Innehållsförteckning för December 2023 från Artists & Illustrators

…than ever from nature because the wet summer has given us a gift that has meant that the trees have not been under the pressure of the droughts of 2022. This means that The National Trust has predicted that the nation can look forward to potentially luminous displays of reds, ambers, butter yellows and russet browns in our foliage – and more. Andy Jasper, head of gardens and parklands at the Trust, predicts that the UK is about to be wrapped in a “warm blanket” of beautiful colours, which is always a delight to see. Jasper said the autumn spectacle will likely start in Scotland, where temperatures typically drop the fastest. This will undoubtedly be welcome news for this month’s cover star, landscape painter Tony Allain, a Scottish native and…

24 NOVEMBER Enter The Pastel Society Exhibition now for a chance to showcase your dry media art at Mall Galleries. The prize fund totals £4,150. It’s £20 per piece or £14 if under 35. mallgalleries.org.uk 15 DECEMBER Open call for site-specific, wall-mounted works for the G. & A. Mamidakis Foundation Art Prize. Three selected artists will each win €7,000. Free. namamidakisfoundation.org 4 JANUARY Submit your 2D and 3D pencil or coloured pencil artworks and enter the Derwent Art Prize 2023. You could win from £500 to £4,000. It’s £15 for the first work. new.artopps.co.uk 10 JANUARY Enter the RBA Rome Scholarship & RISING STARS Exhibition with your figurative work to win a month in Rome. Entry costs £10. royalsocietyofbritishartists.org.uk…

JONATHAN YEO DIRECTS mesmerising cinematic stories of colour and form that transcend the traditional confines of portraiture. His work – an alluring amalgamation of realism and abstraction – plunges deep into the psyche of his subjects, unveiling their complexities, layer by layer. As a maestro of the canvas, Jonathan’s artistry brings forth a kaleidoscope of emotions and narratives that captivate the viewer, leaving an indelible mark in the tapestry of modern art, where portraiture becomes a journey of revelation. Still, his venture into the art world wasn’t a straight path. Jonathan reminisces about the factors that facilitated his creativity growing up. “In retrospect, something which helped me concentrate when drawing, was – what I now know as – ADHD.” According to the National Library of Medicine, hyperfocus – a lesser…

UNFINISHED FORMS in charcoal shadow bend on bright backgrounds, pencil ghosts linger under inky skylines, the bloom and blur of petticoats and petals: these are just some of the treasures in store at the forthcoming Impressionists on Paper: Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec. The exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts comprises over 77 works on paper by the likes of Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh and Berthe Morisot – each piece radical and representative of the wholesale change in how art was made and perceived in late 19th-century France. This was a period in which works on paper saw a huge lift in status, transforming the direction of art by challenging conventions around who could paint what, where and how as well as setting the stage for movements like Abstract Expressionism.…

It was a very cold, late afternoon with snow on the way when I painted this piece. It captures an end-of-day light effect that I see a lot in the sky here from my studio in Alberta’s mountain foothills. It evokes a sense of peace and serenity. Having been a graphic designer for many years, I tend to favour simple landscapes with a strong design. It’s a simple semi-diagonal shape of warm colours against the cold blues of the sky and ground plane. It’s done in oil on a birch panel and I used oil for its ability to deliver intense colour and blending. I was inspired by the design of the dramatic slice of light behind the massive cloud bank. I hope the viewer feels the same sense of…

JONATHAN YEO Jonathan is one of the world’s leading portrait artists whose sitters include various royalty and world leaders. His work, which spans both traditional and experimental portraiture, has been the subject of shows at London’s National Portrait Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts, the Smithsonian in Washington DC and more. KELLI FOLSOM An acclaimed artist, author, and dedicated mentor within the art world, Kelli has taken it upon herself to establish a nurturing community that cultivates artistic identity and equips individuals with essential tools in her Art Life School. The school’s commitment? To empower artists from all walks of life. SARA MUMTAZ Sara’s love for understanding people at a deeper level has led her to explore their creative expression across fashion, lifestyle and art. She holds a journalism degree and…

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL On until 10 April 2024 The Devil is in the Detail: Dürer’s Great Passion and Early Woodcuts from the Schroder Collection will display one of the most important series of woodcuts in Albrecht Dürer’s career, the Great Passion – which is rarely seen in its complete set – as well as several other key works from the era. At the same time, There Goes the Sun will show at least five modern woodcuts by fellow German artist Christiane Baumgartner (b.1967). The works will be displayed at Strawberry Hill House & Garden, where centuries earlier Horace Walpole had kept a vast collection of woodcuts and engravings, including over 300 by the German Renaissance master. Strawberry Hill House & Garden, 268 Waldegrave Road, Twickenham TW1 4ST.…

Experience the enchantment of the holidays with our spectacular Christmas Hamper Giveaway, overflowing with festive cheer and valued at over £2,000! We’re thrilled to play Santa and grant one lucky reader with a treasure trove of artistic wonders. Inside this amazing hamper, you’ll unwrap a bundle of creative delights, including a 100-piece tin of Derwent Inktense Pencils, Inktense Paper Pad and Pushbutton Waterbrushes – a bundle worth £326! Discover the da Vinci Luxury Travel Brush Set, a gift worth £199, and the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle, gleaming at £330. Santa’s sack also holds a £250 gift voucher from Rosemary & Co, St Ives School of Painting and Marilyn Allis. Don’t miss the Clip Studio Paint license worth £183 and a one-year subscription to BBC Maestro, worth £120. But that’s…

WHEN I DECIDED TO GO TO ART SCHOOL and become an artist at 28 years old (15 years ago), I didn’t realise that I would end up supporting myself solely with my art. But I divorced my then partner who I was counting on for financial support. Everyone was worried about how I would ‘make it.’ I guess I should’ve been too, but I was determined. So, I did what I had to do to: first, get through art school. Then, I realised that if I was going to make it after art school, I needed to get so much better at my art and start learning how to sell it as soon as possible. I started entering local shows in Connecticut (where I went to school) and started selling…

BORN IN A FAMILY OF CREATIVES, Tamara Williams’ love of art comes naturally. A contemporary British painter, designer and printmaker, she creates art which is a blend of texture, mark-making, letterpress and mono-printing. At a young age, she referred to her drawings as a visual diary which helped translate and capture the true essence of what she felt in the moment. Tamara’s work is hugely inspired by her surroundings whilst she finds that daydreaming is the best form of inspiration. She lets her intuition guide her artwork and take her someplace ‘other;’ somewhere she hadn’t planned. Through her art, she hopes to emotionally connect with her audience by capturing a moment that she didn’t know existed for them. With a degree in graphic design – and having worked with the…

CHRISTMAS IS ON THE HORIZON and if you want to design your own Christmas cards – which are always a touching keepsake for friends and family – and have them printed in time, it is time to make a start! For this year’s card, I decided to approach my usual botanical style in a more stylised way, using seasonal botanical subjects to design a Christmas tree. In order to reinforce the finish and make the design stronger, I introduced a black ink outline, finishing with loose, saturated watercolour washes. This is a tutorial of my card. You don’t have to choose the same subject. I would encourage you to be creative and pick some relevant subjects that you like, following the process while creating your own design. sandrinemaugy.com, Instagram: @sandrinemaugy…

Things we love… Combining food, art and nostalgic objects, Juicy! is the inaugural solo exhibition by classically-trained, contemporary artist Florence Houston. Juicy! sparks an interesting conversation about the intersection of art, history and gastronomy, and this unique display will transport viewers into a bygone era through a contemporary lens. Houston says, “It’s very satisfying painting a plastic bag using exactly the same materials and techniques that’s been used to paint centuries of Kings, Popes and other pomp and glory.” From 1 to 7 November 2023 at J/M Gallery, London W11 1LJ. Juicy! will continue online until the end of November via florencehouston.com Don’t miss… Renowned artist Sir Quentin Blake continues to showcase his boundless creativity with an upcoming exhibition at Hastings Contemporary. This autumn, he presents three sets of pen…

1 Choose to believe you’re good enough right now, just as you are Don’t wait to get better. You’re not going to reach a pinnacle of perfection or have someone magically anoint you as ready and worthy. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else; stay in your own lane, do your work and put it out there. 2 Promote your work consistently Any artist who’s afraid to be ‘salesy’ will never make a good living. Be your own cheerleader and manage your emotions, your mind and your energy. Have your own back through both victories and defeats. 3 Don’t stop your education at just art technique That is only 20% of the formula for art success. Even art school doesn’t teach you the business of art. So, invest in education that helps you learn…

CHARLESTON IN FIRLE, EAST SUSSEX is currently hosting an intriguing new exhibition of David Hockney’s early drawings. Once home to painter Vanessa Bell, Charleston, in the heart of the South Downs, became the country base for many of the Bloomsbury Group, some of the 20th century’s most innovative collection of writers, thinkers and artists. It’s surely the ideal place to view the work of one often considered our greatest living artist, a man of versatile, eclectic talent who takes perennial delight in experimentation. As Hockney recently recalled on The South Bank Show, “From about eight years old I wanted to be an artist. I knew this. I just wanted to draw and make pictures.” And today he retains enthusiasm for every type of art: “I’m interested in all kinds of…