Exhibition news

Towards St Michael's mount from Mousehole
Oils 46 x 46 cms framed
£595

I had the happy news that two of my paintings have been selected for the Society of Women Artists (SWA) annual exhibition 2014. These are both plein air paintings, one painted in Mousehole in Cornwall and the other in Morocco.

The exhibition takes place at the Mall Galleries, London from the 26th June to the 5th July, with the private view on the 25th June. I have a few invitations to the private view so let me know if you can get to London on that day and would like one, or if you would like to know about owning one of these two paintings. You can email me at thedrawingroomgallery@gmail.com

Towards the fort, Essaouira
Oils 41 x 51 cms framed
£495

A little info about the society from their website... Founded as the Society of Female Artists, this unique group has held an annual exhibition in London of the work of women artists ever since 1857.  In the mid-nineteenth century, women were not considered to be serious contributors to the field of art and had great difficulty in obtaining a public showing. At the first exhibition, 149 women showed 358 works, some hiding their true identities for fear of social recrimination.  The art world was dominated by the Royal Academy which, at its foundation in 1768, had two women among the founders but had no other women academicians for over 150 years when, in 1922, Annie Swynnerton S.W.A (a member since 1889) was elected as an Associate.  The Society attracted some of the most noted artists of the time; when Lady Elizabeth Butler's The Roll Call was displayed at the Royal Academy in 1874, even Ruskin, with his peculiar views of femininity, revised his opinion that no woman could paint. The S.F.A was involved in education for women artists, effectively excluded by the mores of the time from professional training. Even for those who did gain a place at art school, the model in the women's class would be decorously draped on grounds of propriety.  The Society has had many famous artists among its members. Dame Laura Knight, the first woman Royal Academician for over 160 years, was elected President of the S.W.A in 1932. The world-famous illustrator Mabel Lucy Atwell was a member. Current members include Daphne Todd OBE, the first woman President of the Royal Portrait Society; well-known portraitist June Mendoza OBE; the late Suzanne Lucas, Past President of both the Society of Botanical Artists and the Royal Miniature Society, who in 1980 was elected as the first woman president of a Royal Society; and Philomena Davis, elected first woman President of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1990. The current President is Sue Jelley.