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The Society of Wildlife Artists Exhibition 2008 (1 Viewer)

P

Peewit

Once a bird lover ... always a bird lover
hi there

My OH and I are going to see SWLA exhibition on Saturday this week. Has anyone else been to this event in the past at all?

Love to hear your experiences?

I wonder if anyone is displaying their Art from the Bird Forum?

Now I am being nosy LOL

Here is the Link

http://www.swla.co.uk

Kathy
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Hi Kathy,

I go every year two or three times, it's always been worth the entry money. Great variety of styles and over recent years the emphasis seems to have been shifting back towards realism, although there's still plenty of more 'expressionistic' work. (Not expressionism, but I can't think of another, more appropriate, word!)

Look out for works by our very own Nick Derry, Szlabolcs Kokay, birdboybowley and probably others that I didn't notice yet!

Have fun!

Mike
 
Woody said:
Hi Kathy,

I go every year two or three times, it's always been worth the entry money. Great variety of styles and over recent years the emphasis seems to have been shifting back towards realism, although there's still plenty of more 'expressionistic' work. (Not expressionism, but I can't think of another, more appropriate, word!)

Look out for works by our very own Nick Derry, Szlabolcs Kokay, birdboybowley and probably others that I didn't notice yet!

Have fun!

Mike
Click to expand...

Hi Mike

Thank you for the recommendation, and I will enjoy, and you enjoy the exhibition too. :t:

Will look out for any people who have art works from here anyday. :t:

Kathy
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For me the outstanding contributions this year are from John Threlfall, Brin Edwards, John Latimer and, naturally, the prize-winning Mr.Derry. It seems he just can't stop winning those awards! Fantastic sculpture of fighting pheasants by Simon Gudgeon and a simply drop dead gorgeous fox 'vantage point' by a sculptor whose name escapes me (Sorry!).
John Davies, Andrew Stock and Chris Rose also brilliant. Too much for one visit!

Mike
 
a bit of research, and it appears I've maybe won the Langford award, or maybe not, as I've just phoned Langford Press, and they've never heard of me and told me somebody else won it! So maybe a mistake in labelling or somesuch - who wants a beer then? Never mind, maybe they'll publish a book for me as way of compensation! lol.
 
Hi there

I was at the exhibition yesterday and anyone who participated with their work well it was stunning - I have to say they where where brilliant and I loved to see all of the paintings by BF'rs here.

Great showings everyone. :-O:-O

Love to hear more - guys and you can be as modest as you like. ;);)

Kathy
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Glad you had a good time there Kathy, it really is an inspirational place, shame I won't be able to visit this year.

Just to update on my 'prize'. Though Langford Press haven't heard of me, a letter arrived at my parents' this morning on SWLA paper to say I am the winner, and to phone Langford Press for details. This is getting confusing indeed!

Back to painting now!
 
Fabulous news Nick!!!! Richly deserved, too.
And whether Langford have heard of you or not - they soon will have!
I can see a publication by you sitting very comfortably with their other titles.
 
nickderry said:
Glad you had a good time there Kathy, it really is an inspirational place, shame I won't be able to visit this year.

Just to update on my 'prize'. Though Langford Press haven't heard of me, a letter arrived at my parents' this morning on SWLA paper to say I am the winner, and to phone Langford Press for details. This is getting confusing indeed!

Back to painting now!
Click to expand...

Hi Nick

Yes, and to see an award of any type attached to one of your beautiful pictures was not to be ignored at all. :-O

Love to hear more about your Langford award?

Do you display your work at any other exhibitions?.

My OH and I have placed votes for our favourite pictures to be put forward for next year, and yes we chose people from the Bird Forum

(Woody helped me with names of people here)

As Tim has said your work is getting widely known so enjoy!!

Kathy
x
 
nickderry said:
Glad you had a good time there Kathy, it really is an inspirational place, shame I won't be able to visit this year.

Just to update on my 'prize'. Though Langford Press haven't heard of me, a letter arrived at my parents' this morning on SWLA paper to say I am the winner, and to phone Langford Press for details. This is getting confusing indeed!

Back to painting now!
Click to expand...

Told ya so!

I'm up for your coffee table book, just let us know as soon as it's published!

I always find the exhibition inspirational and frustrating in equal measure. Some of the work is amazing and I just want to get the brushes out and try to emulate it, whether it's highly realist or more abstract. Some though, I look at and wonder if it would have been accepted if it wasn't by long established members of the society...

We know that some top quality work by our good friend here and others has been rejected this year, so how much more gets left out because it doesn't fit with the society's 'vision'. And who decides what's worthy and what's not? Based on what criteria?

I've never put in for this exhibition, the main reason is the extraordinary costs involved, talk about your 'pound of flesh', I simply can't afford to risk the cash.

Another reason though is that I know the kind of work I do stands not a snowball in hell's chance of getting in. This last could, of course, simply be a lack of confidence and a fear of rejection on my part, but I feel it's more to do with fitting a certain profile creatively than it is with the quality of work.

Mike
 
nickderry said:
Glad you had a good time there Kathy, it really is an inspirational place, shame I won't be able to visit this year.

Just to update on my 'prize'. Though Langford Press haven't heard of me, a letter arrived at my parents' this morning on SWLA paper to say I am the winner, and to phone Langford Press for details. This is getting confusing indeed!

Back to painting now!
Click to expand...

Wonderful! Glad to see they're organized! Seriously though, congratulations Nick. Richly deserved!

Dave
 
Thanks everyone,

Kathy, I'll be having a joint exhibition at WWT Slimbridge with Andrew Forkner in March and April next year, otherwise I'll be putting in again for the NEWA exhibition on the Wirral again next summer. The prize is a copy of each of Langford Press' books (very nice prize IMO). Just got to sort out this big mess now that they think someone else has won it, it's possibe they've made a mistake and notified 2 people, but now I've had a letter, I'm not going to let it drop.

Mike, I certainly agree that there is some work there that wouldn't stand any chance of being accepted if it weren't by an established member - a shame that 'good' artwork is decided based upon a reputation and not upon the artistic merits of an individual piece. If Lars Jonsson or Bruce Pearson did a crap painting, then it would be a crap painting by a great artist in my eyes, and not a great painting because it comes from a great artist.

It seems a lot of work was rejected this year, my parents did the honours of removing my detritus from the reject room and said that there was a great deal more there this year than last year, including plenty that should have been in. But I suppose space is at a premium in the exhibition, not so long ago, members were allowed 10 pictures, if I remember rightly, now they can only have 6. Shame that one huge piece put in takes up so much space and results in the rejection of a good few excellent pieces from non-members.
 
Dropped into SWLA- as others have commented, once again a very strong empahsis on sketches, designs, strongly coloured images etc. rather than more traditionally painted work. Some great work is lost to SWLA and its visitors as a result.

I see Dave B's been on thread- there a fantastic oil by Szabolcs Kokay of some juvenile waders that you would enjoy I'm sure.

Highlights for me some Greenhalf woodcuts, Esther Tyson Bullfinches, Black Terns by Sir Nicholas Derry of Besancon and a really really nice Little Grebe by a chap called Juan Vareol Sima - worth dropping in for that last little gem alone.
 
timwootton said:
Well done again Nick - sounds like a splendid prize (and I'm certain there's no mistake, it'll be sorted).
Ed, Mike - the black-necked grebe painting - whilst I have every confidence you have the exact spelling of the artist's name - are you sure it's not Juan Valera Simo who did the piece? : http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=123373
Click to expand...

That's the chap- I am a bit confused about the spelling of his middle name. Seems to be Varela, so apologies to him and all.

He sometimes does his birds with big head /small body or vice versa

(see for example the B Necked Grebe on here http://www.juanvarela.com/galeria.php?to=2 )

but the Little Grebe at SWLA is an absolute cracker.
 
Speeling isunt miy stronk poynt!

The guy's good however he spells his name and it was great to see his work up close and personal.

Mike
 
nickderry said:
Thanks everyone,

Kathy, I'll be having a joint exhibition at WWT Slimbridge with Andrew Forkner in March and April next year, otherwise I'll be putting in again for the NEWA exhibition on the Wirral again next summer. The prize is a copy of each of Langford Press' books (very nice prize IMO). Just got to sort out this big mess now that they think someone else has won it, it's possibe they've made a mistake and notified 2 people, but now I've had a letter, I'm not going to let it drop.

Mike, I certainly agree that there is some work there that wouldn't stand any chance of being accepted if it weren't by an established member - a shame that 'good' artwork is decided based upon a reputation and not upon the artistic merits of an individual piece. If Lars Jonsson or Bruce Pearson did a crap painting, then it would be a crap painting by a great artist in my eyes, and not a great painting because it comes from a great artist.

It seems a lot of work was rejected this year, my parents did the honours of removing my detritus from the reject room and said that there was a great deal more there this year than last year, including plenty that should have been in. But I suppose space is at a premium in the exhibition, not so long ago, members were allowed 10 pictures, if I remember rightly, now they can only have 6. Shame that one huge piece put in takes up so much space and results in the rejection of a good few excellent pieces from non-members.
Click to expand...


Hi Nick

Great to hear how well you are doing with your work and I will watch for your exhibits in the near future. :-O

not to say that I love other peoples work just as much ans love to see it on display - be it on BF or elsewhere. :-O

Love seeing all your work guys (my OH too, and he loves to paint when he has time) :-O

Kathy
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