Rye Art Gallery’s En Plein Air exhibition opened on Saturday, August 23 with a special cry by town crier Paul Goring and attended by Rye mayor, Andy Stuart, opening the exhibition which is coinciding with the 54th Rye Arts Festival.
Combined with en plein air works by artists Karl Terry, Clare Mitchell, Tom Marsh, Chris Daynes and Oliver Raw, along with paintings from the permanent collection by Howard and Mary Stormont (the gallery founder), Ivon Hitchens, Vanessa Bell and Jacqueline Stanley, are entries to the gallery’s en plein air competition. Now in its second year, it has attracted entries from artists from around this country, Europe and even Japan, drawn to painting outside in the open air.
Over 300 works submitted to the competition are on display, covering the walls of the gallery, the most ever hung in the history of the gallery, and all are available for sale.
Coming just over 60 years after the opening of the gallery and the first exhibition in June / July 1965, Dr Day is rightly proud of the gallery’s continuing contribution to en plein air painting. “The gallery has continued to change and develop and today, in particular, I think that Mary Stormont would be really smiling down on us. I think that she would be amazed at the response from artists to this competition. Upstairs in the studio there is a small easel which belonged to Mary, which she used to take out in the field. Thank you to all the artists who’ve contributed – it’s been a joy to see them come to the gallery to hand in their work.”
The competition entries will be judged by a panel of five: Nick Archer, last year’s winner Clare Mitchell, Karl Terry, Louise Simkiss-Day and Tom Marsh. The winners will be announced and prizes given at the end of the exhibition at 3.00pm on September 28. The £1000 first prize is kindly donated by the Kowitz Family Foundation, with a second prize of £500 and third prize of £250 donated by Heringtons Solicitors. Runners up awards and certificates will also include artists’ materials donated by Artwrite.
The draw for raffle that took place at the gallery for the summer fair on August 9 and 10, was made by Mayor Andy Stuart and raised over £350 to support the restoration of the building and storage for the permanent collection.
The exhibition runs from August 23 to September 28. The Rye Arts Festival takes place from September 11-28.
Image Credits: Juliet Duff .
Popped in yesterday [Thurs. 11.09] and was blown away with the both the quantity and quality of what was on show. On 3 floors, a veritable treasure trove of landscapes [mostly] as well as urban- and sea-scapes. Inspirational! Many LOCAL artists, too.