Possibilities and Boundaries – A Review of Nicholas Lees, ‘Penumbra’ and Jeff Powell, ‘Edge’ by Wendy Rhodes

EXHIBITION REVIEW by Wendy Rhodes

Rabley Contemporary is hosting a serene and tranquil show of drawing and ceramics by Nicholas Lees and Jeff Powell. The first few minutes spent with the finely crafted works provides the visitor with impressions of shifting light and ephemeral glimpses of forms, redolent of fleeting recollections. Take a little more time and each piece reveals itself as a complex engagement with materials exploiting the possibilities and boundaries of the hand-made. Lees has produced a series of porcelain vessels which defy concepts of solidity

Drawn to Nature this June

DRAWN TO NATURE with Nik Pollard RCA.

We still have places on this wonderful course with Nik Pollard RCA. so why not get your sketchbook ready and head for the countryside!

Sat 2 – Mon 4 June 2018

Fiona Robinson was Drawing Debussy on Radio 4’s Soul Music

Fiona Robinson RWA, ‘L’Après-midi d’un Faune’ 2016, Graphite, charcoal and mixed media, 56 x 76cm

Fiona Robinson is an artist, writer and curator who has collaborated with Rabley Drawing Centre for many years. It was such a treat to listen to her on Radio 4 yesterday (Wednesday 18th April) talking about her work in relation to the composer Claude Debussy.

Fiona joined a poet, composer, biographer and a mother to talk about the profound impact that Debussy’s L’Après midi d’un Faune has had on them.

Sketch 2017 Exhibition Tours to Plymouth College of Art

The Sketch 2017 touring exhibition has now opened at Plymouth College of Art in the Drawing Studios and will run until Friday 6th October.

EXHIBITION:
September 9 – October 6

Opening Times:
Mon – Fri 9am – 6pm
Sat 11am – 2pm
23-24 September 11am – 5pm

PRIVATE VIEW ON THURSDAY 28 SEPTEMBER, 5-7pm

LOCATION:
The Drawing Studios
Plymouth College of Art
Tavistock Place
Plymouth, PL4 8AT
Devon, England — Map
+44 (0)1752 203434
enquiries@pca.ac.uk

Chitra Parvathy Merchant wins Plymouth College of Art Student Prize

We are delighted to announce the winner of the Plymouth College of Art Student Prize as Chitra Parvathy Merchant.

Chitra Parvathy Merchant, sketchbook pages

Chitra Merchant grew up in India and currently works as a Printmaker in Bristol, U.K since 2000. Much of Chitra’s work is strongly informed by her Indian upbringing. This is reflected in her drawings and prints that examine the roles and expectations that are ascribed to women in India and elsewhere. Her landscapes use ancient Indian historical sites as a starting point from which to develop imaginal structures that take on a life and logic of their own. Her love of drawing and colour always form the starting point of any work.

For her, keeping sketchbooks is vital to her practice. They are a way of recording ideas and thoughts in a safe and intimate format. But most of all, they remain for her, a way of keeping alert and alive to creative possibilities.

more of Chitra’s sketchbook pages…

SKETCH 2017 TOUR Black Swan Arts 22 July – 3 Sept

SKETCH 2017 on Tour

22 JULY – 3 SEPTEMBER 2017

BLACK SWAN ARTS 2 Bridge Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BB

SKETCH 2017 – Sketchbook Drawing Prize includes 100 sketchbooks by 77 artists. It is selected from an international submission of over 500 Sketchbooks. This is the fourth SKETCH exhibition since 2005 and this year it will be touring UK venues.

Preview Friday 21 July 6- 8pm

OPENING TIMES – Black Swan Arts   Mon- Sat: 10.00am- 4.00pm

EXHIBITION CATALOGUE

SKETCH 2017 EXHIBITION CATALOGUE

The SKETCH 2017 Catalogue is now available to purchase online through the RABLEY BOOK SHOP. Each of the 77 artists in the exhibition is represented in this fully illustrated catalogue with an image from a selected sketchbook. Introduction by Meryl Ainslie, Director of Rabley Drawing Centre.

http://www.rableydrawingcentre.com/rabley-publications.html

SKETCH 2017 – CATALOGUE Open Sketchbook Drawing Prize. Catalogue of the artists sketchbooks selected for the SKETCH 2017 Open Sketchbook Drawing Prize.102 Pages, laminated soft cover, fully illustrated. 17 x 17cm. Introduction text by Meryl Ainslie, Director of Rabley Drawing Centre

This book is currently only available to purchase online via http://www.blurb.com by following the buy now link below. PDF versions also available.

VIEW AND PURCHASE LINK 

Publication Price £27 / PDF version £2.99 (plus VAT and P&P)

First edition published 20th May 2017 by Rabley Drawing Centre, Rabley Barn, Mildenhall, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 2LW, Email: info@rableydrawingcentre.com. Telephone: +44 (0)1672 511999 Website: http://www.rableydrawingcentre.com. ISBN 978 0 9926817 1 5

Printed in the UK by Blurb (www.blurb.co.uk)

REVIEW

 

..”the selections for Sketch 2017 continue to challenge what the concept of a sketchbook is and for. One searches for intimacy and authenticity, questioning the role that notebooks play in an artist’s practice. Anne Desmet’s people and places evidence a sketchbook as a constant companion..” Fiona Robinson, Evolver Magazine July/August 2017

Read Fiona Robinson’s full review of Sketch 2017 in Evolver Magazine http://www.evolver.org.uk

TOUR VENUES AND DATES

22 July – 3 September 2017

Black Swan Arts, Frome

2 Bridge Street

Frome, BA11 1BB

9 September – 6 October 2017

Plymouth College of Art

Tavistock Place

Plymouth PL4 8AT

20 November – 15 December 2017

Peter Scott Gallery

Lancaster Arts

Great Hall Complex

Lancaster University LA1 4YW

with thanks to our collaborators and sponsors

SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow Rabley Drawing Centre
 Instagram @rableydrawingcentre

Twitter @EventsRabley

 

SKETCH 2017 – Invitation to Wiltshire Teachers and Teaching Assistants

http://www.rableydrawingcentre.com

SKETCH 2017
Special evening exhibition viewing and sketchbook workshop
Tuesday 6 June 5-7pm
Or Tuesday 13 June 5-7pm
with Meryl Ainslie, Director of Rabley Drawing Centre

This is an open invitation to teachers and teaching assistants to join us for an inspirational evening of Sketchbooks and a free multisensory sketchbook workshop suitable for all levels and abilities.

SKETCH 2017 is a sketchbook exhibition of 100 artists sketchbooks selected from 500 international artists. This exhibition will truly inspire you to draw both in and out of the classroom!

There will be an education pack sponsored by Derwent pencils available to take away including worksheets, sketching ideas for all levels, a digital copy of the exhibition catalogue and more.

Please share this with your teacher friends on facebook.

If you would like to join us please contact Meryl Ainslie in the gallery on 01672 511999 or email events@rableydrawingcentre.com Please include your name, school and personal contact telephone number as places are limited.

SKETCH 2017 – April News Update

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Sketch 2017 has now been selected from an international submission of over 500 Sketchbooks. We are delighted to announce the shortlisted prize-winners representing the 100 Sketchbooks to be exhibited in SKETCH2017. The prize-winners will be announced on Saturday 20 May.

We would like to thank our panel of Judges – Tom Hammick, painter and printer; Peter Randell-Page RA, sculptor; GIll Saunders, Senior Curator (Prints), Word & Image Dept, V&A Museum; our generous sponsors and all the artists who submitted this year.

image: Anne Desmet RA, sketchbook, 2017 SKETCH selection

PRIZES

• Derwent SKETCH Prize £500
• Derwent SKETCH Prize £250
• Rabley Print Editioning Prize
• Black Swan Arts Solo Exhibition Prize
• Lancaster Arts Commission Prize
• Plymouth College of Art Sketch Student Prize

TOURING VENUES

21 May – 17 June 2017
Rabley Drawing Centre
Rabley Barn
Marlborough, SN8 2LW

22 July – 3 September 2017
Black Swan Arts
2 Bridge Street
Frome, BA11 1BB

9 September – 6 October 2017
Plymouth College of Art
Tavistock Place
Plymouth PL4 8AT

20 November – 15 December 2017
Peter Scott Gallery
Lancaster Arts
Great Hall Complex
Lancaster University LA1 4YW

 

 

 

Here is a taster of some of the fantastic sketchbooks selected for this year’s show:

Sadie Tierney

Tom Cartmill

Karen Lorenz

Mel Day

Neil Irons

Lucy Austin

SKETCH 2017 on our website: www.rableydrawingcentre.com

Supported by:

Gallery Talk and Film 12 April 2016

Rabley Drawing Centre

GALLERY TALK
TUESDAY 12 APRIL 2016
6.30 – 8pm

‘Drawing, Ceramics and taking risks!’
Jo Taylor in conversation with Prof. Michael Pennie

TICKETS £5 – Book  NOW

“..there is a deep and meaningful connection between risk taking and creativity and it’s one that’s often overlooked” Albert Einstein

Professor Michael Pennie, artist and sculptor in conversation with Jo Taylor discussing ‘Drawing, Ceramics and taking risks!’ process and making. Looking at the key elements of risk, drawing and the sculptural form.This artist’s talk coincides with the exhibition ‘Separate Arrangements’ – Jo Taylor, ceramics and Jane Harris, works on paper.

 

Schedule
6.30 – 7          Gallery Viewing – Separate Arrangements:
Jo TayLor Ceramic and Jane Harris, Works on paper
7 – 7.15          FILM (10 Mins)  Jane Harris: Surface to Edge – Painting Light, Pollen
Résidence d’artistes à  Monflanquin / Musée des Beaux-Arts de Libourne
7.15                Jo Taylor in conversation with Prof. Michael Pennie
7.45                Q&A
Gallery open to 8.30pm

www.rableydrawingcentre.com

Katherine Jones ‘Collagraph and block print’ course review

http://www.rableydrawingcentre.com

Last weekend we were very lucky to have Katherine Jones in the print room running a course on one of her favoured methods – collagraph and block print. 

 

EXPERIMENTAL PRINTMAKING SUMMER SCHOOL – Course review

http://www.rableydrawingcentre.com

Following on from our Experimental Drawing Summer School week we launched into experimenting in print. All the methods we covered require minimal equipment but have maximum potential!