July news: Shortlists, selections, studio time, sun and smiles!
Posted on Jul 31, 2025Woman in Art Prize 2025. Shortlist.
Joyous July! So much has happened, and I am still smiling from the news, events, sunshine, rain showers and blackberries!
“Dear Gwenda,
Exciting! The following entry/entries have been selected to go to the next round (Short List) for the Women in Art Prize 2025.
Born to be seen. A colourful woman. (AA976) in the * The Sculpture Prize category
Born to be Seen. A colourful Woman. (AB300) in the Riverstone Living Exhibition Sculpture Category.”
More than excited to be shortlisted for the Woman in Art Prize 2025. I had to read the email a few times as I was so excited!
Now in its 8th year, the Women In Art Prize Empowering Female Voices in Contemporary Art, is open to all emerging women artists who are Painters, Photographers, Sculptors, illustrators, & Printmakers who are living and working in the UK.
Finalists announced in August.
RBSA Watercolour Prize-3 equine sculptures selected for this prestigious exhibition
The first RBSA Watercolour Prize for over a decade celebrates work created using water-based media, so I was delighted that all three of my equine sculptures, Poised, Forward, and In The Flow, were selected alongside traditional and contemporary water-based works by artists from all around the world. I would especially like to thank this year’s esteemed selection judges, who valued how water-based media can be explored in sculptural form. Despite early use as a medium in its own right, historically, watercolour was most often used by artists for sketching, employed in preparation for final works completed in oils. The medium finally gained recognition as an independent, mature painting medium in the 18th century, and today, water-based media have achieved parity with oil paint.
Tepmokea (Ru), my former wonderful prize-winning ex-racehorse, is the inspiration for many of my equine sculptures, with his effortless grace and fluidity of movement, despite his now more senior years.
Selection Panel and judges:
Chris Myers PPRI RBA – President of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour (2022 – 2025)
Glenn Ibbitson VPRWSW RBSA – Vice President of the Royal Watercolour Society of Wales
Lesley Samms – Founder/MD Pure Arts Group
The following prizes will be awarded, all sponsored by the Birmingham Watercolour Society:
First Prize £1000, Second Prize £500, Third Prize £250. Up to six highly commended certificates will also be awarded.
Private View and Prize Giving, Thursday 7th August 6-8 pm Exhibition closes: Saturday 13 September 5.00 pm Hope you can visit.
RBSA Gallery 4 Brook St, Birmingham B3 1SA
Jenny Saville Exhibition-A must see!
The visceral work of this significant contemporary figurative artist is one to explore. Again and again. And again. As I tracked a young mum and her impeccably behaved infant around the gallery spaces, the Motherhood works particularly resonated. There are so many layers to every work. Truly breathtaking. I didn’t want to leave. Refuge from the rain showers and bustle of city life.
National Portrait Gallery “Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting brings together 45 works made throughout the artist’s career. It traces the development of her practice, spotlighting key artworks and exploring her connection to art history. The exhibition was created in close collaboration with the artist. It brings together works from public and private collections worldwide”.
National Portrait Gallery St Martin’s Place, London, WC2H 0HE until 7 September 2025.
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
Made my way straight from The National Portrait Gallery to The Royal Academy Summer exhibition and through the side entrance that always allows me to pass by the sculptures that so many students and great Artists have learnt from. The écorché horse for the encouragement to study the anatomy of animals as well as humans, especially the horse, which often featured in mythical and biblical scenes. Students nicknamed the horse “Copenhagen” after the Duke of Wellington’s charger.
So many works to feast your eyes on, some you struggled to see as so high, but lots of work from all spectrums of the professional and amateur art world, and so diverse. Sikelela Owen RA Elect (Harles Wooleston Award), Dame Tracy Emin, Frances Featherstone, Zatorski + Zatorski, Marcus Harvey, Sharon Walters, just a few of the works I admired. So so many to feast your eyes on!
RA Summer exhibition runs until 17th August.
Burlington House entrance, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD. Burlington Gardens entrance, Piccadilly, W1S 3ET
RBSA Summer Show
I attended a wonderfully busy Private View held on Thursday, 3 July, where the Society’s new Professor of Art History, Victoria Osborne, opened the exhibition. First and second prizes were selected by Victoria, Highly commended artists were selected by Clive Beardsmore, who also donated the cash prizes, and Jenny Rerrie RBSA, who, with Simon Conolly RBSA and Gabby Roberts-Dalton RBSA, judged the show.
The highly commended artists John Davenport RBSA, Kate Hipkiss, Myra Jago, Olawale Kalejaiye, Nohana Sayama, Joan Sharma RBSA
Some other favourites of mine included Bernie Moore RBSA, Charne Visser, and Gerry Stokes RBSA. And lastly sculptor Simon Conolly RBSA, who puts do much energy as curator of these diverse exhibitions.
The RBSA Summer Show closes on Saturday, 2 August 5.00 pm.
Petra Rohr-Rouendaal RBSA. Talk and Demo
I had the pleasure of first meeting Petra at a Raku Firing at a Midlands Potters Members event several years ago and had such fascinating conversations about our travel adventures and multi-cultural influences, especially Africa. Many of the gaps between conversations at Art Trails and RBSA private views were filled in with Petra’s talk and demo for Walsall Society of Artists members and visitors. Petra studied fine art in Germany, and later did a postgraduate degree in Brighton and exhibits internationally. Such a giving multi-talented artist and enabler across many disciplines, where images and actions speak so vibrantly, reflected in community projects, communication aids, art, graphics and sculpture that capture African colour, light and spirit of the people. A pleasure to know and talk art with. So looking forward to more!
During this wonderful month of jubilant emails and the ensuing excitement of selections, I did manage to get some studio time sculpting ongoing projects exploring identity, strength and vulnerability, an intensive 4 days of working up new ideas on how we connect with others and our surroundings. Plus new workshop proposals.
In August I will be Exhibiting my sculptures at:
RBSA Watercolour Prize Exhibition. 4 Brook St, Birmingham B3 1SA. 7th August Saturday 13 September 5.00 pm
Hanbury Hall Long Gallery, National Trust, School Road, Hanbury, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 7EA. All fired up. MPA
Exterior and Garden sculptures, including Noble Mariner and War Horse, at the wonderful Worcestershire National Trust Property, Hanbury Hall, Long Gallery, off the delightful grounds, with “All fired up” Midlands Potters Association from 9th August to 25th August 10.00 am -4.30 pm. Worth a visit for children’s activities in the grounds, cafe, Parklands and House.
Looking forward to sharing August’s activities soon. Make the most of the summer-the blackberries are out already!