Trip to Russell-Cotes: A Century of British Art

 This exhibition at Russell-Cotes Museum and Gallery in Bournemouth starting on 1 October celebrates the Centenary of the formation of Bournemouth Arts Club 1920-2020. I've added the image of 'Spray' by Harold Williamson, used in their promotion of this exhibition.

 Dr Gill Clarke, Curator of this exhibition has brought together many of the works exhibited at the 1957 exhibition, and recently showed me the catalogue where the works from the Swindon Collection are listed; they are kindly being loaned by Swindon Museum and Art Gallery for inclusion in this exhibition. Dr Gill Clarke has kindly agreed to meet us at the exhibition on Thursday 14 October.

Here are the pages of the catalogue, photographed at odd angles, but you can see the annotations as well which make it all the more special:

You'll recognise a few of our favourites in there, including Michael Ayrton, only just back from The Lightbox at Woking.

We were due to visit the exhibition at this time last year, I'm sure it'll be worth the wait, Russell-Cotes is such a fabulous place to visit.

Art on Tour: The Story of Swindon's Modern Art Collection

You will be aware that Swindon's Spring Festival became a Virtual Festival due to Covid-19 restrictions. What you might not be aware of, is the fact that you can still watch the whole festival online, buy clicking on here
Art On Tours, Katie Ackrill gave an excellent account of Swindon's Modern Art Collection on  Saturday 16 May at 11am, and you can watch the whole video here.
The introductory information on the Spring Festival site says:
'People are often surprised to hear that Swindon owns one of the best collections of Modern British Art in the UK, with artworks by both nationally known and local artists. This vibrant talk for the Swindon Spring Festival will tell the story of Swindon’s art collection, through 12 fascinating artworks. Katie will reveal stories interwoven with these pieces, and reveal how they came to be in Swindon This talk will be available, free of charge, via Swindon Museum and Art Gallery’s YouTube Channel, and Swindon Spring Festival’s YouTube Channel.
Wiltshire-based exhibitions coordinator Katie Ackrill works out of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.'
Katie gives a great account of the fascinating stories behind the acquisition of the collection in true festival style. I will include here a few of the works Katie talked about.

This is 'Composition in Black and White' by Ben Nicholson

 and the Patrick Hayman's 'Captain James Cook in New Zealand'

and also 'Port of Bristol' by Paul Methuen

But do click on the link above to hear the whole talk
If this has whetted your appetite for more, quite a few of the works in the collection are listed on the ArtUK website, why not have a look?

Friday Lunchtime Talk

Before Christmas Sophie Cummings, Curator at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery gave her last FREE Friday lunchtime talk on the exhibition in the small part of the gallery. As regulars to Sophie's talks will know, they are carefully thought out, very informative, and give insights into the thinking behind the exhibitions. I have attended lots of the talks, and will miss Sophie's witty and insightful comments about paintings and artists. I have thoroughly enjoyed the talks and know I speak for many others when I say she will be missed, and would like to say a big 'thank you' for the talks and the meticulous preparation which went into them, although this was never obvious in her smooth, confident delivery.

The exhibition of prints is called Hit repeat: Prints from the Swindon Collection of Modern British Art. As the  museum's website says:

'Printmaking can take many forms, from lithographs to etchings to woodcuts and even digital prints.

This exhibition brings together a selection of prints from Swindon’s Collection, so visitors can explore this vital and engaging art form for themselves. The exhibition includes work by Allen Jones, Basil Beattie, Christopher Nevinson and Katherine Jones.'

 I have included all the photos I took of Sophie talking to the group of people who came. The one above gives an idea of the atmosphere in the gallery when Sophie is talking Ian Hamilton Finlay's screenprint 'The Battle of Midway' can be seen in the background.

 This one above is similar, but showing the audience, below Sophie has moved to the other side of the room and discussed Allen Jones' 'One Night Only' just seen on the right.

 and in this one, round the corner, and into the main gallery, Sophie is talking about the new Nevison print.

 which you would be able to see if there wasn't a head in the way!!

 I took a few photos of prints Sophie talked about, although feeling a bit emotional, I haven't remembered much of what was said. I've photographed some of the information sheets, so that might help.

 Above is 'Goshawk' a wood engraving by Charles Tunnicliffe. Wood engraving and woodcuts are some of the earliest forms of printmaking and date back to the 14th century. The design is carved into the wood, the surface is then covered in ink and pressed onto cloth or paper, the cuts create white areas, inverse to the cuts made.

 Above 'Narcissus' an etching by Michael Ayrton, an etching is made by covering a metal plate in wax and the artist scores the design into the wax. The plate is then dipped into acid which reacts with the metal where the wax has been removed. Etching creates precise prints with dark lines and areas of shadow.

 Above one of the three photocopied pages and collage by Monster Chetwynd 'Catpeople 2,3 and 4' 2017

 Above Martin Brewster's Rabley No.4 2009, a photogravure etching.
The exhibition runs until the 4th of January, if you haven't yet seen it, there are only 2 days left.