August Art Bulletin
As I sit here on the rainiest day I can remember in a long time, it’s hard to recall it’s actually been an alright summer, and I’ve managed to spend a fair amount of it outside, which has been great. The highlight was certainly the recording of Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year, but much more besides.
Last weekend I joined 400 other artists from all over the UK in Kensington, to take part in a fabulous artistic event called Pintar Rapido (literally fast painting in Spanish). The idea is that artists create a work in a day on the Saturday, which is then hung in Chelsea Old Town Hall in an exhibition on the Sunday. There are plenty of prizes, and overall it was a fantastic, friendly atmosphere. I chose to go up to Hyde Park and paint the Serpentine Pavilion. This is a temporary structure the Serpentine Gallery commissions every year, and sits outside the gallery over the Summer. This year it’s a striking blue and orange work by African architect Francis Kere, based around the idea of an African Village Meeting tree. It was great fun to make this, and despite a bit of rain in the afternoon, I got it finished and am quite pleased with it.
Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year
I was very pleased and proud to be selected for the Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year competition. This is the Sky Arts flagship show, along with the Portrait Artist of the Year. For those of you who don’t watch, the show also requires you to make a picture in a day, which is then judged by the panel. I only heard I’d been chosen about a month before filming, so I had to work very hard, to alter my technique and practise completing a work in just 4 hours, a real challenge with my method. My venue was Teesside, so I also made a couple of reconnaissance trips. We were sworn to secrecy before the filming, but some of the work I’ve been sharing in the newsletter was in preparation for the show. The day itself was exhausting but a great deal of fun. It’s very much a feel-good show, and that came through in the organisation too. They really looked after me (I even had somebody to bring me cups of tea!). The program should air in the Autumn. I’ll let you know the date, although we don’t see the program before, so I’m slightly worried about how I’ll appear!
Practising for Landscape Artist in Teesside, painting from the boot of my car!
National Open Art Competition
I’m pleased to say that one of the pieces I did on a reconnaissance trip has been pre-selected for the National Open Art Competition. This is one of the largest Art competitions in the UK, with some big prizes and a very high profile. There is a “World vote” for the pre-selected paintings, the winner of which gets automatic entry into the final. So if you have a moment, please do click through here and vote for my entry! Many thanks.
Dave
Art Calendar
Exhibitions
Herts Open Studios 2017, 23rd – 24th September, Digswell Arts Trust, The Forge, Digswell AL6 0BU
I will be taking part in Herts Open Studios again this year, but this time from my Studio, along with 5 of the other artists there. Do watch out for the brochures which are out now, at venues across Hertfordshire. The whole event runs for the month of September.
Colour and Form, The London Painters and Sculptors Group, 2nd – 8th October Strand Gallery John Adam Street (just off the Strand), London WC2N 6BP.
I will be exhibiting with the LPSG for a week in October. Should be a great show with some super artists in a lovely Central London space. More info next month, but the Private View will be on Tuesday 3rd October.