Review: Sunday Times Watercolour Contest 2019 Exhibition
Thursday, 17 October 2019
art,
art exhibition,
artists,
mall galleries,
Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour,
Sunday Times Watercolour Competition,
watercolour,
watercolour paintings
Edit
Yesterday I visited the exhibition for the Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2019 exhibition - currently on display at the Mall Galleries until 22nd September
Below you lot tin read my impressions - about:
My overall determination is that
It has two novel sponsors (for Young Artist together with the First Prize) and together with the overall content is oriented much to a greater extent than to watercolour again.
HOWEVER, there are soundless some issues which really much demand addressing. It needs:
P.S. Who else likewise me remembers the Singer & Friedlander Watercolour Competition (1988-2007) amongst much affection? I hateful it's non equally if it hasn't changed its call during its history!
The proficient tidings is that the exhibition is EMPHATICALLY dorsum into the realms of watercolour.
I did a quick tour at the commencement together with was really struck amongst how it has come upwards dorsum to where it started - amongst a really high proportion of artists icon using traditional watercolours - mixed amongst a modicum of another related media. Most expect similar they created a icon using water!
There's been a marked growth inwards those labelling their piece of job 'watercolour'.
For those who are interested, I've compared the media listings inwards the "catalogue" (A4 carte du jour folded to A5! Price £2) with those I recorded for 2017 when the major departure on media started together with an acrylic which looked similar an stone oil icon won First Prize.
As you lot tin run across at that spot are 10 to a greater extent than paintings labelled simply 'watercolour' - together with a bigger decrease inwards those entering acrylic piece of job - it halved inwards number together with at that spot are really few paintings which expect similar stone oil paintings this year.
Although at that spot are some artists (and they know who they are together with some of them volition know afterwards reading this that I also know!) who labelled their piece of job 'watercolour' when at that spot was really clearly some acrylic involved equally a base of operations layer(s).
That's genuinely proficient news. I'd begun to think this exhibition was going to drib dead a decease through judges non agreement the nature of the medium!
It's earned the correct to a Call for Entries from this weblog side past times side year.
HOWEVER this yr at that spot are 95 paintings - which is a HUGE improvement on 2016 when at that spot were exclusively 75 together with final yr when at that spot were simply 85. In fact it's the most paintings it's had for a long time.
I attain nevertheless think this contest needs a minimum size for every unframed/unmatted painting! Enough said?
I highlighted the prizewinners on Lord's Day in Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2019 - Prizewinners & Exhibition (which also includes a listing of the selected artists).
To my heed the icon which won foremost prize is good justified. It's unusual, it demonstrates a proficient appreciation of techniques together with color palette together with it's also watery! (I never idea virtually this earlier - but why non teach for a watery dependent area if you lot remove hold your oculus on the master copy prize!)
I'd remove hold personally given Mark Elsmore the instant prize - it's a really compelling slice which industrial plant good at a distance inwards a large gallery equally good equally unopen to.
As shortly equally you lot set watercolour into the championship of an exhibition/competition, thence it stops existence simply "a contemporary fine art exhibition".
Below you lot tin read my impressions - about:
- the exhibition
- the utilization of watercolour inwards this exhibition
- the nature of artwork - for those anticipating responding to the Call for Entries for the 2020 exhibition - whenever that is.
I'm going to attain a seperate ship service virtually the paintings I liked the most.
- this contest is on its way dorsum afterwards its disastrous diversion past times forgetting what it was virtually together with losing sponsors.
- However it soundless has a long way to teach to teach dorsum to the amend exhibitions inwards the past.
That's non to tell that at that spot isn't proficient piece of job to live seen inwards the show - because at that spot is - together with tomorrow I'll demo you lot the 10 paintings I liked the best.
 |
| Prizewinners inwards the Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2019 The London Wall Partners First Prize (£8,000) - Condensation past times Leo Davey Second Prize (£3,000): Aidan Potts (Bottom Left) Third Prize (£1,000) : Mark Elsmore (right) Pegasus Young Artist Prize (£500): Katherine Jackson (top left) |
It has two novel sponsors (for Young Artist together with the First Prize) and together with the overall content is oriented much to a greater extent than to watercolour again.
HOWEVER, there are soundless some issues which really much demand addressing. It needs:
- better judges - ones who know a LOT to a greater extent than virtually watercolour - to hold out the dross together with unskilled. There are too many paintings which, inwards my opinion, are really ordinary together with lacking inwards competence.
- much amend watercolour artists submitting their work - together with sponsors together with organisers who piece of job hard to brand sure they do
- better leadership to teach dorsum proper prizes together with sponsorship - which volition also attract dorsum the amend artists
- better marketing - including an overhauled website
- and a less geographically biased exhibition tour
Then it mightiness earn dorsum its claim to existence a prestigious watercolour exhibition again. It lost that crown 3 years agone - together with spell this is an improvement it's really definitely non at that spot yet.
It mightiness demand a completely novel sponsor - because a lot of the inwards a higher house seems to me to live virtually a contest which has been starved of both leadership together with resources.
For example, I'm confused equally to why at that spot is a novel sponsor for the First Prize (London Wall Partners LLP (LWP)) but the Lord's Day Times soundless claims the championship of the competition. Surely the traditional way of doing these things is that the championship of the contest goes to those who sponsor the foremost prize?
It mightiness demand a completely novel sponsor - because a lot of the inwards a higher house seems to me to live virtually a contest which has been starved of both leadership together with resources.
For example, I'm confused equally to why at that spot is a novel sponsor for the First Prize (London Wall Partners LLP (LWP)) but the Lord's Day Times soundless claims the championship of the competition. Surely the traditional way of doing these things is that the championship of the contest goes to those who sponsor the foremost prize?
P.S. Who else likewise me remembers the Singer & Friedlander Watercolour Competition (1988-2007) amongst much affection? I hateful it's non equally if it hasn't changed its call during its history!
Launched originally equally the Singer together with Friedlander Prize inwards 1988, the foremost prize winner was Tom Coates. Subsequent winners included Stuart Pearson Wright, Leslie Worth, Trevor Stubley, Jennifer McRae together with Carol Robertson. Kaupthing at 1 fourth dimension the largest Icelandic depository fiscal establishment took over Singer & Friedlander inwards 2005 together with sponsorship of the contest ceased. The Royal Watercolour Society took over the sponsorship together with the contest was renamed the RWS/Sunday Times Watercolour competition. In 2011, full prize coin stood at £18,000 amongst £10,000 equally a 1st Prize. Artist biographiesI pass my fourth dimension looking for the side past times side Leslie Worth.....
The Good News
The proficient tidings is that the exhibition is EMPHATICALLY dorsum into the realms of watercolour.
I did a quick tour at the commencement together with was really struck amongst how it has come upwards dorsum to where it started - amongst a really high proportion of artists icon using traditional watercolours - mixed amongst a modicum of another related media. Most expect similar they created a icon using water!
There's been a marked growth inwards those labelling their piece of job 'watercolour'.
For those who are interested, I've compared the media listings inwards the "catalogue" (A4 carte du jour folded to A5! Price £2) with those I recorded for 2017 when the major departure on media started together with an acrylic which looked similar an stone oil icon won First Prize.
As you lot tin run across at that spot are 10 to a greater extent than paintings labelled simply 'watercolour' - together with a bigger decrease inwards those entering acrylic piece of job - it halved inwards number together with at that spot are really few paintings which expect similar stone oil paintings this year.
Although at that spot are some artists (and they know who they are together with some of them volition know afterwards reading this that I also know!) who labelled their piece of job 'watercolour' when at that spot was really clearly some acrylic involved equally a base of operations layer(s).
| Sunday Times Watercolour Competition: MEDIA Frequency 2017 together with 2019 | |||||
| 2017 | 2017 | 2019 | 2019 | +/- | |
| Watercolour | 42 | 49.4% | 52 | 54.7% | 5.3% |
| Watercolour together with ink | 5 | 5.9% | 9 | 9.5% | 3.6% |
| Watercolour together with gouache | 11 | 12.9% | 8 | 8.4% | -4.5% |
| Watercolour together with pencil / graphite | 3 | 3.5% | 6 | 6.3% | 2.8% |
| Watercolour together with acrylic | 3 | 3.5% | 3 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| Acrylic | 10 | 11.8% | 5 | 5.3% | -6.5% |
| Ink | 2 | 2.4% | 3 | 3.2% | 0.8% |
| Gouache | 4 | 4.7% | 3 | 3.2% | -1.5% |
| Gouache + mixed media | 2 | 2.1% | 2.1% | ||
| Gouache together with acrylic | 1 | 1.1% | 1.1% | ||
| Gouache together with Japanese woodcut | 1 | 1.1% | 1.1% | ||
| Gouache, collage together with pencil | 1 | 1.2% | 1 | 1.1% | -0.1% |
| Watercolour pencil | 1 | 1.1% | 1.1% | ||
| Acrylic together with pigment | 2 | 2.4% | 0.0% | -2.4% | |
| Watercolour, Japanese ink together with gilding/metal powders | 1 | 1.2% | 0.0% | -1.2% | |
| Watercolour together with H2O based mediums | 1 | 1.2% | 0.0% | -1.2% | |
| TOTALS | 85 | 100.0% | 95 | 100.0% | 0.0% |
That's genuinely proficient news. I'd begun to think this exhibition was going to drib dead a decease through judges non agreement the nature of the medium!
It's earned the correct to a Call for Entries from this weblog side past times side year.
The number of paintings
This exhibition is advertised every yr equally having a 100 paintings. It has never always had that number inwards recent years together with if I run across that claim 1 to a greater extent than fourth dimension I shall protestation to the Advertising Standards Authority together with the 1 that regulates competitions.HOWEVER this yr at that spot are 95 paintings - which is a HUGE improvement on 2016 when at that spot were exclusively 75 together with final yr when at that spot were simply 85. In fact it's the most paintings it's had for a long time.
I attain nevertheless think this contest needs a minimum size for every unframed/unmatted painting! Enough said?
The Prizewinners
I highlighted the prizewinners on Lord's Day in Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2019 - Prizewinners & Exhibition (which also includes a listing of the selected artists).
To my heed the icon which won foremost prize is good justified. It's unusual, it demonstrates a proficient appreciation of techniques together with color palette together with it's also watery! (I never idea virtually this earlier - but why non teach for a watery dependent area if you lot remove hold your oculus on the master copy prize!)
 |
| Condensation past times Leo Davey WINNER OF THE LONDON WALL PARTNERS FIRST PRIZE |
I'd remove hold personally given Mark Elsmore the instant prize - it's a really compelling slice which industrial plant good at a distance inwards a large gallery equally good equally unopen to.
The Not So Good News
Judges soundless demand reminding this is a WATERCOLOUR exhibition
As shortly equally you lot set watercolour into the championship of an exhibition/competition, thence it stops existence simply "a contemporary fine art exhibition".
At to the lowest degree this fourth dimension watercolour has come upwards dorsum to the fore.
However I wonder if the selected Judges (how attain they teach selected? That's the existent question!) now demand to recall what the best inwards watercolour genuinely looks like. Maybe they should seek going to exhibitions of watercolour painting? However that's quite hard these days since acrylic sideswiped traditional watercolours.
In other words it's living off the acclaim from the past times together with is non yet generating similar exhibitions inwards the present.
What this contest SHOULD BE is
- first together with foremost an exhibition which celebrates the BEST inwards watercolour icon i.e a display of the MEDIA inwards all its glory
- within the context of contemporary fine art together with to a greater extent than traditional art
- in that order. i.e. this is a contest virtually watercolour icon - non contemporary fine art which involves watercolour paint. It's only rationale for existence singled out together with getting attending is the WATERCOLOUR. There are a number other contemporary fine art competitions together with this is NOT a contemporary fine art contest per se.
- a display of the really best together with SKILLED utilization of viable techniques using watercolour
- excellent fine art of whatever genre made using watercolour pigment - together with a smidgen of other media, but non much!
The discussion that needs to live large on the terminate wall is WATERCOLOUR non Lord's Day Times - which can't fifty-fifty create attain to synchronise its article virtually the contest amongst the opening of the exhibition!
PS I woke upwards this forenoon (19th September 2019)and wanted add together this postscript.
When the sponsor's call is BIGGER thence the move of the contest - you lot simply know this is a contest amongst continuing problems. The Lord's Day Times needs to teach over itself together with teach them sorted - or transcend the baton to somebody who will.
PS I woke upwards this forenoon (19th September 2019)and wanted add together this postscript.
When the sponsor's call is BIGGER thence the move of the contest - you lot simply know this is a contest amongst continuing problems. The Lord's Day Times needs to teach over itself together with teach them sorted - or transcend the baton to somebody who will.
 |
| the terminate wall of the Lord's Day Times WATERCOLOUR contest 2019 |
Still NOT a prestigious exhibition
This contest claims to live a prestigious watercolour exhibition but inwards my see it continues to autumn curt of this.In other words it's living off the acclaim from the past times together with is non yet generating similar exhibitions inwards the present.
The reasons being:
Somebody genuinely needs to live tasked amongst keeping the website upwards to date. For event the Home Page
2019 - 95 paintings
- it's sure NOT the largest exhibition of juried watercolour paintings on display inwards the UK. That accolade lies amongst the annual exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters inwards Water Colours which manages to display some c.160 paintings selected from the Open Entry together with displays 400+ paintings across all 3 of the galleries at the Mall Galleries.
- the prize coin is reducing rather than increasing. Quite why is beyond me other than to assume nobody has been tasked amongst bringing inwards a novel sponsor that is prepared to dorsum this exhibition properly
- far too few paintings which display top grade skills inwards the utilization of watercolour i.e. what watercolour tin attain that other media cannot. There are some really ordinary parochial fine art demo paintings inwards this exhibition which IMO should remove hold been weeded out.
- top grade artists are VERY notable past times their almost full absence. There are some - but past times no agency enough. That includes young, innovative painters who convey a novel perspective on how to pigment inwards watercolour equally good equally the electrical flow contemporary master copy painters.
At the terminate of this weblog ship service are a listing of links to past times exhibitions for this competition. I started looking at the amend ones inwards the past times together with straight off noticed the marked difference inwards the calibre of the creative individual entering the contest inwards years past times compared to those inwards to a greater extent than recent years. The reality is nobody wants to live associated amongst an exhibition which took a incorrect turning together with brought much criticism upon itself equally a result.
I wrote this on Facebook today
I wrote this on Facebook today
The Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition is NOT the biggest watercolour opened upwards exhibition inwards the UK. Nor does it remove hold the best watercolour paintings.... although it oftentimes had some of the best inwards the past. It's claim to live prestigious is shaky unless it gets to a greater extent than top watercolour painters entering again.
I for 1 volition live trying to ensure that far to a greater extent than painters using watercolour media who attain character piece of job teach inwards the exhibition inwards 2020. It is 1 of the master copy ways dorsum for this competition.
Too many industrial plant which are questionable
There's far too many paintings on display which wouldn't expect out of house inwards a 6th shape fine art show. Indeed some demonstrate rather less than adequate skills amongst a brush equally good equally a lack of familiarity amongst what you lot tin attain amongst watercolour!
Seriously. The betoken is a prestigious contest exhibition has GOT TO LOOK VERY GOOD equally a whole. It's MUST expect lot amend than a really parochial fine art demo or 1 past times a 6th shape or it totally loses all claim to the notion of existence prestigious!
I won't embarrass the artists past times identifying which - but I did remove hold photos of them if anybody is interested.
I strain to piece of job out why some of the industrial plant got past times the Judges.
Unfortunately this year, non all the paintings are on the website. It looks really much similar somebody got given the labor - together with thence resigned afterwards a few paintings! The really few you lot tin run across are on this page of the website which has images of piece of job inwards the competition.
If the contest sponsors together with organisers dorsum the Judges I advise they teach all 95 images into the website pronto!
I won't embarrass the artists past times identifying which - but I did remove hold photos of them if anybody is interested.
I strain to piece of job out why some of the industrial plant got past times the Judges.
Unfortunately this year, non all the paintings are on the website. It looks really much similar somebody got given the labor - together with thence resigned afterwards a few paintings! The really few you lot tin run across are on this page of the website which has images of piece of job inwards the competition.
If the contest sponsors together with organisers dorsum the Judges I advise they teach all 95 images into the website pronto!
 |
| The pocket-sized industrial plant on the mezzanine wall - including some really sketchy sketches together with really pocket-sized works together with some industrial plant which remove hold really fiddling claim to existence considered watercolour paintings. |
The impairment ill-chosen Judges tin attain to a competition!
In my view, it simply goes to demo the kind of impairment which tin live done when Judges from a detail persuasion (heavy on the contemporary fine art together with lightweight on watercolour) can attain to a competition.
What nosotros demand to run across inwards futurity are
- rather to a greater extent than people amongst a PEDIGREE inwards watercolour icon (as artists or galleries) existence invited to live Judges inwards futurity years.
- Or at the really to the lowest degree a Chair who has got that pedigree together with tin hold flights of fancy reined inwards together with alternative focused on the objective of the competition.
The website
 |
| the Home Page of the website |
- announces that the entries for 2019 are at nowadays open
- still contains final year's images
- has no link to this year's exhibition
In addition, the weblog has died a death.
No contest is going to teach decent sponsorship if its media marketing is thence really poor.
Nor is it going to teach a decent laid of entries which deliver a top character exhibition.
Nor is it going to teach a decent laid of entries which deliver a top character exhibition.
The Touring Exhibition
This contest is crying out for a tour which gets it out of the southward together with southward due east of the UK. There are people living due north of Watford Gap - says this Northerner non quite believing she has to haul out that onetime chestnut!
The exhibition volition live on display the next galleries
- 17 – 22 September 2019: Mall Galleries, The Mall, London, SW1 - Open 10am-5pm daily, gratis entry
- October – Nov 2019 (no precise dates): Town Hall Arts, Trowbridge, BA14 8EQ
- November – Jan 2019 (no precise dates): Guildford House Gallery, 155 High St Guildford, GU1 3AJ
 |
| This wall includes some paintings using some odd treatments - good worth a look |
Sunday Times Watercolour Competition: Previous Posts
2019 - 95 paintings
2018
- Review: Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition Exhibition 2018
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2018: Prizewinners & Selected Artists
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2018 - Call for Entries
- Video of Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2017
- 10 Best Paintings inwards the Lord's Day Times Watercolour Exhibition
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2017 - Selected Artists
2017
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2017 - Call for Entries
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2017 - Selected Artists
- What does "watercolour" hateful to you?
2016 - 75 paintings past times 66 artists were selected
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2016 - Call for Entries - published inwards March
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2016 - Selected Artists - which includes images from some of the exhibitors
- Kathryn Maple wins Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition for instant time
- Review: Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2016
2015 - xc industrial plant past times eighty artists were selected
- Akash Bhatt wins Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2015
- Review: Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2015
- Selected artists - Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2015
- The Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2015 - Call for Entries
2014 - 93 industrial plant past times 73 artists from across the UK
- Review: Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2014
- Kathryn Maple wins Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2014
- Selected Artists - Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2014
- The Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2014 - Call for Entries
2013
- David Forster wins Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2013
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2013 Exhibition at the Mall Galleries
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2013 - Call for Entries
- Mark Elsmore wins Lord's Day Times Watercolour 2012
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2012 - Call for Entries2011
- REVIEW: Lord's Day Times Watercolour Exhibition 2011
- John Hunt wins Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2011
- Sunday Times Watercolour Competition - Call for Entries
- Review: Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition 2010
- Emma Haworth wins Lord's Day Times Watercolour ...
- Call for entries: Lord's Day Times Watercolour Competition
- Royal Watercolour Society / Lord's Day Times Watercolour Exhibition
- Call for entries - 2009 RWS/Sunday Times Watercolour ...
0 Response to "Review: Sunday Times Watercolour Contest 2019 Exhibition"
Post a Comment