Society of Equestrian Artists Exhibition, Mall Galleries. Note 8

It is some years since I last visited this annual exhibition. That currently (14 to 19 July, 2008) at the Mall Galleries, London SW1 is the 29th to be held by the Society of Equestrian Artists. For a time I sat on the selection committee, only because this allowed me a preview of the paintings and sculptures as they passed our raised or lowered hands enabling me to write a timely piece for the weekly magazine Horse and Hound. Apart from a few really good pictures by near 'professional' artists: Terrance Cuneo (for many years the Society's President); John King; Susie Whitcombe; Alison Guest; Malcolm Coward; Neil Cawthorne - in no particular order - the overall impression was not good and in some instances, ghastly. It was the last that drove away many good painters who did not want to be seen exhibiting in the same company. The sculptors were different. They were almost all female and were extremely good: Angela Connor; Gillian Parker; Judy Boyt; Tessa Pullen; Priscilla Hann among others, and quite marvellous wood carvings by Ann Baxter. This year Judy Boyt and Ann Baxter remain loyal to the Society, and the British Sporting Art Prize for the best sculpture was won by Mary Weatherby.

The standard this year was higher than I had seen previously, and only one or two painting horrors had crept through the selection. Here, in alphabetical order, like the Society's admirable catalogue, are my views on the 2008 pictures. Colin Allbrook showed three oils and two watercolours of which the landscape on canvas of Dartmoor Hunting was outstanding. Neil Cawthorne, as loyal as they come, was showing six oils paintings with much greater attention to weather and atmosphere than I remember: both Through the Mist and Homeward Bound were very fine. Robin Furness's The Warwickshire at Adminton, a gouache, while remeniscent of Lionel Edwards style, was very fine indeed with plenty of atmosphere. The colouring in Frederick Haycock's three hunting oils was refreshingly clean, and Neil McDonald's watercolour Two in Hand was neat and painterly. Roy Miller is among the professionals, but his bright and clear colours are not to my taste. However his snow scene, Racing Just Possible, was magnificent as the field disappeared in what was nearly a white-out. Barry Peckham is an old hand and his paintings of ponies, often in the New Forest, are consistently good; he is another artist who has stayed loyal to the Society over many years. The sharpness of the Scottish colouring of Peter Smith's racing pictures is almost too golden to be true and would benefit from toning down to a softer palette. Alison Wilson's Appleby Fair oils were particularly fine, particularly her Winter Afternoon study. There still seems to be group of painters of racing who feel the necessity to use heavy, strident colouring that simply does not work - all reality and no atmosphere. The avant-garde rarely comes off in this genre but Terence Gilbert's colourful Polo at Deauville and Vineta Sayer's swirls and twirls in Tally Ho were worth looking at.

The sculptures: wood, bronze, resin, soap-stone, wire, you name it, they were there, were disappointing, apart from Judy Boyt's Sebastian - Ready and Waiting, a shooting pony.

So, six years since my last visit, what was my impression? Certainly the large galleries were well filled with much worthwhile effort, but some of it contained too much effort and too little enjoyment. A few paintings one could well hang at home; but others would be uncomfortable anywhere. The general standard does seem to have improved - but I remeber writing that many yaers ago!