The Heatherley School of Fine Art

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2011-06-11T13:13:00.002Z

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Ian Rowlands and Hero Johnson's still life series in Artists & Illustrators magazine

2011-03-26T20:59:00.010Z

Hero and Ian have just finished work on their second series of articles for Artists & Illustrators magazine.

New bursary worth up to £14,000 for young sculptors at The Heatherley School of Fine Art, Chelsea

2011-03-04T14:13:00.003Z

The rising cost of student tuition fees has left many young adults unsure as to whether they can afford to follow their dreams of a college education. The Heatherley School of Fine Art has been instructing artists since 1845 and is one of the oldest independent art schools in the country, still retaining a focus on the traditional and figurative. Concerned that young artists today are often unable to access this type of training, Heatherleys is offering a bursary worth up to £14,000 to enable a promising student under 25 to attend its two year Sculpture Diploma.

Kensington and Chelsea has always taken pride in its artistic heritage. A pantheon of world renowned artists made this beautiful area their home, from Turner through to Whistler to Eduardo Paolozzi. Now that the Chelsea College of Art has relocated to Pimlico, the Heatherley School of Fine Art remains the last art school in the borough. It has recently moved to a purpose-built new premises on Lots Road, and benefits from spacious well-lit studios for painting and drawing. There are also workshops for printmakers, sculptors and ceramicists.

The human figure is the inspiration for much of the work undertaken at Heatherleys. Students on the Sculpture Diploma work directly from the model, investigating the portrait and human anatomy through drawing and clay modelling. As the course develops it goes on to cover both wood and stone carving, metal working and casting. The ratio of tutors to students at Heatherleys is high, ensuring that everyone receives intensive one-to-one attention. The aim is to educate the student in the technical and traditional skills of the sculptor. From this solid base they are then encouraged to find their own vision and artistic language with which to explore contemporary practice.

There is vocational advice on how to develop professional careers and many former students have gone on to establish their own studios after graduation, win national prizes and secure prestigious commissions. Notable amongst these is Aleix Barbat, who completed the Bronze Woman statue in Stockwell Memorial Gardens. Others choose to go on to further study at other colleges at graduate and post graduate level. There are also strong links with the Royal British Society of Sculptors and The Society of Portrait Sculptors, who act as visiting lecturers and external assessors for the course.

The bursary is designed to support a student between the ages of 18-25 with budding talent and a desire to learn. Applications are welcomed from school leavers, foundation level students, as well as the pre- and post-graduate level. For more information please contact the school office who will be pleased to answer queries and arrange interview dates. Completed submissions should be received by June 1^st 2011.

Auction and Exhibition with Ken Howard and Nick Bonham

2010-05-07T10:53:00.007Z

The Cheyne Walk Trust Riverside Painting Competition prize-giving and reception was held at Heatherleys on 22nd April. The first prize winner was Adebanji Alade (pictured above receiving his award from Ken Howard).
There was also an auction to raise funds for a young person's bursary at the school, presided over by Nick Bonham (top photograph). Paintings for sale included works by Melissa Scott Miller, Julian Barrow, Frederick Gore, Hazel Soan and William Packer. Altogether the evening raised £26,000.

Cheyne Walk Painting Day

2010-03-27T13:56:00.007Z

The Cheyne Walk Trust hosted two days of plein air painting on the Chelsea riverside last weekend. Owners of local house-boats opened their doors to allow participants to work from their decks. Around 30 artists turned up and will enter the works they created into this month's competition and exhibition to raise funds for the Heatherley School of Fine Art.

Patrick Palmer at the Affordable Art Fair

2010-03-18T14:13:00.007Z

Last weekend I visited the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea to see Patrick Palmer's artwork. A former student at Heatherley's, Patrick sold a total of three pieces of work over the weekend, including a drawing of Anna Friel. He said

'Despite the terrible climate and galleries struggling more than ever, the AAF was heaving with visitors and about 120 galleries were showing their stuff – loads to take in. As with most shows there was a mixture of bad and very good. The few galleries I knew were banking on this show being a success to make up for a terrible start to the year. Happily they all sold really well. This was the first time my work had been at the show and 3 were sold out of 5, which was absolutely fabulous! It was a great feeling.'

To see more go to http://www.patrickpalmer.co.uk/

Heatherley's tutor John Dean and his Van Gogh Sculptures

2010-02-18T10:38:00.006Z

Heatherley's tutor John Dean amongst his series of sculptures depicting Van Gogh's self-portraits. A big hit at last year's Royal Academy Summer Show he recently sold two of the heads to BNY Mellon, sponsors of the RA's current 'The Real Van Gogh' exhibition.

Cheyne Walk Trust Riverside Art Competition

2009-12-05T11:49:00.005Z

The Cheyne Walk Trust are launching a painting competition in collaboration with the Heatherley School of Fine Art. To celebrate its connection with the Chelsea riverside the Trust is offering 2 prizes of £500 for works depicting the stretch of the Thames between the Chelsea Bridge and Battersea Rail/Cremorne Bridge.

Original work should be submitted in oil, acrylic, watercolour, gouache or print media and entry forms must be returned by the 15 March 2010. The prize-giving and reception will be held at The Heatherley School of Fine Art on 22 April 2010. Proceeds from the event will go towards funding a young person's bursary at the school.

Entry forms are further details are available to download at www.cheynewalktrust.org and www.heatherleys.org.

Taking a course changed my life by Jess Brass

2009-11-05T13:31:00.005Z

Being an artist is not what I do, it's who I am. As such I perceive the world around me as a visual feast to be explored, the beauty, the ugliness - and sometimes the emotional experiences both painful and joyful - inspire a creative response in me.
Until last year I had not had the opportunity, or facilities, to learn about the ways in which I might do this 3 dimensionally, despite always having a strong desire to do so. I reached a point in my life where if I didn't just go for it and follow the dream I would never have that opportunity. I decided to take a course. Initially I intended to apply to do a Masters degree, but I was aware my portfolio was not up to date and needed some work. I requested a few prospectuses and decided to do a few short courses in order to be able to apply a year later. I also spoke with some artist friends and talked about various options. I showed my portfolio to a friend of mine and he mentioned Heatherley's - I remember him getting a little excited, along the lines of - 'Omigod - you would love it there - it's just your kind of thing, you have to call them right now, term starts next week'. I did call, and that very afternoon I took my portfolio down to Lots Road, met a very charming man called Tony, who had a quick look through my stuff, and a chat about art and the like...not so long short story; I signed up for the Continuing Studies course as soon as we had shaken hands and he had pointed me in the direction of the lovely Mary in the office. Three days into my course I had my first experience of sculpture with Veronica Ricks, the head of the sculpture department. After a chat about my desire to do sculpture she mentioned that someone had dropped out of the sculpture diploma course and a place was now available - I thought for about a second - actually I don't think it even took that long - and said 'yes please', but if I remember correctly, I think my words were a little more effusive, and perhaps even 'colourful'.
I had some saving put aside; as an investment in my future, what better use could I put them to than to a course designed to teach me to apply my abilities to a future career doing something I love. After all, that to me seems to be the ultimate - to do a job you love, and be able to support yourself while doing so.
I fell in love with Heatherley's - pretty much at first sight. I have this sense of coming home every time I walk onto the grounds. Within it's walls I find endless inspiration - from my tutors, my surroundings, my fellow students......I have this theory that something emanates from the very walls. Something ephemeral and intrinsic that speaks to my soul. The last year at Heatherley's has been one of the happiest and creatively inspiring of my life. Taking this course may prove to be the best decision I ever made.
The hardest thing about this course is that the holidays between the terms are too long, and the days on it go far too quickly, and that those days only number 3 out of a possible 7.

Jess Brass

Richard and Sebastian

2009-10-29T15:58:00.006Z

We had a visit today from our old marketing manager, Richard Thorneycroft, and his little boy Sebastian.
Having been living in Wales for the past 6 months (where Richard has been concentrating on his landscape painting)the family will be moving back to South West London next month and we hope to be seeing alot more of them at Heatherley's from now on...

Scrapheap Drawing Challenge

2009-10-16T11:18:00.004Z

Heatherley's Scrapheap Drawing Challenge took place on October 10th 2009.
Led by tutors George Levantis and Allan Ramsay, Heatherley's opened up its studios to the public. Special guests included Cherie Lunghi, Barry Fantoni and Anthony Haden Guest.

The Big Draw at Heatherleys

2009-09-18T13:53:00.003Z

Join us on Saturday 10th October for a 'Scrapheap Challenge' at the Heatherley School of Fine Art.
Our tutors will be opening up two studios into a vast scrapheap of a still life in an attempt to build an indoor cityscape. Flitting in amongst the structure will be two 'rubbish tip fairies' (models in costume) so that we can also make studies of the figure in the urban environment.
Joining us at an easel in the afternoon will be artist and long term Private Eye cartoonist, Barry Fantoni.
Former Heatherleys student Cherie Lunghi is also hoping to take part.
At the end of the day we will compile the work produced into a huge collage, creating a new landscape of its own.
The event is open to anyone over the age of 18 and is completely free of charge. All materials will be included.
To book a place please call the office on 0207 3514190.

Article about Melissa Scott Miller in The Artist

2009-08-14T11:57:00.005Z

Look out for September's issue of 'The Artist' magazine for a 4 page article about one of tutors, Melissa Scott Miller.
Melissa is currently teaching on our Summer School programme, but during term time she holds classes on Wednesday evenings and Friday daytimes.
She is a graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art, and a member of The Royal Society of Portrait Painters. Last year she was the winner of the prestigious Painter Stainers Award.

Heatherleys Annual Exhibition 2009

2009-07-25T11:40:00.002Z

Former Heatherleys Student Shortlisted for British Airways Great Britons Award

2009-06-05T10:06:00.005Z

Adebanji Alade has been shortlisted for the British Airways Great Britons Award, and he needs your votes! Please go to www.greatbritons.ba.com/users/1752 to support him...

Heatherley's Student Wins V and A Prize

2009-05-22T11:37:00.001Z

Heatherley's student Lara French is one of 48 students selected for the 'Inspired by V and A' exhibition. Lara's etching was the winner of the 'Word and Image' category. You can see her print at the V and A Museum Room 22o, Sackler Centre until July 5th 2009. This is the 7th year in a row that students from our Friday Printmaking class have been finalists in this competition and Lara is our 3rd prize winner.

New just in...

2009-03-12T12:37:00.006Z

BAGS!

Wonderful new Heatherley Canvas Bags available now from the Heatherley Shop. Perfect for all your art-carrying requirements. Sport your bag at social events and see your friends go green with envy! Going on Holiday? Why not carry your books, beach towels and mineral water (as well as your sketchpad!) in one of our bags?

Amazing value at just £3.50 !!!

SCULPTURE COMPETITION!

2009-01-06T16:18:00.004Z

Announcing a new Portrait Sculpture competition!

Students at Heatherley's are invited to submit work for the competition - the winner will recieve a £300 voucher to spend at Tiranti Sculpture supplies shop.

We have set the competiton up to encourage and promote discussion on Sculpture and also to urge students to submit their finished pieces to the Society of Portrait Sculptors exhibition which takes place in Cork Street every year at the start of the Summer.

RT

From Boom to Busts

2008-10-27T12:34:00.006Z

Half way through term in our beautiful new building and we have started this morning to enrol for next terms courses. The 'credit crunch' (or as it is now called: 'The recession') has not dimmed the spirits. The number of students signing up is greater than ever - it seems that the City's loss is our gain. We have at least two ex - City employees per day making enquiries about our courses. Who could have imagined that all these go getting, hard-nosed City types had latent artists hidden deep within them?

Any more of you out there who are looking for an outlet for your artistic abilities - you can vent your anger on a lump of clay, express your emotions with the stroke of a brush... carve out a new career with a block of marble!

RT

Mandela sculptor’s last major London work

2008-01-23T17:22:00.001Z

A 3 metre high bronze sculpture depicting an African-Caribbean woman holding aloft a child is being unveiled in London on the 28th January before it goes for its final casting in bronze. The sculpture entitled The Bronze Woman is based on a poem of the same name by Cecile Nobrega. Internationally renowned sculptor Ian Walters was commissioned to take the project on in 2005 before the completion of his work on Nelson Mandela, which now stands in Parliament Square.

Walters managed to finish a two foot high maquette of The Bronze Woman before he died in 2006. Olmec, a UK based community investment foundation which has supported Cecile Nobrega in her ten year quest to see this project to fruition, searched to find a sculptor worthy of taking Walters’ initial ideas forward. Aleix Barbat, a final year sculpture student at Heatherley’s School of Fine Art was approached in 2007 after he won the prestigious Tiranti Prize awarded by the Society of Portrait Sculptors. Aleix, 30, who has been working on the giant figure for the last 6 months comments:

“It has been hugely exciting for me to take on, and add something of my own, to a work started by Ian Walters, who by any standards was a great sculptor. My mother and child figures represent the struggle of black women across the ages, as well as their spirit and their courage.”

Following casting The Bronze Woman will be permanently sited in a public space in Stockwell in South London, the home of Cecile Nobrega for the last 30 years.

A drinks reception at 4pm on the 28th January at Heatherley’s, in London’s Chelsea, will celebrate the completion of The Bronze Woman before the figures go off for casting. Heatherley’s, which was founded in 1845, is one of the few remaining figurative sculpture schools in this country and alumni include Henry Moore and Sir Alfred Gilbert.

Notes

Olmec is a charity that aims to empower communities and to bring opportunities and investment into local communities. www.olmec-ec.org.uk For more information on Olmec.

Heatherley’s was founded in 1845. www.heatherleys.org For more information on the Heatherley school of Fine Art.
More information on the Bronze Woman Monument Project can be found on www.bronzewoman.org.uk

My kid could paint that!

2007-10-26T11:47:00.000Z

My third and final film of the day yesterday at the Bfi London Film Festival was 'My Kid Could Paint That', a documentary piece on five year old Marla Olmstead and her family.

Many of you will remember claims that there was a 'child prodigy' in America - a 'pint-sized Pollock' whose abstract paintings were flying off the walls of a small gallery in Binghamton, New York and who had taken the art world by storm. Before seeing the film I expected to be furious with the family and to find the paintings contrary to my taste but infact I thought the work was rather good - certainly on a par with other abstract artists work. 'Marla's paintings would sit quite happily alongside a Kandinsky, one of Richter's abstracts or a Basquiat'. Could you tell from her paintings that she was a five year old? Various experts were asked to air their opinions on Marla's paintings and they were convinced that they were the work of an experienced and gifted artist. Perhaps rather unsurprisingly they did not say that the paintings showed any naiivity or lack of drawn or colour composition.

You may even guess Kandinsky was a wee nipper when he did some of his work - Richter was just shplurging paint over the canvas from the age of four or that Basquiat was a slightly disturbed six year old. So if the paintings of a five year old could mix it with these lauded grandees of abstract art (your Rothko's, Newman's, De Kooning's and Twombly's (as displayed in the documentary)) what does that mean for abstract art? While the big names wafted around being frightfully important and giving metaphysical, esoteric explanations for their paintings, were they just having us on?

New Academic year - new future

2007-09-21T15:09:00.000Z

The summer is over (I guess it was over a long time ago) and we are gearing up for the start of the new Academic year which will be our last in this lovely Victorian school building before the big move accross the car park where we will be nestled up alongside the Lots Road Auction rooms.

The new building is going up ahead of schedule and within budget (who'd have thought it!) Granted we are not biulding something the scale of the new Wembley but I can't imagine that new builds go up on time, leaving money to spare.

This academic year is ending in May 08 to fit in with the borough's timetable for building its new school. We will be moving in to our new school in September and opening with an inaugural exhibition with plenty of Champagne and canapes to boot. This will mark the start of a new life for Heatherley's with purpose built studios to suit all our student's needs and a more prominent position on Lots Road to get the punters in.

So... here we go then, half past four and only half an hour left of the summer hols.

Gabbie

2007-06-20T09:32:00.000Z

Following on from the last post on models excuses I thought I might do a post on the flipside of things - a post on one model who we miss terribly.

It is fairly rare to find an employee who is wholely dependable upon in the world of artists models, but we were fortunate enough to find one in Gabriela D'Ippolito who came to us in Novemeber 2005 and asked if we needed any models for our classes. The relationship between a employer and their employee is more often than not a remote relationship, played out in a robotic, monotonous way. Here at Heatherleys the employee / employer relationship is much closer. Many of the models I book have become friends over the years and Gabriela (although I only knew her for a while) was someone I was building a friendship with.

She had a blossoming carrer as an artist in her own right and was hoping to exhibit her work on a more regular basis and on a grander stage. The last exhibition she had was in 2005 at the Mall Gallery with the Hesketh Hubbard Society. Her work can be seen on her website: www.dippolito.net/gabriela/index_ing.html

After our Easter break last year we were expecting Gabriela back on the first day of term to sit for a long portrait pose for our Diploma students. She had gone back home to Buenos Aries to visit her family for a few weeks before coming back to London to carry on with work. If you read the last blog you will know that if a model hasn't appeared for a class I start to panic thinking that they have forgotten or just don't feel like coming in. It was ten to ten and Gabriela hadn't arrived so I decided to give her a ring. Just as I went to pick up the phone it rang and I heard the voice of Gabriela's twin sister, Alejandra shakily saying:

'Hello, is this Heatherley's. I'm afraid Gabriela cannot come in today'.

'Oh? whats wrong'?

'Gabriela had an accident... she didn't survive'

Since then I have met Alejandra and talked about Gabbie and given her prints of some of the paintings and drawings our students had made of her. I still think of Gabriela and whenever I hear Argentina mentioned I will always remember how terribly sad we all were to hear that such a lovely person had died and how life can be cruel and how death greedily takes the people we love the most.

MODEL BEHAVIOUR

2007-06-11T10:56:00.000Z

In my five years as 'life model coordinator' I have always feared the first half hour of work. This half hour period is the time in which all the students, staff and models turn up for their classes. It is also the time when I press play on our answer machine to hear any messages. More often than not there is a message from a model, e.g:

'Err - sorry to call in so late, but I have terrible flu and can't come in today'

What ensues is a whirlwind of telephone calls to try to find a replacement model for the class that has been affected. When a model does this a class-full of students are left with nothing to do having paid their fee to be taught with a life model in the class. Understandably they become upset and after an hour without having achieved anything they get a little tetchy. So, I get upset with models who do this. Granted, some (if not most) of them are genuine. I suspect however that a significant percentage are fakes.

For example:

'I have a dentist appointment' means 'I am hungover and can't bear the thought of fifteen students staring at me all day'.

On coming into the office this morning and hearing the ominous 'beep - beep' of the answer machine I knew that, yet again I would press 'play' and would hear the voice of one of my models excusing themselves from work.

'Hello, Reechard. I'm sorry I have problem, I can not come for working today... Umm, I will call later to explain'.

Right... action stations! I now move into 'head-in-hands' position as I need to phone my way through my list of fifty life models trying to find one who fits the bill and, more importantly can come in at the last minute.

Half way through the list I get a call from the model who left the message... she wishes to explain herself:

'Reechard sorry, I have been in a and e all niyte and I cannot come into vurk'

'What happened'?

'I voz ill and I use old remedy for make me feel better'.

'Oh'?

'I put one garlic in each ear'

'...'?

'One of them got stuck in and now I can taste garlic in my mouth, I am very worried'

'...'?

Fair enough... odd excuse. I'll have to give her the benefit of the doubt on that one.

Please, any models out there who want to excuse themselves, please come up with an excuse that will make the rest of the day more bearable.

RT

BP 2007

2007-06-05T09:15:00.000Z

The BP Portrait Award 2007
Is this really the way Portraiture is going?

I don't understand why the judges go for the same photographic paintings year in, year out. As far as I'm concerned (and this is my personal opinion) each painting is the same as the next. There is nothing to distinguish one painting from its neighbour. Do we really have to face another year where 'bland' wins the most 'prestigious' and expensive prize in British portraiture? I think it's predictable and monotonous and it doesn't bode well for anyone with an ounce of brush-stroke, composition, life or excitement in their work.

I mean look at the shortlisted works... yes, technically they are competent pieces, they look like people, I'm sure there is some sort of a story behind the paintings, but there's no life in them. They are all (perhaps a little unfair on the last one) exercises in showing off - 'Look how realistic my painting is! I don't get it. I don't understand artists who do that. Why has this photorealism crept into the National Portrait Gallery? Who opened the door? Who is the insider? I thought Photorealism had had its heyday in the 70's with the likes of Robert Bechtle, Audrey Flack and Richard Estes. Now it seems to pervade the show each year and more and more becomes a central feature of the BP.

I refuse to go anymore. I've lost heart and it's sad because it could (and should) be so much more than it is. I've been going for such a long time and more recently in the vain hope that there will be something I can stand in front of and admire, but it's always the same old dirge, a lament for painting and for Britain.

RT

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOG

2007-05-09T10:41:00.000Z

After a whole term of making a life sized sculpture in clay of one of our life models, the Sculpture Diploma students have finally reached the end of the process.

Starting in the Spring term with making the mobile (wheelie) platforms on which to carry the weight of 50kg of wet clay the next part is building up the wire and wood skeleton frames, moving onto building up and modeling the clay, then covering it all in a thick coating of plaster followed by carefully cutting the mould into sections - reassembling it and filling it back up with Jesmonite. After all of this they have to then chip the outside coating of plaster to reveal the final product in hardened Jesmonite.

We now have a little army of cloned Jesmonite French life models which, added to life sized sculptures from previous years means that we have a menagerie of these works dotted about the college. I can tell you its a pretty scary moment when at the end of the day you lock the building up and, accidentally bump into one of these newly appeared figures.

EVENT HORIZON

2007-05-02T17:21:00.000Z

On a grey morning last week the announcement on Radio 4 that Anthony Gormley's sculptures would adorn the capital's skyline lifted my spirits. Westminster Council, following Lambeth's example have given the artist permission to display his life-sized sculptures atop various buildings within the borough. Among the sites to be used are the National Theatre, the Shell Centre and the London Television Centre. This public exhibition will coincide with Gormley's first major London exhibition which will be held at the Hayward Gallery form the 17th May until the 19th August.

Gormley's Friedrich-esque work at Crosby beach gives us a sense of the scale of man in nature and of the sublime. The figures stand fixated by the sea almost as though they were waiting for something to happen, waiting for the right time to swim to freedom but they are rooted to the earth, unable to move from where they have been placed, straight-jacketted in their casts.

Transported into the city we see the scale of man within the built environment. Man surrounded by the world he has made. With Gormley's figures placed on London's rooftops we see man aspiring, hoping for something better, man escaping the confines of the city and experiencing the world from a different perspective. Gormley gives us the chance to look up and connect with that human form and to associate ourselves with it, thereby allowing us to experience our city on a different plain.

Keep your eyes peeled.

(1st image 'Another Place' (Crosby Beach) by Anthony Gormley)
(2nd image 'Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog' by Caspar David Friedrich)
(3rd image 'Monk by the Sea' by Caspar David Friedrich)

RT