For those of you who are unaware, this year was my first year as organiser of The Friends of Holland Park Annual Art Exhibition, and I am really looking forward to next year's exhibition.

During and after the 2012 exhibition I spoke to many of you about it and its administration, and you were very keen to convey your thoughts and ideas on the subject. One of your main areas of concern was the lack of publicity and awareness of the exhibition outside the Friends' newsletter and Holland Park notice boards. As the Friends spend almost no money on the advertising it is difficult to lift attendance figures this way, but with sponsorship and the application of a few new initiatives we expect attendance figures to rise, which might result in more sales.

As well as the traditional exhibition of paintings, sculptures and the Mini-Mart, the new initiatives include:

Feature Artist: We will introduce a feature artist each year who has had a distinguished association with The Friends and the exhibition. This year we have selected the late Sir Hugh Casson, a past president of The Friends of Holland Park, and the architect responsible for the repair works of Holland House after it was bombed during the Second World War. A small exhibition of Casson's paintings plus a presentation of his work on the East Wing of Holland House and the youth hostel will be hung in the Orangery. In May 2013 the Royal Academy are holding an exhibition of Casson's work so we should be able to drum up some good publicity for our exhibition which prequels the RA's. We have obtained the full cooperation of Sir Hugh's family who are lending us the watercolour of Lord Holland.

Young Painters Competition/Exhibition: Holland Park is always full of children but you, the Friends, and we, the trustees, believe that their involvement should go further. The Friends of Holland Park are dedicated to the protection and preservation of our beautiful park but, as the Friends tend to be of the older generation we need the next to be aware of just how important the conservation of Holland Park is. This is where you, the Friends, can help.

Last year I tried to launch a Young Painters Competition but, unfortunately, I went directly to the schools in the borough, and the competition failed owing to the fact that teachers did not encourage their pupils to enter in case it interfered with their school work. This year we are asking you, the Friends, to approach your children, grandchildren and/or any young artists you know and believe might want to enter. They do not need to live or go to school in the borough. All they need to do is enter the competition. If the Friends feel a competition is the way to go forward, or at least a step in the right direction, the details of the competition will be outlined in full. Initially I am thinking we would invite young artists aged 8-18 to enter one work, in any medium; the subject: Holland Park. There would certainly be prizes and, ideally, I would like the winning entries to be displayed in conjunction with the Friends' exhibition, on its last weekend, preferably in the Ice House (near the Orangery), but I would have to check its availability. At this stage we would like to know what you think about a Young Painters Competition or if you have any other ideas about how The Friends of Holland Park can involve children.

Credit cards: I believe more sales were lost than for any other reason because The Friends could not accept credit cards, and trying to remedy this will be one of our priorities.

Prize money and raffle: With sponsorship we hope to increase prize money. Next year there will also be a raffle with wonderful prizes on offer.

Free catalogue: From next year the catalogue will be free of charge, although there will be a box should visitors wish to leave a  donation.

Private View: The Private View will now take place on the first Friday evening only (not Saturday morning and Monday evening).
Poster Competition: Next year we will not be running the poster competition owing to the fact that we have been given permission to reproduce Sir Hugh Casson's watercolour of Lord Holland as the poster of the exhibition, and we need to have it displayed well in advance.

Advertising and editorial: We would like information about the exhibition to be more visible in the park, more posters on public notice boards and in shop windows as well as more editorial in local magazines and newspapers.

The conditions of entry remain unchanged from previous years. Friends who are artists and artists who become Friends are invited to exhibit up to ten works: two framed works to hang on the walls and up to eight unframed works for display in the portfolio stands with a maximum size of 70 x 100cm (including mounts, but no wooden mounts in the stands, please). Friends are also invited to exhibit up to ten three-dimensional objects such as ceramics, glassware and small sculptures or enter the Mini-Mart of small works on offer at £40 and under, including cards and craft items. The minimum price for works in the main exhibition will be £50.

Friends interested in exhibiting in the art exhibition, either in the main exhibition or the Mini-Mart, need to register by filling in the order form and pay the £10 entry fee. Please note that artists who have registered for the main exhibition may also include small works in the Mini-Mart at no additional cost. Completed registration forms should be sent to Rhoddy Wood as soon as possible because space is limited, and when enough artists have registered we cannot accept any more.

Information on the art exhibition is also available directly from Gordon French (please see e-mail and postal addresses below), if by post with a stamped and self-addressed DL-sized envelope enclosed (standard oblong business-letter size).

Art Exhibition Timetable

Friends who are artists and artists who become Friends are invited to exhibit.

Fri 22 Feb All exhibits details forms must be received by this date to allow listing in the catalogue.

Fri 15 Mar 8–11am   Artists deliver work to The Orangery, Holland Park.
All artists will be required to sign the catalogue to certify that the details shown are correct.

Fri 15 Mar 11am–6pm Works will be hung/displayed and judged.

Fri 15 Mar 7.30pm   Private View, entry by ticket at £3.
Artists are entitled to 5 free tickets (to be ordered on the exhibits details form)

Sat 16 Mar 10.30am   Art Exhibition open to the public.

Sat 23 Mar 10.30am  Young Painters Presentation (to be confirmed).

ART EXHIBITION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
FREE OF CHARGE
Saturday 16 – Sunday 24 March from 10.30am-6pm

Collection of works after the exhibition:

Sun 24 Mar 6–7.30pm  Buyers collect sold works. Artists collect unsold works.
Mon 25 Mar 9–11am  Buyers collect sold works. Artists collect unsold works.

Artists are particularly asked NOT TO COLLECT THEIR WORKS BEFORE 6.30pm ON SUNDAY 24 March, as this would spoil the exhibition for others.

Enquiries to Gordon French on 020 7937 7222, 19 Kensington Court Place, London,
W8 5BJ or e-mail: gordon.l.french@gmail.com


[Winter 2012]

What a wonderful experience organising the 30th annual Friends of Holland Park art exhibition. I particularly enjoyed meeting the artists and Friends who visited the exhibition, experiencing the great satisfaction one gets from being part of this unique event. The spirit of the artists, their passion and their desire to exhibit was inspiring.

This was my first year as organiser and it has been a major learning curve for me. I have received many comments and suggestions from artists and Friends which I will take on board and hope to incorporate, where possible, in next year's exhibition. Luckily this year, owing to the beautiful weather, we experienced a record high attendance.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the participants: 28 artists selling nearly £4,000-worth. While better than 2009 and 2010, it was not quite up to 2011 which was a bumper year. This year's poster was designed by Tania Beaumont; thank you to all the other artists who entered the competition. The 'Spirit of Holland Park' prize was won by Julia Martin. We are so lucky to have Isabel Langtry as our judge. Her selection for overall Winner, Show Prize and Highly Commended in 2D and 3D were spot on. Alison Beckett who hangs the works so beautifully and in such a short space of time is also to be commended. Both have commented on the incredibly high standard of work entered in this year's exhibition. I would like to thank them both for their expertise and for giving us their valuable time. Both of their reviews follow.

The exhibition would not have happened without the help of the trustees led by our retiring chairman Nicholas Hopkins and secretary Rhoddy Wood whose support and guidance was greatly appreciated. I would also like to thank Joy Puritz for the mammoth task of compiling the catalogue. One of the more successful components of the exhibition is the Mini-Market organised by Rhoddy Wood. Rhoddy's overall management of the exhibition is inspiring, and the Friends have a lot to thank her for. To the trustees and Friends who acted as stewards, helped with the checking-in-and-out on the receiving and collecting days, and in the setting up and dismantling of the exhibition, I thank you. Finally, a big thank you to Andy and Tony Walker for their kind assistance.

I thoroughly enjoyed organising this year's exhibition and I promise to grow the exhibition next year without losing any of its unique spirit and character.

Gordon French

Photo by Maria Kaleta

Friends excelled themselves with an exceptionally joyous and accomplished array of artworks in the 30th annual exhibition in the Orangery, ranging from exquisitely-painted dancing poppies and pictures of secret corners of Holland Park to elegant wood sculpture and an amazing variety of portraiture.

Megan Dickinson's feline portraits showed a great understanding of cats while Peter Weitzman demonstrated his knowledge of man's best friend, with faithful owners in tow. Wendy Mackenzie hauntingly depicted an owl from her dreams and John Schetrumpf brought a marvellous touch of humour with his imaginatively-created metal sculpture of a scarecrow. Appropriately for Jubilee Year, however, Edward Ofosu carried off the prize for artistic excellence with his remarkable oil portrait of 'The Queen'.

The Spirit of Holland Park was evoked magnificently by a number of Friends, especially Elizabeth Chojak-Mysko in her painting of the Kyoto Garden, Ann Kopka in her massed greens of the same spot, and David Dimmock who was highly commended for his mysterious night image of the moon over Holland Park Theatre. Krystyna Dankiewicz cleverly painted a momentary sighting of a fox with a hedgehog, and Catherine Bajour captured a resplendent peacock in mosaic, but Julia Martin proved the prize-winner in this field with her emotive photograph of the park at dusk, the last light falling through the branches of the trees.

Russell Mack won the 3-D prize for his decorative earthenware platter featuring dancing figures and leaves. Yet the competition was fierce. Hazel Leach was highly commended for her ceramics, and Ann Neimer for her sculpture, in particular a beautiful bronze dancer. Pascale Giroud-Porter's bronze elephant almost seemed alive as did Martin Pigg's striking wood sculptures including an elm flower in the form of a gigantic lily. Meanwhile, pretty glass lampshades by Susan Bagner added a practical dimension to the 3-D artworks, as did Anna Keen's extremely attractive jewellery and Ximena Heasman's surprise teapots.

Philippa Kennard-Bent's poppies were a triumph, revealing a love of Monet, also evident in Tania Beaumont's painting of water lilies. Richard Lakin's primroses offered a charming promise of spring, with summer following in Margaret Whitehead's glorious sunflowers, Jeanette Carr's amazing rose picture and highly-commended artist Sarah Warley-Cummings' 'Chelsea blooms'. Renate Ober proved once again her wonderful sense of colour in her watercolour 'Capriccio Piccadilly', Zoe Zenghelis brought an unusual architectural perspective to her coastal scenes, 'Island geometry I and II', Shohré Vakih presented a deliciously tempting still life of apples with a jug and Jocelyn Gorner had one longing for teatime in Morocco. Marika Eversfield's picture of a pink hat and parasol, on the other hand, was perfect for the Orangery as were Olivia Chalmers' fine botanical watercolours of tulips and a tiger lily. Pam Mara's keen observation was also highly commended, and Michael Innes's fine art photographs were a delight; but above all Hazel Fennell captured an essence of warmth and light representative of the entire exhibition in her stunning abstract, 'Summer Fragments'.

Alison Beckett

Photo by Joy Puritz

It was a pleasure to judge the 2012 Friends of Holland Park Art Exhibition. A range of exciting media and materials were on display, giving me the opportunity to enjoy looking at a rich, varied mix of artworks: etchings, photographs, carving, painting, mixed media, bronze, ceramics, cast and cut glass, drawings and decorative jewellery. Those selected for prizes and the highly-commended category reflected this broad range.

Edward Ofosu's prize-winning portrait of our Queen, showing her in regal attire with a wonderfully enigmatic smile, fittingly commemorates the Queen in her Diamond Jubilee Year whilst showing a great painting skill. Thank you to Sarah Warley-Cummings for her excellent painting, 'Fresh flowers', and to Pam Mara for her very evocative painting, 'Evening paddle'. David Dimmock was highly commended for 'Moon over Holland Park Theatre' as well as 'Venice – early night', a beautifully-felt artwork. Congratulations to prize-winner Russell Mack who created 'Dancers', a ceramic platter, hand-formed, with pressed and carved marks: a very high standard of work. Hazel Leach's geometric and glazed ceramic pieces reminded me of the Cornish tradition of Troika pottery. Thanks to Anne Neimer for her fine 'Reclining nude' modelled in clay, mounted and patinated. I noted the hand-thrown porcelain on display, a difficult and highly-skilled technique – what a pleasure; and the presence of drawings in the browsers, such an essential part of how human beings find their unique voice.

I congratulate all of you artists for submitting work, contributing to an excellent exhibition and supporting an event that makes such a valuable contribution to the art world. Please continue your practice. I look forward to seeing your new work next year alongside new submitters. Special thanks go to those of you who buy the works; without you there would be no commercial partnership, and this gives the event a special buzz, as well as making an important contribution to the excellent work of The Friends of Holland Park.

Isabel H. Langtry

Art Exhibition 2012

We very much look forward to welcoming you, and any friends you might like to bring along, to our annual art exhibition taking place from 24 March to 1 April. It is the 30th anniversary of the Friends' exhibition, and to celebrate this milestone we are having a Young Painters' Competition, details of which can be seen on our website, as can those of the Mini-Mart and main exhibition. The prizes for the latter will, as usual, be one of £150 for artistic excellence, and two of £75 each, one for the work which best expresses the essential spirit of Holland Park, and one for a three-dimensional work. We are delighted to welcome back Isabel Langtry as our judge for both the main exhibition and the Young Painters' Competition. The prize-winners will be announced at the private view on Monday evening, 26 March.

We do ask all artists to note the timetable below, particularly the deadline of 3 March for submitting exhibits details, which is vital for the compiling of the catalogue. If you would like to become a Friend or register for the exhibition, please contact Mrs Rhoddy Wood (address on p.2). For other information contact Mr Gordon French, 19 Kensington Court Place, W8 5BJ, gordon.l.french@gmail.com.

Art Exhibition Timetable

Sat 3 March Last date for receipt of exhibits details form to allow listing in catalogue.

5 free preview tickets sent to each artist if we have been informed of date preference.

Sat 3 March Entries for the Young Painters' Competition must be with Gordon French.

Fri 23 March 9am-12 noon. Artists deliver works to The Orangery, Holland Park.

Fri 23 March 12 noon-6pm. Works hung/displayed for the exhibition.

Private Views Saturday, 24 March, 10.30am-12.30pm.

Monday, 26 March, 7.30-9.30pm.

The exhibition is open to the public free of charge on Saturday, 24 March 1-6.30pm, and from Sunday, 25 March to Sunday, 1 April 10.30am-6.30pm.

Artists and buyers collect their works after the exhibition on

Sunday, 1 April 6.30-7.30pm and Monday, 2 April 9-11am.

No works can be collected before 6.30pm on Sunday, 1 April as this would spoil the exhibition for others.

We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition and hope that you enjoy it.

[Spring 2012]

Art Exhibition Timetable

Friends who are artists and artists who become Friends are invited to exhibit.

Administration

Fri 17 February. Entries for the poster competition must be with Gordon French

Sat 3 March. Last date for receipt of exhibits details form to allow listing in catalogue
5 free preview tickets sent to each artist if we have been informed of date preference

Fri 23 March 9am-12 noon. Artists deliver work to The Orangery, Holland Park
Artists will be required to sign the catalogue to certify that the details shown are correct

Fri 23 March 12 noon-6pm. Works hung/displayed

Sun 1 April 6.30-7.30pm. Buyers collect sold works/artists collect unsold works

Mon 2 April 9-11am. Buyers collect sold works/artists collect unsold works

Artists are particularly asked
NOT TO COLLECT THEIR WORKS BEFORE 6.30pm ON SUNDAY 1 April
as this would spoil the exhibition for others, and to
ENSURE THAT ALL WORKS ARE COLLECTED BY 11am, MONDAY 2 April

Exhibition Opening Times

Private Views

Sat 24 March    10.30-12.30pm. Private View, entry by ticket at £3
Mon 26 March  7.30 -9.30pm.    Private View, entry by ticket at £3 
Artists are entitled to 5 free tickets between the two private views, to be ordered on the exhibits details form

Open to the Public

Free of Charge

Sat 24 March 1 – 6pm
Sun 25 March– Sun 1 April  10.30am – 6.30pm

The AGM of The Friends of Holland Park will be held on Wednesday 28 March at 7.30pm

Enquiries to: Gordon French, 19 Kensington Court Place, London W8 5BJ
0207 9377222 gordon.l.french@gmail.com