Award-winning artists in our 2020 TALP Open exhibitions

Below are just a few of the award-winning artists in our 2020 TALP Open Art Exhibitions. See more in the October issues of Leisure Painter and The Artist, out on September 4

Michele Ashby, Jill Hammond, Shirley May, Marjorie Firth, Emma P, Mark Buck, Russell Edwards, Yoko Archer

Michele Ashby - winner of The Artist Exhibition and Daler Rowney Watercolour Awards

£1,700 The Artist's Exhibition Awards
Up to 10 selected artists from the 2020 The Artist's category will be awarded a mixed exhibition at Patchings Art Centre in 2021, worth £1,700
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk

£500 Daler-Rowney Awards
Five sets of materials to the total value of £500
www.daler-rowney.com

When All You see Are Shadows, Turn Your Face to the Light, pastel, pastel pencil and pencil, (30x33cm)

I have been a professional artist for four years. I trained as a Graphic Designer having received my BA (Hons) degree from Kingston University back in 1985. I had a very successful career as a Graphic Designer and went on to run my own design business for 16 years.

I’m a pastel artist and am particularly interested in depicting light and shade, my style is realistic and detailed but most importantly I want to show my passion for what I do and I hope my artwork has a strong connection with my viewers.

I’ve now drawn this particular structure which is in Aldeburgh, Suffolk three times each from different angles and with three very different feelings and thought processes. The first two have in fact sold and reside in London and New York respectively.

With my eye always being drawn to the light and shade of my composition I had the title for this particular piece the minute the pastels touched the Pastelmat. The soft yet strong shadows of ‘When all you feel are shadows, turn your face to the light’ really packs a punch visually creating a beautiful balance almost double helix shape to the whole composition.

Your eye is taken on a journey around the piece via the strong, shiny uprights and sweeping curves of the railings. The shadows echoing of soft summer tones echoes of dream like thoughts. Because of this your eye may be drawn away, even fleetingly from the slightly rusting, decaying feeling of this spiral structure with its peeling paint and stubborn weeds which force their way through determined to be noticed.

This piece was drawn when my dear mum was herself in her decline having been diagnosed as terminal. My determination to carry on drawing in the face of such adversity was a coping mechanism I hadn’t needed before but I turned to again and again over the coming year from inception of this piece.

I felt a need to create an artistic respond to her inner struggle, therefore with something so beautiful yet strong this structure that has weathered many storms yet still remains I felt I had the perfect subject.

R.I.P mum 1941 - 2019

To vote for Michele in The People's Choice Awards click here.

Jill Hammond and Marjorie Firth - winners of the Leisure Painter Batsford Awards

£600 Batsford Awards
Four prizes of Batsford art books to the value of £150 each
www.pavilionbooks.com/batsford

Jill Hammond, Springing Hare, acrylic, ink and collage, (25x35cm).

I never seem to have any trouble wondering what to paint. If I see something – a poster, postcard, or a view – I will keep the image for later use as a painting or part of a painting. I usually work from my own observations, photographs or en plein air.

Subject matter varies from still life and townscapes to seascapes or whatever has recently inspired me, although I tend to have phases.

My work can often begin with no outline at all or sometimes a few rough outlines of the composition. I may add collage as I am going along or start with inks and rollers to keep it loose then add a few lines and blocks of structure, working from the background out to the final details. At the end I am only putting in a line, a reflection, a shadow or a little detail.

I work in ink, gouache, acrylic, oils, tempera, collage or anything that I feel is appropriate for the work. Very rarely do I use brushes, as experimenting is very exciting and can give unexpected results.

A friend asked if I would experiment with a painting using hares as the subject matter. This resulted in a development of a few 'hare' mixed media compositions. Researching images of hares, foliage and various moods then produced a small series of compositions. Moonlight Hare, Autumn Hare and this Springing Hare encompassing in the title both the feeling of spring in the flowers and fruits using pinks, whites and reds together with the 'springing' action of the hare.

During lockdown I enjoyed doing a number of postcard-size hare mini-paintings, which I have posted around the country to friends, hoping to put a smile on their faces when opening the post!

To vote for Jill in The People's Choice Awards click here.

Marjorie Firth, Woodland Walk, Howick, oil, (60x60cm)

For the past five years I have had a painting selected for the TALP Open exhibition and have twice won an award.

The painting chosen this year by the judges was of the woodland walk at Howick Gardens and Arboretum, in Northumberland, which is the family home of the former Prime Minister, Earl Grey.

The walk is very atmospheric with the deep shadows and the light splashing through the trees. Although I often go there to paint, on this occasion I took several photos and, back at home, I set to work on a black canvas.

Why a black canvas? Well, from the outset this produces a dramatic effect and the subject matter here certainly demanded it. I wanted to get straight to it while I was fired up so I identified the lights by touching and rubbing the canvas with a cloth and white paint, no drawing in at all. After five or ten minutes, by standing back, I could already see it taking shape. To me, the first stage of a painting is easy, the difficult part is midway and beyond, when decisions have to be made with reference to perspective and detail. And so it proved with this one.

Over the next few weeks I constantly altered and adjusted, deciding which part to bring into focus and which to leave as an impression. There were times when I felt I'd lost the effect I was seeking - this is when taking photos of the work in progress is invaluable, you can weigh up the pros and cons of the decisions and, if need be, return to an earlier version.

Being chosen to take part in the exhibition is an exciting feeling, gaining an award is a wonderful added-extra.

Visiting the actual exhibition at Patchings, seeing all the excellent entries and soaking up the atmosphere is something I hope we'll all get the chance to do again, yet, somehow, this year's Virtual Exhibition has still managed to capture some of that excitement.

I look forward each year to entering TALP. I try to choose something different each time, to challenge myself and to keep that feeling of excitement - a different slant on a still life, a portrait in an unusual setting and, this year for me, a fairly complicated landscape. I'm already musing about next year ....

To vote for Marjorie in The People's Choice Awards click here.

Shirley May - winner of the Leisure Painter Caran d’Ache/Jakar Award

£500 Caran d’Ache/Jakar Awards
Two prizes of £250 worth of art materials
www.jakar.co.uk

Washing on my Line, gouache, (38x28cm)

I have a background in nursing and writing indexes for medical and scientific books. I have studied Art and Printmaking at Brighton University for six years, and have taught a small watercolour class in my home, most weeks, since 2011. I have recently started moving on to opaque media, using gouache and acrylics, as well as oils, especially to paint en plein air.

These mediums seem much easier in many ways, than watercolour. Working up from dark to light seems more direct and malleable, as does reserving the highlights. I also find painting on canvases and not having to worry about mounting and framing, is great.

My favourite painters are Henri Matisse, Edouard Vuillard, John Singer Sargent, John Yardley, Ken Howard, William Nicholson, and many more besides.

My pictures are about capturing things I see which strike me, and adding, mainly through colour, the life and vitality.

Painting en plein air is my favourite occupation! Using gouache on paper or canvas board, I like to work in the open air in front of my subject and try to catch the fleeting effects of light on form. During the Covid-19 lockdown, I often worked in my small garden, which is where Washing on my Line was painted.

I had just hung out the washing when I noticed how nice it looked so I got my painting gear together. The painting took about an hour and a half, with me sitting in the shade by the shed, squinting for tonal values. As the washing swung about, the blue scarf on the right billowed, and the bright sunshine created wonderful effects. It was so good to see it and I really enjoyed painting it. I used super angled flat brushes for the detail and Round acrylic brushes Nos. 6 and 9 for the main work. I used very little water in a bottle I could hold and a small round palette. I’m so glad I put the picture into the exhibition.

To vote for Shirley in The People's Choice Awards click here.

Emma P - winner of the Leisure Painter St Cuthberts Mill Award

£600 St Cuthberts Mill Awards
Three prizes of £200 worth of watercolour paper
www.stcuthbertsmill.com

Sanderlings at High Tide, Hartlepool, watercolour, (26x36cm)

I live on the north-east coast, and paint for relaxation and pleasure.

I get most of my inspiration for painting from the local wildlife. In winter, we’re lucky to get wading birds migrating from the Arctic, like these tiny sanderlings. There’s a spot on the beach that remains dry at high tide; the birds rest, socialise and preen there until the tide goes out. I saw this little group one day last winter, loved the look of the silvery birds in the cool morning light by a relatively calm sea, and took some photos and notes.

The painting was done fairly quickly when I got home, while the scene was fresh in my memory – it wasn’t really planned, I just picked some poses I liked and painted them without any preparatory drawing, so that it didn’t look like a copy of photographs. Using five colours – Naples yellow, permanent rose, French ultramarine, transparent yellow and light red – kept it harmonious.

I’d never entered an exhibition before; I’ve always found the idea quite intimidating. However, when I saw TALP 2020 was going to be online, I thought I’d try entering in the Leisure Painter category.

I dithered for a long time over which six paintings to enter, but “Sanderlings” was always going to be entered, as it’s my favourite; I was delighted that the judges agreed and selected it for the exhibition, and absolutely thrilled when it won the St Cuthberts Mill award – enough watercolour paper to keep me going for the next year at least!

It’s been a great boost to my confidence and I’m glad I did it.

To vote for Emma in The People's Choice Awards click here.

The Artist Exhibition and Colart/Winsor & Newton Awards

£1,000 ColArt/Winsor&Newton Awards
Four prizes of £250 worth of ColArt art materials
www.colart.com

Mark Buck, Venice, watercolour, (49x16cm)

I am primarily a plein air watercolorist but like to take that freedom into the studio.

I work very quickly with most artworks finished in two hours. I did my degree in illustration in Bristol and they were very keen on looseness and spontaneity, by the time I left I was totally free in style but not very marketable, however after a few years and with a bit of necessary experience I found myself with a weekly column illustrating for the Express. It was 1993 and I worked totally digitally on one of the first Wacom tablets, a steal at £3,000, I threw away all my old paints and marched into a fully digital future. Who would have thought!

I must add though that even then everything always started with pencil and paper and I still kept sketchbooks.

Years later, I found myself sitting by the Grand Canal looking across to the far side and sketching in pen and ink. The mooring poles reflected in the water and danced with the turbulence from passing craft. I put some of the poles right in the foreground and tried to capture that movement, it is the best way to understand the patterns and movement. I also videoed the scene on my iPhone.

In the narrow canals the light reflected in a similar dancing band cut by reflections from passing gondoliers and the usual poles.

My painting was from a photograph I took standing on the bridge. I changed a few things as the Gondolier was just not correctly placed in the composition and there were random craft moored to the wall. It was quite misty in my shot with a blue-greyness and I decided to switch the sun back on but kept some of the atmospheric perspective.

I did a few sketches then drew a simplified sketch on the watercolour paper. I wanted to keep the warm ochre of the buildings separate from the aqua of the water so took a wash down to the canal edge of yellow ochre mixed with a little Chinese white and various flicks of crimson and cobalt blue. I tilted the board backward and forwards to move it all about then let it dry. Some of the lighter areas were kept white.

The buildings were filled in adding slightly different shades and colours into a wet wash. I used a palette knife to get back to white in a wet wash then walk away again and let it dry.

The water was done quickly with a no. 20 Perla brush and a rigger for the fine bits - starting light and then flooding colour into the wet bits.

I started with almost clear water, again tilting the board backwards and forwards to get the blends, this has to be done wet and letting the granulation happen by drying naturally. The building reflections were put into that wash just as it stopped glistening.

The next part was the dry brush strokes created with a creamy mix and very fast strokes. I completed the Gondoliers last, suggesting the figures.

Finally came the really fun bit - flicking in the jewels and details. I did this with a rigger and finally put in the shutters, passing birds, wires, aerials and highlights on the top of heads.

You can follow mark on Twitter #markbuck or instagram markbuckart

See more work at markbuck.co.uk

To vote for Mark in The People's Choice Awards click here.

Russell Edwards - winner of the Leisure Painter Colart/Winsor & Newton Award

£1,000 ColArt/Winsor & Newton Awards
Four prizes of £250 worth of ColArt art materials
www.colart.com

I-Pad Free Zone, oil, (30x25cm)

I have a passion for painting the human form and especially portraits, always aspiring to paint in a realistic manner. I do on the whole work from my own photographs (frowned upon by many I know) as I couldn't expect my 'models' to sit and endure the length of time I need to complete a painting!

This piece more or less epitomises everything that inspires me to paint i.e. Holly one of my grandchildren is the model, a natural pose, mood and bright sunlight accentuating certain facial features and detail. The fact that Holly was so engrossed in the book she was reading was the inspiration for the title.

Selecting pieces of work to submit for TALP is, on the one hand, an exciting process but also one that fills me with self-doubt, an emotion I imagine most of we 'artists' are quite familiar with, and so having a piece accepted for exhibition is a boost to my confidence and something I am proud of.

To be fortunate enough to be awarded a prize is even more satisfying and helps to relieve some of those feelings of self-doubt, at least until next year!

To vote for Russell in The People's Choice Awards click here.

Yoko Archer - Winner of the Leisure Painter Royal Talens Award

£400 Royal Talens Awards
Two prizes of £200 worth of art materials
www.royaltalens.com

Ageless, mixed media, (30x42cm)

The news of winning Royal Talens Award in TALP competition came as a total surprise; after viewing others great works, I was left wondering as to why I had won, although I am truly honoured and overjoyed that Ageless gained the attention of the judges.

This was my first time entering an open competition, and Ageless wasn’t originally painted with that intention.

I have been painting in watercolour for six years here in Edinburgh (I am originally from Japan) and I attend part time art classes and courses at Edinburgh University or Leith School of Art.

I have often considered giving up watercolours as an unforgiving medium. But have decided not to worry too much about achieving transparency, which is a beautiful characteristic of the medium.

I find it hard to manage the usual advice of ‘less brush strokes - more effect’, although I recognise that too many brush strokes is a cause of muddy colours and wrong colour-mixing results in dirty colours. But I still wonder if these translucent colours are observed in nature!?

I am still exploring ways to get on with watercolour and trying let go with other media if necessary.

I spotted these flowers in a pot in my garden on a chilly November night. Although the main plant was withering, small pink flowers were still blooming; I found myself wondering how old they were - they seemed ageless.

I painted quickly in watercolour without a pencil under-drawing as I wanted to capture what had inspired me. I then faced the same outcome - no real impact; muddy colours; busy lines and marks. So I set about wondering how to make use of my style. By now it was almost midnight, which seems to be a time for me to jump into my role as a leisure/kitchen painter - painting time is always after tidying up from dinner.

Part of pink flower was successfully displaying transparency and multiple layers of watercolour which contrasted with the dying leaves and flowers which looked flat and dull. I picked up oil pastels in an attempt to add impact to the failed part of the painting. It had become a fun mixed media experiment.

I decided to submit this study, done on A5 size using student quality watercolour paper and paints, as I believed I had accomplished my three target to capture the essence and mood of subject using bold brush strokes and a freedom of colour.

My favourite watercolourists are numerous but I particularly admire particularly the works of Emild Nolde, John Singer Sargent, Alberto Castagnet, Richard Pikesley, Yuko Nagayama and Yael Maimon.

Thank you so much to everyone who made such a huge effort to open the TALP exhibitions online during such difficult time for everybody. I happily used all my £200 award to buy Artist quality series Rembrandt Watercolours from Royal Talens.

I very much appreciate the PaintersOnline gallery where I have been encouraged to paint more positively in such a friendly and welcoming community.

My first language is Japanese, 2nd is my art with English coming 3rd! I enjoy communicating with others through my work. Art is truly a language for expressing yourself!

To vote for Yoko in The People's Choice Awards click here.

Two lucky voters in The People's Choice Awards will each receive an annual Studio+ membership.