RBSA Prize Exhibition 2015

I’ve had two works accepted for the Prize Exhibition at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists gallery in Birmingham. The exhibition is on show until 13th June. If you’ve never been to the gallery then it’s well worth a visit. There are exhibitions on three floors, with work from artisan designer-makers and fine artists.

I was very pleased to have work accepted for this exhibition.

Here are the two works framed and ready to be delivered:

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On the right is ‘Birmingham reflections’, relief print, 20cm x 20cm. I talked about this in some detail in my previous post here.

On the left is ‘Hillscape1’, monoprint, 20cm x 30 cm.

When I’m out sketching I alternate styles depending on how I wake up that day. Sometimes I like the challenge and the satisfaction of drawing what’s in front of me, usually in my sketchbook. Other times, inspired by a workshop I attending last year with Lewis Noble, I take a board, A3 paper, charcoal and inks and work loosely trying to capture the landscape around me without spending too much time on the detail. Sometimes I mistake the day and end up in a right mess, other times it works. Comments from passers-by tend to be a bit bemused; ‘well, it’s a start…..’

I have been working on abstracting from these quick field sketches into artist prints and monoprints. Due to the semi-blind nature of the monoprint process, and concentrating on the main elements of the subject and the mark-making, the work mutates into bold images. Some are successful, with life and depth; others are shelved for more development.

This one has been built up in layers; direct printing using masks, pressure,  scratching and blind drawing using black and blue Caligo inks. The original was a sketch done whilst near Dovedale, where the bones of the land are sculpted by running water, and the underlying rock structures seem to bulge, crack and burst through the moorland and grass. There’s a tactile quality to the landscape that lends itself to rough treatment.

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Dovedale, field sketch; charcoal and wash

Photos of me and the work at the exhibition:

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6 thoughts on “RBSA Prize Exhibition 2015

  1. Anonymous says:

    What good news! Congratulations, Fiona

    1. Fiona Mill says:

      Thanks, Janet, lovely of you to take the time to leave a comment 🙂

  2. kestrelart says:

    Congratulations. I will also call in to see.

    1. Fiona Mill says:

      Thank you, kestrel, I hope you enjoy the exhibition.

  3. Fantastic news Fiona. Well done and I will definitely go and see the exhibition

    1. Fiona Mill says:

      Thanks Clare, hope we can get out sketching soon.

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