RBSA OPEN ALL MEDIA

Colour is good for the soul. So is recognition, on whatever scale. Having a drawing accepted for the Open All Media Exhibition at the RBSA last week picked up my flagging confidence a little. Handing in day was very busy, and I was not surprised to be told when I went to collect my unselected drawing on Saturday that the gallery had received a bumper amount of submissions.

The exhibition, which fills two floors of the gallery as well as the stairwell, contains a nice balance of approaches. There is abstract and figurative work of both 2 and 3 dimensions and variety is very much the spirit of this exhibition. The figurative work ranges from Ryan Everson's large scale photorealist work 'Groucho' and its neighboour Louis Vella's endearing and technically impressive charcoal drawing 'Puppy Love'. Many styles are represented from large allegorical work such as Mark Sheeky's impressively titled 'Two Roman Legionaries Discovering the God-King Albion Turned To Stone' to Paul Hipkiss's moody vinylcut print 'St Mary, Hopesay, Shropshire' and two large and breezy pastel still lives by Ann Wilkinson. I really liked Val Hunt's quirky spider and fly beautifully presented and made from recycled drinks cans, bottle tops and wire. I also loved Deb Walker's 'graceful and evocative watercolour 'Towards Levant from Pendeen Watch', partly for its atmospheric energy and also because this part of the Cornish coast has lovely memories for me.

There were too many pieces on show to take in on one visit so hopefully I'll have another chance to visit again before the exhibition closes on Christmas Eve.

Work in progress - 'Running Away' - Pen and ink.