Tag Archives: The Royal Society of British Artists (RBA)

Inspired by Trees with Mall Galleries

‘Cold Autumn Walk on the Downs’ by David Brammeld RBA, Acrylic, 41cm x 51cm.

Inspired by Trees

The Royal Society of British Artists 303rd Annual Exhibition features a forest full of trees.

20 to 29 February 2020, 10am to 5pm
Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1
Admission £5, 50% off with Art Fund pass, Free for Friends of Mall Galleries and under 25’s

Mall Galleries is happy to offer my Readers Free Entry for Two to the exhibition when quoting this publication at the gallery desk (normal price £10)

Visitors to the Mall Galleries will shortly be able to experience a ‘forest experience’ as the Royal Society of British Artists highlights the potent inspiration trees provide for artists in its annual exhibition opening 20 February. Two clusters of tree images showcase a wide variety of styles, locations and moods, in highlighted sections of the show which overall features more than 500 works on myriad subjects. Trees captivate artists and fascinate the viewer with their life-force, symbolism and extraordinary architectural variety and beauty.

Some works featured are portraits of individual trees, such as Mark Welland’s Reach For The Sky II, which is part of a series commemorating a 300 year old oak tree finally felled by storm Katie in 2016; some scenes of woodlands, trees on the horizon or trees in the garden offering shelter on a sunny day.

‘Reach For The Sky II’ by Mark Welland, Mixed media, 21cm x 21cm.
Urban life also features. Melissa Scott-Miller RBA RP NEAC, known for depicting London’s streets says of the capital’s trees: “In London the trees are often restricted by the buildings and paving slabs, but they have still kept going, their branches making beautiful patterns and shapes, the lichen on the bark has spread on to the rooftops and brickwork, in summer the canopy of leaves produce areas of shade, and they are a haven for wildlife, birds, squirrels even domestic cats, the changes of colour and shape they display through the seasons lift the spirits, trees are essential to city living!”

Beautiful urban landscape by Melissa Scott-Miller RBA RP NEAC
Environmental themes emerge strongly. While many of these paintings of tree suggest at themes of longevity, ideas of mortality and of the fragility of the environment are never far away. Gary Cook’s watercolour 1058: Melbury Beacon No8 stands as a record of the 1,058 UK species associated with ash trees, ranging from beetles to birds, lichens to mammals. Some of these species are written into the background. All will be affected when we lose up to 90% of the UK’s 70 million ash trees from dieback disease. Of the 1,058 species 40 of them live only on ash trees. The Centre Barred Sallow moth is one of those 40. Research is ongoing into replanting these trees with ash bred with tolerance to the infection.

‘1058: Melbury Beacon No. 8’ by Gary Cook, Watercolour & charcoal, 28 x 39 cm.
Cheryl Culer PPPS RBA suggests we should all try our hand at drawing trees: “Trees are great to draw and as long as they get thinner as they go up and the branches get skinnier as they reach out, then even the simplest scribble can be a tree.“

Alongside the exhibition, member artists will be demonstrating their techniques and there are a number of opportunities to join in; including a free drawing session where you will be serenaded by Classical Harpist Eleanor Dunsdon.
Visit www.malllgalleries.org.uk for a full list of the events taking place.

The Royal Society of British Artists (RBA)  is dedicated to promoting the highest standards of skill, concept and draughtsmanship in painting, sculpture, printmaking and drawing.

The exhibition is sourced from member artists and through open submission, to bring together works of the highest standard in an eclectic mix of style and media. Most works are for sale, with prices starting from £140.

We are happy to offer your Readers Free Entry for Two to the exhibition when quoting your publication at the gallery desk (normal price £10)

Royal Society of British Artists 303rd Annual Exhibition 2020
20 to 29 February, 10am to 5pm
Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1
www.mallgalleries.org.uk
Header image: David Brammeld RBA Cold Autumn Walk on the Downs
Copyright © 2020 Mall Galleries, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

Mall Galleries

Federation of British Artists
17 Carlton House Terrace

Westminster, London SW1Y 5BD

United Kingdom

Add us to your address book
Standard