David Ancell RIP
Sorry to pass on the sad news that long term member of the Group, David Ancell, passed away in January 2021.
David was proposed to the group in the 1980s by Peter Baldwin. Peter recalls that David had originally practised architecture, attended his life drawing classes at Wensum Lodge, and then later went on to teacher training (as a mature student) at Keswick College – subsequently teaching at Acle High School for many years. Whilst on the B.Ed course in the 1970s, David and current N20G member Martin Laurance were students together for three years.
Martin has kindly sent some memories of David:
‘David and I were students together for three years with the same personal tutor, Peter Lane the ceramicist. We were both in the first year intake on the new B.Ed course after UEA took over the Keswick teacher training site. As mature students, we had both worked for a number of years before going there. The art block was where both of us spent most of those three years. As we were art students and worked closely together. I had enormous respect for his figurative skills. Barry Watkins was a lecturer there at the time and although we didn’t have that much ‘official’ contact with Barry my memories of him were always of a very supportive and positive influence towards David and I.
As students we used to go along to the 20 Group meetings to show work, along with other students and alongside that of the members. The group was meeting at that time, in the mid to late 70’s, in a room above the Golden Star on Colegate. As the pub brewed it’s own (incredibly strong) beer the meetings were febrile at times, with differences of opinion becoming increasingly heated as the evening wore on. David wanted to join the group and subsequently did so around that time. I didn’t, and having been told one evening, very memorably, that ‘This young man should go away and learn to draw’, I felt I wouldn’t be particularly welcome!
We had great fun together during those years and so many discussions about art, (particularly in the bar). I will always remember David with great fondness, respect and a sense of gratitude that we were able to share that formative time together.’
David Ancell – Sketches of Spain I
David Ancell – Sketches of Spain II
David Ancell – Sketches of Spain III
Norwich 20 Group exhibition – N20G in 2020
at Mandell’s Gallery, Elm Hill, Norwich.
Do visit the Mandell’s Gallery website to see a selection of works:
https://www.mandellsgallery.co.uk/exhibitions/n20g-in-2020/
A video walk through of the exhibition:
After a difficult year of cancellations and postponements, we are delighted to have this opportunity to exhibit, and to share our latest work – all completed during the last year.
Everyone has been affected by the pandemic in some way, and N20G are no exception.
Hearing that, due to Covid 19 restrictions, all N20G’s exhibitions since March had been cancelled or postponed was the trigger motivation for Rachel Allen, Director of Mandell’s Gallery, to offer the group an opportunity to exhibit at the gallery.
Rachel said, ‘2020 has been a difficult year of cancellations and postponements for everyone, but on this occasion, it has presented a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to offer space in our calendar to Norwich 20 Group.’
Current Chair of N20G, Brigitte Hague, said, ‘During ‘lockdown’, many artists have still been busy in their studios or working at home; experimenting with new and different processes, painting en plein air, or out walking and sketching – searching for fresh perspectives and new inspiration, or simply responding to their local surroundings and circumstances.’
Forty-five artists are taking part, with work from painters, sculptors, printmakers and photographers.
Here are some photographs of the exhibition:
Thanks to group member artists for reponses to a request for images of positive imagery.
Thanks to David Rogers for sending results of his painting over the summer, here are some:
From Gillian Charrot – ‘Mine’s a double!’
More from Nell Close, who says of this work “It’s mutating! …Eek!”
Some drawings created this Autumn by Nell Close, who says:
“These are pencil drawings of natures accidental arrangements—Improvisations on these themes—Exploring the patterning potential to be found in leaves and hedges.”
This series of oil paintings were created by 20 Group member, David Rogers:
From John Rance – recent work in oil and collage media:
Deeper, Oil and collage, 17 x 12cm
Sunlit Space, Oil and collage, 17 x 12cm
From David Rogers, while it is still a bit summery out there…
one of many summer Norfolk scenes painted this year:
From Nell Close – here’s the latest, it’s 6ft high like the artist…..taken ages, but then, I had ages.
Fair way to go yet, onwards and upwards!!!!
That’s entertainment!
From Gillian Charrot – ‘An iris called Gerald’, Gillian says – ‘hope this brightens a dreary day’.
From Juliet Wimhurst – new works “Zwick in Paradise” ‘which I thought might cheer people up’.
Here is a wave from long distance to all from Nell Close:
‘Attached are last week’s paintings. I call them Covid pictures because put together like this, they seem to mutate. They are 6-7” square canvases, with a title – Shedding some more light on the matter’.
Gillian Charrot sent in this beautiful painting of pussy willow.
Gillian said: ‘Despite everything, it’s a beautiful spring’ and we agree!
From Gennadiy Ivanov:
I paint different stuff now about Covid-19 self-portrait, like self-portrait project ‘Timelessness’.
For tens of thousands of artists around the world, in a matter of weeks the novel coronavirus has caused the loss of exhibitions, projects, side gigs, and left much uncertainty behind. Many of us have also lost freedom of movement. As we sit isolated at home and consider our fears and hopes for the future, this project is a challenge to confront ourselves by creating a self-portrait.
David Jones sent in his painting, ‘Yellow Chair’, oil on canvas. It came from a very quick drawing he created in one of the greenhouses at the Old Rectory Garden, East Ruston.
From Juliet Wimhurst: My neighbour bought me a little bunch of buds from Sainsbury’s to cheer me up. This is what they turned into!
From John Rance: Chedgey recently gave me this piece of his artwork which I have refurbished and bought back to it’s original state, it always brings a smile to my face.
From Gillian Charrot:
Found my wild daffs in flower down the field on Sunday. Rather than wander lonely as a cloud, I sat in the warm and did some sketching. Then they drooped.
From Les Burton:
These are a couple of lightweight paintings that I put into a 20 Group show in 2003 (there are two others). They are giant postcards with acknowledgements to the original artist Arnold Taylor and each of them has a little cutout from a famous painting. In these two Picasso and Manet. I recently resurrected them from the attic and gave them a clean. I now have them hanging around the house to cheer us up.
Laurie Rudling:
This is just finished and now won’t see the light of day for a few months. So I am dwelling on a title. The previous one in this series was One good tern…
I was thinking that this might be Your tern next…
David Rogers:
Please see a pic of an oil painting by me which I think fits your brief. At least it’s easy on the mind and the eye. The longest dimension is about 30cm. It’s sold so I’m not sure about its dimensions. It was painted in 2012 and took one day. Its title is The Yare at Whitlingham Broad.
Sorry to pass on that Keith Fox died in April 2020, he is much missed by family and friends.
I’m not clear exactly what my paintings mean to others only that by giving them some attention the viewer may become engaged with the subject and the process.
Bill English died on Sunday 26 January 2020. He was 88 and had been battling cancer for several months.
Bill was Principal of Norwich School of Art and Design from 1972 to 1987 and had been a member of Norwich 20 Group for many years.
Bill was born in 1931 and from a young age was developing as an artist. In 1952 he studied drawing and painting at the Royal Academy Schools. He was awarded the James Knott Traveling Scholarship in 1957 and travelled through Western Europe, this lead to many influential experiences. Bill married in 1959 and he continued to make regular trips to Spain with his wife Helen. Bill became inspired by the Catalan landscape and had several one-man exhibitions in the local region.
He had a keen interest in education and searched for opportunities to teach in Art Schools. He went on to be head of Pre-Diploma Studies, Harrogate School of Art, Head of Fine Art, Derby College of Art and Design, Head of Fine Art, Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham and finally appointed Principal of Norwich School of Art in 1972. Bill remained principal until 1988 with a gifted staff of Edward Middleditch, Nigel Henderson, Derrick Greaves, John Wonnacott, John Lessore, Ana Maria Pacheco and numerous others.
Bill once said that his influences were:
“circumstances rather than individuals… all of it is integral with the nature of life. For a painting of mine to excite me it must surprise me, so chance and risk are important elements as is variety in idea, character, scale and treatment. Landscape in one form or another is fundamental to my work, whether more or less obviously so, abstract to a degree inherent is a search for a truth. The only person I aim to please is myself and I never do.”
Jeffery Camp – Obituary
Jeffery Camp, former distinguished member of the Norwich Twenty Group has died aged 96. Having been a student of his when he taught at Lowestoft and Norwich, I have to acknowledge a debt of gratitude. It was Jeffery who proposed me as a member of the 20 Group and it was Mary Newcomb who seconded the proposal. They were both very active members in the early history of the 20 Group, together with others among whom was Michael Andrews. Together they formed the nexus of a discussion group dedicated to value judgements. All three are now acknowledged by means of having work in our national collections including the Tate Gallery. During the period of the 1950’s and 60’s the quality of the open critical discussions was such that artists such as David Hockney and Peter Blake descended on Norwich and took part in the meetings.
For Jeffery Camp, the coastal landscape formed the context of his creative life. Lowestoft and Pakefield followed by the East Sussex coast was the primary source. The emphasis on realizing a human presence within the universal drama of the interface of land and sea became a natural territory for which he was best known. I discovered a Jeffery Camp displayed on the wall of Pakefield Church. It was a typical fantasy image of Christ walking on water; he had given the painting to his local Church in the late 1960’s. This act of benevolence was typical; he approached life entirely as an artist within the community and seemingly without much interest in fame and celebrity.
He loved teaching and concluded his teaching career at the Slade; the two publications for which he is best known are Paint and also Draw, which had a foreword by David Hockney, established his teaching reputation. He also subsequently became a member of the Royal Academy. I can remember him coming into the life room at Norwich, swinging his arms and saying out loud ‘A painting a day keeps the doctor away’.
Peter Baldwin
Beach Party, 2015 – exhibited at the RA summer exhibition last year
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Artists were invited to respond to the theme of Winter Light for this selected exhibition.
Artists showing: Peter Baldwin, John Bardell, Julia Cameron, Richard Cleland, Polly Cruse, Colin Devine, Anthea Eames, Brigitte Anne Hague, Annie Hudson, David Jones, Diana Lamb, Simon Marshall, Frances Martin, John Midgley, Su Nicholls, John Rance, Maurice Read, Sandra Rowney, Laurie Rudling, Jane Sanger, Mary Spicer, Monika Wesselmann, Jos Wickham.
Exhibition Dates: Friday 24th January – Monday 23rd March 2020
Top image: Julia Cameron Big Blue 1 (Snettisham)
Images below: Mary Spicer Tracks To The Sea
Jos Wickham – Clementines in December |
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Some views of the works on exhibition:
From the opening night:
Sandra Rowney with her artwork:
An ‘open’ format meeting, with or without art work. Thanks to all who came along!
For future open meetings:
If it may be your first time coming along to the chapel, do make yourself known to any committee or group members – just ask somebody at the table close to the entrance when you arrive.
We’ll be happy to explain the plan for the evening – and for an ‘open’ meeting, where art work may be brought along too if you wish – help you to locate a place to display any 2D or 3D art you may have.
Wonderful evening with artist Kate MccGwire, who gave a talk about her work – an unbeatable insight which was very much appreciated by a full house, huge thanks to Kate.
katemccgwire.com/
Kate MccGwire is an internationally renowned British sculptor whose practice probes the beauty inherent in duality, employing natural materials to explore the play of opposites at an aesthetic, intellectual and visceral level. Growing up on the Norfolk Broads her connection with nature and fascination with birds was nurtured from an early age, with avian subjects and materials a recurring theme in her artwork. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2004 her uncanny sculptures have been exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery (London), the Museum of Art and Design (New York), Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (Paris) and recently at Glasstress, an official collateral event of the Venice Biennale.
Kate MccGwire – Anomaly 2017
Kate MccGwire – Liminal
The first ‘open’ meeting of the year, great to see so many at the chapel for a packed evening, with art works displayed imaginatively in the space!
A couple of images from the evening, thanks to Yusuf for the photos.
A reminder that meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month – and for months of Jan – April, June and Sept – December all are very welcome to attend, which does mean everyone, member of the group or not – to come to the chapel.
Meetings sometimes have an invited artist to talk, or are called ‘open’ meetings. For these ones do bring art work along to display if you wish (approx. 2-3 works as a guide). Please check the website for updates.
From 7.30pm at the chapel, Park Lane, Norwich.
