Derrick Turner Competition Winners

The overall winner of the Society’s annual Derrick Turner Competition is Pat Webb (pictured above left), whose oil painting  Road from Rhoyader to Cwmystwyth, was chosen by our judge, Jenny Keal (above right) for its brilliant execution, ‘especially the sheep’.  Congratulations Pat!

Pat’s painting (above) was also the winner of the part of the competition on the theme of Heritage, judged by artist Jenny Keal on 21 February.  Pat will receive a prize of £100, plus the additional prize of £50 awarded to the overall winner of the competition.

The winner of the second part of the competition on the theme of Spring, judged by Jenny on 6 March, was Val Smith (above left), for her stunning work in acrylic ink.  Congratulations also to Val, who wins a £100 prize.

Entries shortlisted by Jenny (in no particular order) were as follows:

Heritage theme:

Sylvia Middleton, Pontypridd, (below) which Jenny found ‘technically amazing’

Asha Bassi, Festival of Holi (below) – Jenny said: ‘because it makes me feel cheerful!’

Spring theme:

Judith Kelly, Persephone’s Return, (below) mixed media drawing

Brian J Jones, Woodland Stream in Spring (below)

Well done to both winners and the runners-up!

Photos: Elizabeth Leonard

Demonstration – Flowers in Watercolour, Fiona Peart

Thanks to Fiona Peart (above) for a fascinating demo of painting flowers in watercolour on Tuesday 7 February.  Fiona encouraged us all to start by practising different brushstrokes and effects – in effect, ‘warming up – like a musician playing scales’ before moving on to use these techniques in a complete work of art.  She even showed us how to create ‘cauliflowers’ to good effect!

Our recent demonstrators have also included Brian Steventon (below), who showed us how to create landscapes in acrylics on 24 January.  Our thanks also to Brian!

Photos: Elizabeth Leonard

New History Display to celebrate SWAS 125th Anniversary Year

To celebrate its 125th Anniversary Year in 2012, the SWAS has compiled a new history display mapping the development of the Society and the importance of art in South Wales spanning the years 1887-2012.  The display is being shown alongside the Society’s 125th Anniversary Exhibition at The Cardiff Story, Old Library Building, The Hayes, Cardiff, from 28 February to 20 April 2012.  It will feature an illustrated talk recorded by the Society’s current Vice Chair and Archivist, Dr Robert Llewellyn Davies, MBE, which traces the full history of the Society from its creation in the wake of the industrial revolution in Cardiff, describing the many people who have contributed to its development throughout its first century and beyond.  To see copies of the banners included in the display, go to the Our History webpage.
In 2012, the Society still strives to achieve its original aims to encourage and advance art in South Wales, our membership remains strong and exhibitions continue to be held annually.  To apply to join the Society, visit our Membership webpage and download the application form.

Demo by Jon Davies, 10 January 2012

Our first meeting in 2012 was a demonstration of drawing in charcoal and pastel by artist Jon Davies.  Jon gave us quite a few tips for improving our portraits, including reminders of the importance of losing edges, blending skin and hair together and softening the transition between the colour of the lips and the face.   He also gave us some advice on drawing landscapes too – so something for everyone and a very enjoyable evening!  Thanks Jon!

Photos: Elizabeth Leonard

125th Anniversary Exhibition Prizewinners

Following the judging of entries at Lisvane Memorial Hall on 26 November, Val Smith’s painting, Cardiff Castle Encounter (above), is the winner of the Best Overall Entry.  Well done, Val!

Winners in the other categories are as follows:
The Portrait Plate & Prize: Peter Boshier-Jones for Bill’s Burner
Norman & Morag Robinson Marine Trophy: A G Douglas-Jones for Cardiff Bay
The Beryl Saunders Memorial Plate for best still life: George De Manuel for Roath Park Rose
The Landscape Prize: David Kirkham, Untitled One
The Abstract Prize: David Kirkham for Colours of  Tiger Bay
The Figurative Prize: Valerie Smith for Cardiff Castle Encounter
The Rosemary Bramley Cup for best drawing or line & wash: David Kirkham for Untitled Two

Photographs of all the winning entries are now in the online Gallery. To see them now, click here and then click on the tab ’125th Anniversary Exhibition’.

Congratulations to all our winners and runners-up and also to everyone whose work was accepted for the forthcoming exhibition.  Over 100 stunning works will be on show at the Cardiff Story Museum in The Hayes from 29 February to 20 April 2012.

 Photo: Jan Robinson

Soraya French Workshop – Dynamic Acrylics, November 2011

 Photo above: Elizabeth Leonard

The Soraya French Workshop organised by David Kirkham was fully attended by SWAS members and members of other art groups following her brilliant and flamboyant demo the previous evening.  Soraya did two more great demos during the Workshop, gave individual tuition, and most participants completed two artworks – a busy and enjoyable day.  This particular workshop could have been filled twice over; don’t miss the next one!

 

Photos: Jan Llewellyn

Critic’s Choice Winner – November 2011

Congratulations to June Reed (above right), the overall winner of the Critic’s Choice award at our meeting on 1 November for her painting titled Island View (inspired by Steepholme).  The prize was awarded by artist Sarah Richards, who commended the works included in her shortlist for the award for their ‘delicacy, agility and sensitivity’.  

Sarah gave one of the most highly-regarded crits to date, encouraging areas of art well-observed and rendered, while expertly identifying further possibilities the artist might wish to explore in their next work. She obviously likes oil as a medium and encouraged watercolourists in particular to have a go at expressing their work using this medium in order to exploit pure colour.

Sarah encouraged us all to push our artworks towards the next level, by going further, being braver, letting the medium speak for itself and using the language of colour.  In particular, she advised many of those who had taken small paintings to the crit night to ‘go bigger’!

Photo: Eli Absi

Autumn Reflections in Oils – Demonstration by Sue Gilmore-Powell, 4 October 2011

Thanks to Sue Gilmore-Powell for an instructive and enjoyable demonstration on 4 October.  Sue has been teaching for over 30 years and shared her inspirational artistic experience with us during her demonstration of an Autumn scene, using bold colours and brush strokes.

Sue encouraged us to experiment with new colours and remember that there are no shadows on water!

Photo: Eli Absi

Drawing Stories – Talk by Mike Collins, 18 October 2011

Mike Collins, comic book artist and writer (pictured above), gave us a fascinating insight into the world of illustrating stories as well as numerous tips on how to make drawings more dynamic, including changing our ‘camera angle’, avoiding ‘passive lines’ and tilting the horizon.  In a thoroughly entertaining and interesting presentation, he demonstrated drawing characters from superheros to Dr Who to the ghosts of Christmas in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.   How does he do it?  Observation and practice seem to be the key – Mike says he draws all the time at work and draws even more when he goes on holiday!

Photo:  Elizabeth Leonard

Critic’s Choice Winner, September 2011

Congratulations to Sylvia Donovan who was awarded winner of the critique evening on 20 September by Arnold Lowrey.  Arnold gave a truly informative critique and while doing so, encouraged us to think about our centre of interest with stronger colour (by using reds), together with shape and tone.

Above: Sylvia Donovan receiving her award from Arnold Lowrey for her painting titled Reclining Figure, oil pastel.  Photo: Elizabeth Leonard