The Bulletin, Issue 186, May 2014

The
Bulletin
Friends of
Bristol Art Gallery
May 2014
Issue 186
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
Chairman’s Letter
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Photo by Ann Keenlyside
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Dear Friends
A few words that concern me…. about our
future – but firstly the present.
From Augustus and Gwen John to Ravilious,
from Lowry to Matisse, from China to Persia
and finally to our own Pamela Halford on ‘Love
in Painting’, this has been another exceptional
year of lectures achieved for the Friends by the
Friends’ committee. To say nothing about the
purchase of the Turner watercolour, now on display in the Balcony
Gallery at the Museum and Art Gallery, in addition to the Smythe
Mourning Rings, both excitingly acquired at auction which involved
instant action on the part of the committee. Let us also consider the
acquisition of photographs recently used as part of the City Lives
exhibition – and I must mention the rare sampler we fully purchased
and which importantly illustrates the manner in which the Slave Trade
impacted on domestic occupation. Your committee has indeed been
busy this year and we have greatly enjoyed it but it does not come
without effort. The question then arises ‘what will happen if we can
no longer continue as we are doing?’
Senior years are taking their toll, but we are fortunate indeed in
having younger members on our committee. They are wonderfully
supportive but as we all know being young means many other
commitments. They throw themselves as wholeheartedly as they can
into our organisation and I believe they must therefore be enjoying it!
And here is my dream - and second point - would their example
encourage other younger and newer members, who must have many
talents amongst them, to come and join us? To learn what we do and
ease my anxiety about the future!
I cannot emphasise enough how much we are appreciated by the staff
at the Museum & Art Gallery. It would be so good if we could feel
confident in being able to provide that continuity of support which we
are presently able to do and which gives benefit to the City’s culture
and to us stimulation and fun. I’m always available if you would like
to contact me.
Joanna
Finally – Jonathan Marsden, the Keeper of the Royal Collections, is to
give the Schubart Memorial lecture on 25 th September - definitely a
date for the diary!
Contents
News
All Change Again!
Pg 3
Slave’s Prayer Sampler
Pg 4
Members’ Comments
Pgs 5-6
Van Dyke’s ‘Betrayal’ - Part Two!
Pg 7
Excursions, Exhibitions and Events
Events: Summer Dinner & Trinity Lunch
Pg 8
Excursion: Richard Wilson
Pg 9
Excursion: Matisse - The Cut - Outs
Pg 10
Excursion: IWM - Truth and Memory
Pg 11
Parking
Pg 12
Membership Matters
Committee Notices
Pg 13
AGM
Pg 14
The Changing Face of Charitable Support
Pg 15
Committee Details
Pg 16
And Finally…
And Finally
Pg 17
From The Editor
Pg 18
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Central Inserts: Booking Forms (perforated), Events Calendar, AGM
Agenda & Minutes
Cover Photo: Detail of Slave’s Prayer Sampler, Couresty of BMGA (see article pg 4 )
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
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All Change Again!
Did you know that we have just lost the services of Carolyn Lamb, our
senior conservator (see page 17). This is a big blow, and has happened as
part of significant restructure at the museum.
Vivienne Bennett MBE, the Interim
Head of Services at BMGA, was
appointed in January on a short-term
contract for three days a week until
the end of March - which has now
been extended to the end of June.
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Vivienne Bennett MBE
Courtesy of BMAG
There are two reasons for this:
Vivienne’s main job had been to
oversee the request to the Arts
Council for Funding of the Museum
Service from March 2015 to April
2018, and a bid for £1.6m per year
for 3 years was submitted on 17
March. Job done, we thought.
Unfortunately the Arts Council funding on its own, even though it is for a
large sum, and even if the bid is met in full, would be insufficient to meet
the full costs of running the Museum Service – hence the traditional reliance
also placed on receiving funding support from Bristol City Council. But the
Council is short of money and to balance its own books it has imposed a
swingeing cut of 15% on running costs across the board, including the
monies it usually grants to the Museum Service.
Vivienne’s task now is to undertake yet another review of the Museum’s
staffing structure to see where savings can be made. We have been here
before and in the management speak of the day “changes in structure (are)
necessary to achieve both the 15% savings in staffing costs in 2014-15
demanded by the City Council, and the step change needed to achieve
better lines of responsibility and accountability within the organisation.”
In order to kick-start the savings in staff costs, the Council initially offered
severance packages to senior staff – and may have been surprised at the
number who have taken this up: among those who have already left or are
about to leave (apart from Carolyn), are Trevor Gough (Deputy Head),
Simon Kelly (Events), David Lippiatt (Buildings Manager), Helen Edwards
(Shop), and Helen Hewitt (Press Office). Currently, staff on the lower pay
grades are being asked if they want voluntary severance too.
Fortunately, and to our delight, none of our Curators is leaving!
Tony Kitt
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www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
Slave’s Prayer Sampler
Image courtesy of BMAG
In December last year,
Karin Walton, Curator of
Applied Art, approached
us with a request to help
fund the purchase and
subsequent restoration of
an extremely unusual and
rare sampler to add to
BMAG’s already superb
sampler collection.
Work Decr 15 1837’.
The sampler is worked in
coloured silks on linen
with the image of a
kneeling slave and a verse
from
the
‘Negro’s
Prayer’. It is signed and
dated ‘Martha Magur/s
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Samplers were an important part of most girls’ education from the late 16th
to the early 20th centuries. Through them they learned not just sewing
techniques, both decorative and functional, but also religious texts, moral
concepts and geography. In this instance, young Martha was learning about
the reality of the slave trade at the tender age of just 8 or 9. A Martha Magus
was born in 1829 in Ely; this date would fit with the sampler.
Samplers with images of slaves are rare and highly collectable; one fetched
over £5,000 in 2009. The present example is even more unusual in that the
slave is the principal motif.
The date of 1837 links the sampler to the Emancipation movement. The
image of the kneeling enslaved African appealing for help was the symbol of
the Abolition movement, used on the seal of the Committee for Effecting the
Abolition of the Slave Trade, on many of the tracts and leaflets published by
Abolitionists, on token coinage, and most famously on the Wedgwood
jasperware plaques donated to the cause by Josiah Wedgwood. The image
would have been easily available to anyone interested in the cause, especially
through Non-Conformist churches and Quaker groups.
At the time of purchase, the sampler was in a poor condition and had been
framed badly, mounted directly onto a hardboard backing, and there was a
small area of damage to the linen, which thankfully did not impact on the
embroidery. The sampler has now been conserved and remounted, and may
be included as part of the Transatlantic Slavery display at M Shed before
joining the rest of the collection at the Georgian House.
The sampler was purchased for £3,000, with restoration costing a further
£480. Ed.
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
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Members’ Comments
Comments and photos from our members about excursions and exhibitions.
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“West Country to World’s End” at the Albert Memorial
Museum, Exeter
19th February 2014
“Delightful miniatures with ethereal lace collars and ringlets, so
refined and elegant”
Y Mayer
“For me the highlight of the gallery was the exhibition of woodcuts.
That combined with time to visit the cathedral made for a very
happy day.”
M Halls
“An enjoyable day, varied exhibitions, well displayed, the children
enjoying themselves added to the day.”
C Atter
Veronese: Magnificence in Renaissance Venince, National
Gallery, London
22nd March 2014
“Like a trip to the theatre - [filled with] drama, characterisation,
emotion, sumptuous costumes and imaginative settings.”
H Betts
“A revelation! Thoroughly enjoyed this visit - thank you.”
T & P Lachelin
“Solid, Sensuous, Sensational.”
M Atkinson
“Very enjoyable exhibition. I found his portraits captivating. The skin
tones were beautiful as were the gorgeous fabrics and draperies.”
VPayne
“Henry James was right! Spontaneous, easy colour leaping out at
you. Thank you for doing the hard work.”
J Littlewood
“Amazing colours which can only be appreciated by seeing the
paintings live.”
B Winsor-Edwards
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www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
Cezanne and the Modern, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
25th April 2014
“What a lovely and judicious choice of works by Cezanne and his
contemporaries. The watercolours were beautiful: delicate,
translucent colours and yet an inner strength and structure most
pleasing to the mind’s eye…. And those pears!”
Y Mayer
“A most inspiring day all round. Lovely to see more of the artist’s
work in the permanent exhibition too. An open top bus tour and
interesting visit to Balliol and Trinity and the main iconic buildings
completed a perfect day. Thank you Margaret and Maurice for
organising it all.”
L & J Evans
“The Ashmolean has a ‘special’ feel about it. A perfect backdrop for
the different galleries we visited. ‘The Cezanne & the Modern’ was
most enjoyable - a wonderful portrait of Pearlman by Kokoschka.
Oxford looked wonderful in the Spring sunshine - St John’s College,
which we visited is beautiful architecturally and the garden was the
perfect place to sit and relax.”
V Payne
Comments on excursions are collected on the day in a new
incarnation of “The Book”, passed round by organisers Maurice and
Margaret Bell, and we are grateful to all those that contribute. While
battling against the challenges imposed by a moving coach, we kindly
ask that all those who take the time to include their thoughts write as
clearly as possible, particularly names, as we want to be sure we are
crediting these wonderful words correctly!
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We would very much like to also include members’ comments on
displays and exhibitions at both BMAG and MShed, as well as any
photos taken by members on any of our excursions. These can be
emailed to The Editor .
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
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Van Dyke’s “The Betrayal Of Christ” c.1629…..
Part Two!
The Betrayal of Christ by Van Dyke Courtesy of MBGA
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Following up on my article in
the last Bulletin about Van
Dyke’s ‘Betrayal of Christ’, I
received a charming letter from
Arnold Wilson, who was
Director of Bristol Museum &
Art Gallery for nearly 20 years,
and curator before that. Here is
an extract from his letter:
P. Maurice Bell
I was Director of the Art
Gallery at that time and I’m
afraid I incurred the displeasure
of Michael Levey, the then
Director of The National
Gallery because he expected the painting would be allocated to The
National Gallery and become part of the collection there.
The Treasury also contacted me and I felt strongly that the Van Dyke,
which had been at Corsham ever since its transfer from London in
1760 should remain at Corsham. I told the Treasury that it was rather
a poisoned chalice because Bristol would have the responsibility for
the care of the painting, eg. any restoration etc, but it would not form
part of Bristol’s immediate collection. A situation, for example,
occurred soon after when I lent the painting to the great exhibition in
Washington of Treasure Houses of Great Britain. Lord Methuen
thought a window would have to be removed but in the event this was
not necessary. I was greatly helped by Herbert Lank the restorer from
London who mastered the removal.
I had [also] prepared a full label for the painting when at Corsham but
Lord Methuen begged me to keep it short…. [should] any member
wonder why [the display label for the work] is so brief.
Yours sincerely,
Arnold Weston
*An excursion to Corsham Court to see this magnificent painting and the rest
of the Corsham Collection will be taking place on the 21st May .
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www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
Summer Dinner
Tuesday 17th June 2014
6.30 for 7pm, The Clifton Club
Summer Lunch and
Lecture
Courtesy of The Clufton CLub
Tuesday 22nd July 2014
12 noon, Trinity College
Once again our Summer Lunch
will he held at the beautiful
Trinity College, Stoke Hill, Bristol
BS9.
The Summer Dinner is to be held
in the elegant setting of The
Clifton Club, The Mall, Bristol
BS8.
The lecture will be given by
Pamela Halford, Art Historian,
Writer and Artist. Her subject is
“Love in Painting”.
Parking is available in
grounds of Trinity College.
Photo : Meg Gilley
During the evening there will be
an introduction to the history of
The Clifton Club given by our
president Francis Greenacre, and
there will be a talk after dinner
by one of our members, Toby
Pinn. The meal will consist of
two courses followed by coffee
and mints.
Cost: £19.50
COST: £34.50
Final booking date: June 10th.
Booking form
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Final booking date: July 15th.
Booking form
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www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
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DAY EXCURSION to the WELSH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY and
the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES, CARDIFF
Friday 18th July 2014
'Richard Wilson and the Transformation of European
Landscape Painting'
Having made visits to the
Houses of Parliament and the
Scottish National Assembly in
Edinburgh, we now complete
the cycle with a tour of the
WNA in Ca rdiff Ba y.
Following the Referendum in
2011, the WNA now has full
law-making powers in a wide
range of areas and is housed
in a stunning architecturally
designed building.
Ceyx and Alcyone Richard Wilson (1714-1782)
This major exhibition at the
NMW marks the 300 th
anniversary of the birth of Richard Wilson (1714-1782), perhaps Wales's
greatest artist. Before Wilson, British artists painted the landscape to record
its appearance. Wilson showed how landscape paintings could have layers
of meaning and convey mood and emotions too.
Courtesy of National Museum of Wales
Other concurrent exhibitions are 'Constable: Salisbury Cathedral from the
Meadows', showing one of his famous 'six footers'; 'Wales Visitation:
Poetry, Romanticism & Myth in Art' (including David Jones, Richard Long
and Graham Sutherland); and 'Landscapes by J.D. Innes: Beauty Most
Wild' (1887-1914). A veritable feast on show!
08.30 Depart ALL SAINTS, PEMBROKE ROAD, CLIFTON
09.30 Arrive CARDIFF BAY
10.00 - 11.00 Tour of Welsh National Assembly
Lunch may be had in adjacent Millennium Centre or, later, in National
Museum
12.30 - 13.00 Depart Cardiff Bay for National Museum of Wales
Visit exhibitions and permanent collection
17.00 Depart NMW after tea
18.30 ETA All Saints
COST: £19
Booking Form
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Mobile telephone number on day of visit only – 07812 024 524 – for contact
purposes
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www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
DAY EXCURSION to LONDON – TATE MODERN
Sunday 17th August 2014
Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs
Following, albeit somewhat later, the very well received Lecture on the
Matisse Cut-outs in March, you now have the opportunity to visit this
unique exhibition.
When ill-health prevented Henri-Emile-Benoit Matisse from painting, he
turned his hand to cut-outs, producing maquettes for books, stained glass,
tapestries and ceramics. Praised for their bold use of colour and abstract
beauty, they were considered among his most glorious pieces and as artwork in their own right. When Picasso first saw them, he admitted to being
'rather jealous'.
Four years in the planning, this stage of the artist's career has never been
examined in such detail before.
Owing to the dispersal of the works into international collections, plus their
fragility, it is unlikely that such
an exhibition will be forthcoming again!
08.30 Depart CLIFTON DOWN SHOPPING CENTRE
11.30 ETA TATE MODERN
13.30 - 14.30 Timed tickets
16.30 Depart Tate Modern
19.15 ETA Clifton Down Shopping Centre
COST: £33.50
ART FUND: £27.50
Booking Form
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Mobile telephone number on day of visit only – 07812 024 524 – for contact
purposes
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
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DAY EXCURSION to LONDON – IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
Saturday 20th September 2014
'Truth and Memory'
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Courtesy of www.imw.org.uk
In preparation for the centenary of the First World War, the IWM
has been closed for a complete transformation and will not open
until 19th July. The first phase will reveal brand new WW1 galleries,
new atrium (housing the larger exhibits) and terrace displays plus
new shops, toilets and a café opening directly onto Geraldine Mary
Harmsworth Park.
To mark the centenary, the largest exhibition of British First World
War art for almost 100 years, 'Truth and Memory', will be on
show. Further details have yet to be revealed.
The IWM permanent exhibitions and galleries will also re-open.
They include the Lord Ashcroft – Extraordinary Heroes – featuring
the largest collection of Victoria Crosses; the Holocaust Exhibition,
telling the story of the persecution of the Jews and other groups
before and during WW2; Secret War, revealing the clandestine
world of espionage and the work of Britain's Special Forces; and A
Family in Wartime – telling the story of how the Allpress family
experienced life in London during the Second World War.
08.30 Depart ALL SAINTS, PEMBROKE ROAD, CLIFTON
11.30 ETA Imperial War Museum
16.30 Depart IWM
19.15 ETA All Saints
COST: £22
Booking Form
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Mobile telephone number on day of visit only – 07812 024 524 – for contact
purposes
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www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
PARKING IN PEMBROKE ROAD
As you probably know already, the Mayor of Bristol is planning to
create parking zones in the city, Pembroke Road being a boundary
line between two, east and west zones. I have to plan five months
ahead when organising excursions and can get very little
information, even from local residents, when these zones will
come into operation. I believe that weekend parking will not be
curtailed but cannot be certain even of this.
After much thought, I have come up with an alternative which
could apply to week-day visits if not to weekends. For nondrivers, the coach would pick up at Clifton Down Shopping
Centre (where quite a few Friends already disembark) and make
its way to Cribbs Causeway with a possible additional pick-up at
Westbury-on-Trym. Cars could then park for free on K car park,
adjacent to John Lewis and Cribbs Bus Station where the coach
would make its final pick-up. Cribbs Causeway is accessible from
the M5 for many of our members living in the south of the city.
I have suggested this scheme on two coach outings for Friends to
mull over and would be pleased to hear your views and also any
more news about when the zones are likely to come into force.
Maurice Bell
Excursions Secretary
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
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Membership Subscriptions
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Subscriptions became due on 1st April 2014. Members paying by cheque
will have received a form enclosed within the February issue of The
Bulletin, together with a Bankers Order should they wish to complete one.
Fees are £20 for single membership and £30 for joint membership at the
same address. Cheques should be sent to the Membership Secretary at the
Museum.
Any Enquiries should be made to Anne Merriman on 01934 833619
LECTURE CHARGES AND GIFT AID
For the 2013-2014 series of lectures the Committee decided that a number
of places should be made available to the public at a charge of £3. This
was advertised on the Museum & Art Gallery website and non-members
have attended every lecture.
What we had overlooked was the effect of this decision on our eligibility
for Gift Aid. In effect, this government scheme currently adds 25% to
charitable donations, provided that the donor does not receive benefits in
return which exceed 25% of the amount given. The 2013-2014 decision
creates a potential benefit to each member of £3 per lecture, or £15 in all –
which is more than 25% of the subscription.
Most of our members have signed Gift Aid declarations, and we normally
receive Gift Aid of some £2,400 each year. This has been lost for 20132014. To rectify the position in future the Committee has decided to
charge £3 to both members and non-members – apart from the first
(Schubart) lecture, which is free to members. This small charge will both
restore our Gift Aid status and cover the costs of the lecture programme.
Tony Merriman, Hon Treasurer
Privacy Policy - A Note To All Members
We send our newsletter to all members for their information and enjoyment,
and include with it booking forms for Friends’ events. Occasionally we also
insert material connected to local art or museum opportunities, which we
think might be of interest to members. If you do not wish to receive any such
additional information, please tell the Membership Secretary and it will not
be sent to you.
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www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday 1st July 2014
6.00 for 6.30pm in the Rear Hall (Ground Floor)
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
Much has happened in the last year and the AGM will be very interesting. Do
come.
There will be up to 17 vacancies to be filled. All members of the committee
are willing to stand for election except that Robert Huddleston is standing
down because of ill health, and as you know, I will not be standing again as
Secretary (or anything else).
All nominations, each supported by a seconder, should be emailed or posted
to me, in both cases by Monday 16th June. (For my email/house address see
Committee Contacts page 16).
To date, no-one has come forward to take my place, and time is getting short.
You do not need to have been involved with The Friends for long – I had
been a member for only 2 months or so when I took on the job. How much
anyone puts into it is really up to them. In my case I added to the role by
running our Website too – but this is not necessarily the secretary’s job, indeed
if anyone familiar with the internet would like to come forward to be website
manager, he or she would be welcome, please make yourself known now.
Whoever volunteers to be secretary, or run the website, please be assured that
Joanna and I will give you as much support as you need to settle into either
of the two jobs. The only thing you really have to have is enough computer
knowledge to send and receive emails. You do not need much more expertise
to run the website, but if you have, so much the better.
If you are hesitating because you are still uncertain about what the job entails,
just let Joanna or me know of your interest, so that we can have a chat with
you, explain what is involved, and invite you to attend the 10th June
committee meeting, so that you see for yourself what goes on. Then,
hopefully, you will say “Yes, I’ll give it a go”! I’m sure you wouldn’t regret
doing so – I didn’t, and Pam as our Editor, made quite clear in the last
Bulletin, she hasn’t either.
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Tony Kitt Hon Secretary
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
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The Changing Face of Charitable Support
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In today’s world of instant information, electronic contact and social
networking, it is important the we, The Friends, keep up to date with
changing technology and trends to remain relevant and competitive.
With this in mind, we are pleased to announce some additions to our
established publishing formats.
First and foremost, for the first time ever, starting with this edition, The
Bulletin will be available on our website as a PDF download. It will be a
slightly abridged version, with a few “members only” details removed, but
otherwise it will be available for you and all the rest of the world to see. In
doing this we hope to enable a wider audience to see the benefits of
becoming a member, and also give our members a “back up” facility to see
The Bulletin should their original copy go astray.
Secondly, we are now very pleased to be members of Facebook! Our
community page address is:
www.facebook.com/friendsbristolartgallery
If you or any of your friends and family are members of Facebook, please
log on and visit the page, and click the “like” button to ensure all our news
shows up in your timeline - the more “likes” the page has, the more it gets
suggested to people who have “liked” similar things via Facebook. You can
also see the page without being a member of Facebook, although you
cannot interact with it (leave comments or receive updates) without
Facebook membership.
And finally, we would like welcome a new member to The Friends, who is a
little bit different. In fact it’s not a “who”, it’s a “what”. The Blue Room is a
“Community Interest Company” based in Nailsea. As a contemporary art
gallery operating as a social enterprise, The Blue Room’s aims are to support
local artists and the local community, hosting exhibitions and workshops and
providing support for local projects. As part of this community engagement,
The Blue Room has joined The Friends to support the art gallery, and is
pleased to offer us practical support through both its website and literature
to be held at its premises.
“Working Partnerships” with like minded and relevant businesses as well as
proactive use of social media will be the future for all charitable
organisations, as they offer mutual benefits, cost effective and often
immediate results with regard to advertising, promotion and additional
support. We are confident that these new additions and connections will
prove to be beneficial both to all our members, and to the art gallery. Ed.
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www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
Committee Contacts
Bulletin
Copy Deadline for next issue is Friday 11th July 2014
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Friends of Bristol Art Gallery, Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1RL
Tel: 0117 9223571
Registered Charity Number 275551
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
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Coffee at the Café A Thank You and A
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April’s gathering on the morning
of Tuesday the 8th were treated
to a trip down to the stores
with Sue Giles to see some
fascinating items from New
Guinea. Our monthly Tuesday
mornings at the museum are
now becoming well established,
w i t h m e m b e rs of st a f f
generously taking time out of
their busy schedules to spend
time with us and show us things
we might not otherwise see, so
they are well worth joining in
with.
Coffee at the Café will continue
through the summer on
Tuesdays the 10th June, 8th July
and 12th August at 10.30, so
make sure these dates are in
your diary! It’s a great
opportunity to meet Joanna
(FoBAG chair) and other
members of the committee
when they are available, as well
as geting a sneaky peak “behind
the scenes” at the museum.
Fond Farewell
Carolyn Lamb, the art gallery’s
senior conservator, left the
service on March 31st this year
after volunteering to take a
severance package as part of the
museum’s financial restructuring.
She had been a conservator for
34 years and looks forward
now to taking a year out
painting landscapes for herself,
and hopes that some of her
works may be part of an
exhibition at the Grant Bradley
Gallery, Bedminster from 10th 31st May. She plans later to
return to conservation work on
a freelance basis.
Carolyn working on Burne Jones’ St Gearoge
Courtesy of BMAG
The paintings she had been
working on for the art gallery
will be taken over by Helen
Dowding.
We would like to join the
museum staff in thanking
Carolyn for her work over the
years, which has been much
appreciated, and wish her well
for the future.
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
From The Editor
Photo by Rob Sayer
Being an artist in this day and age is, if I’m honest,
not a lot of fun. The “art” side of it great, as, for
the creative type there is nothing more energising
than the “ping” of a new idea, and little beats the
fun of experimenting with new techniques and
materials (“materials” being the operative word
for me, a textile artist, as, when not making
wedding gowns - or writing and editing assorted
pieces of copy! - I can usually be found fiddling
with the dressmaking leftovers, turning them into
all sorts of everything, with a generous helping of sparkly stuff!).
But for far too many of us, that is where the fun ends. A very few strike it
lucky and get “discovered” and are able to command respectable - and
sometimes silly - prices for their work. The rest of us, when we attempt to
sell our offerings, have to price “sensibly”, which usually means the cost of
the raw materials plus £5, and keep on going in the hopes that we, like so
many of those we now consider to be great Masters but who spent their
working lives penniless and unknown, will be appreciated for our talents
when we’re gone.
But why are we faced with this problem? Somewhere along the way, those
that would buy works of art, in whatever form they may take, started to
place value only on the materials that go into it. The skills, the years of
training to get them, the unique design, the time it took to make the item
never mind the time it took to make the several rejected experiments before
the technique was perfected; none of these things can be reflected in the
price of the object if we wish to sell it.
So I’m on a mission. I want to remind people that something that is hand
made, whether it be a painting or drawing, a sculpture, a soft toy, a bespoke
item of clothing or a piece of embroidery, is much more than just its
materials. It is years of training to perfect specialist skills, it is hours of work
and, most importantly, it is a piece of the artist that made it. We can only
make in our own individual styles, so each item we produce is a reflection of
our own personal and unique creativity.
T
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Once I’ve passed this message on, I fervently hope that everyone that heard
it will pass it on again, and help spread the word that art is about love and
dedication and skill and talent that cannot be taught, and not just about the
bits that make it. If we can help the world remember this, both the
contemporary artists and those charged with preserving our rich artistic
heritage would at last be able to concentrate on the art, instead of simply
trying to make ends meet in their finances.
Pam Sayer
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
18
Calling All Young Artists!
Image by Pam Sayer
Nailsea based art gallery The Blue Room is hosting
an art competition and exhibition for artists aged
between 7 and 18, who live in or attend school in
North Somerset, this summer.
There are three age groups, the lower 2 made up
of three artistic medium categories: 2D art, 3D art
& sculpture, and Textile art. The upper age group
includes a 4th category, Photography.
Registration for the competition opens on July 1st,
with all works to be submitted by August 9th. The
exhibition will run from 16th August for three
weeks. During the exhibition the submissions will
be judged by a panel of established local artists and possibly a local celebrity or
two! The winning entries will go on to be included in The Blue Room’s professional
exhibition in the Autumn as part of the “Made in North Somerset” event.
The theme for the works to be submitted is simply “North Somerset”. As this
county covers such a vast variety of environments, from the seaside to rural farm
land, country villages to the town of Weston-super-Mare and the city of Bristol,
there is much from which to gather inspiration.
Registration forms and further details will be available soon at The Blue Room, and
on the gallery’s website www.theblue-room.co.uk
“Orchard Tambourines”
Terry Frost
Friends of Bristol Art Gallery
Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1RL
Registered Charity Number 275551
www.friendsofbristolartgallery.co.uk
The Bulletin
Printed by Geni Printing of Chew Stoke, Bristol
www.geniprinting.co.uk