Drawn From Youth (2): Sixth Form Talent on Display

Fylde DFAS has launched its second  ‘Drawn From Youth,’ exhibition at the Fylde Gallery at Booths in Lytham. The 2012 exhibition showcases the winners of a national competition and exhibition, sponsored by the Royal Society of British Artists and NADFAS (National Decorative and Fine Arts Society). Schools represented include Lytham St Annes Performing Arts & Technology College, Blackpool Sixth Form College, Baines Scool, Poulton, Rossall School; Kirkham Grammar School, and KEQM School.

Two of the winners, Jodie Leader from Lytham St Annes High School sixth form and Katie Hampson from Blackpool Sixth Form College, had their artworks displayed alongside professional artists in The Royal Society of British Artists’ Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, in March this year (see below).

The overall standard of entries was so high that they deserved to be exhibited, so with the support of staff from the participating schools and the Fylde Gallery, Fylde DFAS decided to host its second exhibition of local students’ work.

Fylde DFAS also presented four prizes: RBA national competition winners Jodie Leader and Katie Hampson received awards, as did two other winners – Rebecca Fausset, from Blackpool Sixth Form College, and Toby Holder-Williams of Rossall School, Fleetwood.

Brenda Burkitt who judged the competition on behalf of Fylde DFAS, said,”This short-listed work from Fylde Schools is of the highest quality and I found it very challenging to select just two two prize winning exhibits. However Rebecca’s painting showed evidence of an outstanding drawing ability and a strong sense of colour,  and Toby’s three-dimensional project demonstrated diversity and originality that made it a very distinctive piece.”

Photos of the exhibition are available on Flickr

More photos of sixth form submissions are available here.

Fylde Students to Display Artworks in Mall Galleries, London

Madonna and Child by Jodie Leader

Students from two Fylde schools will have their artworks displayed alongside professional artists in The Royal Society of British Artists’ Annual Exhibition. The two winners are Jodie Leader from Lytham St Annes High School sixth form and Katie Hampson from Blackpool Sixth Form College. The winning artworks will be exhibited at the RBA’s 2012 show, at the Mall Galleries, London, in March next year.

First Cow of triptych by Katie Hampson

This year, the competition, which is organised by the RBA and NADFAS, attracted artworks from 54 Societies, who between them submitted 310 artworks from 83 schools. Some 41 works will be hung, with another 17 displayed as 10 x 8 reproductions. Given the huge number of entries this is very good news for the Fylde and a tremendous achievement for the two students, especially as the area had a winner last year – Catherine Latham, from KEQMS (scroll down to see the item on Catherine).

The two works to be hung in the 2012 exhibition are Jodie Leader’s Madonna & Child and Katie Hampson’s first cow painting from her triptych as a 10 x 8 reproduction.

Both winners are now continuing their art education in higher education. Jodie Leader is studying scientific illustration at Blackpool and Fylde College and Katie Hampson is studying fine art, animation and illustration at Bolton University. Further examples of Katie’s work can be seen on her website at http://www.outputt.com/.

Congratulations to both winners!

Mr Lowry in Lytham St Annes

The Fylde Young Arts Project, ‘Mr Lowry in Lytham St Annes’, was a cross-curricular project and art competition for Year 6 pupils in Fylde schools (10 to 11 year olds), held in 2011. There were two entry categories: Whole Class entry, and Individual entry.

Cross-Curricular Portfolio – Whole class entry:

First place: Weeton Primary School

The whole year 6 class was taken by coach to the Lowry Gallery, Salford for a full-day workshop with a a professional artist. The school also received books and art materials. (Total value £750.)

Lancs CC Advisor Jen Farrington, with DFAS competition organisers Barbara Weston & Gerry Corless

The Weeton School portfolio was unanimously judged to be outstanding. Jen Farrington, Lancashire CC Adviser, reporting on behalf of the judging team, said, ‘It is clear that this has been an experience the children will never forget. There were many ‘WOW’ factors but ‘A day in the life of a Lowry painting’, where they dramatised Lowry’s paintings is innovative, beautifully performed and very atmospheric, showing a real empathy for Lowry’s work. The overall context of the work was clearly explained and the overall presentation in all aspects covered was excellent. The children have acquired many new skills in the use of colour, pencil drawing, texture and tone, and applied these skills to their work. They participated in in-depth research to find out more about Lowry’s life and had the opportunity to work independently. The Lowry motifs were beautifully expressed and the one selected to enhance the portfolio was excellent.’

2nd place: Heyhouses Primary School

The prize was books and art materials (value £100). Michaela Gaston-Ross, Arts Co-ordinator at Heyhouses, said, ‘I’m absolutely thrilled to bits – a thoroughly worthwhile project, enjoyed by pupils and staff alike.’

3rd place: Mayfield County Primary School

Mayfield School entry

The Mayfield whole class entry included large sculptures that provided a real ‘WOW’ factor. The class interpreted the project in a variety of ways and there were clear links with literacy through newspaper reports, diary extracts and descriptive writing. The class also made clay models and wire people sculptures that they dressed in felt ‘Lowry’ clothing. The children said that they found some of the work difficult but had risen to the challenge and made something worthwhile. One pupil commented ‘it made me feel proud’.

The class portfolios from Bryning with Warton St Paul’s CE and Lytham CE School were highly commended.

St Paul’s pupil, Aaron said that it was one of the best projects he has ever done and he particularly enjoyed the song they sang dressed as mini Lowrys!

Individual entry category

Winning individual entry

Three prizes (books and art materials – worth £75, £50 and £25) were awarded for the Individual entry category:

1st Prize ‘A Summer Day’ by Ella-Grace Gregorie – St Paul’s School.

One of the judges, Kerry Hunt of the Grundy Gallery, said, ‘A Summer Day’ is an outstanding piece of work which explores ideas put forward in Lowry’s work whilst experimenting with colour, media and perspective to such an extent it has created a very striking, visual composition’.

2nd Prize ‘A Day at Lytham’ by Anya Barlow – Weeton School.

3rd Prize ‘Fylde Collage’ by River Frankland – Lytham CE School.

Next Stage:

Winners receive their prizes

The schools enjoyed a prestigious exhibition of the winning and short-listed entries, which went on show in the Fylde Gallery for the whole of September 2011. Prizes were presented at a private viewing of the exhibition on 5th September.

Approximately 40 shortlisted individual entries were framed for the exhibition, which also included work from the best portfolio entries.

The judges for the Mr Lowry in Lytham St Annes competition were:

• Jen Farrington, Schools Adviser, Lancashire County Council
• Linda Tolson , Fylde DFAS member and former Primary School Headteacher
• Kate Cartmel Fylde DFAS Programme Secretary and former Primary School teacher/Ofsted Inspector
• Kerry Hunt, Education Officer, Grundy Gallery
• Ken Roberts, Artist and past President, Lytham St Annes Art Society

Funding for the competition

We are grateful to have received funding from St Annes Town Council and Fylde Local Strategic Partnership for the Mr Lowry in Lytham St Annes cross-curricular project and art competition.

We were committed to contributing additional funds to meet the full costs of the project. Our main fundraising event was held on the 19th November 2010. This was an Italian Evening with a lecture by Hugh Ellwood, which raised £762. Proceeds from our monthly raffle are also used to fund Young Arts Projects.

We would also like to thank the following for their generous support:

• Booths Supermarket, Haven Road, Lytham
• The Arts Working Group, Fylde Borough Council
• Community & Education Department, The Lowry, Salford Quays
• Steve Singleton, Editor, St Annes Express
• David Seidel of SIDES, Lytham

The Winter 2011 of the NADFAS Review, the Association’s quarterly magazine, includes an item, ’ Lowry in Lytham’, in its Societies News section, page 68. Alternatively, you can read it here.

Drawn From Youth: An Exhibition of Young Talent

Fylde Decorative and Fine Arts Society have just celebrated the launch of a new exhibition, ‘Drawn From Youth,’ at the Fylde Gallery at the Fylde Gallery at Booths in Lytham.

This combines the work of students from Blackpool Sixth Form College and King Edward and Queen Mary School, Lytham.

The work on display was originally submitted as part of a national competition to have student artworks displayed alongside professional artists in The Royal Society of British Artists’ Annual Exhibition. Only twenty students from across the UK were chosen. One of the successful entries was by Catherine Latham of KEQMs. This is a ceramic piece called ‘Harvested Cabbage,’ currently on display at the RBS London gallery.

‘The standard of entries was so exceptional we thought all the entries deserved to be seen so with the support of staff from the participating schools, the Fylde Gallery and Lancashire Conservation Manager Heather Davis, we decided to host our own exhibition of local Fylde students work. The exhibition has now closed but it provided a great opportunity to see this up and coming talent.

Photos of entries included in the exhibition can be seen at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fyldedfas/sets/72157626891142919/

We are delighted to have been able to facilitate this as part of our remit to encourage Young Arts to flourish.

Offering Support to Young Artists

We also wish to support talented local young artists at the outset of their career. We can do this in a variety of ways, for example:

• Providing exhibition space at our events
• Publicising work on our website
• Fundraising to enable financial contributions for materials and expenses.

We are pleased to offer our support to gifted young artist, Heather Leadbetter, who graduated last year with a first class honours degree in Textile Design.

Visit Heather’s dedicated page on our website to view some of her imaginative and intriguing work.

We have also supported a talented young photographic student, Ben Shilito, by enabling Ben to have some of his photographs published in the NADFAS Review. Photos of DFAS members in a recent addition of the Review were taken by Ben, as were some of the photos on this website.

2 June – 16 September 2012

Forget everything you think you know about African art; embrace all that you don’t yet know about the art, culture and creativity of West African artists today. Major new sculptural installations, painting, drawing, photography, textiles, video, sound and fashion ask us to consider global questions of trade and commerce, cultural influence, environmental destruction and identity. Challenging and humorous, curious, noisy, elegiac and eclectic – this is the dynamism of West African cultures today. These form a huge, city-wide exhibition, spreading across Manchester Art Gallery, Whitworth Art Gallery and the Gallery of Costume (Platt Hall).

There are more We Face Forward exhibitions and events at The Manchester Museum and the National Football Museum and a packed programme of We Face Forward family activities at various venues.

And We Face Forward reaches far beyond Manchester’s gallery spaces. The music programme, curated by Band On The Wall and The Manchester Museum, includes world renowned acts such as Afro-Cubism, Femi Kuti, Angelique Kidjo, Diabel Cissohko and Kanda Bongo Man and reflects the incredible diversity and brilliance of musical styles from West Africa.

Confirmed artists:

Georges Adéagbo (Benin), El Anatsui (Ghana/Nigeria), Hélène Amazou (Togo / Belgium), Lucy Azubuike (Nigeria), Mohamed Camara (Mali / France), Cheick Diallo (Mali / France), Aida Duplessis (Mali), Aboubakar Fofana (Mali / France), Meschac Gaba (Benin/ Netherlands), Francois-Xavier Gbré ( Ivory Coast / France), Romuald Hazoumè (Benin), Abdoulaye Armin Kane (Senegal), Abdoulaye Konaté (Mali), Soungalo Malé (Mali), Hamidou Maiga (Burkina Faso), Nii Obodai (Ghana), Emeka Ogboh (Nigeria), Abraham Oghobase, Amarachi Okafor (Nigeria / UK), Charles Okereke (Nigeria), Nnenna Okore (Nigeria / USA), Duro Olowu (Nigeria / London), George Osodi (Nigeria / London), Nyaba Leon Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Ibrahima Niang AKA Piniang (Senegal), Nyani Quarmyne (Ghana), Abderramane Sakaly (Senegal / Mali), Amadou Sanogo (Mali), Malick Sidibé (Mali), Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameroon / Belgium), Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon / France), Victoria Udondian (Nigeria).

Confirmed musicians:

AfroCubism – featuring Eliades Ochoa of Buena Vista Social Club and Toumani Diabaté (Cuba / Mali), Diabel Cissokho (Senegal), Angelique Kidjo with Manchester World Voices Choir (Benin / UK) ; Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra (Nigeria / UK); Endless Journey – featuring members of Mamane Barka and Etran Finatawa (Niger); Kanda Bongo Man (Congo / UK); Jaliba Kuyateh & The Kumareh Band (Gambia); Seckou Keita Band (Senegal / UK).

Further information

• Opening times Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5.00 pm
• Location Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL
• This is a free exhibition
• Further information 0161 235 8888

http://www.manchestergalleries.org/

1 May 2012 - 5 May 2013

This new display of works, largely from the gallery’s own collection, brings together sculpture, painting, watercolour and drawing from the 16th century to the mid 20th century. Chosen by contemporary sculptor Des Hughes, the display comprises around 20 landscape, portraiture and still life pieces.

It’s a chance to see some of the gallery’s most popular works, such as paintings by William Blake, Alberto Giacometti and Paul Nash and sculpture by Jacob Epstein and Barbara Hepworth. Some of the lesser known works by artists such as Edward Middleditch and Elizabethan court painter, George Gower, have rarely been seen out of storage before.

It also features one of Hughes’ most recent works In a Brown Study 2011 which the gallery will acquire for the collection.

The exhibition presents a fantastic opportunity to see Stanley Spencer’s masterpiece The Garage, on loan from The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. This evocative depiction of the motoring world is a fascinating study of both the social and technological aspects of the industry in the late 1920s. It has never been shown in the city before.

Hughes has also filled a cabinet with ancient and intriguing objects from the gallery’s collection, including some Roman nails, a spoon from the 5th century and a birch porridge stirrer (known as a thible) from the 19th century. He has mingled these with pieces from his ongoing series of small sculptures Thems.

On show until 2013, the exhibition is just one of many exciting changes currently taking place at the gallery. Over the next few months it will be revitalising many of its permanent displays and replacing some galleries with entirely new exhibitions.

Further information

• Opening times Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5.00 pm
• Location Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL
• This is a free exhibition
• Further information 0161 235 8888

http://www.manchestergalleries.org/

17 May 2012 – 2 June 2013

Self Portrait with Fried Eggs, 1996, Sarah Lucas

Photography is at the heart of some of the most significant works of art of our times.

This new display of around 30 photographs explores just some of the different ways contemporary artists have used photography in their work. It reveals how they have used the camera to explore traditional artistic themes in new and exciting ways.

Taken from the 1980s onward, the photographs explore the body, reinvent still-life, examine our cultural identities and explore the places where we live, work and spend our leisure time. The artworks often find ways of making the familiar strange and the ugly beautiful.

The display features work by influential photographer Keith Arnatt, famous British artist Helen Chadwick, Turner Prize nominee Catherine Yass and Young British Artists such as Sarah Lucas and Jane and Louise Wilson.

It also includes a number of photographic works collected by the Gallery over the last 10 years, with support from the Contemporary Art Society’s Special Collection scheme. By artists including Craigie Horsfield, Cornelia Parker and Thomas Demand, these works explore the themes of photography and sculpture and the connections between the two. They are the inspiration for this photography display.

The photographs in this display come from the collections of Manchester City Galleries, The Arts Council Collection at The Southbank Centre, London and other lenders.

Further information

• Opening times Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5.00 pm
• Location Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL
• This is a free exhibition
• Further information 0161 235 8888

http://www.manchestergalleries.org/

21 April – 23 September 2012

Haroon Mirza, A Sleek Dry Yell, mixed media

Manchester Art Gallery has a new sculpture by Haroon Mirza and you can see it on display now in the ground floor exhibitions gallery.

One of the hottest UK artists of the moment, Haroon Mirza has won both the Silver Lion Award at the 54th Venice Biennale for best emerging international artist and the Northern Art Prize 2010. Haroon Mirza uses sounds and objects from everyday life to make his art. His sculpture A Sleek Dry Yell is made using bits of furniture, water, an old television monitor, a record player, wooden speakers and video footage of cult musician and actor Richard “Kid” Strange.

Sound is used in this work as a sculptural material. The distinct objects have been brought together in a lo-fi DIY manner to generate noise and create something new. It is the combined rhythm of these noises that forms a sort of distorted sound composition.

Come along and hear it for yourself.
What is the difference between noise and music? Find out from the Creative Consultants. This dynamic group of young people aged 16 to 20 have been meeting regularly at the gallery to research Mirza’s work.

Working with artists Tony Hall from the Owl Project and Katy McCall, they have explored the use of sound in contemporary art. They have found and recorded different noises taken from day to day life, both inside and outside the gallery and have adapted an old sampling keyboard into an interactive interpretative tool.

From 20 May you can use the keyboard full of these found sounds to make your own musical compositions.

The artwork has been purchased by the Contemporary Art Society through the Sculpture Fund, supported by Cathy Wills. It is the first of five works to be co-acquired for Manchester Art Gallery, Whitworth Art Gallery, Victoria Gallery and Museum (Liverpool), Walker Art Gallery (National Museums Liverpool) and Grundy Art Gallery (Blackpool).

Collecting art through partnership will help ensure that the public art collections in the North West are contemporary and relevant now and for future generations.

Following its display at Manchester Art Gallery, the sculpture will go on display at the other partnership galleries.

Further information

• Opening times Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5.00 pm
• Location Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL
• This is a free exhibition
• Further information 0161 235 8888

http://www.manchestergalleries.org/

Fylde DFAS is fond of social media so it will come as no surprise to hear that It’s A Birdie! is also now on Twitter and Facebook.

Artist Patrica Lee with DFAS members Marie Riley and Angela Brown

Our It’s a Birdie! project is now well under way. Last month we commissioned three artists to work with three commuity groups – the RSPB at Fairhaven, the Friends of St Annes Library (FoSAL), and Home Start Fylde.

Artist Rebecca Chesney and DFAS members met at the RSPB Centre last month to hear about Rebecca’s plans to take volunteers to various locations and at various times (such as 6.00 am!) to record original bird song.  Rebecca is planning to mix this creatively so that we will have a unique recording that will form the soundtrack to our Birdie project. As part of our art trail we hope to surprise people by playing it in some unexpected places.

Proudly showing off a finished birdie

Workshops are currently being held at St Annes Library and at Home Start Fylde. For our project with the Friends of St Annes Library (FoSAL) We have commissioned artist Patricia Lee.  Participants are creating their own birds and these designs and ideas will be used by Patricia to create a permanent piece of mosaic art for the Library Reading Garden. You can see the workshop birds here.

Artists Chris Culshaw and Boz Phillips are delivering a wonderful project for us with Home Start Fylde. Lots of workshops are planned and we are looking forward to seeing the children in their owl costumes. The Home Start Fylde project was launched with a visit from Wetheriggs animal sanctuary, who brought a selection of birds to inspire the children to create some great art work.

Local shops and businesses are already expressing an interest in displaying our birdies and birdy sounds. Please keep checking back for further news.

The Awards were presented at the NADFAS AGM, which was held in London on 9 May 2012. Chair Hilary Alcock and our newly elected Vice Chair, Marie Riley, collected the award on behalf of Fylde DFAS.

This is the second time the website has received a Media Award. In 2010, it won the overall Award for best website. This year’s winner was Vectis on the Isle of Wight.

11-13 October 2012

Durham Cathedral

Northumbria, England’s Border Country and thought by many to be England’s best kept secret, is a region of outstanding natural beauty and includes many castles and gardens which is the theme of this tour of the North East.

Day 1
We meet at pre-arranged pick up points for our journey to Raby Castle.  On arrival at Raby light refreshments will be provided, followed by a guided tour.  Raby was home to Lord Barnard’s family since 1626, and is one of the finest medieval castles in England.  Built by the mighty Nevill family in the 14th Century, Raby remained in the ownership of the same family until 1569 when after the failure of the Rising of the North, the Castle and its lands were forfeited to the Crown. In 1626, Sir Henry Vane the Elder purchased Raby and the Castle has remained in the Vane family ever since.

After our tour of Raby, we continue our journey to the 4* Radisson Blu Hotel, in the heart of historic Durham, on a bed and breakfast basis, for a two night stay.  The rest of the day is at leisure for you to visit the Cathedral, the Castle or just get to know the city!

Day 2
This morning we have a guided tour of Alnwick Castle, one of the largest inhabited castles in England, and proudly known as ‘The Windsor of the North’, home to the Percy family for 700 years.  There are many state rooms packed with a stunning array of art and furniture collected over the years by the Percy family.   Alnwick Garden – step into the unexpected.  Alnwick is the only place to see a public garden on this scale from internationally celebrated garden designer Jacques Wirtz.  See the classic touches from his style in the strong green architecture and contrasting spaces and atmospheres.  There is so much to explore and water brings the landscape to life – it tumbles down the Grand Cascade, erupting, splashing and jetting high into the air.  The garden is beautiful all year around.

We will also visit Wallington House, a National Trust property.  Wallington was home to many generations of the Blackett and Trevelyan families, who all left their marks. The result is an impressive, yet friendly house with a magnificent  interior and fine collections. The remarkable Pre-Raphaelite central hall was decorated to look like an Italian courtyard and features a series of paintings of Northumbrian history by William Bell Scott. The formality of the house is offset by the tranquil beauty of the surrounding landscape- a miscellany of lawns, lakes, parkland and woodland. The delightful walled garden, with its varied plant collection and charming conservatory, is an enchanting must-see.

Day 3
Tullie House is our destination today before our journey home.  It has an extensive and important art collection including Fine Art, Decorative Art and Textiles. This collection consists of around 2000 items including ceramics, textiles, metalwork, musical instruments and furniture dating from around 1564 to the present day. The new Roman Gallery must not be missed!

The cost per person is £205 sharing a double room – single room supplement £30 per person. For non-National Trust Members there is an additional cost of £10.80. At present Tullie House is free to NADFAS Members, but there could be a charge of £3.60 from April 2012.

Booking forms can be downloaded here.   (Booking Conditions) Please note that all single rooms  have now been sold. However, twin and double rooms are still available. This excursion is open to non-DFAS members, so any member thinking about travelling alone may like to invite a friend to share a room.

Cheques should be made payable to Fylde DFASPlease enclose a stamped addressed envelope for your receipted booking form to:
Elaine Wolstencroft,
Tour Organiser,
5 The Breakers,
Victory Boulevard,
Lytham FY8 5TQ