Remembering Exhibitions

23 May until 19 June 2013

Don't miss this lovely little exhibition of work from the RWA Permanent Collection that has just opened in the Cube Gallery (downstairs at the RWA). There are some gems to be seen.

An exhibition marks a moment. It can define a movement, highlight an artist or characterise an institution.

The RWA boasts a rich and fascinating history of past exhibitors and exhibitions dating back to its inaugural group show in 1845. Since then it has shown Canaletto, Rembrandt and Velasquez in a celebration of old masters, as well as bringing Gauguin, Bonnard and Rodin to the provinces in a seminal RWA exhibition on French Modern Art, 1930.

The RWA has been working with students on the University of Bristol’s MA course in Art History to curate this exhibition that explores our ‘collective exhibition history’. 

The exhibition looks at art and its documentation, retracing the past and exploring the concept of absence and memory, and focuses on works from the permanent collection to bring the Academy’s exhibition history to life, using archival objects including catalogues, photos and show posters to address not just what we remember, but how we remember.

Make sure you see the 1970's catalogue with a picture of a debonaire Peter Coate and Ann and Gerry Hicks on a hillside. 

Why Draw? - Saturday 18 May

Why Draw? 

Saturday 18 May 2pm

Admission price: £3 (FREE to Academicians & RWA Artist Network)

To book call 0117 973 5129

 RWA panel discussion examining the role and relevance of drawing, providing a space for critical debate and creative conversation. 

The panel includes practitioners from across the field of arts and design, and will explore the question of ‘why we draw’ and ‘how we draw’, considering its relationship to other mediums and art forms.

The panel will be chaired by RWA President Janette Kerr, with panel members Meryl Ainslie, Director of Rabley Drawing Centre; Anouk Mercier, fine artist, tutor and co-founder of Bristol Drawing Club; Drawn invited artist, Reece Jones; and artist-in-residence, Debbie Locke.

Dr Janette Kerr, RWA President:

Janette Kerr makes mixed media drawings that are landscape-based, and more recently has been incorporating meteorological data    .

Meryl Ainslie, Director of Rabley Drawing Centre:

Meryl Ainslie’s drawing is multi-disciplinary, combining etching, drawing, collage and embossing in silver.

Anouk Mercier, fine artist and RWA Artist Network member:

Anouk Mercier merges detailed graphite drawing with more unpredictable airbrush and acteone transfer techniques.

Reece Jones, 'Drawn' invited artist:

Reece Jones’ makes large scale charcoal drawings that build upon complex invented landscapes and locations, and involve erasure and redrawing.

Debbie Locke, Artist-in-residence and RWA Artist Network member:

Debbie Locke creates drawn environments and kinetic drawing installations that explore the disparity between logical and irrational behaviour, by simultaneously imposing and relinquishing control.

This debate forms part of our continuing programme of drawing events, running alongside our current exhibition: 

DRAWN 2013  

23 March- 2nd June

Monday - Saturday 9.30-5pm 

Sundays 11 - 5pm 

Last admission half an hour before closing

Drawn aims to raise the profile of drawing, presenting it as both an autonomous discipline and an interdisciplinary tool. From artists who either draw, or explore the concept of drawing in their work, the show features work from illustrators, videographers, sculptors, printers, embroiderers, typographers, animators and architects.

Exhibiting in Bergen

Currently in Bergen and have just set up my show at the coastal museum  -  Kystmuseet i Oygarden. It opens tomorrow and will be on for about 2 months.

Maybe some of you will be able to visit.... Am showing some new drawings taken from some old 1930's photographs I discovered lurking in a shoe-box in the Bergen Marine Research Institute while I was here last June. They show fishermen working together off the Norwegian coast in seas full of fish, with a backdrop of snow and ice on the far hills. Also on show are meteorologically-inspired works, and prints of my larger paintings and drawings that I couldn't fit on the plane! 

by: Kystmuseet i Øygarden

Kystmuseet i Oygarden is in a fantastic location, about 32 kilometres outside of Bergen, along a narrow strip of land with the sea on either side. The drive there is over bridges connecting one bit of land to the next, and through narrow passes with rocks towering on either side. Based at an old steamboat wharf in Ovågen, the museum has large floor to ceiling windows facing the sea so that you can really feel the weather coming in. It's a museum about the sea and the people who lived in the area, whose lives were inextricably linked to the sea, so I think it is apt to show my work about the sea here.

Drawn show and artists working

I will be at the RWA in the Drawing studio on Tuesday April 9th, and will be working on a large drawing... if you want to come and chat please come along. 

Work in progress, charcoal and graphite on Mylor

Drawn Private View

RWA President Janette Kerr and Director Tristan Hawkins

RWA Academicians Paul Gough and Iain Biggs

RWA Artist network member and Drawn Artist-in-residence Karen Wallis
and RWA Academician Iain Biggs

Prize winner Gill Carter - the RWA Teresa Knowles Travel Award

Prize winner Helen Jones - Artist Residency Award

Prize winner Julie Heaton - the Bristol Drawing School Scholarship

RWA Academician Peter Ford

Images above taken by Steve Poole


Images below taken by Gemma Brace:

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Drawn Exhibition - Invitation to Private View

RWA Art Crit Group

Art Crit Group

I urge Academicians to come to these sessions. They are a good way of making links between Academicians and Artist Network Members. As artists we are all engaged and committed to their practice, and this group encourages discussion of artistic practice.

Below I have published information about the first meeting of the year, and hope to see some of you there.

Just a reminder to everyone else that the first Peer Critique Group of 2013 will be meeting at 2pm, Saturday, 9th February in the Fedden room at the RWA.

Following on from the success of the Pecha Kucha in December, we would like to try a variation where, instead of a short slide show, people bring in an actual piece of work in progress and talk about it for no more than 10 minutes.  If your work is too big to carry, you can bring sketches and / or samples of materials being used. 

There is no obligation to take part but we hope as many Academicians and Network members as possible will come along to see other people's work.  The Peer Critique group is for everyone at the RWA to meet and support each other's practice.

The session will also be an opportunity to discuss views on future meetings so, even if you are not bringing work, please bring your ideas and opinions.  Here are a some questions to start with:

•             Shall we hold all meetings on Saturday afternoons?  Is this convenient for

              everyone?

•             What would encourage more people to come?

•             What puts you off the idea of taking part?

•             Is distance an issue?  Can we organise travel share through the Hub?

•             Do we need to take notes?  Could we just have a brief response from the artist 

              presenting?

•             What other formats are there for sessions?

•             Shall we invite outside speakers?

•             Shall we organise visits to interesting places?

•             Shall we have 'hands on' sessions - such as an 'art walk' or a workshop to share

              skills?

•             Are refreshments a good idea? The café is open on Saturday afternoons and 

              perhaps the 'host' artist could provide biscuits or cake.