Our Picture of the Month is chosen from the RGA Online Art Gallery by the previous month's artist.
To find out more contact Martina at webmaster@rga-artists.org.uk
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First Light
Acrylic
95 x 95cm |
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I particularly liked this painting, 'First Light' by Caroline Streatfield. As a figurative painter I am naturally drawn to paintings that I would not do myself. This painting may be a seascape but implies other subjects in a figurative sense, but the image is rather like the paintings of Mark Rothko in that the colours invoke ideas and a sense of space that arise from the subconcious of the viewer. I am intrigued to know the genesis of this painting as it is unlike the other paintings in Caroline's gallery, which, though abstracted, have a degree of recognizable elements which create a focus for the viewer. 'First Light' however is more difficult to pin down. We can see similar paintings which contain small marks or elements which imply a subject and visual depth which are absent in 'First Light' and therein lies its success for me.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Richard Cave |
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Drill rig under tow - Valletta
Watercolour |
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I am drawn to this for many reasons: the strong composition, use of vivid complementary colours and Richard’s effortless mastery of the watercolour medium not least among them. That he is an architect perhaps explains the accomplished depiction of a complicated structure; I particularly like the subtle depiction of shadow-play on the upper section of the rig in contrast with the deep shadows beneath. This is a painting I would never tire of looking at.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Shelagh Casebourne |
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Basil
Silk screen print
33 x 33cm |
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Basil is a really cheering design of clarity and warmth. I have a soft spot for resting dogs and this strong print lodged firmly in my memory. The skillful spare lines of Basil balance neatly with the supporting open colour fields to produce a comfortable, distilled and unified image. I can see it almost as a company logo.
Thanks to the artist.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by William Redman |
Turquoise Sea
Oil on board
15.5 x 15.5cm |
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With a few horizontal lines and a splash of colour William has constructed a very satisfying composition. He then laid on these delightful buttery colours .... how simple it looks! However it demands years of practice and study in observation, simplification and application. Bravo William, I love it.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Jean Aust |
Stringed Instruments
mixed media |
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You can hear this painting.
Rich and striking, it has a beautifully balanced interweaving of musical raw material, intricate flourishes of typography and a joyful energy of colour. The curves and flow of the design give it a very strong illustrative character which would make it a scrumptious design for a book jacket or first class postage stamp.
Thanks to the artist.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by William Redman |
Olive Trees
Oil on board
15.5 x 15.5cm |
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How I wish I had created this work. It is strong but sophisticated, and is a warm representation of a much loved subject. The suggestion of an evening scene is unusual in landscape depictions, but there is some ambiguity about this, as the foreground colour has a mid-day vibrancy.
My initial reaction to this work was how lovely simplicity can be, but of course simplicity can hide many layers. This is what William has cleverly achieved, a successfully crafted composition, without superfluous detail, telling a story in strong colour. It is a joy.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Hilary Parkinson |
Rock Life
Printed collage
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Simplicity of Hilary's mysterious movement and solidity leads to the point where reality cracks and dissolves.
Or, is it just a play of colour and shape?
Or, is it a rock cry in this heatwave?
Or, ...
Next time when I look at it, it may evoke something completely different, but never quite representing anything in reality.
And that's why I would like to look at it again and again ...
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Ksenija Krotin |
Itaka
Wire & jute sculpture
40 x 40cm
& 40cm dia |
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I love Ksenija's exploration of ideas by experimentation with the materials. For me, Itaka has a fluidity and tranquillity about it. The relationship between two suspended forms is intriguing; the hanging circle and the curved grid-like structure caught in the diagonals, as if floating. My mind attempts to pull in narratives but I immensely enjoy watching the different lines going for walks in three dimensions.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Helen Lunn |
Discovery 10
mixed media
10 x 15cm |
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I picked out 'Discovery 10' because this work really does reflect Helen's scientific background and I feel like I am looking down a telescope at an exciting new mixture, the results of which no one could predict, and which are all very much alive!
In addition to this element of unpredictability, I encounter new colours which are not readily available in the average palette, like bluey emerald greens and rather exotic reds and purples. She also skilfully manages to evolve a three dimensional element within which you could imagine vast seas or cavernous landscapes. These effects are all brought about by her bold use of multi mediums which let the imagination soar. I enjoy her experimental attitude to creativity.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Adeliza Mole |
Moss Pond
Watercolour
67 x 51cm |
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I am delighted by this painting of Adeliza Mole's, it appeals on a visceral level. There is so much to look at, it is landscape re-assessed, painted with a marvellous eye and wonderful colours, soothing and yet wild and exciting!
It brings to mind some of Ken Kiff’s work (although his paintings are mostly figurative).
Lovely!
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Lou Jessop |
Woolen person - Grey woman
Recycled knitwear and hand stitching |
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I first came across Lou's work a few years ago whilst visiting the Caversham Art Trail. I was immediately intrigued by both the extraordinarily high level of her skill and the wonderful earthiness of her subject matter. Her colourful embroidered pictures depicting ancient mythical themes are approached with tender cheekiness and complete originality.
Her curiously wild and playful felted figures remind me of medieval illustrations of anthropomorphic mandrake roots – twisted, a bit uncomfortable and with something of an edgy magic about them. It is their slight creepiness that intrigues. However, I feel they are essentially humbling – a humorous reminder of how we all came into this world and how we might leave it – wild, naked, and a bit crumpled around the edges.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Sadie Brockbank |
Life Ark
Mixed media
17 x 26 x 9 cm |
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I enjoyed seeing a display of Sadie Brockbank’s work towards the end of 2016. For me her sculptures successfully combine scale, form, and surface considerations to arrive at a strong impression of the primeval and ancient. I also admired the effective handling and finish of mixed media to achieve this aim. The "characters" in the work are sensitively posed or simplified just enough, and there is a suggestion of dream imagery in the way that they may stack or sprout one from the other. Sadie’s website suggests that the power of her work is built upon a sound discipline of drawing.
www.sadiebrockbank.com
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Michael Garraway |
Datapolis
Watercolour and Acrylic on paper
19.1 x 18cm |
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“I like his use of a subtle colour and rhythm. The work has a musicality to it and makes me think of 'Kraftwerk', maybe 'Pocket Calculator' – also he has a great website: www.garaway.co.uk
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Lynda South |
Gasometer No. 5
Sun print & pencil
40 x 30cm |
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I have chosen ‘Gasometer No. 5’ by Lynda South. The images appear faded, washed out in this Cyanotype, wholly fitting to the subject matter: gasometers are fast disappearing across our landscapes; now largely unused, decaying relics of our once 'great' industrial past. One has a sense in this picture of transience, of memories fading, of being left with hints and traces of what once was... Here is a wonderful marriage of subject matter to technique - l like the fact that the prints have been made by sunlight, in places almost bleaching out the imagery.
When looking at the series by Lynda, I am also reminded of the Bechers photographs and the work of Idris Khan.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Tom Cartmill |
Reverberations X
Ink on paper
105 x 73cm |
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I have always loved Tom Cartmill’s art since the first example of his work that I saw in an exhibition and I have continued to be drawn to his exquisite pieces ever since. They are executed with such precision and care, drawing the viewer in to admire the close detail and then out again to look at and extol the work from a distance.
I am drawn to every one of his Reverberations series with their black, grey and white tones, but my eye was particularly drawn to Reverberations X. He uses lines in such interesting ways with them seeming to flow effortlessly over the paper, with the juxtaposition of non-linear mark making adding other fascinating dimensions to the piece, including adding depth.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Jenny Atkins |
Snow Scene
Oils
61 x 91cm |
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I have chosen Jenny's 'Snow Scene' from her four paintings of trees in the gallery, though I like them all equally.
But it's December and so the 'Snow Scene' has to be my choice. Using blues, purples, white and rust, Jenny has captured the strangely coloured light flooding a snowy landscape, cleverly invoking the cold and dark of the season. Using pale blue for the branches, and the darker blue for the twisted winter leaves, Jenny creates a satisfying series of shapes against the cool winter landscape. But it is worth looking at all of Jenny's tree paintings, be it cold winter or colour-filled autumn. Here is an artist clearly reacting to the excitement of the pastoral scenes she loves to record.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Carole Stephens |
Blue Wrap
Print & collage
39 x 50cm |
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I have selected Blue Wrap by Carole Stephens because it gives me joy. I love the use of collage coupled with print and the arrangement of pattern together with the clever use of space. The line and soft tones offer balance with the bold striped apron and hat and the tiny jewel-like pings of colour are wonderful in this quirky little figure, which makes me smile.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Jenny Halstead |
The Black Jacket
Pastel
33 x 46cm |
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I love the sketchiness of this portrait and the colour palette, warm and cool blues with a full range of tone from very light to deep darks, and the contrasting, complimentary colours of the hat. The strong diagonal composition runs from the hat on down and the whole thing seems very spare, but everything you need is there. It shows us a real, three-dimensional person sitting very solidly and very still, lost in thought. I love the clasped hands and rich skin tones on both hands and face. It's always interesting to note that skin is not really "skin-coloured", just as the black jacket of the title is not black.
We see only the tiniest hint of the chair he's sitting on, but who needs more? Nor do we need anything beyond him other than the sweeps of undefined background colour, where the addition of water (I think) has produced some beautiful effects with the pastel.
All in all, my reaction has to be, I wish I could have done that!
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Helen Watson |
Crabapples & Pears
Collage
& acrylic ink
28 x 28cm |
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In looking through the sixty paintings on the online gallery there were several that I kept going back to. On each visit they rewarded the repeat viewing, so to select just one took much thought, but the painting that most stayed in my mind was Crabapples and Pears by Helen Watson.
The composition, with its diagonal emphasis from top right to bottom left is nicely opposed and balanced by the implied line of the stray leaf (top left) and the plate. The abstract form of the background is intriguing - is that a window and blue sea, with a darkened cliff face in the top right corner?
The way the darker pear on the plate takes a segment out of the pear behind it is also pleasing. Clever colour combinations, together with a controlled looseness in the drawing create a very likeable and eye catching image.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Paul Manning |
St Mary's Church House
(Bill's restaurant), Reading
Watercolour, ink, pencil
26 x 16cm |
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St Mary's Church House (Bill's restaurant), Reading by Paul Manning combines a beautifully precise architectural drawing and an interesting abstract approach to the surroundings. The grid emphasises the perspective and provides a pleasing unity to the work in an unusual way. The abstract geometric shapes in the sky and foreground add energy and excitement to the image as a whole.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Linda Saul |
Polperro Harbour Wall
Mixed media
44 x 47cm |
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“Having talked to Linda Saul at the RGA Summer Show, I would like Polperro Harbour Wall
to be picture of the month. I enjoy the way Linda is on an individual journey and her enjoyment of
textures and mixed media in her work. She also creates many other images of Cornwall and
these evoke many holiday memories.”
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Belinda Fitzwilliams |
The Art Class |
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I have chosen “The Art Class” as my favourite painting of the month as Belinda has used simple shapes and blocks of colour to paint her figures and the scene as a whole. The blue under-painting is a good choice of colour as it gives the room a sense of light and helps the other blocks of colour stand out. For me the picture also tells a story and I want to look more into the picture to see what each of the artists may be painting, especially the lady at the forefront! The use of confident brush strokes also prevents the painting from looking overworked.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Rebecca Ratnasamy |
May 2017
by Rebecca Ratnasamy
Hitching a Ride
Pastel
45 x 46cm |
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I love this pastel drawing by Rebecca for its vibrant warm colours and its uncomplicated descriptiveness. The piece may seem unfinished to some, but there is so much beauty in the simple line drawing and focus of zesty glowing colours on the three figures. She has really captured the essence of the moment, the atmosphere and the characters, without overworking it and giving it breathing space. This piece makes me want to pack up a sketchbook in a backpack and go travelling!
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Rosie Ellis Unwin |
April 2017
by Rosie Ellis Unwin
Mirielle
Acrylic inks, spray and paint on canvas
100 x 100cm |
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I've chosen this picture because of the meeting between abstract chaos and modern realism. The colours bode well for spring and there is a suggestion of ordered texture like the pop art of the 1960s. What's really nice about it is that it's of a female figure which is an attractive mannequin but has a thoughtfulness despite the poster art theme, also interesting as it is painted by a female artist and that unconsciously allows me to view it without any kind of wondering about female stereo-typing or subjection of the female form.
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Peg Salaün-Smith |
March 2017
by Peg Salaün-Smith
Seville |
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"This painting caught my attention due to its internal rhythms and myriad fluctuating forms. There is also a certain heat suggested by the colour palette. All these factors together create an image I find quite agreeable. While these were the primary reasons for selecting this painting I am also very fond of Seville so I liked how, without resorting to illustration or cliché, the work feels Andalusian in spirit."
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Robert Fitzmaurice |
Mighty waters rolling evermore
oil on card
31 x 41cm |
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For February we welcome back "Mighty waters rolling evermore" chosen by Carole Pembrooke:
“I find myself so intrigued by this image created by Robert Fitzmaurice. Intrigued, because art that encourages me to use my imagination and fantasy I find stimulating both artistically and psychologically. So many questions arise - who are these three, what are they looking at? What is their relationship and gender? And then of course my projections arise - what are they thinking, knowing, and disapproving of? The answer you imagine will of course all depend on your own personal point of view and relationships.”
Chosen from our Online Art Gallery by Carole Pembrooke |
Tea for two
Mixed medium
30 x 30cm |
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Carole's work always brings a smile to my face, there is always something surprising going on in her pictures. Also the intricacy and detail in the execution is a delight.
This particular piece I find very appealing as it takes me back to my imaginings as a young child when I would assume that zoo keepers naturally took their charges home with them after work.
It also affirms to me the bond between animals and humans that exists in some instances, although maybe very far fetched in this delightful scenario!
Chosen from our online Gallery by Clare Buchta |
Take a look further back in time with our Picture of the Month Archive page
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