"Life Choices"
AN EXHIBITION
“Life Choices”- an exhibition of The Nude Figure executed in various media by 15 local artists from The Tore Life Drawing Group.
Don’t expect to be shocked at this exciting new exhibition. There won’t be babelicious nudes to ogle at. But there will be beautifully drawn, painted, carved and sculpted works of art done by the professional and emerging artists who practise life drawing on a Tuesday morning at Tore Village Hall.
The session starts with a very challenging twenty minute activity – the model chooses and holds a pose for a minute while the artists try frantically to capture it. That means doing twenty drawings in twenty minutes. The rest of the two hour session is relatively easier with longer poses of anything from 10 minutes to one hour. What you will see in the exhibition at Inchmore Gallery hosted by Jane and Barbara Inglis are some of these sketches and some pieces developed from them.
Originally organised by Clare Blois, the Tore Group has a loyal following and a long waiting list for new participants. Current organisers, Gilyan Noble, Sheena Mitchell and Dorothy Francis would be happy to welcome new artists but there just isn’t room. Inchmore Gallery hope to fill the void by running life drawing classes in the very near future.
The exhibition will feature hung framed work, clay sculptures and wood carvings. There will also be “folio” pieces for sale: folio pieces are unframed, mounted pieces which will be easier on the pocket for any art lover on a budget.
There are three models featured, two females and one male, all with enviable physiques. The nineteen artists taking part come from all over the Highlands from as far apart as Brora, Nairn, Inverness, Contin, Drumnadrochit, and Aviemore. Most are already well – known and for a full list of artists exhibiting, go to www.inchmoregallery.co.uk According to the rule of six degrees of separation, everyone will know somebody.
This exhibition promises to be a rare treat. Do come along.
Bette McArdle
As a child Bette McArdle won the Glasgow Corporation Silver Medal and went on to study at Glasgow School of Art. She lived for some years in the artistic community of St Ives, Cornwall in its heyday and was married to the late Thomas McArdle, also a painter.
In the 1960s Bette and her family moved to Caithness and she has lived and worked in the Highlands ever since. Her work is in numerous private collections, and patrons have included the Queen Mother, her lady-in-waiting Ruth, Lady Fermoy, the Board of Dounreay AEA and Sir John Lister-Kay.
Domestic circumstances led her into journalism, but on retiring she resumed her work in the arts - painting and drawing, tutoring in the UK and abroad, working in glass, textiles and other applied arts. She has had various one-man shows in Scotland including Eden Court, Inverness and Culross, Fife and exhibits regularly with a number of Highland art groups.
Over the years she has also been involved in various arts and community arts projects, such as Lyth Arts Centre, Art.tm (now Highland Printmakers), the Arts Society of Inverness and Arts in Merkinch and has recently been appointed to the Board of High Life Highland.
The main influences in her work have probably been Van Gogh and Toulouse Lautrec, the Scottish Colourists, Joan Eardley, Schiele, and in the applied arts Gaudi and Hunderwasser. Earlier in her career she painted mainly landscape, but in her recent work the human figure has become more prominent. She is totally committed to the practice of drawing the human figure and regularly attends the Tore Group, workshops and masterclasses.
Bobbie Webster
Born, raised and educated in Dunfermline. Studied at Edinburgh College of Art and went on to Moray House College of Education.
Taught in Fife for 3 years and moved to the Highlands in 1977. Taught Art and Design in Nairn until 1994 when I became Principal Teacher of Art in Culloden Academy.
Now retired. Yahooooooooooooo!!!!!!
Cyril Reed NDD ATC
Cyril studied at Sunderland College of Art, and graduated from Leeds University Institute of Education in 1964. Following a teaching career of almost thirty years he took early retirement, and moved to Sutherland in 1997.
The mood of northern Highland land and seascape, affected so much by the ever changing weather and light, provide a wealth of ideas for work. Cyril still values highly the emphasis placed on drawing skills during his art college days and regularly makes sketchbook studies, often going back to favourite places such as Loch Fleet. These serve to identify important visual elements and, as permanent records, can be revisited and used as a source of ideas which, when combined with memory and emotion, inform the development of his paintings.
Life At Tore:
At Sunderland during the early sixties drawing from the life model was regarded an integral part of art college studies, and Cyril has continued the practice whenever possible, He has been attending the two hour life drawing sessions with the Tore group for a number of years. The studies he makes here have been carried out in a variety of media but most usually pencil or graphite, sometimes combined with watercolour, and acrylics.
David Ewan
I have a lifelong interest in drawing and recording in various media. My inspiration has come from the natural world, Dutch 17th century painting, Picasso, and a range of Scottish artists. My artwork is an eclectic mix of landscape, figurative work and portraiture. Recent paintings show an increasing interest Still Life with a twist of Fantasy and Imagination in both oil paint and acrylics
Born in Bankfoot, Perthshire. Attended Perth High School and graduated in Graphic Design at Duncan on Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee in 1970
Employed as a Graphic artist working for the Outram Press before training for Art teaching. Started teaching in Perth. Appointed Principal Teacher of Art and Design at Inverness Royal Academy in 1980 and worked there until retirement in 2009. A few weeks later joined the Tore Life Group. Now enjoying freedom to express myself in Painting backed up by the discipline of Life Drawing.
Dorothy Francis
From an early age in Banff, I would play at schools with my sisters and make little books with all the illustrations drawn and painted by me. (Prophetic, as we all three became teachers). At secondary school, I adored my inspirational Art teacher, Bob Batchelor, and wanted to pursue art but as I was good at Latin, Latin won.
I put art behind me, went to Aberdeen University and Teacher Training College, taught English at the famous Braehead Secondary School where I met my husband Bill and in 1973, we went to Kenya for three glorious years, returning to Inverness to have our daughter, Kirsty. Still no art. We went to Papa New Guinea for eight years where I joined the CWA, an Aussie version of the WRI (nicknamed The Cranky Women’s Association), and finally found Art.
I began with watercolours, as you do, and began illustrating books again. I had success with the publication of a little alphabet book that I had designed and painted for local children who didn’t have books with familiar images from their own culture. A very proud moment for me was when my alphabet book was adopted by the Education Dept. for use in national primary schools.
We returned to Inverness in 1987 where I was persuaded by Liz Joss to join the ASI and catapulted straight into the thick of things by being elected the secretary and serving as president for two years.
I owe my Art development to the ASI – classes, lectures, demos by fantastic artists. I’ve lapped it all up, constantly trying new things. One memorable workshop was tutored by Eleanor White – yes, books again – which led on to my going to private lessons with Gwen Black on book-binding (a motif here) and printmaking. Gwen became my mentor and I went on to take her Portfolio class at Inchmore when I retired in 2006.
No stopping now. Despite being sixty-five, I have become a student again, finally pursuing the career in Art that I always wanted. I am doing a part time HNC in Contemporary Art Practice at the Inverness College where I am being challenged with new media, encouraged to research different artists and take chances with my own art. I am loving it.
Over the years, the ASI enriched my life and for that, I am very grateful.
Gilyan Noble
Gilyan moved from the South east of England to Nairn 4 years ago Having worked for 25 years as a Probation Officer she retired from employment & had the time to continue her passion for creating Art which was a life long interest.
Having completed a Portfolio building course at Inchmore Gallery Gilyan successfully exhibited throughout the Highlands, & together with Dorothy Francis & Sheena Mitchell took over the managing of the Tore life drawing group a few years ago. She is well known for grabbing your cash!
Her first choice of subject for her mixed media Art is the natural world which she interprets in a mixture of Abstract & Representational styles.
Gilyan “uses” the life drawing groups to practice & enhance her drawing skills. She is not a “natural” life drawing artist, but appreciates the discipline of observation & recording.
She is currently undertaking a Fine Art BA (Hons) course at UHI (Elgin)
Jean MacLean
I returned to my interest in art in 1990 having done little since Higher Art at school in the sixties.
Since then I’ve developed skills is pastel, watercolour and acrylics with varied success.
Added to that, in recent years I have enjoyed and appreciated the ongoing challenges of Life Drawing at the class in Tore.
John Nicolson
Brief biography:
Sherborne School, Dorset
Byam Shaw School of Drawing and Painting, London 1962 – 65: National Diploma in Design
Painted in London and Paris
Bretton Hall College of Education 1966 – 67: Certificate in Education
Teacher of Art and Design for 36 years (31 in Highland): Retired November 2003 to devote more time to painting.
Selected exhibitions:
Highland Open 1987 (Regional Purchase Award), 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998
Just Art, Fochabers, Sept. 1995, May 1999
Logie Steading, Spring Exhibition, 1996, 1999, 2005. 2009 (and mixed exhibitions)
The Bridge Art Gallery, Dublin, opening Exhibition Nov 1996
The Cottage Gallery, Poolewe, ‘Northern Exposure’ 2000
Tore Art gallery, opening Exhibition Nov 2004 and subsequent mixed exhibitions
Castle Gallery, Inverness, Christmas Exhibition Nov 2004 and subsequent mixed exhibitions
Nairn Book and Arts Festival, June 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
Number Forty Six, Ballater, March 2006 onwards
The Atholl Gallery, Dunkeld, June 2007 onwards
Royal Scottish Academy Open Exhibition 30 October to 15 December 2010
Solo exhibitions:
Torrance Gallery, Edinburgh Nov 1998
Howie’s Restaurant, Edinburgh, in association with the Kingfisher Gallery
Castle Gallery, Inverness, 9 – 31 March 2007
John has also exhibited in Eden Court Theatre and Inverness Museum and Art Gallery with Highland Art Teachers; Highland Printmakers, Inverness; The Milton Gallery, Crathes; The Pavilion, Strathpeffer and Highlands Open Studios mixed exhibitions
Examples of his work can be viewed at www.john-nicholson-artist.com
Judith Livingston
I received my BA(Hons) in 3D design from Newcastle upon Tyne Polytecnic in 1975, my main subject was furniture design, with pottery, textiles and fine art as subsidiaries. I then studied at Glasgow University, gaining a Postgraduate Diploma in the History of Art, after which, I gained a Post Grad Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Craft and Design, from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne.
I then taught variously in London, Glasgow, and Fife and the Lothians and in 1985, I began training as a Furniture Restorer, in a private workshop in West Sussex, this was arranged and partly funded by the Conservation Bureau of Historic Scotland, I then set up my own Furniture Restoration business in Fife.
When we moved to the Highlands I returned to teaching but am now again self-employed as a Furniture Restorer and also trying to find time to develop as an artist.
Over many years, I have attended Summer Courses in Fine Art at the ECA in Edinburgh with various visiting professional artists, for example, Margaret Hunter and Hugh Buchanan and other courses elsewhere, most notably a series of short courses with Eugenia Vronskaya which have been invaluable. I have learned so much from her.
And of course, there are all those wonderful Tuesday mornings of life drawing with the Tore Art Group!
Mary Wilson
Mary was born in Glasgow where she trained at Glasgow School of Art and Jordanhill College of Education. She taught Art& Design in Secondary schools in Glasgow then in Hopeman Elgin and latterly in Nairn after moving north.
She worked mainly on commissions while teaching and bringing up her family.I
Within teaching she worked extensively with pupils with special needs and pupils preparing portfolios for Art Colleges . She was an assessor for the Scottish Exam Board at 6th year study level. She is still involved with further Education and tutors her own adult art group in Nairn
Since leaving teaching she has returned to painting and works with 8 other artists at the WASPS Blue Door Artists Studios in Nairn
‘ My work is mainly with land and seascape inspired by the rich visual resources and ever changing light and colour of the Moray Firth and other Scottish environment’
She works in Oil and recently in Acrylics as well as gouache pastel and coloured pencil on varying surfaces.. She combines her studio work with a weekly untutored life class and her teaching.
She was a founder member of the Highland Print studio.
Nick Boyle
Richard Davies
I received some woodturning tuition from the late Duggie Hart at the Cider Press Centre, Dartington, Devon, and some of my woodturning was exhibited there.
During the 80s my interest developed to incorporate furniture making. Thanks to Alan Peters, I was very fortunate to be able to spend seven years under the watchful eye of the late Trevor Pate at his Barbican workshop in Plymouth, Devon. Again some of my furniture was exhibited at the Cider Press Centre.
1n 2001 we moved to Dornoch while I was working for Visit Scotland as Quality adviser, and also setting up my workshop.
From January 2007 having now set up a workshop in Dornoch I had anticipated concentrating on producing quality items of furniture. This has been the case but I have had a number of requests for furniture with some carving. Having always had an interest in woodcarving I obtained further training with Chris Pye and Ian Norbury and also recently visited the 'Unika' exhibition in North Italy.
Also following numerous requests for woodwork tuition, I now run residential courses, aimed to help people develop their woodworking skills.
Sheena Mitchell
My main inspiration is the Human Figure with all it`s complexities and beauty.
I am continually searching and attempting to portray through, drawing, painting & sculpture the various aspects & layers which make up the human body.
We as human beings have so much in common in the way we are made…from the ingenuity and commonality of the skeleton and the muscular system, to the beauty of the outer skin layer.
Yet from these common building bricks comes the wonder of individuality. It never ceases to amaze me how every single one of us is “an original” ….there are no copies, yet we have the same beginnings! What a wonderful puzzle and something for each of us to celebrate.
It is the search and the journey to resolve this puzzle through my artwork which is my continuing inspiration and aspiration.
Sonia Rose
My main interest is observing and recording the human figure in drawing oil pant and clay.
I graduated from Grey's School of Art (Drawing and Painting) and became an art teacher, then an Arts Education Manager of Eden Court Outreach, until my retiral in 2005, since when I have returned to studying life figures and family faces.
Wendy Sedgwick
Born in Ceylon and brought up in South Africa I have lived near Inverness since 1969. Sketching and painting have always been part of my life hastily fitted in but now I go to the Tore Life Drawing Class and enjoy the discipline of eye to hand co-ordination and its effect.
A friend once said comfortingly: “its not the outcome of a piece of work that matters, it is the enjoyment and fun you have in doing it.”
