The Art Room: Exhibitions - Preview - Devon Art Gallery in Topsham

THE ART ROOM Topsham - contemporary art gallery in Devon

The programme for 2012 is extraordinarily excellent, with many senior and important artists exhibiting their work in this unique regional gallery.

Advance Notice 18th March to 9th April Robin Rae Recent Paintings Rae is a figurative and abstract artist and teacher, who works in oil, etching and 3-dimensions. Born in London in 1928, he studied at Ealing School of Art and the Royal College; his tutors included John Nash, Francis Bacon, Rodrigo Moynihan and Edward Bawden. Rae showed considerable early talent, exhibiting at the RA in 1946 and by the age of 21 he had held two successful London solo shows, which gained critical appreciation. He taught etching at Edinburgh College of Art and 3-dimensional design at Liverpool College of Art. In 1970 Rae retired from teaching and moved to Dorset where he ran a successful screen printing business with his wife Kate; a fashion designer. Rae has exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy; the French Institute; Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; Dorchester Museum and Art Gallery; Aitken Dott, Edinburgh, The London Group and Young Contemporaries. His work is in the collection of the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool	Robin Rae, Huge Red Jug, oil on canvas, 2011 Robin Rae, Chinese Landscape, oil on canvas, 2011	Robin Rae in 2011 Robin Rae, Le Tour Vauban, oil on canvas, 2011
Advance Notice 21st April to 20th May Francis Hewlett RWA Sculpture and Paintings Hewlett was born in Bristol in 1930 and studied at the West of England College of Art and in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux Arts before entering the Slade School of Art in London. From 1957 he lived in Cornwall, and from 1960 to 1981 was Head of Painting at the Falmouth School of Art.	Francis Hewlett RWA	Francis Hewlett RWA
Advance Notice 2nd June to 1st July Elizabeth Hunter RWA Hilary Cartmel Paintings and Sculpture Elizabeth Hunter was born in Bristol and studied at the West of England College of Art, specializing in painting. Tutors included Paul Feiler and George Sweet. Art Teachers diploma 1956. After a distinguished post-graduate studies at the Slade, University College, London, was awarded a Slade Diploma with Special commendation in 1958 and first prize in drawing, second prize in portrait painting, life drawing and etching. Tutours included Claude Rogers, Anthony Gross and Lucien Freud. The early 60s were spent in Cornwall. Elected to the membership of both Newlyn and Penwith Societies and was involved in the selecting and hanging of many exhibitions. Between 1964 and 1966 curated the Passmore Edwards Gallery. Became involved in art education and taught life drawing and painting at the School of Art & Design, Queens Road, Bristol for many years. Now living and working in Cornwall. RWA elected member & St Ives Society of Artists 2008, Penwith elected member 2009.	Hilary Cartmel 01 (detail) Hilary Cartmel Elizabeth Hunter: Lovers on chaise-long	Hilary Cartmel 02 Elizabeth Hunter: Lovers on chaise-long
Advance Notice 14th July to 12th August John Hubbard Spain: Paintings & Drawings The American-born artist, John Hubbard, has lived and worked in England for over forty years. He is a landscape painter of an unconventional type, in that he fuses elements of Chinese painting and contemporary abstraction within the tradition of late 19th century European landscape sensibility. The result is work which conveys a strong sense of the feel of landscape, its essence and physical presence. As the New York Times critic wrote in 1986: "these are paintings to be savoured by those who like consistency in art".	John Hubbard 1931 Born in USA; educated at Harvard University 1956/58 Studied at Art Students League, NYC and with Hans Hoffman 1981Subject of film shown on the South Bank Show, I.T.V. London 1987 First working visit to Alhambra, Granada, Spain - subject of this exhibition 1996 Winner of Jerwood Prize	John Hubbard Solo Exhibitions include: Fischer Fine Art, London Purdy Hicks Gallery, London Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Rothschild Collection, Waddesdon Manor Marlborough Fine Art, London

THE ART ROOM TOPSHAM is open on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday, 11am to 5pm.