Cathy's Art Diary

Small exhibition at the Mall Galleries of prize winners in the annual Artists and Illustrators magazine competition. The works are quite mixed. I liked Alan Morley’s “Old Kentish Lane” a wonderful portrait shaped lime green landscape. Holly Brodie’s “Self Reflection at a Red Signal” a picture of the inside of a tube train looking thought the window at another train with the reflection of the artist hidden in the window was clever. I also liked Jo Quigley’s “Little Boxes” a water colour of suburban street with layers of roofs. I would have been interested to know if any of the work had been done as an illustration and if so what for.

Stunning exhibition at the Mall Galleries showing shortlisted work in a competition for readers of Artists and Illustrators magazine. After my recent moaning about bad painting I have to say this was stunning painting. The works may not always have been trying to say something profound but in being well done they provided subtle observations of life and therefore said a lot! It’s hard to pick out favourites but there were a number I could happily live with! The large “A Bee in Winter” by John Horford, had a bright blue sky and big blousy roses. I loved “Fish and Chips” by Jane Morgan and “Sunshine on a Plate” by Marjorie Collins of 2 fried eggs and a coffee.   Roo Waterhouse’s triptych of a shed was unusual showing the contents of cleaning materials and buckets in the middle section and the doors with things hanging on them formed the wings. Oh and I forgot until I skimmed the leaflet again a lovely portrait by Raoof Haghighi. All in all a good show!