December 2022
One of our members Stella Tooth has been interviewed by Nicholas John, the Editor of ‘Blues in Britain’ Magazine about her performer art.
The interview appears in the latest December issue and runs over two pages and includes artworks created at the Half Moon Putney, where she is the iconic music venue’s resident artist.
Hope you enjoy the read!
A huge thank you to more than a hundred of you who attended our ‘Beyond the door’ exhibition tonight.
Here are some of our artists with their paintings snd their sitters.
The exhibition runs until Saturday at the Bermondsey Project Space near London Bridge.
Conceived on Zoom in the first few weeks of the pandemic, The Lots Road Group’s ‘Beyond the door’ exhibition has been a long time coming. But our fantastic designer member Sarah Reynolds has now created this poster and work is progressing apace on our online catalogue.
The exhibition, to be held at the Bermondsey Project Space opposite The White Cube, will feature portraits by 15 artists in the group and contemplates life on both sides of the doors that have defined our lives during the last eighteen months, both as protection from a hostile outside world and the means of escape from confinement.
The Lots Road Group studied portraiture The Heatherley School Of Fine Art ‘Our portrait Your story’ sums up our approach to portraiture where, uniquely for a group, we tell the story of our sitters in words as well as picture. In this way we hope to explain the importance and unique qualities of portraiture in the age of photography.
Portraiture allows you to see yourself through the prism of the artist’s eye… and It protects your image through time. Through our regular shows and commissions, we have asked what portraiture means to you. And you have told us you want us to record moments of transition – births, childhood, leaving home, weddings and posthumous portraits to keep treasured memories alive. In addition, some of you like us to work from agreed photographs where others, less time-starved perhaps, enjoy the experience of sitting. But whatever your preference, one thing’s for sure: collaboration is at the heart of a portrait and we welcome such collaboration with you.
Click here to learn more.
LRG’s Hero Johnson will be showing a small portrait at this year’s Royal Society of Portrait Painters exhibition which runs to the 15th of May at the Mall Galleries. Tickets can be booked in advance on the Mall’s website.
Although not unexpected it is still very sad to hear of the death of Katharine Whitehorn, a pillar of journalistic society as I was growing up.
The opportunity to paint her for the Lots Road Group exhibition – and get to know her – over many sittings in my studio in London was a huge pleasure and delight.
Her humour was legendary and she entertained me over many hours.
The sittings were usually followed by a liquid lunch in my kitchen – lovely memories to treasure for always.R.I.P. dear Katharine
You can now vote for your favourite painting in this year’s BP Portrait Award Exhibition at the Aberdeen Art Gallery… If you’d like to vote for Sarah’s portrait of the very brilliant Lola Flash, here’s the link:
Lots Road Group artist Rebecca Ashgar has just completed a portrait commission of Carys Petty from a photo taken on the day she qualified as a nurse.
Carys is currently working as a General Practise nurse in two different GP surgeries in South Wales as part of a primary healthcare team.
The commission, from Rebecca’s cousin, chimes with the theme of Instagram initiative #portraitsfornhsheroes which a number of LRG artists have taken part in, started by Portrait Artist Tom Croft.
Under the initiative, Rebecca, Martin Burrough, Christine Klein, Sarah Jane Moon, Maureen Nathan, Hilary Puxley and Stella Tooth painted free portraits to thank nominated frontline staff.
Some them finished their NHS portraits in time to be included in an online exhibition which can be seen at https://artsandculture.google.com/
One such portrait not previously featured on the LRG’s site is this sensitive portrait by Christine Klein.
Curator Space feature on Lots Road Group member Maureen Nathan with a hint to what she’ll be showing in the upcoming exhibition ‘Beyond the Door’ at Waterstones Gower Street, Bloomsbury from 9 November.
LRG member AllaBroeksmit is currently exhibiting a recent work alongside works of her fellow NYSS alumni in London.
Until Saturday 9 November, Alla – Artist mfalla2017 – will be showcasing her work at the Gerald Moore Gallery, Connections: New York Studio School Europe the first European alumni exhibition from the prestigious New York Studio School, curated by Karen Wilkin and Mali Morris RA.
The exhibition will showcase works by graduates and former students of the New York Studio School living in Europe. Included will be drawings, paintings, sculpture, installation, performances and video work.
New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture New York Studio School Alumni Association
Artwork information: Alla Broeksmit, Here Comes The Sun, 2019, 4′ by 5′, Oil Wax Graphite and Marble Dust on Linen. #londonartist #allaswidowsguide #nycartists #toplondonphoto #girlaroundtheworld #sladeschool #ucl #sladepainting #londonartscene #ny_studioschool
Queer Portraits is a groundbreaking exhibition of artist Sarah Jane Moon’s large scale portraits of people who identify as LGBTQI+ or queer. Opening on November 2nd, this show represents the main drive of Moon’s artistic practice since 2014 and will be the first time these paintings have been shown en masse.
Moon’s portraits represent a cross section of contemporary queer LGBTQ+ life and love. Her subjects are often people close to her or whom she admires greatly for their commitment to live authentically and forge ahead in their chosen industry. Those depicted include writers, landscape designers, doctors, lawyers, artists and more, and together they create a powerful statement on contemporary life lived with pride.
Moon has been gaining increasing attention this year and this solo exhibition follows swiftly on from her inclusion in the prestigious Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition (9th – 24th May 2019, Mall Galleries, London) and the internationally renowned and highly competitive BP Portrait Award Exhibition (until Oct 20th, National Portrait Gallery, London, touring to Edinburgh and Belfast).
Queer Portraits will be held from Saturday 2nd November until Thursday 14th November 2019 at The Gallery in The Department Store, Brixton. Originally built in 1906 as an annexe to the Bon Marche department store this beautiful and historic building has been reimagined by architects Squire & Partners and now hosts an array of vibrant creative businesses and restaurants.
The Private View takes place on Saturday 2nd November from 6 – 10pm. All welcome; please RSVP to queerportraitsrsvp@gmail.com
A full colour catalogue of the work will accompany the show, including many portraits from the archives and an essay by Birkbeck academic and writer Julia Bell.
Queer Portraits ( #queerportraits )
2nd to 14th November 2019
PV: Saturday 2nd November
The Gallery, Downstairs at the Department Store 248 Ferndale Rd, London, SW9 8FR
Opening hours: 10am – 5pm daily
Nearest Underground: Brixton
Admission Free
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