Painting Class at House For An Art Lover

A From January to the end of March I took part in an advanced painting class at the House For An Art Lover. The course ran for 12 weeks and was named 'Advanced painting and drawing'. I was actually quite nervous about it all as I hadn't painted since my school days! But after a while everything came back to me and I was handling the paint brush quite well...

 There are three examples of my works in oil. I think they are OK! I got one frames up and it looks fantastic on my wall ...

Anyway I have signed up for the next course which starts April 24th, I am going to move away from landscapes and try to master still life's! You never know I could be the next S J Peploe! Ha watch this space!

Check out the courses available by tutor Robert Wilson at

Www.houseforanartlover.co.uk

Scottish Paintings and Sculpture Sale 22nd May 2014

 

Sale No. 409 Scottish Paintings and Sculpture This is our newest sale for Lyon and Turnbull and it incorporates amazing Scottish Artist from Allan Ramsay right the way forward to Alberto Morocco. Lot 8 ALLAN RAMSAY (SCOTTISH 1713-1784) HALF LENGTH PORTRAIT OF LORD JOHN MURRAY (1711-1787) 76cm x 63cm (30in x 25in) Estimate: £20000  - 30000           Lot 18 ROBERT GEMMELL HUTCHISON R.B.A., R.O.I., R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1860-1936) TENDING THE STOVE Signed, oil on board 23cm x 13cm (9in x 5in) Estimate £3,000-5,000   I have to say my favourite in the sale is...     Lot 33 BESSIE MACNICOL (SCOTTISH 1869-1904) IN THE PARK 16.5cm x 11.5cm (6.5in x 4.5in) Estimate: £3000  - 5000   A great example of her typical bonneted ladies. This one in particular is very important as it is illustrated in the Bessie MacNicol book.   Anyway I am rushing to get this post done, check out the rest of the sale at   http://www.lyonandturnbull.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=2&ps=25

British and European Paintings - Sale no 406

On Wednesday 30th April Lyon and Turnbull hold their 'British and European Paintings Sale' It is a fantastic auction with gorgous paintings on sale - from a large private collection of Sir William Russell Flints, James McIntosh Patricks, Stanley Cursiter and even an unsual Stuart Park.

Check out the full catalogue link at the bottom of this page ...

Famous for his watercolour Sir William Russell flint has had very popular phases and created some beautiful pictures. We have the pleasure of including a private collection for sale within this sale.

Lot 30

§SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL FLINT P.R.A., P.R.W.S., R.S.W., R.O.I., R.E. (SCOTTISH 1880-1969) 

SISTERS AT DINARD 

24cm x 33cm (9.5in x 13in)

Estimate: £6000  - 8000

James McIntosh Patrick is a well known artist Scottish artist, particularly well known for his depictions of the Angus and Dundee countryside. This is a typical example of his work of a countryside village.

Lot 68 

§ JAMES MCINTOSH PATRICK R.S.A., R.O.I., A.R.E., L.L.D. (SCOTTISH 1907-1998) 

GLAMIS 

Signed and dated '46, watercolour 

41cm x 56cm (16in x 22in) 

Estimate £3,000-5,000

Lot 52 
§ STANLEY CURSITER C.B.E., R.S.A., R.S.W. (SCOTTISH 1887-1976)
ON A COUNTRY ROAD 
Signed and dated 1914, watercolour 
53cm x 73.5cm (21in x 29in) 
Estimate £2,000-3,000

James Stuart Park was part of the larger circle of 'Glasgow Boys' this was an early example of his watercolour works. Into the later stages of his career he worked with flowers only - namely roses and anemones. There are many many examples of these some are much better than others.

Lot 67 

STUART PARK (SCOTTISH 1862-1933) 

KITTEN WITH A BALL OF WOOL 

Signed with a monogram and dated 1887, watercolour 

31cm x 46cm (12in x 18in) 

Estimate £1,000-1,500

http://www.lyonandturnbull.com/asp/searchresults.asp#a_178389

J D Fergusson Seminar, 20th March 2014. National Galleries of Scotland

Last Thursday I went through to Edinburgh for a seminar on one of the most successful and well known Scottish Artists. He was one of four artists from Scotland known together as the 'Scottish Colourists'. J D Fergusson was born in Leith in 1874, travelled all over the UK and France to eventually setting in Glasgow in 1939.

Fergusson painted landscapes and various other subjects but latterly he turned to his stylised female form for which he is best known. (Previously shown in an earlier blog entry). The seminar was more about his life and work as an artist, his relationship with Anne Estelle Rice and then Margaret Morris. His connections with other noted members of the art world of the time - most notably the 'Toshies' Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret MacDonald Mackintosh.

The day was held in he Hawthornden Lecture Theatre and was hosted by curator Alice Strang. She has been the mastermind behind the 'Colourist Series' that has so far looked at S J Peploe, F C B Caddell and now J D Fergusson. Speakers were invited to talk around the subject of Fergussons art, his life, career, social circles and how he was influenced by the people around him.

Jonathan Blackwood an indépendant art historian and curator gave a lecture on 'Fergusson as a Sculptor-Painter'. He went onto explain that not only was Fergusson painting such fascinating pictures but he was creating art in the third dimension. His sculptures were not only well crafted but very stylised in design and form. He showed his three dimensional works within his two dimensional flat works which was unheard of.Blackwood went to to say that Fergusson was always trying to convey movement through the female form using foliage and colour his funicular modernism techniques were ahead of their time.

Alice Strang then gave a lecture on his group of Portsmouth landscapes. These are a set of landscapes done during the war years where Fergusson managed to get himself positioned as a war time artist (unofficial) so as not to conscript and have to fight. These were completely new ground for Fergusson and let him draw and paint huge machinery in a completely different setting to the streets in Paris or his indoor studio!

It has been said that Portsmouth docks saved Fergusson from active service and if any of the readers knew him they wouldn't be surprised. He was incredibly vain, perfectly turned out and always loved getting attention and posing for photographs. In some ways he was very selfish not to go to war but he put it down to his political views 'sitting on the fence'

Charlotte De Mille from the Courtauld Institute of Art gave a lecture on 'Fergusson's Bergson' which was lengthly and strayed slightly into academia and philosophy. Followed by Richard Emerson formerly of the National Trust for Scotland gave a great account of Fergusson and Meg's relationship with the Mackintosh's and the rest of the art world in Chelsea at the time.

The seminar was a fantastic and interesting day and I would urge anyone who hasn't been to Modern Two to see the Colourist Series:J D Fergusson exhibition to go!

Sale No 403 - Contemporary & Post-War Art

Callum Innes, Untitled 2009

 

 

Lyon and Turnbull's 'Contemporary & Post-War Art' sale tomorrow looks to be a very exciting day at the Edinburgh sale room. Kick off is at 11am and there is a wide range of pieces on offer. As ever there are pieces by a few of my favourites; Norman Edgar, John Cunningham, George Devlin, Alexander Goudie to name but a few. Silk screen prints of Marilyn Munro and an untitled piece by Callum Innes really bring the sale to life.

 

There are a few Bellany's to choose from - however I think that the example below stands out at £2,000 - 3,000.

 

John Bellany, Ship In Harbour

 

My favourite and star of the sale are these pair by Sarah Morris. Estimated at £700-900 anyone can have a bash at bidding and the saleroom will no doubt get very exciting! These silkscreen prints are exactly what younger generations want to decorate their interiors. The presence they command in a room by taking up just enough wall space lets us express ourselves without having to take things too far, feel too 'arty', 'edgy' or 'alternative'.

 

Sarah Morris, Freemount Street Experience 2000

 

 

Check the sale out below and see what you like. Buying at auction is a lot cheaper than paying retail in a gallery so you never know what you may be able to afford!

 

http://www.lyonandturnbull.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=403

Battersea Affordable Art Fair

The Art Fair - Way back when, in 1996, Will Ramsay opened Will’s Art Warehouse in southwest London to bridge the increasing interest in contemporary art and the London gallery scene. By concentrating on relatively unknown artists not carrying a premium for reputation, the gallery was able to offer works from £50 – £2,500 from a stable of over 150 artists. The response Will received to his Art Warehouse inspired him to take his approach to the next level, and 3 years later the Affordable Art Fair was born. Embracing other friendly galleries selling affordable art, the first fair launched in Battersea Park in October 1999. 10,000 visitors took advantage of the ease of buying, breadth of choice, affordable prices and user-friendly approach.

 

 

I was in London over the weekend for various art events, on Saturday morning I visited the Battersea Affordable Art Fair for the first time! It was very reminiscent of when I used to help out at the Scottish fairs when I was younger, sadly the Glasgow Art Fair is no longer. Rows and rows of white cubicles crammed with sculpture, paintings and works of art. Hundreds of gallery assistants and sales people jumping out from behind their computer screen if you showed any sign of interest.

 

 

 

 

I saw artists like Mhairi McGregor that I am used to seeing, Billy Childish and many more. It is really worth a visit and would highly recommend it. The variety of works on show would cater to anyone's needs and tastes. Prices ranged from £50 to £5,000 so it was hardly Bond Street prices!

 

 

http://affordableartfair.com/battersea/

 

J D Fergusson (1874-1961)

As part of their Scottish Colourist series The National Galleries of Modern Art, Edinburgh, have a J D Fergusson exhibition running until June 15th. As the artist spent a great deal of his later life in Glasgow (Clouston Street) I felt it appropriate to appreciate his work. I put together a little exhibition in Lyon and Turnbull's Glasgow office and Gallery on Bath Street. I borrowed fifteen works from private lenders and created a wonderful show for the month of February. I had examples of landscapes, female portraiture, conte drawings, sculpture and watercolour.

Here is a press cutting from the exhibition. It is myself pictured with 'Eastre, Hymm to the sun' (1924). This is probably one of J D Fergussons most iconic works. It's made of polished brass and was modelled in 1924. The actual casting didn't take place for a few years due to expense but since the original it has been recast in 1972 and 1991 and was used as a catalyst for fundraising for the Fergusson Gallery in Perth. 

One of the stars of the show was the small 6"x9" 'Pont Des Arts, 1910' Paris scene. These little J D Fergusson works are often much more desired than his later stylised female forms. These were painted early on in his career when he was living quite a bohemian lifestyle in the Paris cafe scene. He would sketch at the lunch table and then take a board outside and produce wonderful oil paintings 'en plein air'

Laterally J D Fergusson was best known for his stylised depiction of ladies, generally their head and shoulders, illustrated below in 'Blonde in the South'. His inspiration was  taken from his long periods of time spent in the South of France, predominantly Antibes. The face of the girl is quite simple and very flat on the canvas, her eyes have little definition but overall the image is very effective. As you move further down the female form she blends into the foliage around her and one is not too sure whether she is wearing a dress? 

I very much enjoyed curating this little exhibition and I hope the 250 that viewed it did too! I'm already working towards my next exhibition which will be 'Mackintosh and The Glasgow School'. If you haven't already been through to the Edinburgh J D Fergusson show it is well worth a trip!

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibitions/the-scottish-colourists-series-jd-fergusson

My painting and drawing class...

My friend Samantha and I have been taking some art classes. She has a degree in Art and Design, I haven't painted since high school! The first couple of weeks were hard getting back into it and trying to remember techniques and touches that I used to do no problem with acrylic paints! On the fifth Thursday I changed to oils... It was much more satisfying! Two hour sessions for two weeks let me produce this (unfinished) piece of work which I am actually quite proud of!

Unfortunately I am in London today so I couldn't make the class, but next week I will get this bad boy finished and onto the next work! If only for a short amount of time each week it helped me to relax and express another edge to my creative nature. I am thoroughly enjoying the class now and the tutor Robert Wilson is an astonishingly talented and accomplished contemporary artist himself. The picture below is my second attempt at a seascape...I think my style evolved as the classes went on.

The class is at House For An Art Lover in Bellahouston Park. It is a modern build built to the original drawings by Glaswegian renowned architect and interior designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Check their page out below. They run classes for a 12 week block from beginner to more advanced.

http://www.houseforanartlover.co.uk