Tuesday 28 April 2009

Janie Pirie UKCPS is Highly Commended

UKCPS member Janie Pirie with five of her coloured pencil botanical drawings.

The quality of botanical drawings, paintings and 3D work included in the Annual "Flowers and Gardens" Exhibition of the Society of Botanical Artists is extremely impressive in terms of design and technical skill in the use of an artist's chosen medium.

Pure watercolour is the predominant medium at the show but more and more of the botanical drawings on display are being produced using coloured pencils. This year 24 artists (10.5% of the total of 228 artists with work on display) used coloured pencils for at least one of their works.

Janie Pirie SBA, UKCPS, SGM (pictured above with her work) was awarded a "Highly Commended" certificate from the judges assessing work for the 'The Joyce Cumming Presentation Award'. This was for her coloured pencil drawing "Zea mays var. saccharata - Sweetcorn". Janie was elected to full membership of the Society of Botanical Artists this year and received a Silver Gilt Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society last June.

Ann Swan who has won a Gold Medal from the RHS for her botanical art in coloured pencils will be demonstrating how she works in coloured pencils at the exhibition next Saturday 2nd May (11am - 4pm coloured pencil - botanical).

Links:

Friday 24 April 2009

UPDATE on 'A World of Coloured Pencil' Mixed Media Competition

7th 'A World of Coloured Pencil' Mixed Media Competition 2009
31st May - 27th June 2009
Venue: The Cumberland Pencil Museum, Keswick, CA12 5NG

This year the UKCPS has received an extremely good response to the call for entries for the 7th 'A World of Coloured Pencil' Mixed Media Competition 2009 and entry was closed on 15th April.

UKCPS Award for Runner Up to Reserve Best in Show 2008
A Warm Welcome by Pat Heffer

Unfortunately there is limited space available for the exhibition at the Pencil Museum and consequently the number of pieces which can be accepted for exhibition always has to be limited.

In past years, entries have sometimes been slow to arrive. This year the number of entries was much higher than normal and unfortunately too many were received for the available hanging space.

It is always disappointing to have to turn entries away. However the acceptance of entries was assessed in accordance with the stated rules and those posted prior to the earliest application were eliminated. Those posted on and after the 30 March were accepted by postmark date and only the first 24 entries were accepted.

Letters of acceptance and rejection were sent on 21st April to all the people who sent entries. Acceptance letters detail requirements for hanging and delivery.

UKCPS very much appreciates the effort and interest of all those applying. Organisers noted that it was especially encouraging to receive entries to this exhibition from seven people who are "newcomers" to coloured pencil.

Tuesday 21 April 2009

An interview with Jonathan Newey

Kaziranga Princess
18" x 26", Prismacolor on dark grey mountboard
copyright Johnathan Newey

This is the first in the series of interviews with three UKCPS members who have had their work accepted for the Wildlife Artist of the Year 2009 exhibition to be held at the Mall Galleries, London from 1st-6th June 2009.

The first artist to be interviewed is Jonathan Newey.

What's your approach to wildlife art? Why are you interested in it?

I have drawn and painted many things during my artistic career but have always come back to wildlife. I have been an artist all my life, 4th generation in the family, and still enjoy combining my interest in wildlife with my love of art. I try to capture the character of the animals in my drawings and hope that they raise awareness of the plight of many endangered species and the loss of their habitat.

How do you generate your reference photos?

Because of the detail I put into my drawings, the pictures can take a long time to finish so I use a lot of photographic references. I always use my own photographs taken at zoos and wildlife parks around the UK. I prefer to do animal portraits with a limited background but on the odd occasion that I need a background then I will source photographic reference from books and the internet. I never copy other peoples photographs and always use the reference photos rather than make exact copies.

What's the story behind your piece and why did you choose to enter this one

The piece that has been accepted for the exhibition is called ‘Kaziranga Princess’ and is a drawing of a mother and baby Asian Single Horn Rhino. The photographs I used were taken at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. The Asian Rhino population has been rapidly dwindling over the past years due to poaching. As a result of this there are estimated to be less than 500 Rhinos left in the wild. The Kaziranga National Park is in the Assam area of North East India and was declared a World Heritage Centre in 1985.

What pencils and support did you use for your artwork and why did you choose them?

The drawing was done with Prismacolor Coloured pencils on a grey mountboard. I use mountboard because I like a hard smooth surface to work on. I do a lot of blending, layering and burnishing to achieve the realistic hide effect and I find that the rigid surface of the mounboard works better than a paper. I love using Prismacolor pencils. They allow me to put down quite a few layers and the soft creaminess of the pencils allows me to blend and burnish the colours extensively.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background as an artist

I have been using coloured pencils for the best part of twenty years. I have always been able to draw and love the immediacy of the medium. I have been teaching in adult education for the past 18 years and teach many styles, mediums and techniques including drawing with coloured pencils at various residential colleges around the country including Earnley Concourse, Missenden Abbey, Farncombe Estate, Denman College, Knuston Hall and West Norfolk Arts Centre. I am a founder member of the UK Coloured Pencil Society and a member of the Colored Pencil Society of America.

Examples of my work and a full selection of workshops and courses can be found on my website: www.jonathannewey.com

Related posts:

Sunday 5 April 2009

Three UKCPS members to exhibit in "Wildlife Artist of the Year 2009"

Last year, the winner of the title Wildlife Artist of the Year was coloured pencil artist and UKCPS member Richard Childs with his coloured pencil drawing The Hope of Sepilok which was also a prizewinner at the UKCPS Annual Exhibition in 2007.

Nature's Own Athletes
15" v 20",
coloured pencils on Canford Mi Teintes

copyright Margaret Edwards

This year three UKCPS members have had their work accepted for the Wildlife Artist of the Year 2009 exhibition to be held at the Mall Galleries, London from 1st-6th June 2009.

The exhibition is sponsored by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.
Hot Spot
8" x 20",
coloured pencils on Arches Hot Press

copyright Gayle Mason

The artists whose work has been accepted are detailed below.
I've provided dimensions of the image and details of the supports for those interested in such things. Note none are small!

Kaziranga Princess
18" x 26",
Prismacolor on dark grey mountboard
copyright Johnathan Newey

This year's prizewinners will be announced at a special preview evening at the Mall Galleries in London on June 1.

I'll be asking each of the artists to do an interview for this blog discussing their approach to wildlife art - a very popular subject for a number of uKCPS members - and, in particular, their particular coloured pencil drawing for Wildlife Artist of the Year 2009.

Watch out for more posts about wildlife art in coloured pencil between now and June!

Links to websites:

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