The paintings of Nicholas Jones immerse the viewer in the vast space and luminous light of the Arctic. Capturing a world made up of the simplest of ingredients – ice, water, rock, and light, this exhibition offers a point of connection with the fragile beauty of this astonishing region of our planet, on whose well-being we all depend.
Nick is the 2022 winner of the Royal Geographical Societies Cherry Kearton medal. In 2018 he was the Scott Polar Research Institutes Arctic Artist in Residence, out of which these paintings were made. This exhibition will consist of around 40 of Nick’s Arctic paintings completed between 2018 and 2022. The paintings range in size from small works on paper to two-meter large canvases.
Nick’s paintings have always dealt with one main subject: the landscape. From the countryside around his Somerset home, to the Arctic landscape of Lapland, Greenland and Baffin Island, he seeks to evoke the world of nature, of hills, mountains, water, skies, trees, and above all, light.
When in 2018, Nicholas Jones was appointed as Arctic Artist in Residence with the Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute, he made a remarkable voyage along the coasts of Greenland and Baffin Island. The paintings in this exhibition are his response to the sublime light and landscapes he experienced in the Arctic, and visions of its beauty, power and simplicity. These paintings open our eyes to the beauty of nature, inviting us to a meditative contemplation of its wonders, and reminding us of the vital importance of preserving our shared home. It was for these works that the Royal Geographical Society awarded the Cherry Kearton medal, citing Nick’s “ability to ‘capture the uncapturable’: the ever-changing play of light on landscape.”
https://www.nicholasjones.info/
Bird Photographer of the Year is back after it’s popularity last year at Nature in Art.
Photographers from all over the world entered more than 20,000 images into this year’s competition, each with their eyes on the £5,000 grand prize. Photographer Jack Zhi, from the USA, was declared this year’s grand prize winner for his dramatic image taken in Southern California.
Photographers competed in 8 different categories in the adult competition: Best Portrait, Birds in the Environment, Bird Behaviour, Birds in Flight, Black and White, Urban Birds, Conservation (Single Image), and Comedy Bird Photo. There was also a Conservation Award, Portfolio Award, and Video Award.
Bird Photographer of the Year has conservation at its heart. This year, the competition donated £5,000 to partner charity Birds on the Brink, which provides vital funding to grass-roots bird conservation projects around the world. (www.birdsonthebrink.co.uk)
The 2024 competition is now open for entries at birdpoty.com, and invites photographers of all experience levels to submit their best bird photos.
Image 1: Jack Zhi / Bird Photographer of the Year
Image 2: Nicolas Reusens / Bird Photographer of the Year
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the Natural History Museum’s (London) globally renowned annual competition and exhibition, highlighting the unique and beautiful relationship between photography, science and art.
A forest rodeo, a hidden stargazer and a mason bee at work are just a few of the awe-inspiring images featured in the fifty-ninth competition. All 100 winning wildlife photographs will be on display at Nature in Art.
This year’s competition attracted an astounding 49,957 entries from photographers of all ages and experience levels from 95 countries.
Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum sums up the importance of the exhibition: ‘We are facing urgent biodiversity and climate crises, and photography is a powerful catalyst for change. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition reveals some of nature’s most wondrous sights whilst offering hope and achievable actions visitors can take to help protect the natural world.’
Entry to the exhibition is included in the entrance price to Nature in Art.
The Gloucester Society for Botanical Illustration’s Annual Exhibition will be held in the Atrium of the Education Centre.
GSBI grew out of botanical art classes held in Cheltenham and Stroud taught by Michael Hickey, horticulturist, botanist, writer and illustrator for The Cambridge University Press and elsewhere. The Society was formed in 1993 to cater for all in the county interested in botanical illustration, whether as botanists, botanical illustrators, gardeners or those involved in the collection and appreciation of botanical works. Their membership includes winners of The Royal Horticultural Society’s gold, Silver Gilt and Silver medals, both in the Grenfell(for art pictures) and Lindley (for scientific illustration) range.
Meet artists every day whilst viewing this inspiring display.
Images:
Wild Arum by Sian Phillips
Dahlia by Carolyn Makepeace
Gloucestershire Society of Artists was founded in 1924 linked to the Gloucester Art College and several of the talented tutors at the college were the first members. The Art Club is still a devoted community made up of enthusiastic individuals who enjoy sharing ideas and activities. This is the first of a series of exhibitions across the county marking the 100th anniversary of the society. This celebratory exhibition includes work in a variety of styles and media.
This exhibition will take place in the Atrium of the Education Centre. Free entry.
Meet members everyday. Some items for sale.
An exhibition of contemporary lace.
‘Elemental’ is the Westhope Group’s latest of many varied exhibitions. Members’ work is grounded in centuries-old techniques, but challenges the traditional view of lacemaking. Using traditional lacemaking techniques, group members produce contemporary textile art that may not always be immediately recognised as lace.
Founded in 1989, members of the Westhope Group come from all over the UK. Although their backgrounds in lace are varied, they have a common interest in maintaining strong lace traditions, pushing the boundaries of lace techniques and sharing experience with students, lacemakers and all who have an enthusiasm for textiles.
The theme, ‘Elemental’, looks at nature at its most basic level. Whether looking at the ancient elements of earth, water, fire and air, or considering modern chemical elements, these are the building blocks of our world. The theme has proved to be a rich source of inspiration for this talented group who have interpreted the theme in many different ways. The result is a beautifully conceived exhibition, all worked in the medium of lace.
See group members demonstrating on 30th March, 3rd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th April.
More details about the Westhope Group and its members can be found on their website or their Instagram page.
This exhibition will take place in the Atrium of the Education Centre. Free entry.
This exhibition will now finish on May 12th (was 28th April)
Royal Copenhagen Porcelain was established in Copenhagen in 1775 by the Danish monarchy and is still in production today. The porcelain is known worldwide for its high standards of craftsmanship, immaculate design and being made and painted entirely by hand.
The company makes a wide variety of items such as tableware, figurines, animals, birds, fish, vases, dishes and plates. This exhibition will show a varied sample of animals and birds dating from 1890’s – 1990’s.
Royal Copenhagen’s first ever pattern in 1775 was the Blue Fluted Plain, a blue and white floral design. In the 19th century, Blue Fluted Plain was so highly coveted, the pattern could be found on everything from teapots to chamber pots.
Since 1775, every piece of porcelain that has left Royal Copenhagen carries its factory marks; the three waves, the royal crown and the painter’s mark. These are symbols of authenticity, the royal connection and the mark of hand-craftsmanship.
The figurines from Royal Copenhagen have long been out of production and the only ones still being produced are the annual figurine series. Nature in Art has three pieces of Royal Copenhagen porcelain in its permanent collection, all of which will be on display alongside key works from two local private collections.
The exhibition will celebrate the huge variety and detail of around 50 decorative items, ranging from an early and rare marmot created in the c.1890’s to a Lady Amherst pheasant, one of the most colourful figurines made by one of the few female modellers, Andrea Nielsen. The selection will include miniatures to compliment larger items, with some animals and birds being life size. This will be a rare and exciting opportunity to see so many Royal Copenhagen items together at once.
Entry into this exhibition is included in the admission price to the museum.
A fascinating series of relief editioned original prints, primarily created using wood, lino and stencils, by renowned print maker Julia Manning RE, SWLA. Bringing to life what she calls the ‘incredible – implausible sometimes! – life of Eels.’
Guided by international eel expert, Andy Don, and focusing on areas of Somerset, Manning has learnt about these fascinating creatures and the challenges that they face. Though the medium of print, she has visualised an incredible visual story of eel migration and metamorphis.
The European eel is classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and appears on their ‘Red List’ of threatened species. Since 1970, the numbers of juvenile eels entering European rivers has declined by more than 95%. These Anguillid eels have been around for about 80 million years.
These eels stay in England’s fresh waters for many years, up to 25, before feeling the pull of the sea and heading out on their final migration. These upstream migrations are often less than straightforward because of man-made obstructions such as weirs that are used to regulate and control river flows. Special ‘eel passes’ have been designed and can be installed to overcome these obstacles. Other pressures have been man’s greed by illegal exploitation (smuggling millions of glass eels to Asia), climate change (the shifting of the currents on which the Leptocephali (eel larva) drift and rely) and invasive parasites introduced from abroad.
The story of the Somerset eels seems to resonate across all species. Our local wildlife is truly showing its connection to the global world.
See more on Julia’s website or Instagram Page.
Entry to this exhibition is included in the admission price to the museum. Julia will be giving a talk in conjunction with the exhibition on Tuesday 23rd April. Find out more here.
An inspiring display of sculpture by Anita Mandl and photography by Steve Russell, in collaboration with Gallery Pangolin, Stroud.
Where would we be in a world without animals and birds? Their beauty astounds, their diversity is myriad. Both Anita Mandl and Steve Russell celebrate these
in their very different ways. The animal world Mandl carves and casts is tightly hewn in form bringing to life the essential character of her avian and mammalian subjects.
Russell explores wildlife large and small with the knowledge of their place into an ecological jigsaw puzzle of immense complexity.
Anita Mandl is already represented in the Nature in Art Collection, with this exhibition being a perfect opportunity to see a larger collection of her work. Nature in Art acquired ‘Prostrate Buffalo’ in 2005, a cast resin marble sculpture of a buffalo lying down. (below). Steve Russell also had a solo exhibition here in 2013.
There will be a preview evening for this exhibition on Thursday 9th May. Please click here to find out more.
Anita Mandl:
Born in Prague, Mandl (1926-2022) trained as a zoologist and studied sculpture at the Birmingham College of Art. She was a Member of the Royal West of England Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors. Her carvings, mostly in stone, are cast into editions in bronze and
silver. Her deep knowledge of animal anatomy and behaviour informed her sculptures which are skilfully pared down to convey the very nature of a species. Their economy of language, their smooth and lustrous surfaces, together express the essential characteristics of an animal.
Steve Russell:
Born in the UK, Russell (b. 1969) has shot photographs since he was a child, his passion for the camera eventually prompting his father into building him a darkroom. That proved an enlightened investment, ultimately helping Russell transform a schoolboy hobby into an award-winning career. Frequent journeys to East Africa over the last twelve years have provided Steve with huge inspiration and the opportunity to photograph an impressive variety of animals and bird species as well as staggering scenery, from the Rwenzori Mountains of Western Uganda to the Tanzanian coastline. https://www.steverussellstudios.com/
https://www.gallery-pangolin.com/
The annual selling exhibition of the Wildlife Art Society International (TWASI). Over 320 works both 2D and 3D. The society provides a focus for the interests of wildlife artists, painters, sculptors and photographers both professional and part time.
TWASI was founded in 1992 and has grown to be one of the leading Wildlife Art Societies in the UK and continues to grow in recognition internationally.
The basic aims of the Society are the promotion of the wildlife art genre in its own right, whilst providing a focus for the interests of all wildlife artists, painters, sculptors and photographers whether they are professional, serious amateur or leisure artists.
There will be demonstrations everyday.
The exhibition will be held in a marquee on the front lawn. Free Entry.