Artists of the South West Academy bring together a new body of work focusing on paintings, photographs and prints in an inspiring new exhibition at THG (Thelma Hulbert Gallery).
The Academicians are well known across the region and beyond and include many established names such as Professor Alan Cotton, FRSA who is represented by Messum’s Gallery, London and Peter Randall-Page, RA, whose sculptures feature in permanent National collections including Tate Britain.
The South West Academy is a registered charity dedicated to advancing the creation and appreciation of art in the South West region.
Its core membership, the academicians are outstanding practitioners of fine and applied arts with varied practices, backgrounds and styles. Their mission is to celebrate, support and contribute to the best of the visual arts in the South West and to build links between artists, the public, exhibition venues and galleries.
“We are delighted to be hosting the South West Academy’s first exhibition at THG,” Angela Blackwell, THG curator/manager, told the Devon Week.
“One of THG’s founding aims is to support South West-based artists and this is a great opportunity to showcase both established and emerging artists from across the region. We are particularly pleased to welcome back Peter Randall-Page after his acclaimed solo exhibition at THG in 2014.”
Chair of the Trustees of the Academy, Phil Creek said: “We feel that this past year has been an invigorating one for the South West Academy.
“There have been two exhibitions at Exeter Castle and the Summer Exhibition at The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, followed by the Annual Open in September.
“The Academicians are honoured that THG has agreed to host our first show in 2016. The Academy has a new-found vitality which continues with this new exhibition at the THG.”
Alan Cotton, whose work ‘Connemara – Golden Light over the Twelve Pins’ features in the exhibition, described his inspiration: “I love working along the West Coast of Ireland. You get this wonderful citric light streaking across the landscape, creating fantastic areas of light and shade.
“My drawings and watercolours of Donegal, Connemara and the Dingle Peninsula are usually done very quickly, capturing a fleeting moment of light. Then it’s gone and the rain comes. Many of my Irish drawing books are spattered with raindrops.
“Along the West Coast of Ireland there is always a great urgency to capture the images because of the changing patterns of light and shade. It is this urgency, the chasing after the light that gives an energy and vitality to the paintings.”
The youngest Academician is emerging artist, Greg Ramsden, whose career was launched on the back of a prize from South West Academy.
“I am indebted to the Academy for helping me to set up as an artist,” said Greg. “I used the prize money from the inaugural Lionel Aggett Memorial Prize to open my first studio and gallery. Unlike many established Academicians my painting is more experimental as my work changes and progresses – I am pushing the boundaries all the time.”
All of the work in the exhibition and the South West Academy’s new hardback publication ‘Art, People and Place’ will be available to purchase throughout the exhibition.
South West Academy Exhibition at THG (9 January – 13 February 2016): an exhibition of work by members of the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts
Free admission, donations welcome. All donations support the THG learning programme.
(from a press release)
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