Join Me at Bath Art Fair: Discover My Latest Works – Plus Exciting News!

Posted on February 14, 2025 by ianpriceart

As you might already know I paint in oils outside around Portishead and the south-west, however alongside this I paint the Severn Estuary and its shipping and over the winter I’ve painted several larger scenes in the studio, I’ve really enjoyed working more freely, splatting and dripping and just about surviving the turpentine fug.

These larger works will go on display to the public for the first time at the Bath Art Fair 21st-23rd February. You can get half price tickets for the weekend using the code HALFPRICEWEEKEND – tickets here, there are a limited number of FREE Friday evening private view tickets available, let me know if they’ve all gone I might have some spare. It will be my second time at the fair, which hosts over 80 artists, I’ll have a larger stand this year so you’ll have a chance to see all my recent work, large and small, landscape and portrait or lifeclass, framed and unframed. If you can’t wait until then and want to see the work sooner then get in touch.

Shortlisted for Wales Contemporary

I’m also pleased to share that I’ve had two paintings shortlisted for the Wales Contemporary Art Exhibition 2025 and will be showing at The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea Barracks in Central London from the 25th of February and the Waterfront Gallery in Milford Haven, Wales from the 25th of March to the 17th of May. One of the selected works ‘Mediterranean Highway, Cyan, Sage, Plum’ is shown below, named (longwindedly!) after the name of the vessel and the feel of the close hues chosen.

Artsweek Coming in May

You might already know of the artist Andrew Hardwick, he’s a member of the Royal West of England Academy. I’m really excited to reveal he’ll be exhibiting with me during North Somerset Week here at Black Nore in Portishead 3-11 May, Andrew is very well known for his imposing, heavily textured landscapes full of emotion, https://www.andrewhardwick.com.

More Bath News

Coincidentally and very excitingly Andrew and I have both just been elected to join the Bath Society of Artists. I’m extremely proud to join this talented group of prestigious artists and have future opportunities to exhibit my work alongside them. I’ve had work selected for their excellent open show at the Victoria Art Gallery for many years and ‘Emergent Tanker’ below was one of last years selections. It was painted on a heavily painted colourful impasto surface and some of the original breaks through to create close up interest and detail in this otherwise calm piece.

Course Updates

I’m beginning to organise the courses for 2025 and it’s the 11th year I’ll have hosted Andrew James’ Expressionist Portraits in Portishead.

I’ve not fixed any dates for any Landscape painting courses yet. If you’ve a small group that would like to try oil painting outside, let me know. We can pick a fair weather day to paint at Black Nore beach or wherever you would like to paint. We had a really fun few days painting together on Black Nore last Summer. Get in touch via https://ianpriceart.co.uk/oil-painting-outdoors/ or email ian@priceph.co.uk

Thanks to all that have supported me over my first years as a professional artist. If you’ve bought a piece, why not send me a photo of how it looks on your wall?

Let me know if anything take your interest or get in touch to enquire about a purchase or a commission.

You can also follow me on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart or just browse the galleries on my website.

Discover Landscape and Portrait Paintings and Courses with Ian Price and a Massive Congratulations to…

Posted on May 18, 2024 by ianpriceart

Hi Everyone,

Since the last update I’ve had a successful Clevedon Spring Exhibition, Exhibited at the RWA with the Friends and I’ve had a portrait of Ruth accepted for showing at the Mall Galleries, London with the New English Art Club, one of the most prestigious art groups in the UK.

You’ll be able to see Ruth at the Mall Galleries from 13 – 22 June 2024. The portrait was completed over three sessions from life. She’s been a lucky model as I also sold some watercolour sketches of Ruth at the Clevedon Spring show.

I’ve also been having a lovely time doing some painting outdoors in some great locations in Bristol, Devon and the Isles of Scilly. Here are a few from the Scillies.

Immediately though I’ve showing some landscapes at the NSA Members Exhibition in Failand this weekend, get along it’s a lovely venue in Failand, 18/19 May.

Next month I’ll be showing new work on the BS9 Arts Trail at Redmaids School, 8-9th June. Hopefully I’ll have enough space to show some of my new larger seascapes that I’m currently working on.

If you’d like to try oil painting outside with me, I’ve a couple of landscape painting days coming up in the next few weeks Sunday 2nd & 16th of June. I can provide any equipment you don’t have so it’s a good chance to see if you like it. We’ll be painting around Black Nore beach in Portishead.

If you’d like to try portrait painting and don’t know where to start, I’m hosting a couple of one day sessions with Clevedon Art Club where you can choose a day or charcoal or oil/acrylic. These are bookable via the Clevedon Art Club website and are open to non-members too.

Later in the autumn I’ll be running two two day workshops where you can dig a bit deeper into Capturing a Likeness in charcoal or paint, it’s also good opportunity to learn some tips and gain experience in a supportive environment. Details of these are on my website.

I’m pleased to welcome Andrew James R.P. back to Portishead to run he Expressive Oil Portraits course for the tenth year, if you’ve some experience in Oils and Painting from life then it’s not to be missed, always great fun with great outcomes too. There are only a few places left. Finally a massive congratulations to Andrew who won the Ondnaatje Prize for Portraiture at the RP this year, it’s really the portrait painting equivalent of a BAFTA, complete with a gold medal.

Let me know if anything take your interest or get in touch to enquire about a purchase or a commission.

You can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart or just browse the galleries on my website.

2024 Course Dates – including portrait courses with Andrew James and Ian Price

Posted on February 5, 2024 by ianpriceart

I had a great time teaching courses myself for the first time last autumn and I’ve scheduled some more portrait courses for 2024.

I’ve also confirmed Andrew James again for the annual autumn Expressive Portraits course. I think I’ve run it 20 times now. However this year due to various reasons including, literally, time and tide, the courses are two days each.

Get in touch either directly back to me or via the contact form on the course pages. Note my portrait drawing and painting courses in March are quite soon.

Capturing a Likeness with Ian Price

Suitable for beginners and experienced artists, they cover drawing techniques, introduction to limited palette, and assistance with transitioning from drawing to painting. Basic materials are provided, and participants can bring favoured paints and easel.

Note the ones in March are quite soon!

Ian Price course – portraits – capturing a likeness in drawing

Sat 16 & Sun 17 March 2024
Weds 2 & Thurs 3 Oct 2024

Ian Price course – portraits – capturing a likeness in paint

Sat 23 & Sun 24 March 2024
Fri 4 & Sat 5 October 2024

Andrew James 2 Day Expressive Portrait Course

The course is built around expressive portraiture. Observational work set up to enable the formal qualities of oil paint to become a more explicitly descriptive medium and asserting a more active form of observation and connection whilst still capturing a likeness.

Andrew James Expressive Oil Portraits

Tuesday 8th- Weds 9th October 2024. Single model for 2 day pose.
Thurs 10th- Friday 11th October 2024. Same schedule with a different model holding a 2 day pose.

Oil Painting Outdoors

Note that the dates of the landscape course for 2024 are not confirmed but I am able to offer one to one tuition or tailored courses for small groups. Please use the form on the oil painting outdoors course to enquire.

Ian Price Course – Oil Painting Outdoors

I’ve enjoyed having a bit more time to do lots of painting in the last few months, more ships after being chuffed that my tanker painting sold from the RWA open as well as landscapes and portraits.

I’m very excited to have started to sculpt in clay and am looking forward to seeing how I progress this year or if my hopes shatter in a kiln!

Let me know if anything take your interest or get in touch to enquire about a purchase or a commission.

You can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart or just browse the galleries on my website.

Summer news and Autumn Courses

Posted on September 10, 2023 by ianpriceart

Hello again, here’s a quick update on recent work and where to see my work this autumn. However the biggest new is that I took the daunting step to make art full time in March so I’m now running some courses myself for beginner or intermediate painters for the first time.

I’m also organising the Andrew James portrait course for the tenth year so get along to that if you’ve some experience with oils, more details below.

Recent News

I’ve had a great Summer and crammed in quite a bit of painting in the south-west, including Sidmouth Folk Festival, Cornwall as well as Clevedon! I’ve painted 20 plus over the summer so check my posts in Instagram.

Last week was the opening of the RWA open exhibition in Bristol and I am beyond chuffed to have had two paintings selected from the 6000 submissions.

Thanks to Hemali Modha for the photo of myself ( with Andrew Hardwick and my son’s shirt) and for helping to organise such a great exhibition. It’s a great exhibition this year with a colourful main gallery; attractively split by subdued and full on colour.

My work is in the Methuen side gallery, the sage painted wall really complement the landscapes and seascapes hung. They are in great eye-level spots, don’t miss battery point in the corner. Perhaps I got two in because they aren’t showing any Prince Charles watercolours this year? (Thanks your majesty!). The black and white room looks as good as ever including a scarily valuable Frank Bowling work and a piece by Hamish Young who exhibited with me earlier in the year. The exhibition is on for the rest of the year. Get along but more urgently get along to this …

ArtPort 23 Portishead

On the weekend of 23/24 September I’ll be exhibiting my work part of the ArtPort 2023 festival in Portishead which is continuing to grow year on year. Come and find me in the church opposite Somerset Hall in the High street. It’s broadened to a burgeoning arts festival, come along to see the range of music, guided walks and other art events on offer. Brochures should be dropping into Portishead letterboxes shortly.

Courses

Once again I’ll be organising the Andrew James Expressive Portrait courses in October which is always fun, educational and stretching for those with some experience of painting in oil paint. Dates for these two three day courses are the 13-15th October and 16-18th October.

Take a look here to see the quality of Andrew’s work. on Instagram or on his website. He really is one of the most respected portrait tutors in the country.

Most excitingly (and terrifyingly) I’ll be running some art courses myself at the same location in Portishead Yacht Club.

A two day introduction to oil painting outdoors 16/17th September, so whether you want to try oil painting for the first time or want a bit of support as you paint this might be for you. I’ll be able to provide or advise on materials as required.

A few weeks later from the 30th September I’ll be running a three day Portrait course on Capturing a Likeness. This will be aimed at beginners and inexperienced artists who want to learn techniques to capture a likeness in charcoal leading to oil paint. This has been in response to people asking for a companion course for the Andrew James Course. This is filling up but get in touch if you are interested in a future course.

Find out More

So please get in touch on the contact forms on the respective pages if you want to book a place.

That’s quite a list I’ve blasted at you there, I hope our paths cross at one of these events.

If anything take your interest get in touch to enquire about a purchase or a commission.

You can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart or just browse the galleries on my website.

I’m back on the horse

Posted on April 30, 2023 by ianpriceart

Or have fallen back off the wagon depending on your viewpoint.

I’m back painting on a regular basis after a slow down during the pandemic followed by a very full time work period but I’m looking forward to spending more time painting, exhibiting and even acting as a tutor for the first time this year. Exciting times!

I’m currently in the middle of North Somerset Artweek, open until (and including) the 8th of May Bank Holiday. Once again I’m offering cakes and cards to support the Black Nore Lighthouse Trust. Last time we raised over £400 to support its upkeep. Come on people these cakes aren’t going to eat themselves! Save me and my stomachs from myself!!

You’ll also get a chance to see work by Hamish Young and Ruth Ander including work that celebrates the Severn estuary.

My portrait of Varosha is currently in the ongoing Bath Society of Artists exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath. It’s one of my favourite exhibitions so get along to see it and enjoy a day out in Bath too (take the park and ride for your stress levels though). It runs until the end of June, I’ll be taking a return trip myself.

If you don’t get a chance to come and see me this week then next month I’ll be part of the BS9 art trail in Bristol which runs 10-11th June.

A bit later in the year I’ll be part of the ArtPort 2023 festival in Portishead which is continuing to grow year on year.

Most excitingly (and terrifyingly) I’ll be running some art courses myself in the Autumn at Portishead Yacht Club..

A two day introduction to oil painting outdoors 16/17th September, so whether you want to try oil painting for the first time or want a bit of support as you paint this might be for you.

A few weeks later I’ll be running a three day Portrait course on Capturing a Likeness. This will be aimed at beginners and inexperienced artists who want to learn techniques to capture a likeness in charcoal leading to oil paint. This has been in response to people asking for a companion course for the Andrew James Course.

Once again I’ll be running the Andrew James Expressive Portrait course in October which is always fun, educational and stretching for those with more experience of painting people in oil paint.

So please get in touch on the contact forms on the respective pages if you want to book a place.

That’s quite a list I’ve blasted at you there, I hope our paths cross at one of these events.

You can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart or just browse the newly updated galleries on my website.

Many thanks, Ian.

£480.65 raised for Black Nore Lighthouse during N. Som. Artweek

Posted on May 13, 2019 by ianpriceart

The sun has set on North Somerset Arts week, Ruth, Brian, Nibs and I would like to thank all of our fantastic visitors for the great feedback, encouragement and purchases. We all sold something in the first hour and a half which blew away the nerves.

Congratulations on your generosity and appetite; cake, tea, card sales and donations raised a massive £480.65 for Black Nore Lighthouse charitable trust.

Thanks to Bill Shier for his amazing efforts taking people up and down the lighthouse both weekends and for being the person that saved it from being scrapped.

Thank you all!!!

Open Studio weekends coming up in May

Posted on April 17, 2019 by ianpriceart

I’ll be opening my studio for North Somerset arts week again 11.00am to 6.00pm over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend (including BH Monday) and the following weekend, 4th, 5th, 6th and 11th and 12th of May. If you can’t make these dates and are local we’ll be opening up on Weds evening 8th May 5.30 to 8.00pm.

This time I’ll be sharing the venue with incredibly talented local printmaker Ruth Ander. Ruth layers unique prints on Japanese paper, she’ll be presenting a range of work including new work evoking the estuary location.

Hopefully there is something for everyone to enjoy, come along to browse, chat, listen, eat, drink or explore…

As in previous year’s Black Nore lighthouse will be open for visitors to climb inside during the afternoon while I’m open. This is accessible via the garden and I’ll be selling tea and cakes in support of its upkeep.

I’ll have a large number of new plein air oil paintings of the local area and from further afield on show for the first time as well as new studio paintings, apologies for not sharing more on the blog recently. Much of my new work is exploring the fast changing light at dawn and dusk.
I’ll also be showing some examples of my portraiture and life class work.

Also I’ll have Raku pottery by Brian and “Nibs” Fowler at the venue, they’ll be exhibiting a range of vessels, bowls and figures that show this exciting medium off to the maximum. If you’ve never seen the Raku process before it’s fiery and unpredictable, there will be a couple of Raku burnings in the garden on the final Sunday when you’ll have an opportunity to scrub off the carbon yourself and reveal what the process has created.

Finally I’ll be showcasing some estuary soundscapes by a local producer Dave Howell to add to the atmosphere. When that’s not on I’ll be playing a bit of vinyl on my turntable, or LPs if you are my age.

So something for everyone, hope to see you there.

Don’t forget you can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart or just browse the galleries on my website.

Thanks,

Ian

Over the hump in 2018

Posted on April 10, 2018 by ianpriceart

This morning I got set up for the NSA #65 show in Nailsea, this evening I looked around the venue for the BS9 art trail at Elmlea school and lunchtime I found out I’ve had a painting selected for the New English Art Club for the first time EVER.

Come and celebrate the post hump 2018 with me at the private view of the NSA exhibition #65 on Friday (13th April). Ignore the fact it’s Friday the 13th and get out from under your duvet, it’s all downhill from here, see you there.

My wall at the NSA #65 show

I’m particularly excited about finally getting a piece into the NEAC show at the Mall Galleries. One of the first “proper” artist’s I met was the marvellous Dawn Sidoli NEAC RWA who has always been overwhelmingly supportive of my efforts over quite a large number of years of no NEAC luck, so I’m relieved to feel I’ve rewarded her faith.

To quote from the press release, ahem…

“Work by a local artist has been selected from over 1,600 entries to appear alongside paintings by some of Britain’s leading figurative artists. The New English Art Club’s annual exhibition is on display at Mall Galleries in central London between 15 and 23 June 2018.

Continuing to build on its tradition of painting and drawing from observation, the New English is a vibrant and diverse group of visual artists whose work is highly collectible and widely admired.

Its Annual Exhibition is a showcase for members and gives aspiring artists an opportunity to exhibit alongside some of the best figurative artists working today in painting, drawing and printmaking.

Many diverse styles of art have developed since its founding in 1886, adding richness and variety. The New English aims to foster excellence in all its activities and continues to assist and encourage the art of painting to develop even more expressive possibilities.”

Some of the “richness and variety” in my selected work was added by it being blown off the easel and rolling down the slope leaving all sorts of exciting vertical marks which I embraced.

The show in Bath is still on until Mid-May, get along if you can, it’s a cracker.

Don’t forget you can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart for more recent news or just browse the updated galleries on my website.

Lido Cafe Exhibition Opens Friday

Posted on November 23, 2017 by ianpriceart

After a successful outing at the Cambridge Art Fair I’ll be showing work at the Portishead Lido Cafe this weekend. It opens on Friday 24th and will be open until 9.00pm, there’s a bar!

Here’s some recent work all of which will be hanging in the Lido. Come along and say Hi, I’ll be there all weekend.

Some familiar Portishead scenes like the banner above.

Some from further afield, Cornwall.

Some very local, Clapton Moor.

RWA Open Exhibition and back to Cornwall

Posted on October 2, 2017 by ianpriceart

I’m really pleased to shared that I have a painting exhibited in the RWA Open Exhibition which opened last weekend. It’s the most prestigious open exhibition in the region and I felt very privileged to have attended the varnishing lunch on Saturday. So many fantastic paintings on show, really exciting but with a a good chance of the artist being in the room and not knowing what they look it was a bit frustrating, badges of the paintings pinned to the artists next year! The exhibition runs until the 3rd of December.

Painted from the Clifton Suspension Bridge

Varnishing lunch speeches

My painting hanging gooseberry like between plein air supremo Tom Hughes and his partner Serena Curmi

I’ve also had a recent trip to Cornwall doing some more plein air painting, enjoying some turps dribbles in the sunshine.

Fave painting spot again

Cape Cornwall detail

Nanjizal Cove

Nanjizal arch

Dusk Cape Cornwal

In contrast to the turps dribbles I also did some palette knife painting with Newlyn School of Art while I was down there, watch this space for more local palette knife work over the Winter, if my future experiments succeed.

Rock Flows at Cape Cornwall

Cape Cornwall Coastguard Station

Don’t forget you can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart for more recent news or just browse the updated galleries on my website.

Say Hello BS9 arts trail, Wave Goodbye N. Somerset Arts Week.

Posted on May 31, 2017 by ianpriceart

A lot of news to catch up on…

My open studio at North Somerset Arts week was a great success and was capped off by a Ceramics Raku firing by Brian and Nibs Fowler on the lawn on the final sunny Sunday afternoon. As well as being great fun it raised money by selling little Raku ceramics in aid of Black Nore Lighthouse. Thanks to you all also for your card purchases and tea and cake consumption, in particular the huge amount of sponge consumed on the previous Sunday, which help boost the overall amount raised to £400, nearly double the amount raised in previous years and thank you Lois Pryce too for her support and paintings.

After Arts week I dropped off work at Clevedon Pier and am pleased to share that I got a commended in the painting category of the Clevedon Pier Community Competition and my work is on show in the Porthole room at the pier until the 4th of June. It’s a beautiful venue and the school category work on show is tremendous including a portrait by Zoe the granddaughter of Brian the raku potter, what a talented family. The winner in the Photography section by Mike Kleinsteuber really pushes the boundaries too.

School category, Zoe’s top.

THE porthole

The PV was a beautiful evening

My little one and the Photographic winner by Mike Kleinsteuber.

I’m still rearranging the house following the upheaval of having three rooms of paintings and ceramics and my lawn has not yet recovered from the kiln scorching but no time to rest there’s another art trial coming up. The BS9 arts trail covers Stoke Bishop, Westbury and Henleaze.

I’m really excited to see how this goes as it will be my first time in a Bristol Arts Trail and the venue is allowing me 5 metres of space in a hall with 11 other artists so I should get a chance to meet lots of people and get to know the other artists in the hall.

I’ll be at Elmlea school (venue 5) which is in the middle of the trail; a great spot. If you didn’t get a chance to see my work in Portishead then try and call past and say hello.

Ian

Don’t forget you can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart or just browse the updated galleries on my website.

My Open Studio Weekends in Portishead

Posted on April 18, 2017 by ianpriceart

I’ll be opening my studio for North Somerset arts week again 11.00am to 6.00pm over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend (including BH Monday) and the following weekend, 29, 30 April, 1,6,7 May.

Hopefully there is something for everyone to enjoy, come along to browse, chat, listen, eat, drink or explore…

I’ll have many new plein air oil paintings of the local area and from further afield on show for the first time as well as a new studio paintings. Much of my new work is exploring the fast changing light at dawn and dusk.
I’ll also be showing some examples of my portraiture including a painting of my son that was recently preselected for the Royal Portrait Society show.

Last Light, Black Nore

Lois Pryce (no relation) will be exhibiting with me for the first time. Lois paints local scenes, still lives and life studies in a bold expressive style that I hope you will enjoy.

Also I’ll have Raku pottery by Brian and “Nibs” Fowler, they’ll be exhibiting a range of vessels, bowls and figures that show this exciting medium off to the maximum. If you’ve never seen the Raku process before it’s fiery and unpredictable, there will be a couple of Raku burnings in the garden on the final Sunday when you’ll have an opportunity to scrub off the carbon yourself and reveal what the process has created.

Raku Pot, Brian Fowler

Avonmouth, Lois Pryce

So something for everyone, hope to see you there.

Thanks

Don’t forget you can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart or just browse the updated galleries on my website.

Clifton Suspension Bridge and More

Posted on March 30, 2017 by ianpriceart

I’m exhibiting work at the Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre with Clifton Arts Club, it’s a great space and it runs until Sunday the 1st of April. I’ll be there Sunday afternoon if you want to say hi, it’s open from 10 to 5pm and is free.

Winter Mizzle, Suspension Bridge

Za Za Bazaar

It’s been a while since I’ve posted but I have been out painting over the Winter and to prove it I’ve just updated my Landscape gallery, take a look here. I’ve also broken it down by area, Wales, West etc. Any comments welcome, I’ll be updating the lifeless and portrait galleries in the next few days too.

I’ve got lots of new work to show at the North Somerset Arts week which is coming up in the next month. The paper brochure is already out and it should be downloadable from the NSA site shortly. I am exhibiting from my home “studio” in Portishead again on the Sat 29th, 30th April, 1st May (Bank how Monday) and the following weekend 6th, 7th May. I’m easy to find as I’m last in the brochure! I’ll be exhibiting with painter Lois Pryce and Brian Fowler who creates beautiful raku and pit fired pottery, More news on this shortly.

Thanks

Don’t forget you can also follow me on twitter and on Instagram @ianpriceart as well as Facebook @ianpriceart.

Selected for ING Discerning Eye for Third Year

Posted on November 14, 2016 by ianpriceart

I’m very proud to share that I’ve had a painting selected for the ING Discerning Eye exhibition in London for the third year in succession. My selected work is an oil painting of a peat black ploughed field from a weekend on the Somerset Levels in the Spring.

The Discerning Eye annual exhibition is a show of small works independently selected by six prominent figures from different areas of the art world: two artists, two collectors and two critics. This gives the impression of six individually curated exhibitions with separate personalities. They always have a “celebrity” collector, this year it is Celia Imrie. It’s alway interesting to see who has picked your work and how it fits in on their wall.

It was originally supported by the late Brian Sewell who thought that small works were often overlooked in the art market.

Here is this years work along with my previous submissions and private view photos. (Note to self, work harder to avoid appalling glare in photos!)

Ploughed Peat

Private View

Spot the red dot

Have We Enjoyed Ourselves Enough Yet, 10 x 12 inches (ING Discerning Eye and RWA Open selected, Clevedon Selector’s choice).

Porthcawl Lifeguard Lookout

Click the links for the posts about the 2015 and 2014 exhibitions.

It’s well worth a visit if you are in London but if you can’t make it then don’t forget that you can see my work at the Portishead Lido cafe again in a few weeks from the 25-27th of November. I’ll be exhibiting again with the Portishead Arts group.

The 2016 Discerning Eye Exhibition will be open from Thursday 17 November until Sunday 27 November, between 10am and 5pm daily, at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1, just to be clear that I’m not talking about a Bristol shopping centre. Admission will be free and all the works will be for sale.

Another Lido show last weekend of November

Posted on October 31, 2016 by ianpriceart

Thanks for all your support during the last Lido show.

I can reveal that the Portishead Arts group are running another pop up show at the Portishead Lido cafe for three days in November , Friday 25th, Sat 26th and Sun 27th, 10am – 5.30pm, with a late night opening with a bar on the Friday until 9pm.

Take a look at the Portishead Arts group website for more details of the other artists taking part.

I’ll be displaying a wider range of work than last time including some work from Cornwall and the Peak District so if you didn’t make it last time or want to see some paintings from further afield come along.

Here’s a little plein air (well inside the cafe) painting I completed during an afternoon cake induced lull. If you look closely you’ll see it’s a drier, more blocky technique than usual. This was mainly due to it being solvent free to allow the visitors to enjoy their triple decker coffee and walnut sponge without being in a turps haze. I’ll take low odour solvents next time!

Everything has gone green

Posted on June 11, 2016 by ianpriceart

I’ve previously favoured a muted palette so at this time of year with all this lush, verdant growth wherever you look I feel a bit intimidated.

My theory is that evolutionarily we are programmed to discern differences in the many shades of green to help guide our ancestors to sources of food and water. Also green in Spring is especially acid. How many works of art can you think of that accommodate the true strength of these greens? It’s very easy to foul up a painting that includes green.

Many artists today (myself included) and throughout history have worked around this by downplaying the true strength of green to ensure a harmonious picture. Even Constable browned down his greens.

Gone Fishing, Usk Reservoir

Gone fishing. Avoiding green at Usk reservoir in the Brecon Beacons.

I decided to try to focus on this weakness, tackle it head on and paint more green, more strongly.

I sought some advice from artists about how they made such strong and believable greens. Mix your own greens from warm and cool blues and yellows, avoid viridian, practice with sap and hookers green and use premixed light green moderated with earth colours came the conflicting advice.

Here are more of my recent plain air paintings, my main finding is that the right green can be arrived at by many different routes but the important thing is to maintain the true variety of greens across the painting by careful observation. Sadly its easier said than done, I’ve not found a silver bullet and more practice needed.

There’s no better way to practice your greens than to paint outside at this time of year.

Liberty Leading the Trees

Usk Reservoir

A bit more green, Liberty leading the trees, also at Usk reservoir.
I also had a green disaster at Carreg Cennen castle. Total rework needed, no image to protect your eyeballs!

Friesans, Catcott

An improvement, Friesans on the Somerset levels. Also some camera glare, may crop this one.

Castleton Castle, 24×12

Castleton Highpoint, 12×8

Dark Morning, Hope Valley

Some views around the Hope Valley in the Peak District including Castleton castle. There’s plenty of variation in green between these paintings but plenty more to do.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this. You an also follow me on twitter and now Instagram @ianpriceart

2015 round up

Posted on December 31, 2015 by ianpriceart

I’m not a great fan of those round robin Christmas letters so I’m writing this with some trepidation. However 2015 has been a year of some progress so I thought it would be worth reminding you of news and any earlier posts you might want to look back on by clicking the links.

It was a year of two (unequal) halves a flurry of painting followed by a cycle of exhibiting.

I began the year by doing quite a bit of plein air painting and went on a course at Newlyn School Of Art with Paul Lewin. The course as well as being enjoyable was also an encouragement to loosen up with mixed media. With hindsight I haven’t taken this as far as I anticipated but it was certainly an inspiration to be looser when painting outside.

Ian Price Cape Cornwall from Carn Groose

Painting Land’s End

St Cuthbert’s Isle off Mousehole

This flurry of activity was mostly to get things to hang on the wall for North Somersets Arts Week. Once again it was great fun to have people coming through the house and I managed to raise £200 for Black Nore lighthouse by selling cards and Helen’s marvellous cakes.

The other main painting event of the year was the Andrew james portrait course which I’ve organised for a few years now and was a great success again fuelled by more of Helen’s cakes. I get a free course out of it and am still pretty pleased with my portrait of Viv.

Viv Portrait

Viv Detail with brush used.

I spent the rest of the year (well apart from life classes) punting these paintings around various juried exhibitions the highlights being the RWA in Bristol and the ING and rubbing shoulders with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters for the first time in London.

Dusk Tanker, exhibited at the RWA

I’m especially grateful to the judges of the Clifton Arts Club Open for awarding me the prize of excellence (which also doubled as my entry for the ROI).

Thanks to Trevor Haddrell RWA, Ione Parkin RWA and Ros Cuthbert RWA, what. a discerning trio.

People ask about my organisation and preparation but it all boiled down to this little scrap of paper I used for shepherding my meagre resources and time, so it’s all smoke and mirrors really. If you can read my handwriting you’ll see there are some misses among the hits so still plenty to aim for in 2016.

The Masterplan! (the only plan).

I mentioned not freeing up as much as I wanted and I am looking forward to a return trip to Newlyn for a course focussed squarely on abstract painting in March. I’m obviously hoping that 2016 will bring as much pleasure as 2015 but to be honest if it brings as much I’ll be surprised and very happy.

Thank you very much for taking an interest and I hope 2016 is a successful year for us all.

Once Again Selected for ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London

Posted on November 13, 2015 by ianpriceart

I’m very excited to have had both my paintings selected for the exhibition at the Mall Galleries, on the Mall central London.

view of the throng

The ING Discerning Eye is a show of small works selected by prominent figures from the art world. Each selector is responsible for their own section giving the impression of six exhibitions in one.

Breaking Light Black Nore with Idiot

Porthcawl Lifeguard Lookout

my work (left) showing careful curation next to Sue Wales (BSoA)

The exhibition runs for the next two weeks.

way home showing (indian flag colours on London Eye)

Thanks for reading, do follow if you want to keep up to date with future news and paintings, or follow on Facebook or @ianpriceart on Twitter.

Currently exhibiting in…

Posted on August 22, 2015 by ianpriceart

I’m exhibiting in a couple of places at the moment, the Clevedon Art Club open exhibition and the Mall Deli in Clifton Village.

I’ve had four pictures accepted for the Clevedon open, all of local scenes. It’s at Clevedon secondary school, the Portishead end of Clevedon. It’s a great show and as eclectic as you’d expect. I was lucky enough to sell (at least) one painting at the private view. It was good to see the winners of some of the prizes on offer were club stalwarts too. The exhibition also features prizewinning work by Clevedon school art students from their art coursework.

Battery Point, six codling caught

Buoy Maintenance Vessel, Portishead (sold)

Also I’ll have twentyish paintings hanging on the luscious white wall of the Mall Deli in Clifton Village until the end of September.

I’m really pleased about this as it’s an uninterrupted wall (arts week venue had a couple of windows) and it gave me more presentation options. I think it looks pretty good given it was hung in an hour! So excuse any slight wonkiness; I might pop back. They are scenes of Portishead, Clevedon, Clifton and also some from Cornwall. Most are painted on the spot in oil paint. It’s a lovely smelling deli, sadly I was hanging after closing time, but thank you Oona for the leftover bread, it was great.

Mall Deli, Clifton Village

Clifton Arts Club Open Exhibition

Posted on July 9, 2015 by ianpriceart

Clifton Arts Club open exhibition will be in the exciting Colston Hall vaults in Bristol this year. The show runs for 2 weeks (PV tonight) hopefully I’ll have plenty of seascapes on view. No great forethought but I realised after the event that I’d only put seascapes in! As usual it’s an eclectic mix of output from local artists in this very arty city. This year closer to the heart of it.

Ian Price Winter Wave 24 x 24 Inches

It’s a fantastic place to visit in any case as its a rare opportunity to see inside the vaults which seem to go on for ever and have built up an exciting patina on the walls over the decades, imagine a Bulgarian nuclear bunker.

Combine it with a trip to the RWA for the Newlyn show or Shaun the Sheep hunting!

Bank Holiday visit to Wales

Posted on May 25, 2015 by ianpriceart

Over the BH weekend I went to Wales timed partly to catch the BP Portrait award exhibition which is in Aberystwyth and is highly recommended. It finishes soon before moving on elsewhere. I particularly liked the Paul Benney “pig” painting as well as the prize winners which all looked totally justified in the flesh.

On the way I walked up to Llyn y Fan Fach in the western Brecon Beacons above Myddfai. It’s a stunning spot and famous for its Lady of the lake legend. I was prepared for everything apart from the heat so carried a mountain of pessimistic clothing as well as my painting kit to the top. Here are some photos complete with gnats which found the paintings irresistible. I hope they’ll come off when they dry.

I also managed to grab a quick sketch of Mam too on my rush around South Wales.

Paintings by Richard Sergeant also available at my Open Studio #NSAW15 #Venue10

Posted on April 30, 2015 by ianpriceart

Richard is incredibly creative and inventive and has a really original view of the world. He has hung his paintings at my venue today ready for the opening on Saturday and they are wonderfully presented (after lots of shuffling around and polyfillaing!).

They are beautiful jewel-like little objects. Real gilding on the frames too, he’s been teaching me how.

Come and see them for yourself.

Tools of trade #painting #art #portishead

Posted on January 20, 2015 by ianpriceart

Here are a couple of recent larger landscapes. Both are headlands close to home on the Severn Estuary, regular dog walking territory.
The first one includes a few tools used to “paint” it. I used the big putty knife to drag the sky around.

I did quite a lot of scraping with it on the “Frosty Headland” painting too. Appropriately chilly, but no snow yet here this year.

I did bit of bathroom tile DIY over the weekend and am wondering whether to use the “grout float” on the next one? I’ve got some bigger canvases ready for it!

Clevedon pop up gallery is going well and a new spot in Bristol

Posted on December 9, 2014 by ianpriceart

The Clevedon pop up gallery is going really well, many thanks to the volunteers manning the shop for their efforts. I called past over the weekend and was chuffed that my “Steep Holm” painting was in the window after a few weeks in the store room. It all looks great and the North Somerset Arts week committee are considering how to take advantage of the venue following the planned end just before Xmas.
I’ve also got a painting in the Bristol Harbourside exhibition at the Harbourside Gallery near Millennium Square in Bristol which is also running until Christmas. It’s a great spread of work with established painters alongside some lovely work by lesser known people but every bit as good.
My painting is called “Welcome to the S.S. Great Britain” (it’s what you can’t read on the banner in the middle!). It started as a rainy view of Cabot tower but I couldn’t resist adding in a primary school trip walking past to the S.S. G.B. with it’s accompanying contrasting hi-vis jackets. Excuse the glare, it’s facing the window (which is good!).

A new modernist direction? #painting #isitart

Posted on September 11, 2014 by ianpriceart

…not really, just spent what feels like the last two months painting my lounge. Normal service will be resumed shortly.

Kenneth Clarke Civilisation @tatebritain

Posted on July 1, 2014 by ianpriceart

Why haven’t more people been talking about this? A really interesting insight into the man and his patronage of artists especially around WW2. I had decided to just pop into the Tate on the way to the RA Summer show but never made it back out. It’s got a masterpiece by Cezanne and some little sketches including one of his son he bought in a bundle in Paris “for the price of a modest motor car. I also loved his collection of work by Victor Pasmore.
I’m ashamed to say it’s my first visit to Tate Britain but there was a clear highlight to the permanent collection for me, The Convalescent by Gwen John.
Making Augustus the second best painter in his family by some margin.

Forgot to post this photo of #pleinair #seascape #painting in situ last week

Posted on May 16, 2014 by ianpriceart

The palette is probably a bit misleading as most of the colours around the edge weren’t used.
From memory I probably used white, burnt umber, raw umber, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, viridian and yes a touch of black!
Interestingly, perhaps, I’d left my palette knife at home, which I would have expected to have used in that fiddly iron-work and scratched about with it in the foreground rocks. Who knows if it would have improved it?
Those with a nautical bent can tell me how long it took to paint by judging the change in the tide line!

Getting carried away by turps dribbles at the #lifeclass

Posted on October 20, 2013 by ianpriceart

Oil paint granulates beautifully on Aches Huile paper and a quick study in the life class turned into a 40 minute exercise in prodding and dripping turps into the paint. I was also interested in balancing how much I had to do to paint to keep it figurative versus letting the paint do its stuff.

This was partly triggered by the effects I got in the 40 min study of Richard also at the Bristol Grammar School life class.

Better photo of “Have we enjoyed ourselves enough yet?”

Posted on September 14, 2013 by ianpriceart

It’s title is a saying of someone my wife used to ride horses with, while getting soaked to the skin and freezing on a hack she’d ask “Have we enjoyed ourselves enough yet?”. I thought the same applied to the trudging dog walker.
I’ve just submitted this to the RWA yesterday after it getting a selector’s choice in Clevedon. Fingers crossed, I have to wait around six weeks to find out despite the online submission though.

Last day for #Artsweek on Sunday. Get to venue 6 before cake runs out and see new little shipping paintings too…

Image

Some landscape sketching inspiration from Paris #painting #landscape

Posted on March 31, 2013 by ianpriceart

Here are some great landscapes that I saw on my break in Paris last week.

If you go, get a Museum Pass as you can skip some hilariously massive queues as well as saving money.

Plenty of inspiration for the final few landscapes I need to complete for the North Som Arts Week open studio the first two weekends in May!

Excuse the laughably bad photos, you get the gist and life’s too short for all that cropping and skewing.

Here are some landscape sketches from the Louvre. Here’s Daubigny who’s death caused VanGogh to grieve.

Corot, amazingly loose and modern looking, if you ignore the windmill.

And some great sketches by someone I’d never heard of that obviously painted plein air well before the writers of art history claim the impressionists invented it, Pierre Henri de Valenciennes, d.1819!

Here’s a more well known Caiballote from the Musee D’Orsay.

And finally some more Toits from the Nicolas de Stael in the Pompidou Centre.

2hr Oil sketch portrait on Arches Huile paper #art #painting

Posted on February 10, 2013 by ianpriceart

I completed this oil sketch yesterday morning. Thanks to Derek for being such a good model. I didn’t do any preliminary sketches this time and was pleased how far I got in the 1st hour leaving time for judging small marks in the 2nd hour. This was another Zorn palette sketch but I was sorely tempted to get more blues and greens in this time, it’s been a good exercise to learn to push red, ochre and black though.

It was the first time I’ve painted on Arches Huile paper. It’s similar to their watercolour paper but sized to support oil paint. My initial sketch marks were a bit of a shock; I couldn’t paint more than an inch without all of the solvent being sucked out of the brush. I had to revert to a more scrubbing dry-brush style to build up the under drawing tonally instead of a more linear sketch. I’ve got a whole sheet to use up though so I’ll be trying again.

I was pleased with the result though and particularly happy that the model thought it was a good effort.

Following the session I tidied up the hat to remove a satin look it had but decided to leave the background unpainted and un-tidied up, bare paper with the odd sketchy mark. I like the sketchy feel especially the turps dribble, not sure about the background, hard to sketch a swift loose background on this paper though. What do you think?

Photo from Bedminster show

Posted on February 9, 2013 by ianpriceart

Photo by Jonathon Cambell Mills of his work in the Grant Bradley Gallery last night from his FB page below. Also shows mine in bottom left. I’ve got a prime spot next to the cake counter!

See more of his work and an interview here.