Sunday, October 13, 2013

13th October 2013 - Who's made a mark this week?

Back in August I wrote about The £5,000 Bristol Art Prize and how the Bath Art Prize had changed cities - and moved to Bristol - but stayed in the south west of England.

We now have a winner.

Beating heart of Bristol by Adrian Sykes
acrylic painting, 120cm x 160cm
copyright the artist
This year the winner is Bristol-based painter Adrian Sykes for capturing ‘the spirit of Bristol in 2013’. His painting "Beating Heart of Bristol" was judged the best of over 200 works which were created in Bristol and entered in the competition during the summer.
The painting takes in a panoramic view of the city stretching from the Victorian houses of Jamaica Street and Stokes Croft past the spire of St Pauls and city centre tower blocks to the hills in the South and South East. The style is fanciful yet it includes the people and the architectural detail that makes this part of the city come alive.
As with the Bath Prize, artists who entered were each allocated one of 34 locations in the City and required to produce at least one work inspired by what they saw there. For additional entries they could choose any location in the City.

More than half of the 114 painters contributing work to the show were based in the Bristol area with others attracted to Bristol from as far afield as Northumberland, Cornwall, London and County Clare.

You can see the paintings produced on the competition website.  For the rest of this month you can also see The Bristol Art Prize Exhibition at The Guildhall Arts Centre, Small Street, Bristol BS1 1DW. Opening times : Tuesdays and Wednesdays 2pm to 5pm; Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10am to 5pm

I think the prize is a great idea. It's a pity more cities don't do likewise.

Artists and Art Blogs

Art

RECOMMENDED READ Grayson Perry being articulate again
In Why no Nobel prize for art? It's as eloquent as literature, Jonathan Jones discusses the case for a Nobel Prize for Art. He has a point!

edward-winkelman has an open thread which aims to work out what is the next big thing in the
art world - see A few pre-caffeinated thoughts on the next big thing | Open Thread

I recently wrote about a brand new magazine - or rather bookazine in "Discover Art" Bookazine to launch next month. My article has now made the front cover!

Latest version of cover for Discover Art
sees my article promoted to the front age!

Botanical Art

Drawing and Sketching

Painting

In a Farmyard by David Poxon
 a prizewinner at the National Watercolor Society's 93rd Annual International Exhibition
  • There's very little information on the Internet about painting on vellum. Dianne Sutherland (Dianne Sutherland) recently published a really informative post about Painting on Vellum in which she compares the different types of vellum and provides tips for those wanting to give it a try.  This is in addition to the page on her website in which she has Notes on Painting on Vellum.  Both are included in my website about Fine Art Paper & Vellum for Artists
  • Pamela Curry Greene is writing about her experience on a Julian Merrow Smith painting workshop in Provence on her blog pamela curry greene art.  Meanwhile Julian's wife Ruth is also posting pics of the painters on the Postcard from Provence blog.  Sounds like this bunch are fast workers and are giving the vines a good workout!

Pastels and Pencils

  • If you've not yet taken a look at Tanja Gant's website of portraits in coloured pencils you should.  These are not just technically good - they're portraits with attitude!
  • Gayle Mason's (Fur in the Paint) second article about drawing animals and wildlife in coloured pencils can be found in the November edition of 'Leisure Painter'. 
  • I was very struck by Julie Podstolski's coloured pencil drawing of a Geisha in the Pencil Art Society's first Online Juried Exhibition.  I love the juxtaposition of the very traditional dress and everyday life. I have a theory which is that people who have an eye for producing an interesting perspective on well known visual images take great photos.  So I took at look at her blog juliepodstolski - and she's added more evidence to my theory.

Who painted this?


Art Business & Marketing


Art Marketing

Selling Art

Art collectors & art economy 


Art Auctions

Art Collectors

Art Fairs


Art Competitions

  • It's so sad that £10,000 Threadneedle Prize People's Choice Award didn't go to an artist who was making their career as a fine artist producing figurative art. To see who won go to my review of the exhibition, go to the end and note the piece which I indicated I was afraid would win - because (1) the artist works very, very hard at their marketing and (2) the rest of his work is just "titillation art" with a gimmick - although I think he's cleaned up his website since he won the prize. I shall in future be an advocate of the notion that the winner of a prize should NOT be the subject of a public vote. Interestingly I can't show you what this work looks like as I never even took a photo of it.  
  • The Artists & Illustrators Magazine Artists of the Year competition is an annual search for the best undiscovered artists.  I have to say its shortlist for the prize Artist of the Year 2013 includes some artists who I would not describe as 'undiscovered'!

Art Exhibitions


The New York Times has commented on what appears to be a current trend in Europe - a breakout of birthday suits! With Money Tight, Museums Embrace Nudes - referencing:
Plus there's a new exhibition coming up at the Wallace CollectionThe Male Nude: Eighteenth Century drawings from the Paris Academy (24 October 2013 - 19 January 2014)
Anybody who has ever doubted the Facebook Policy on "no nudes" should try referencing them!

Art Society Exhibitions

Opening this week at the Mall Galleries are the Annual Exhibitions of:

Major Exhibitions in London

Opening next week is
  • Paul Klee at Tate Modern 16 October 2013 – 9 March 2014. Paul Klee is one of the great innovators among twentieth-century artists
  • An American in London: Whistler and the Thames at the Dulwich Picture Gallery (16 October 2013 - 12 January 2014). I'm really looking forward to what will be a major about Whistler's paintings, drawings, pastels, watercolours and prints of Chelsea and the Thames River including his iconic Nocturnes 

Exhibitions in the UK

Exhibitions in Europe

Exhibitions in the USA


Art History & Museums


Opinion Poll


The Making A Mark Poll this month is about paint - see POLL: Who is your favourite artists' paint manufacturer?

Techies


Facebook and Blogs

  • Facecrooks explains the major change which happened this week - All Facebook Users Will Now Appear in Search.  
    • However note that you can still block individual users from seeing your Facebook Account.  
    • Otherwise you need to use your settings to control how you share the information on your account. 
    • My personal account is limited to friends and family - with all blog and other art information on my Makingamark Facebook Page which is always public

and finally......

Thanks to Sophie Ploeg for spotting this one - QUIZ: Can You Tell The Difference Between Modern Art And Paintings By Toddlers?

I got 7 out of 11 right but must confess haven't been looking at too much toddler art of late.

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