The Horse in Art 2012

THE SOCIETY OF EQUESTRIAN ARTISTS

Also online at:

www.equestrianartists.co.uk

51 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU

www.meniergallery.co.uk

nearest tube: London Bridge

20th November – 1st December

Open 11am – 6pm Daily

Fridays late until 8pm

Closed Sunday 25th

Ends Saturday 1st at 2pm

The Society of Equestrian Artist exists to

‘Coraje’ Sally Martin SEA

promote the practice of equestrian painting and sculpture and to advance the public education

and appreciation of this art. The Horse in Art 2012 is the Annual Open Exhibition for the Society of

Equestrian Artists. This registered charity was founded in 1979 by ten Founder Members under the

chairmanship of Norman Hoad CVO CBE AFC, a notable equestrian and aviation artist.

Membership of the Society is open to all, both artists and non-artists alike, who wish to be

associated with, and support the work of, the Society through joining as a Friend. Friends who are

artists may apply for promotion to

become Associate Members (ASEA). Full

Members (SEA) in their turn are elected

by their peers on the basis of having

achieved an exceptionally high standard

of work over many years of exhibiting

with the Society. There are currently

approximately 50 Full Members and over

450 members in total, including many

based overseas.

Since it was founded, the Society’s

principal exhibition for member’s

‘Open Moor’ Colin Allbrook RI SEA

paintings and sculpture has been the Annual Exhibition held in London, now in its 33rd year. As part

of an ongoing renewal process in order to progress the Society as THE centre of excellence for

equestrian art, it became an Open Exhibition in

2010, welcoming entries from members and non-

members alike.

This year’s exhibition has attracted well in excess of

400 entries, of which 100 have been provided by

SEA’s including Colin Allbrook RI SEA and Dennis

Syrett PPROI RBA RSMA SEA. Works range from the

traditional to the contemporary, from a life size

mural by Jennifer Bell SEA, to smaller original

silkscreen prints by Glynis Mills SEA.

From the up and coming Associate ranks, entries

have been welcomed from Katie Scorgie ASEA, who

‘First Born’ Silkscreen Glynis Mills SEA

was delighted to spend a years Residency with the

Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, which included time behind the scenes at the barracks

during the Royal Wedding. The resulting

work was all too briefly exhibited in aid of

the Household Cavalry Foundation for four

days in April.

Also exhibiting following a Residency is

sculptor Camilla Le May, recently promoted

to ASEA, she became the Royal Veterinary

College’s first Artist in Residence and has

been comissioned to produce a life-size

sculpture of Sefton, which is expected to be

unveiled in the spring of 2013.

‘Return From the Royal Wedding’ Katie Scorgie ASEA

Michelle McCullagh ASEA will be busy this November,

as she is also promoting her first solo show at the

Osborne Studio Gallery, Motcombe Street, London,

which runs concurrent with The Horse In Art, for

which she still has time (and the work) to support. Her

pieces range from sensitive studies in charcoal to the

striking ‘ghosting’ images she produces in oils.

‘Winners Enclosure’ Michelle McCullagh SEA

The link with our equestrian artists

and horse racing is strong and many

of them, including Susan Crawford

SEA, Roy Miller SEA and Neil

Cawthorne SEA,have produced

images in support of racing’s great

charity, the Injured Jockeys Fund.

The powerful and expressive images

of Vinetta Sayer MA ASEA, will be

helping to support them in 2013.

Born in Latvia, though now based in

Kent, the combination of her

fascination with horses and artistic

‘Fire Storm’ Vineta Sayer ASEA

talent won her a place at Rozenthal’s

School of Art and on graduation she continued her fine art studies at the Academy of Art in Riga.

The SEA has been well supported by the

British Sporting Art Trust who for many

years have sponsored the prize for Best

Sculpture. Last year’s winner, the

Croatian Hrjove Dumančić, has

participated in equestrian art exhibitions

around the world including Britain,

France, Italy,Hungary and the United

States.

‘Castor & Pollux’ Hrjove Dumančić

We are lucky enough to have the pencil drawing ‘Acoso Y Derribo’ by Cathy Spearing SEA SWA,

depicting the highly skilled movement of cattle using garrochas (blunt wooden poles).This image was

selected from over 4000 entries as a finalist in the Artists & Illustrators Magazine ‘Artist of the Year

2012’ competition.

The judges for the Horse in Art 2012 exhibition were drawn from the the Full Membership and from

outside the Society. The selection panel for 2D work comprised of five Full Members of the Society

of Equestrian Artists. Barry Peckham SEA and Sally Martin SEA were both judges in 2011 and so

helped to maintain consistency and Colin Allbrook RI SEA returned after a few years absence. We

were delighted to welcome 2011 Cuneo Medal winner, Rosemary Welch SEA and also Glynis Mills

SEA, who had actually spent many years recording the results of judging as it took place, so she is

well aware of the standard required.

They were assisted by

John Baskett, a curator

of the Paul Mellon

Collection, author of

‘The Horse in Art’ and a

former Chairman of the

Society of London Art

Dealers and Ian

McIntyre, publisher

and well known

collector of

contemporary art who

has owned race horses

with Peter Rossdale

and three day event

horses ridden by Pippa Funnel.

‘Mind Your Backs!’ Rosemary Welch SEA

The 3D panel comprised of Ann Baxter SEA, who had judged in the past and is a previous winner of

the Cuneo Medal and the British Sporting Art Trust Sculpture Award. From outside the Society,

Geoffrey Hughes, Director of the Osborne Studio Gallery, specialists in Sporting paintings and

bronzes by leading contemporary artists with an emphasis on Horse Racing. We also welcomed

Charles Lane, writer of many articles on Sporting Art for BSAT and a former judge on the 2D panel.

For further information, text or images, invitations to the Private View on 21st November or to order

a catalogue please contact:

Debbie Burt

Honorary Secretary & Administrator

E: admin@equestrianartists.co.uk

T: 0300 0110 185

W: www.equestrianartists.co.uk

Charity No: 294729