Venkatachari, CPSA, CPX (Ca) - "Genealogy" - 12 X 12 Inches

"Hydrangea-Scape #2: Last Blush" by John Ursillo is the large painting in the middle
Coloured Pencil on Ampersand Gesso Board

(UK artists should note that Ampersand Boards - such as the one used above - are now available in the UK)

Award For Excellence ($400)

• Joan Gelblat, CPSA (Ga) - "Reflections At The End Of The Day" - 18.75 X 24.75 Inches
• Sharon S Kow (Malaysia) - "Contemplation" - 22 X 15 Inches
• Eileen Nistler, CPSA, CPX (Wy) - "Aunt Clara's Collection 3" - 16 X 22 Inches
• Lynda Schumacher, CPSA (Mi) - "A Quiet Eye" - 7 X 5 Inches

Analysis of Size of Prizewinners Artwork

 

Selected Artists

Below is a list of the artwork and artists selected for the exhibition - from all over the USA and countries and continents - organised by the location of the artist.

This provides something of an indication where coloured pencil art and CPSA branches are active within the USA as the numbers being selected do not correlate with the population of those states.

Alabama

• Carrie Alderfer Contemplation

Arizona

• Jane McCreary, CPSA Red Cholla Blossoms
• Helen Rowles CPSA After the Show

California

• Mikela Cameron, CPSA. My Dog Has Fleas
• J.Y. Chang, CPSA, CPX The Blind Date
• Jeff George, CPSA What So Proudly We Hailed
• Denise Howard, CPSA, CPX Happy
• Buena Johnson, CPSA Do You Remember?
• Elizabeth Patterson, CPSA Rue de Rivoli, Paris
• Paula Pertile Fried Egg on Sourdough Toast
• Mike Purdy Table for Two
• Aura Skugariene CPX Dualism of Two
• Ranjini Venkatachari , CPSA , CPX Genealogy
• Phillip Zubiate III Vegas Neon Duck

CANADA

• Bonnie Sheckter Second Thoughts

Colorado

• Dorothy DePaulo, CPSA, CPX Sibling Rivalry
• Sandra Hunter, CPSA Metamorphosis of the Common Blue Morpho

Connecticutt

• Rita Paradis, CPSA Interplay
• Lauren Tyrell Angus

Florida

Jeffrey Baisden

•  Jeffrey Baisden, CPSA Upward Nobility
• Anda Chance, CPSA Denizen of the Subway
• Kathi Darby Uncertain Future
• Christine Flanagan Sun Shadowed
• Sharon Hester On Guard
• Hanneke Jevons Horsepower
• Marilyn Jones Summer Sass
• Julie Karner Macaw's Glare
• Suzanne Marcil, CPSA My Sister's Crystal
• Mari K Moehl, CPSA Feeding Frenzy
• Glinda Pennock Nickolas
• Nancy Rhoads Sign of the Times
• Mona Weidner Opal's Room

Georgia

• Susan Calderon Shades
• Philip Carpenter Shears 2
• Joan Gelblat, CPSA Reflections at the End of the Day
• Kim Hamby, CPSA In a New Light

GREECE

• Maria Villioti Contrasts

Illinois

• Jeanne Bogar Beach Boys
• Kate Brown There Is a Self Portrait in My Mother's Wedding Ring
• Gail Collier, CPSA Moving Toward Red
• Tracy Frein Kit

Indiana

• Pamela Clements Road Warrior

INDIA

• Amol Saraf Cuteness at It's Best

Kansas

• Charlotte Hastings Where's the Ducks?

Kentucky

• Vanessa Lawrence A Love Story

At the exhibition

Massachusetts

• Katherine Clericuzio This Bud's for You
• Deborah Friedman, CPSA Angle of Repose

MALAYSIA

• Sharon Kow Contemplation

Maryland

• Mary Geissenhainer CPSA On the Banks of Otter Pond

Michigan

• Wendy Mersman Can I Have Two?
• Agnieszka Przyborowski Reflections
• Lynda Schumacher, CPSA A Quiet Eye
• Rita Mach Skoczen, CPSA Quilt 2
• Paul Van Heest, CPSA Big Read

Minnesota

• David Hart Rehearsal

Missouri

• Sandy Brooks Night Flight
• Susie Tenzer Selfie

North Carolina

• Christina Hildreth Keel-billed Toucan—Who's Watching Who?
• Donna Slade, CPSA Softtouch Reflections

New Jersey

• Gwynn Di Pilla Beach Bikes
• Anzhelika Doliba The Plaza and Fountain at Sister Cities Park, Philadelphia
• Andrea Placer, CPSA Fancy Funghi
• Jennifer Tabor LaVeglio Grumpilicious

Nevada

• Dennis Angel View of the Grand Canal
• Anna Hammer Beautiful Mind
• Holly Siniscal, CPSA Shadow Abby

Nw York

• Caryn Coville Bird's Eye View
• Carol Maltby,CPSA Nathan
• Arlene Steinberg CPSA, CPX In the Beginning

Ohio

• Cecile Baird, CPSA Light Up Your Life
• Kathy Cox Lauder's Lemons
• Catherine Fithian Pink Hydrangea
• Sharon Frank Mazgaj, CPSA Shiny Things 2
• Marsha Gilger, CPSA Road Art
• Jonavon Herr Threads of Time
• Mary Hobbs, CPSA, CPX Blue
• Margaret (Margi) Hopkins, CPSA Departing
• Kendra Lapolla Helen
• Amy Lindenberger, CPSA, CPX Glorious Profusion
• John Middick Intensity
• Michael Paolercio 324
• John Smolko, CPSA, CPX Benj, No. 2 (Franklin Trustee)
• Rosemary Tope White Hibiscus

Benj No. 2 (Franklin Trustee) by John Smolko
You can see another large coloured pencil drawing of Benj
in my book "Drawing 365: Tips and Techniques to Build Your Confidence and Skills"

 Oregon

• Teresa Allen, CPSA Time to Shine
• Pat Averill, CPSA Just Hangin' Around
• Kelly Collins Mussel Beach
• Julie Fulkerson Horse of Kings
• Donna Graham Rhoddies
• Donald Griffith Time on My Hand
• CJ Worlein, CPSA Stephanie
• Denise Zanetta Twisted Flights of Fancy

Pennsylvania

• Shawn Falchetti, CPSA Daybreak
• Jeffrey Green Carol, Prayer Series 1
• Linda Killingsworth Yum, Buns
• Mary Beth Lesko Uncle Fritzo's Hairpiece

South Carolina

• Gretchen Parker, CPSA Meet Market
• Faith Wheeler, CPSA Rick and Rock

Tennessee

• Dena Whitener, CPSA A Feather's Not a Bird

Tanja Gant

Texas

• Helen Bailey, CPSA The Pause That Refreshes
• Tanja Gant, CPSA, CPX See No Evil
• Lori Garner, CPSA, CPX Mourning Light
• Jesse Lane Gravity
• Lisa Mills, CPSA Wren in Rome…
• Irma Murray Birthday Boy

Utah

• Nichole Taylor Blood, Sweat & Tears

Virginia

• Alisha Brown Pink Spring Kaleidoscope
• Jennifer Carpenter End of Time Flies
• Sherry Smith Peachy Keen

Washington

• Mike Flynn Pride of Moscow
• Shirley Stallings, CPSA What?!
• John Ursillo, CPSA Hydrangea-scape #2: Last Blush

Wisconsin 

• Jody Beighley Wisconsin River Camp
• Dava Dahlgran, CPSA, CPX The Bike at Dublin Bay
• Nichole Linzmeier Not Just Ivory
• Rhonda Nass, CPSA God's Will, Finding Your Niche in Him

Wyoming

• Eileen Nistler, CPSA,CPX Aunt Clara's Collection 3

Links:

• CPSA Facebook Page
• 2014: Scott Krohn wins CPSA's 22nd International Exhibition
• 2013: Review: CPSA 21st International Exhibition 2013 in California
• 2012: CPSA 20th International Exhibition 2012 - Selected artists
• 2010: CPSA 18th Annual Exhibition: selected artists and work
• 2009: 17th Annual CPSA International Exhibition 2009 - successful entries
•  2007: CPSA award winners announced - does size matter?
• 2006: CPSA entries to the 2006 annual exhibition

Review: 'London's Secret Garden' Exhibition at the Chelsea Physic Garden

This week I visited the London's Secret Garden exhibition which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Florilegium Society at the Chelsea Physic Garden.

a corner of the exhibition - with the exhibition banner

This is a very long post and comprises:

• a review of the exhibition - highlighting work by specific artists
• an account of how the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society works - and how to become a member
• the key facts about the Chelsea Physic Garden - and why it's a great place to visit (between 1 April to 31 October).

'London's Secret Garden' (4th - 26th August 2015) 

The exhibition includes 75 artworks by 73 artist members past and present. Most are watercolour paintings however there is also pen and ink and the use of graphite and coloured pencils.

The exhibition opened on Tuesday and runs until Wednesday 26th August and can be viewed between 11am and 4pm. Entrance to the exhibition is free with entry to the garden.

A number of the paintings are also included in a book Botanical Illustration from Chelsea Physic Garden by Andrew Brown (Past Chairman of the Society) -  which has been produced to commemorate the 20th Anniversary. (I'll be writing a separate review of this). A similar book was produced for the tenth anniversary and now sells for enormous prices - if you can get hold of a copy!

Ribes rubrum by Sally Vincent and  Fuschia procumbens by Mayumi Hashi
The painting on the left is the one chosen for the front cover of the book

The book focuses in particular on angiosperms (plants with flowers and seeds enclosed in fruits).

Views of the exhibition

I have to emphasise that there's an awful lot I could say about this exhibition - and one of the reasons for the delay in posting has been the need to keep editing myself!

My main recommendation to all botanical artists is to go and see this exhibition.

For all those who love plants and flowers it's also very much seeing - both in terms of what you will learn about the plants and because it's an exhibition which has grown out of the garden in which you can see it.

The overall standard of artwork overall is very good and to my mind it's a better exhibition than the last one one in 2013. Some of them are really excellent and that's unsurprising given many of the artists have been painting botanical art for many years and have won medals for it!

The exhibition is hung on grey exhibition panels (like the ones used by the RHS). Below you can see some views of the exhibition and its artwork.

Watercolour paintings by Amanda Ward, Janet Callender and a drawing by John Bell
Janet's painting of the foxglove tree from China is on the back cover of the book.

I was trying to discern a pattern to the way the different plants were hung but couldn't see one. That said, the exhibition is well hung from an aesthetic perspective with some nice use of mirroring on occasion.

Using a consistent frame for most of the work also lends coherence and consistency to the display which means that one's eyes always focus on the works and are never distracted by the frame. Top spots have also been used so that works are well lit.

Those botanical artists submitting work to RHS Exhibitions might want to note that Gillian Barlow, the Chair of the Picture Committee is also Deputy Chairman of the Florilegium Society and has a painting in the show (and the book)!

Do you fancy painting in Provence?

Four years ago I certainly did! I spent an absolutely wonderful time drawing and painting Provence with friends while staying in the home of Julian Merrow-Smith (of Postcard from Provence fame)and his wife Ruth Phillips at the foot of Mont Ventoux.  Lots of really good memories.

Paintings on boards from last year's Autumn Course

Since that time Julian has started offering painting workshops - which have been very successful with students from all over the world for the last three years.

The bonus for those who have ever lugged kit around to previous painting holidays is that Julian provides everything you need - all the tripods, pochade boxes, plein air boards and painting materials - so no need to worry about weight or how to get them there!  I don't think I've ever known another tutor do this but to me it sounds like an absolute godsend!

You can see:

• the painters from previous courses enjoying themselves on the course blog
• the paintings they produced

I've just heard from Ruth that they've got some spaces left on their October course which runs 10th - 17th October - when the Autumn colours should be well underway! Also, due to what I understand is now a favourable exchange rate, they are now able to offer places (in a shared room) at £1550 (instead of £1775) or 2185€ (instead of €2585) i.e. for those paying in £ or €

The accommodation is included in the covered by the fee for the course and is provided by Philip and Jude Reddaway (a couple who normally host wine tours) at La Madelene in Malaucéne (click to see location) - a restored priory surrounded by cherry orchards and vineyards. There's great information about the accommodation where the students stay on the Madelene website - see information about the house and the rooms. I always like to see the sort of room I'll be sleeping in!

Also very tempting is a house which Julian and Ruth are renting out, via AirBnB, to groups of painters on a self catering basis, with the option of hiring the kit and tuition with Julian.  This is in a hamlet near Bedoin - near to where Ruth and Julian are based - and I can certainly testify to what a great place the area is to draw and paint.  Plus how very peaceful it is - it's a great place to go to recharge the batteries!

I've been thinking I need to go back.........

If you're interested in painting plein air in Provence:

• please contact Ruth via their Painting Workshops In Provence page
• this is the booking form which details what's included.

My sketch of the vineyards and Mont Ventoux
(see Four Go Painting in Provence for more about our stay in this part of Provence)

Call for Entries Checklist 2016 - Federation of British Artists' Exhibitions at the Mall Galleries

Below you can find the Key Dates for the Call for Entries for Art Societies belonging to the Federation of British Artists - who will be holding their Annual Open Exhibitions in 2016 at the Mall Galleries

Art Society	Submit Online - DEADLINE	Receiving Day in 2016	Exhibition Dates in 2016
Pastel Society	6 November 2015	9 January	23 February - 5 March
Royal Society of British Artists	11 December 2015	23 January	17 March - 2 April
Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours	8 January 2016	13 February	6 - 16 April
Royal Society of Portrait Painters	29 January 2016	27 February	5 - 20 May
New English Art Club	4 March 2016	9 April	16 - 25 June
Royal Society of Marine Artists	24 June 2016	30 July	28 September - 8 October
Society of Wildlife Artists	5 August 2016	10 September	26 October - 6 November
Royal Institute of Oil Painters	26 August 2016	1 October	1 - 11 December

Note: The above do NOT relate to the remaining annual exhibitions due to be held in 2015 (ie re. RSMA, SWLA and ROI)

Receiving Day at the Mall Galleries - Carlton House Terrace entrance

The above table is an abbreviation of the 2016 Call For Entries Checklist published by the Mall Galleries on behalf of the FBA.  You can print either off and hang it on your studio wall!

The proper Checklist also includes dates for the following:

• Online Submissions open
• Login for Results of Online Assessment
• Check for Results of Panel Assessment
• Unaccepted Collection of artwork
• Unsold Collection of artwork

You can find more information for artists on the Mall Galleries website in relation to:

• Open Exhibitions
• Call for Entries - Terms and Conditions
• Emerging Artist Opportunities - bursaries and/or prizes etc for emerging young artists
• Suggested Art Couriers - for getting your work to London

I've also embedded links to the website of the relevant art societies in their names

Time to get some art society websites updated methinks! :)

I'll be adding the dates into my online diary - will you?

"Flowering Bulbs and Tubers" - Exhibition by the Dutch Society of Botanical Artists

It's always really interesting to see the different approaches - in terms of style and media- used by the botanical artists of another country.  The "Flowering Bulbs and Tubers" exhibition by the Dutch Society of Botanical Artists can be seen in Galleries 2, 3 and 4 at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Kew Gardens. It provides an excellent opportunity to view how the Dutch do it - and they do it very well!  The work on display is excellent and the standard of presentation was also very good.

Lots of reds, pinks and purples in this exhibition

If you visit you can also see two other exhibitions before all three close on the 9th August. (Apologies for the late reviews!)

• Review: Kew's Heritage Trees - paintings by Masumi Yamanaka
• The Joy of Spring - an exhibition of works in the Shirley Sherwood Collection

Artwork for Sale

This exhibition has paintings for sale.

I'm not too sure how many artists have realised that the Shirley Sherwood Gallery puts on exhibitions of paintings for sale. The first one I went to was the 'Black and White in Colour' - an exhibition of art for sale by two botanical artists Sue Wickison and Sue J Williams - which I reviewed in 'Black and White in Colour' at Kew Gardens - a review.

I must do a blog post at some point outlining the process for getting accepted for an exhibition and how the process works!

General Observations

The focus of the exhibition is flowering bulbs and tubers - a somewhat predictable choice for the Netherlands. I noted the following as I viewed the exhibition.

• there were a lot of drawings and paintings which involved roots - and it's clear that some artists consider this as much a design challenge as anything else.
• I was particularly struck by how much pink and purple - of every hue and tonal range - could be seen in  the exhibition. I wasn't too clear whether this was due to personal choices or reflects the colours which tend to be chosen for cultivation.

Below you will find images and comments - plus the names of the artists whose artwork I liked and links to their websites.

At the end is a note about the Society.

I liked the 'almost' uniformity of the framing used for the exhibition.

It really helped to give it a sense of a coherent identity.
On the right is Fritillaria persica in coloured pencil by Sigrid Frensen

•  I first met botanical illustrator Esmée Winkel at the RHS Botanical Art Show in 2013 - where she won a Gold Medal and I interviewed her (read my interview with her) . It was great to see her work again and, in particular, I loved the sense of the imperfections of the plant in her watercolour painting of 'Belamcanda chinensis'
• In the photo at the top you can see Tulipa 'Zomerschoon' by Anita Walsmit Sachs (b. 1948). It demonstrates very fine gradations of colour in the leaves and shows all stages of growth of the tulip in five blooms. Anita has worked at the Nationaal Herbarium of the University of Leiden as chief of the art department since 1998. Her pen and ink drawings have been published in numerous scientific publications and she has received an RHS gold medal.  She was also the perdon who led the formation of the Society.

There's some considerable interest in pencil artwork on the Netherlands

• Sigrid Frensen (b1972) has a coloured pencil drawing of Fritillaria Persica which demonstrated very fine pencil work and sinewy growth from bloom to bud. This is Sigrid's blog post about it called 'I love big bulbs and can not lie' where you can see a bigger version of the drawing. 
• Ineke Smeets's contribution was two coloured pencil drawings of allium which were extremely well done. They had a very spare and elegant design - you can see one in her website portfolio.
• Nicolien Bottema-Mac Gillavry (b1941) I can't quite make sense of my notes and wonder if the autocorrect in Evernote has been misbehaving again (it's not very tuned to Latin!) Anyway I've got a note of a work which I have down as "Chrysalis cava". My notes also say it's an attractive botanical illustration in watercolour minus the size indicators on dissections.
• There were also some some great graphite drawings by Els Hazenberg-Meertens (b1942) - see below

Left and Centre - graphite drawings by Els Hazenberg
'Chasms (?) the floribunda' and 'Hippeastrum hybrid'

Note: the Vereniging van Botanisch Kunstenaars Nederland is the Dutch name for the Dutch Society of Botanical Artists. It was founded in 2006 and celebrates its 10th anniversary next year. The Society was formed from a small group of enthusiastic professional and non-professional artists from across the Netherlands with a keen interest in botanical drawing - 44 in total. Most had attended Anita Walsmit Sach's courses at the Botanical Garden at Leiden. Since then they have progressed and developed, and many initiatives have been undertaken to achieve their aims: 

• To provide information about botanical art and to bring it to the attention of as wide a public as possible
• To bring together botanical artists, illustrators and anyone interested in botanical art.
• To improve the quality of botanical art in the Netherlands

The group now numbers 170, Members have the opportunity to attend courses by  reputable botanical art tutors from other countries - notably the UK. Past visiting tutors have included Valery Oxley (2009), Anne Marie Evans (2010 & 2012), Elaine Searle (2011), Jenny Phillips (2013 Australia), and Helen Allen (2014).