In the approach to Bankside Gallery’s 40th birthday, we have been looking at back numbers of the Bankside Bulletin, which was a publication mainly for Friends of the gallery, produced during the 90s and 00s. For a time, each publication had a masthead designed by an artist from one or other society. Several of these artists are still members, although some have since left us. Here are some of their creative responses to the brief...
QUIZ!
Can you guess which artist did each masthead? Scroll down to reveal the answers.
(And if anyone has a copy of issue 4, please let us know, as we seem not to have one in our archives!)
1993, Number 1
1993, Number 2
1993, Number 3
1994, Number 5
1994, Number 6
1994, Number 7
1994, Number 8
1995, Number 9
1995, Number 10
1995, Number 11
1995, Number 12
1995/6, Number 13
1996, Number 14
1996, Number 15
1996, Number 16
1996/7, Number 17
1997, Number 18
1997, Number 19
1997, Number 20
1997/8, Number 21
ANSWERS:
1993, Number 1: John Ward RA Hon. RWS
The bulletin described the inaugural masthead as “a typical quirky drawing done by John Ward RA Hon. RWS, and we were much honoured to have his special stamp of approval, so to speak, on our new venture in publishing.” John Ward has sadly since died. Here is an article about him on the Chris Beetles Gallery Website: https://chrisbeetles.com/artist/425/john-ward-cbe-ra-rws-vprp-neac
1993, Number 2: Sally McLaren RE
In this issue her work was described as, “very distinctive, with land- and seascape themes, in earth colours often contained in large, serene white borders.” She continues to show with the RE and had a major solo show at Bankside in July 2016.
https://www.banksidegallery.com/artists/314-sally-mclaren-re/works/
1993, Number 3: Tom Gamble RWS
Tom Gamble has also passed away, very recently in fact. Here is his obituary: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jun/18/tom-gamble-obituary
1994, Number 5: June Berry RWS, Hon.RE
June Berry still exhibits regularly with both societies, and continues to be a great favourite with visitors. https://www.banksidegallery.com/artists/167-june-berry-rws-hon.-re/works/
1994, Number 6: Colin See-Paynton RE
Colin See-Paynton is now an Hon. RE member. Have a look at his website to see what he has been up to since 1994, and to see what David Attenborough has written about him... http://www.see-paynton.co.uk/index.html
1994, Number 7: Jenny Wheatley RWS NEAC
Described in the bulletin as, “an outstanding watercolourist, oil painter and printmaker,” Jenny Wheatley continues to brighten up our walls with her vibrant interiors and landscapes. The bulletin continues, “her work is characterized by strong colour and pattern – used to sophisticated and playful effect.” See some of it here: https://www.banksidegallery.com/artists/278-jenny-wheatley-rws/works/
1994, Number 8: Simon Redington RE
The bulletin explains, “Simon Redington RE (aka: Kamikaze Press) designed the masthead for this issue of Bankside Bulletin using wooden type and a woodcut image from ‘Hangman’ – his portfolio study of mental hospitals (where he worked as an art therapist), institutionalization and psychosis: ‘There is a sense of morbidity, the Dance of Death, a sense of isolation’.”
The influence of the German Expressionists, visible in this masthead, can still be seen in Simon Redington’s work at Bankside Gallery. https://www.banksidegallery.com/artists/364-simon-redington-re/works/
1995, Number 9: Anita Klein PPRE Hon. RWS
“It is nice to have a real humourist recruited to the ranks of gifted painters. She is to be congratulated on livening up our dreary lives.” – Arts Review, quoted in the bulletin.
Since designing this masthead, Anita Klein has gone from ARE (Associate Member of the RE) to PPRE (Past President of the RE) and Hon. RWS. Her work is extremely popular and continues to be largely autobiographical and domestic, and as a result they document the grandchildren that have been born and raised since this masthead was published. https://www.banksidegallery.com/artists/173-anita-klein-ppre-hon.-rws/works/
1995, Number 10: Bernard Batchelor RWS
Bernard Batchelor and his father Roland Batchelor were both major figures in the RWS, and the society has a very generous bequest from their family including works by both of them. Bernard looked after his father, with whom he was extremely close until Roland’s death in 1990 at the age of 100. Bernard died in 2012.
1995, Number 11: Richard Bawden RWS RE
“Richard Bawden RE [he had not yet joined the RWS], who designed the masthead for this issue of Bankside Bulletin,” the magazine reads, “says his life is not totally dominated by cats – only one at this moment who is seventeen years old and will not tolerate any others. She regards herself as human and is the product of a morganatic relationship when her mother met a ginger tom. His father’s cat was an intellectual known as Toosie (short for Toulouse-Lautrec).”
A pillar now of the RWS as well as the RE, Richard Bawden, and his wonderful wife Hatty who is equally vital to the gallery, is also still, if not dominated by cats, certainly strongly influenced by them. Dodos too appear in his recent works, and if you are lucky, you might spot a work containing both dodos and cats!
1995, Number 12: Clifford Bayly Hon.RWS
‘Watercolourists Afloat’ by Jean Bayly. Published in the Bankside Bulletin along with this masthead:
Clifford Bayly RWS designed the masthead for this issue of Bankside Bulletin. It is a product of a sketching trip, taken this summer, on a Glasgow-built sailing Barge: “Thistle”, with Charles Bartlett PPRWS RE (whose idea the trip was), Claire Dalby VPRWS RE, David Gluck RWS RE, Jenny Wheatley RWS, Joan Williams RWS RE and assorted friends and spouses.
“Thistle” is 100 years old and we felt privileged to lend a hand setting the huge sails. We discovered we were to participate in the 87th Medway Barge Match and made a perfect start – were first around the Medway mark out at sea and tore back up-river to take first place overall and become outright winner of the three classes of barges competing. Later at the prize-giving in Chatham Dockyard, our delighted owner/skipper Charlie McLaren was presented with four silver cups to add to his collection.
The next day the wind blew hard and it took longer than anticipated to reach Oare Creek. An evening trip, onshore, to a pub was much appreciated. Fortunately Monday dawned bright and sunny for a day of painting.
Those three days on an historic vessel with good food, good friends and the thrill of winning a race was something we will long remember and hope to repeat next year. David and Sally Gluck may not, however, want the same berth again as it is said to be haunted by the ghost of a murdered crewman!
Clifford Bayly is now based in Australia but is still and Honorary member. Here is his profile:
https://www.royalwatercoloursociety.co.uk/artists/117-clifford-bayly/biography/
1995/6, Number 13: Sarah van Niekerk RE
Sarah van Niekerk RE designed the masthead for this issue of Bankside Bulletin. She has very sadly since died. Here is an article about her in the Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/country-matters-mistress-of-an-ancient-art-1078696.html
1996, Number 14: Michael Chaplin RWS RE
Michael Chaplin RWS RE designed the masthead for this issue of Bankside Bulletin. The magazine reads, “He was elected an RE Associate in 1968 and Fellow in 1973; and has been both Honorary Secretary and Vice-President of this Society. A prizewinner in the RWS Open Exhibition 1992, he became an RWS Associate in 1993. He works in etching and watercolour, favourite subjects being marine, landscape and architectural – with an overriding interest in light.” He since became a full member of the RWS. Here is his page on the RWS website: https://www.royalwatercoloursociety.co.uk/artists/48-michael-chaplin/biography/
1996, Number 15: Edwina Ellis RE
Edwina Ellis RE has gone from designing the modest Bankside Bulletin masthead to designing and engraving the one for The Times no less on polymer resin. She also designed the bridge series of £1 coins using linocut. Her recent work features engravings on polymer. Her prints are often inspired by strong Antipodean light and continue to explore the potential of engraved colour and tone. https://www.re-printmakers.com/artists/66-edwina-ellis-re/biography/
1996, Number 16: Karolina Larusdottir RWS RE
Karolina Larusdottir RWS RE is described in this issue as specializing in, “watercolours, oils and etchings, often on Icelandic themes of landscape, figures and interiors – to which she brings an individual and whimsical vision, creating tableaux where angels appear outside supermarkets and men carry rainbows across the country.” She very sadly died last year. See some of her works here: https://www.cambridgegallery.co.uk/karolina-larusdottir
1996/7, Number 17: Ian Stephens RE
Ian Stephens RE designed the masthead for this issue of Bankside Bulletin. “His preferred subject-matter includes landscape (particularly that of his home-territory of North Bucks and South Nothants) architecture and natural history; and his admiration for the wood engravings (c.1800) of Thomas Bewick is often reflected in his work.” https://www.re-printmakers.com/artists/118-ian-stephens-re/works/
1997, Number 18: Sheila Findlay RWS
Sheila Findlay RWS designed the masthead for this issue of Bankside Bulletin... Before becoming a full-time painter, she specialized in stained glass design and mural painting and, in her early career as a designer and illustrator, undertook a large variety of commissions from children’s book illustration to drawings for advertising. https://www.royalwatercoloursociety.co.uk/artists/59-sheila-findlay/works/
1997, Number 19: Mike Middleton RWS RE
Mike Middleton RWS RE designed the masthead for this issue of Bankside Bulletin, when he was a member only of the RE. In the bulletin he is quoted saying: “I have increasingly used the figure, drawing upon classical (Greek and Roman) imagery. I’m not interested in producing pastiche and hope my approach is not too reverential – irony and humour have their place!” https://www.banksidegallery.com/artists/238-mike-middleton-rws-re/works/
1997, Number 20: Sarah Holliday RWS
Sarah Holliday RWS designed the masthead for this Bulletin. She was a member of staff at Bankside Gallery for some time (indeed one of our hole-punches still has her name on it!) as well as being an active member of the RWS. The bulletin says, “Sarah’s carefully structured compositions explore light and shadow, often creating an element of mystery. Her current work is inspired by her London surroundings, which she finds just as extraordinary and mysterious as the jungle.” Since then she has produced beautifully shadowy still lives, and most recently she has been showing geometric abstract collages. https://www.banksidegallery.com/artists/150-sarah-holliday-rws/biography/
1997/8, Number 21: Jim Anderson RE
Jim Anderson RE designed the masthead for this Bulletin. Still an active exhibiter at Bankside, he combines social satire and surrealism, and is influenced by sources as diverse as the Bible, the Beano, and the Kama Sutra. https://www.banksidegallery.com/artists/121-jim-anderson-re/biography/
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