Glasgow Girls, Resist Much, Obey Little

About

The three artists have exhibited together many times as a collective and in various combinations in Shetland, Glasgow and at the Boundary Gallery, London. Known as the ‘Glasgow Girls’ - a tongue in cheek term referring to the dynamic movement of female artists emerging from Glasgow School of Art in the 1980s following the resurgence in figurative painting. The exhibition celebrates 40 years of Painting and Friendship and all three artists have made significant contributions over these years:

Beaton won the John Player National Portrait Award in 1984 leading to a series of high-profile portrait commissions, and she is well known for her life drawing and painting figures. “Rosemary celebrates and luxuriates in the human figure. Her sensuality runs rampant through her images and is joyous, poetic and amused.” Alison Harper, 2018. With precise observation Rosemary has produced literally thousands of drawings, underpinning an exceptional body of creative work, prolific, energetic and colourful. Her paintings are represented in public collections including the BBC and has undertaken large scale public art in stained glass and metal.

Lesley Burr produces landscape-based imagery inspired by nature, and the environment and the inter-connections that emerge. Winner of numerous awards in 2019 she fulfilled a longstanding ambition to visit the arctic by being selected as arctic artist in residence by the Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute. She has exhibited her work internationally and nationally with paintings in public collections including Shetland Amenity Trust, NHS. She regularly works with communities and has completed large public art commissions for community and private settings in Scotland.

Alison Harper, was awarded a Norwegian Government Scholarship, to study Fine Art postgraduate in Oslo, then in 1993-95 a post diploma in Fine Art, at MS University of Baroda, India. Alison has exhibited nationally and internationally and has lectured in painting at GSA, City Lit London before establishing the Essential School of Painting in 2004. Influences in her paintings are cross cultural, from Buddhist iconography, Kenyan landscape and patterns merging portraiture, universal themes and imagery rooted with expert observation and pathos.

The exhibition curates, artwork from over 30 years of their art practice, encompassing and interpreting the theme of nourishment and the essential nature of making art and encouraging creativity. Working as educators throughout their professional careers the artists are keen to share an enthusiasm and love of creative practice through art workshops and panel talk and are delighted to offer art workshops and a panel talk during the exhibition.

ART WORKSHOPS

Lesley Burr – Sunday 19 November – 1-4pm

Creating a sketchbook. Exploring landscape and nature inspired themes, using watercolour, pencil, crayons, and paper surfaces. Introducing techniques to encourage experimentation to record ideas and observations, using supplied source materials and working from memory. Suitable for all levels of experience. https://www.lesleyburr.co.uk/

Rosemary Beaton – Wednesday 22 November – 1-4pm

Exploring the human form through Movement. Using a clothed model, the students will work from observation using various techniques to describe movement and drawing. This dynamic workshop is suitable for all skill levels and will help students with hand eye coordination. https://www.rosemarybeaton.co.uk/

Alison Harper – Friday 24 November – 1-4pm

Expressive portraits in pastel. Make expressive portraits in pastel, pencil and charcoal. Learn some of the methods you can use in this wonderful drawing medium to create expressive portraits exploring a range of approaches and effects from naturalistic to exaggerated. https://theessentialschoolofpainting.com/about-us/

MEET THE ARTISTS Q&A

Panel talk with artists Rosemary Beaton, Lesley Burr and Alison Harper – Sunday 26 November – 2 3:30pm

A chance to meet and ask questions of the artists. Participants at each of the workshops will be invited to submit written questions about the artist’s working practice. Questions will be collated to form an organised informal panel talk on the last day of the exhibition. Visitors to the exhibition will also have the opportunity to submit written questions. The event aims to include as many themes as possible for a lively and insightful event into the working practices of the artists. Email: artistlesleyburr@gmail.com Tel 07917 567268