St. Ives School of Art

Goldmark Art publishes between 3 and 4 art catalogues a month. They send in the mail these to their customers, but now they are offering them to everyone for free via digital books, on-line. They have some amazing catalogues, of which I'm sharing some of my favorites.

The St. Ives School refers to a group of artists living and working in the Corninsh town of St. Ives, England. This fishing port became a magnet for artists starting in 1877, but in 1920 Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada set up pottery production, which started the movement. 


In 1939, more artists settled in St. Ives, establishing an outpost for the abstract avant-garde movement in West Cornwall. Painters, Potters and Sculptors such as the famous Russian Constructivist Naum Gabo soon joined. 

An image from their gallery of a  student at work at the St. Ives School of Painting

In 1950 younger artists joined and along with the pioneer potter Bernard Leach, this group of artists in the 1950's is what is most associated with The St. Ives School.

BRYAN WYNTER (1915-1975)

ALFRED WALLIS (1855-1942)

BEN NICHOLSON (1894-1982)

GEORGE HAMMOND STEEL (1900-1960)

SANDRA BLOW (1925-2006)

CHRISTOPHER WOOD (1901-1930)

TERRY FROST (1915-2003)

BERNARD LEACH (1887-1979)

BEN NICHOLSON (1894-1982)

WILHELMINA BARNS-GRAHAM (1912-2004)

WILLIAM SCOTT (1913-1989)

 

ADRIAN HEATH (1920-1992)

PATRICK HERON (1920-1999)

BRYAN INGHAM (1936-1997)

Perhaps these last two etchings (go to Goldmark Art to see more of these artists, or visit here and here for more information) by Bryan Ingham speak the most to me of all of these. I took one etching class in Art School, and I do wish I had discovered it earlier in my undergrad studies. It was by far one of my favourite mediums to work with. Although I am not a "real" artist or printmaker like my assistant Lisa, I do feel like this is one medium I really connected to. One day I will dig out my etchings if I have any left, and talk about the process. It is so fun. And then you will see why I connect so much to Ingham's work above. I had never seen it before, yet mine are remarkably similar (in a amateur way of course!)

The St. Ives School is alive and well in Cornwall, now called the 

St. Ives School of Painting. Current Professors (tutors) include:

Makes me want to get out my paintbrush again, but they're covered in cobwebs I'm sure.  Painting is just like a foreign language. If you don't practice it regularly, you forget it. I'm not sure I could draw a stick figure if I wanted to. I need to get my sketchbook out and start again. Maybe with just doodles and see what happens. 

image: St. Ives School of Painting