Borders, 11-24 November 2023

A group exhibition using the methods of collage to juxtapose materials and ideas.

Polish Centre, 238-246 King Street, London W6 0RF

 

Oasis – a new charity initiative

RAG member: Joanna Brendon MBE

Paintings in Hospitals has launched OASIS (Original Art for the Socially Isolated) in the Guildford and Waverley area this November. It is a pilot project created to ease social isolation and loneliness at home by connecting participants with art, creative activities, and communities of like-minded people while lending a supportive ear or offering advice to others experiencing similar struggles. The project aims to place meaningful artworks, specially produced for individuals, directly into peoples homes and to enable participants to make new social connections through a range of guided conversations and group activities.

Joanna, the founder of the initiative who brought the concept of OASIS to Paintings in Hospitals, knows the struggle people face in isolation from her own complex health challenges. Im an all-too-frequent visitor to hospital. Initially, it was here where I discovered the work of Paintings in Hospitals. Coming home, I realised how fortunate I am to be surrounded by art, including my own, the creating of which is hugely important to my wellbeing. This led me to think that, while patients benefit from art in hospital, it is those isolated at home who really suffer from the lack of it, whether to soothe or stimulate. This isolation pre-existed the pandemic but the virus shone a spotlight on it and exacerbated the problem for vulnerable people: people with chronic, and sometimes terminal, illnesses who dont often visit hospitals as there is nothing there to improve their clinical experience or outcome. Im in my mid-seventies, and still regard myself as very much alive, but I am realistic about my health conditions, so it was very important that whatever I set up was sustainable."

paintingsinhospitals.org.uk


Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 1

RAG member: Lynn Beel

Lynn had her image Hope shortlisted for this years show.
Image: Hope (detail)

royalacademy.org.uk

 

 


Winchester Cathedral and Karamel Autumn Hues exhibition

RAG member: Lucille Dweck

The Licoricia of Winchester painting has been completed and handed over, showing Licoricia in the great hall at Winchester meeting with King Henry III. The plans for it are not yet finalised, but it will be published in a book about Licoricia and may be hung in the Great Hall, or possibly the Winchester museum.
Image: Licoricia of Winchester, Oil on linen 16 x 12"
For more information click here

Lucille also has a watercolour, Light Tunnel, 9x7" in Karamel/Collage Arts Autumn Hues exhibition.
For more information click here


Christmas Fairs

RAG member: Natalia Bobrova

Natalia's work is featured at these various fairs and events.

Christmas Art and Design Fair: 12-13 November
Artists at Home Charity Auction: 17-28 November
The Zero Emissions Art Market: 28 November and 12 December
Latymer Foundation Christmas Fair: 4 December


Tree Of Life

RAG members: Brian Deighton and G. Calvert

Tree of Life is a group exhibition which includes work by Brian Deighton and G. Calvert at Electro Studios Project Space in St Leonards-on-sea. The Tree of Life looks at the ways in which artists draw upon trees and their metaphorical association with family and personal relationships to reflect upon nature, the human condition and the fragility of life. Accompanying catalogue by Silverhill press. ESPS is fundamentally about testing ideas through the juxtaposition of art works/events/other objects.

From: 18-26 September
Electro Studios, Seaside Road, St Leonards-on-sea TN38 0AL
Private view: 17 September
electrostudiosprojectspace.co.uk

 


Open studio

RAG members: Shona Elrick, Máire Gartland, Saadeh George, Janey Hagger and Felicity Swan

The exhibition will include paintings, sculpture and a piece by Saadeh George made from plastic recovered from the Thames. The open studio is part of a series of new art projects and community events with a river theme. The events take place from September along the Thames from Brentford to Tower Bridge as part of Totally Thames 2021 festival.
Image: Saadeh George

Saturdays and Sundays through September, 12.30-5pm
Contact: Máire Gartland mairegartland@hotmail.co.uk or telephone 07925 954183
Studio 5, Museum of Water & Steam, Brentford (entrance on Green Dragon Lane TW8 0EN)


Brentford Community Clay Workshops

RAG members: Máire Gartland with Janey Hagger

Come and join one of the workshops to help make an installation of clay figures and other items to represent the local community.  These workshops are free and open to all ages and abilities from five years of age. Young children must be accompanied by an adult. The installation is an ongoing project supported by Arts Council England and Thames River Trust as well as the Museum of Water & Steam.

The workshops are part of a series of new art projects and community events with a river theme. The events take place from September along the Thames from Brentford to Tower Bridge as part of Totally Thames 2021 festival.

Saturdays 18 and 25 September, 10-12pm
More information: thamesfestivaltrust.org
Tickets:
Máire Gartland mairegartland@hotmail.co.uk or telephone 07925 954183
Museum of Water & Steam, Brentford (entrance on Green Dragon Lane TW8 0EN)


Whistler Walk with Martin Ireland

RAG member: Martin Ireland

A walk starting in Ropers Gardens SW3 5AT through Chelsea and Battersea riverside neighbourhoods following the footsteps of the famous artist James McNeil Whistler. The walk is part of a series of new art projects and community events with a river theme. The events take place from September along the Thames from Brentford to Tower Bridge as part of Totally Thames 2021 festival.

Saturday 18 September, 2-4pm
Tickets £5pp: thamesfestivaltrust.org
Contact:
Martin Ireland 07946 354852


River Exhibition at America Square

24 RAG members

River at America Square presents new artworks as a direct response to the River Thames, or as a metaphorical interpretation of the nature and influence of rivers. The exhibition is part of a series of new art projects and community events with a river theme. The events take place from September along the Thames from Brentford to Tower Bridge as part of Totally Thames 2021 festival.

Open days: Saturdays 4 and 11 September, 12-6pm
By appointment:
Jenny Hullock jenny@cavendishvenues.com or telephone 07932 005264
Contact: Shona Elrick 07796 206695
America Square Conference Centre, 1 America Square, 17 Crosswall, Tower Bridge, EC3N 2LB


RAG Annual 2021 – I Dreamt I Woke Up

34 RAG Members

The artists contemplate the awakening from the dreamlike times that have confronted us. For the visitor, the excitement of a real exhibition set in ACAVA's beautiful top-lit Central Space Gallery in Shepherds Bush is intensified through the textures of paint and the feel of real-space sculpture and assemblage. With each artist providing up to four artworks that are also for sale, it is an opportunity for our increasing audience and collectors to enjoy a range of small to medium sized works.

Central Space Gallery, 23-29 Faroe Road, London W14 0EL
From: 14-31 July 2021 Wednesday-Sundays 12-6pm
Please book your visit by calling Susan Bazin on 07711 670718 or email: susan@bazin5.com
Or, on arrival, you will be greeted by one of our invigilators who will take your details.
Please wear a facemask.

To see the online exhibition click here


RAG River project @studio 5

RAG Members: Maire Gartland with Janey Hagger, Felicity Swan, Shona Elrick, Martin Ireland and Saadeh George

Congratulations to Maire: She have been successful in her funding application for the Arts Council grant for the River community based projects. Maire will be running a ceramic workshop in a school in July to kick start ‘River’. In September she has a further three community workshops lined up with Janey  Hagger working with her. These will be at the Museum of Water and Steam in Brentford. All through September we will be showing the pieces from the workshops as an ongoing installation together with a few pieces of River related artwork from some of the Rag River Group at Maire Gartland’s studio, adjacent to the museum. This will include a piece by Saadeh George made from plastic recovered from the river.
Image: Maire Gartland ‘Turner on the Thames’ Mixed media

Open every weekend during September, otherwise confirm your visit with Maire on mairegartland@hotmail.co.uk
Maire's studio: (point number 8) Studio 5, London Museum of Water and Steam, Green Dragon Lane TW8 OEN

 


The best of times, the worst of times…?

RAG Member: Mike Abrahams

Together with artist Francesca Giuliano, Mike has been commissioned to create a permanent artwork for Kensington Central Library that will be completed in the autumn. The piece entitled The worst of times, the best of times...? utilises the public's responses to a questionnaire regarding their reading habits during lockdown and now (as we emerge from lockdown). The work is part of the Kensington + Chelsea Festival.

From: now to mid August
Everyone is invited to complete the short questionnaire on this link

 

 


Donald Trump and me

RAG Member: Jim Sitch

For the four years of the Trump presidency Jim kept a diary, making an entry every one of the 1462 days he was in power. It was a tough project but he was proud of finishing it and more importantly the five separate diaries have now been compiled into one volume. "You think you know Donald Trump? You will do after reading this book. If you dare."

Donald Trump and Me. My diaries recording the four wild years of an American President 
Published August 
e-Book £3.99 and paperback £9.99 available to order through all good bookshops and Amazon


Wells Art Contemporary 2021

RAG Member: Sarah Granville

Sarah's work is once again featured in the Wells Art Contemporary exhibition. The show was established in 2012 by a group of artists and their friends in Wells, the beautiful cathedral city in the South-West of England.

From: 28 August 
Wells Cathedral
wellsartcontemporary.co.uk


A Flight to Freedom

RAG Member: Jane Oldfield

Jane was living on a narrow boat on the Grand Union Canal when she first visited the Cowper and Newton Museum. She appreciated the early work against slavery of Cowper, a poet, and Newton, the local vicar but I was shocked to find over 40 million people around the world still live in slavery today. With the support of the museum, she has decided to donate all the proceeds from this exhibition to Anti-slavery International.

From: 3 -29 July
Open Tuesday to Saturday 11am to 4.30pm
Cowper and Newton Museum, Orchard Side, Market Place, Olney, MK46 4AJ
cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk


‘Hypnos’

RAG Member: Harriet Hedden

Hypnos is a group exhibition curated by Harriet Hedden as part of Mayfair Art weekend Grosvenor Chapel. It was selected for a special event tour: mayfairartweekend.com

Also, Harriet had her film Isadora selected, from an international submission as one of 10 artist films to make up Mayfair Showreel 2021.
mayfairartweekend.com/showreel
harriethedden.blogspot.com


Lucille Dweck interview

RAG Member: Lucille Dweck

Lucille was interviewed recently by artist Jo Heckett who is using these encounters to delve deeper with artists she admires. Lucille has also had work shortlisted for the RA Summer exhibition.

 


‘A year in the life’

RAG Member: Chloe Freemantle

Chloe has created work responding to the Chelsea Physic Garden during 2020.

From: 12-30 August
Bankside Gallery, Thames Riverside, SE1 9JH
banksidegallery.com

 


Summer at Bankside

RAG Members: Chloe Freemantle and Sarah Granville

Until 8 August
Bankside Gallery, Thames Riverside, SE1 9JH
banksidegallery.com

 


Saadeh George open studio

RAG Member: Saadeh George

Saadeh George will be having an open studio (venue 25) as part of the Ealing Art Trail which takes place over two consecutive weekends in September each year and enables the general public to see and buy some of the unique artwork being created by local artists.

11 and 12 September
ealingbeat.org.uk