Sunday, March 17, 2024

Landscape Artist of the Year: Potential for Change?

This is VERY LONG! It's about looking how Landscape Artist of the Year (LAOTY) might change to provide 

  • a much more satisfactory experience for all the artists who participate in it and 
  • deliver a much better programme to all those who watch it 


I think there's some considerable potential for change. So do rather a lot of other people who I've been discussing this with. They typically fall into two camps

  • those who would participate - BUT for the formulaic way it works at the moment where artists are constrained from the outset by the pods
  • those who create art and like watching - but have become more and more disappointed over the years
There's a third camp - those who know little about art but like the programme and see nothing wrong with it. However they are NOT going to be providing future participants!

This post covers:
  • Context: Another perspective or four - about other matters which are relevant to a rethink of LAOTY - or the development of competition by another production company.
  • Scope for Solutions? Looking at the broad context of what change needs to address in terms of weaknesses in the programme
    • Structure of the Programme
    • Calibre of Artist - Who's the REAL TALENT?
    • Wildcards
    • Location, Location, Location
    • Judges
    • Presenters
What's written below is essentially what I've been thinking about for a long time and more recently. But also, it includes lots of contributions from people discussing the programme online on my Facebook Page.

Context: Another perspective or four


Landscape Artist of the Year: Time for a Refresh? highlights many of the issues which, in the opinion of me and rather a lot of other people - need to be changed 

Since writing it, four more things have come to my attention which were not "front of brain" when I wrote the first post

Plein Air Art

  • The first is that somebody reminded me about the practice in the US of having competitive plein air painting paintouts all over the country. This is normal and routine. 
  • In the UK in the last decade, more and more groups have got together to do something similar - albeit only a few are competitive.  
    • My blog post Capturing the Moment - plein air paint out in St James's Park is an example of one such plein air painting group which I was invited to attend.
    • Plus Urban Sketchers Groups which have developed all over the country in the last decade are the natural audience for overtures for people to participate 
    • For the record I was one of the Founders of Urban Sketchers London back in 2012 and I set up the Facebook Page for Urban Sketchers UK - Events where you can find out about upcoming events. There are now huge numbers of urban sketchers in the UK. (Minus me - I gave up when I tore the meniscus in my left knee which made mobilising totally about staying on my feet and very much limited my ability to carry anything. that then led on to the bone on bone ankle, then surgery etc etc)


Television and Broadcasting / Streaming

  • The second was I listened to expert commentary about how much broadcast television has changed in recent years and then went off and looked at the data revealed in e.g.  Media Nations 2023: Latest UK viewing and listening trends 
    • steep declines in watching broadcast TV - use of video on demand increases
    • recent decline in older people watching is the steepest ever
older viewers are diversifying their viewing and becoming more likely to take up streaming services
    • a steep decline in the number of programmes attracting ‘mass audiences’.
    • huge increase in interest in commercial radio and podcasts
    • there's more competition than ever for eyes and ears!
  • The third highlighted something which really reinforced my thinking that the current format was well over due for a radical change.  I listened to an episode of "The Rest is Entertainment" podcast ("The Oscars, Ozempic and Wonka" on my daily walk. 
    • The very experienced and incredibly well informed 'telly person' Richard Osman (who used to be  creative director of the television production company Endemol UK)discussed how much and how fast television programmes have changed in recent years - from pitch to putting a team together to broadcasting. In particular, I learned how programmes get made and how things have changed massively in the last few years - and how agile some of the new programme makers are at conceiving, making and monetising their output.
    • A lot of this is due to the fact there are many more small companies are involved in delivering programmes for both broadcast and streaming media - and certain channels who are much more tuned into delivering decisions fast. Bottom line, they know what people like and what appeals and are fast and nimble on their feet and speedy with their delivery timelines. 
    • If you want an analogy - it's rather similar to how artists went from thinking art as being something that was sold in galleries to realising they can sell for themselves online - and ditching the too heavily corporate model. It connects the artist and the consumer much more directly.
  • The fourth thing was I had a very big think about other similar programmes - operating in different fields of endeavour - and what made them successful. I'll reference this further in the Judges and Presenters section.

Context: What has changed radically in last 10 years 


I came away from all of this thinking it made LAOTY look very staid.

So context for any rethink of LAOTY includes the notions:
  • Other models of delivering competition in plein air art are already well established elsewhere and are developing in the UK
  • the broadcasting industry has changed radically in the last 10 years
  • development and speed of delivery of television programmes has changed radically in the last 10 years (i.e. lifetime of LAOTY)
  • as a result trends on what people watch have changed radically in the last 10 years - with a major change from broadcast on a regular day / regular time to much increased consumption of streaming - even by older people. Niche interests are now catered for.
  • television formats for today need to be based on what is possible - and what connects with the potential audience - rather than what was thought a good idea 10 years ago 
By implication, if you're still doing the same thing 10 years later you are a bit of a dinosaur! Your audience has moved and you need to keep up!

Otherwise there's some considerable scope for others to come along and come up with a better idea and snatch your audience!


Scope for Solutions?

as the quality of the programme deteriorates, the quality of those applying does likewise which is then reflected in the pods etc etc etc. they are on a downward spiral.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Landscape Artist of the Year: Time for a Refresh?

Is it time for a major refresh of Landscape Artist of the Year (LAOTY)?

Below I'm setting out some arguments concerning the need for rethink of how it works.  This includes:
  • PART 1: (TODAY) looks at major issues related to the latest series and how aspects have changed over time
  • PART 2: (TOMORROW) examines the potential for change to help improve the series 



LAOTY Context


  • Series 9 of Landscape Artist of the Year has just concluded. It has followed pretty much the same format since Series 1 - with minor tweaks and changes in presenters.
  • The Call for Entries for participants in Series 10 is out (see Call for Entries: Landscape Artist of the Year Series Ten) and the deadline for online entries is NOON on Friday 3rd May 2024.
  • Filming begins this summer (June/July) for Series 10 to be broadcast January - March 2025.

Realistically, it's very unlikely that there will be anything other than minimal changes for the next series. That's because a project as big as this one will involve months of planning and some aspects may be scheduled years in advance. 

Although certain aspects cause one to sometimes wonder about this! (eg how well do the heats relate to the commission)

Time for a Refresh


While it has had some minor tweaks during its life to date, this series has never had any major charges to help make "the beginning to end experience" more efficient and effective.

It's very unusual for a television series running for this length of time to have not gone through a major reboot - to make it fit for today's audience and their expectations. Particularly where 
  • members of the audience are regularly identifying aspects which they find unsatisfactory.
  • aspects of the programme are declining in quality.
I've been writing about the series every year since 2018. (See my Art of Television page for links to all the reviews.

As a result, I've been thinking for some considerable time about how the series might be improved
  • I've already commented on major issues and unsatisfactory aspects in my reviews of various episode.
  • Followers of my Facebook Page have been also been particularly active this year in comments and highlighting issues and also identifying what needs sorting - and how that might be achieved. The balance of comments lies very much with the fans who think it could be a lot better as opposed to those who think it's basically a contrived and stupid idea. Although there's quite a few of the latter.
I also spent a considerable part of my career involved in performance improvement i.e. reviewing major services for leading organisations and analysing how they might be improved. It is, if you like, part of my DNA!
 
What follows - in two parts - is an amalgam of my ideas and those which fans (or former fans) of the programme have identified as issues and potential for change:
  • PART ONE: Landscape Artist of the Year: Time for a Refresh?  (today)
  • PART TWO: Landscape Artist of the Year: Potential for Change? (tomorrow)

What are the Issues and Problems?

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Review of the Society of Graphic Fine Art Annual Exhibition 2024

This morning I visited the Annual Exhibition 2024 of the The Society of Graphic Fine Art (aka The Drawing Society) at the Mall Galleries.

The SGFA have taken over the large West Gallery with 181 artworks demonstrating a wide range of artworks covering diverse subject matter and different media. 

You can see the artwork exhibited ONLINE - with links from both the Mall Galleries website and the SGFA website (although you need to wait awhile before the images appear - and only if you accept cookies, which I normally always object too as per GDPR i.e. it shouldn't need cookies to work)

The default position is you can view the artwork as thumbnails

Alternatively you can view by name of the artist 

Or view a large image of each artwork - which provides details about the art and the artist

HOWEVER this only applies to artwork by SGFA members and associates.

I'm also going to be uploading my photos to a Facebook Album - more or less in the order they are hung in the Gallery - and will insert a link here when this has been done

You can also follow the SGFA on https://www.instagram.com/drawingsocietyuk/

NOTE: There is no catalogue.


About the Society of Graphic Fine Art SGFA


What's different about the intended focus of this exhibition is the raison d'etre of the SGFA.

The purpose and objectives of the SGFA

As it states on their explanatory panel which can be found posted around the gallery (see above), the SGFA is all about drawing and draughtsmanship.

Established in 1919, the Society of Graphic Fine Arts is the only national Society which is based in the UK which is dedicated exclusively to drawing. It exists to promote and exhibit original works of high quality in colour or black and white. This includes traditional and contemporary media. The emphasis is on excellence in drawing and draughtsmanship, demonstrated by hand.
I'll come back to that later - as I think a divergence from the intended scope of the exhibition appears to have occurred this year.

Work which is eligible for exhibition is
  • Drawings in any medium, monochrome or colour - pencil, coloured pens and pencils, pen and ink, pastels and oil pastels, charcoal, conté, etc. 
  • Any original artwork which demonstrates evidence of drawing by hand: - original printmaking, watercolours, acrylics, oils and 3-Dimensional work.
  • Any work based on a photograph must have the photographer's permission.
Work which is NOT eligible for exhibition includes
  • Digital imagery generated by computer.
  • Giclee prints and all other reproductions and facsimiles.
  • Work shown previously at the Mall Galleries or hung in an SGFA London exhibition.
  • Work that is more than three years old.
  • Any work that might infringe on copyright law 

The Exhibition


In general, the exhibition has a lot of excellent artwork by artists who are clearly accomplished in their design and execution of artwork with an emphasis on drawing skills.

It's not all of a very high standard - but that's the same in most exhibitions.

The exhibition comprises 181 artworks - all of which are for sale - covering 
  • drawings, fine art prints (engravings, etchings, linocuts,woodcuts) and paintings
  • in a wide range of media: graphite, charcoal, pastels, coloured pencils, metalpoint, ink, watercolour, acrylic, paper collage, stitched media and the ever present "mixed media"
The styles on show for any one medium are diverse. In that sense this is a good exhibition to view what's possible with different media.

Dry media such as pastels and charcoals are used by exhibiting artists in various styles from the very precise to the very painterly. Coloured pencil use is more related to precise drawings.

Graphite and pen and ink are very much favoured by those who like to be very precise.

Speaking personally I'd like to see a lot more fine art prints and rather fewer paintings.

The view of the exhibition at the entrance to the West Gallery


The Artists exhibiting include:

Monday, March 11, 2024

Review of the RWS Open 2024

This morning I visited the Bankside Gallery on the South Bank to see the RWS Open Exhibition. 

Entrance to the Bankside Gallery - and the poster for the RWS Open

The RWS Open is run by the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS). It was formerly known (until recently) as the Contemporary Watercolour Competition.

You can see all the 144 artworks in the show online as well as at the Gallery. Each has a page all to itself - if you click the right link!

The RWS chooses to invite open entries for an exhibition at the Bankside Gallery via a separate open competition rather than, as most art societies do, via an annual exhibition dominated by artwork by members. I think, in part, this is determined by the space for an exhibition at the Bankside Gallery which, while excellent as an exhibition space, is not overly large thus limiting the number of works which can be shown.

Despite my comments in previous posts, the RWS are still claiming that 

"the RWS Open is the largest open-submission water-media exhibition in the world, attracting thousands of submissions nationally and internationally each year."

Although, speaking frankly, I simply do not believe that claim. 

  • Mostly because of the calibre of the work in the show but also because I've never ever seen any numbers to support this claim. 
  • It's also wrong because the RI Annual Open Exhibition has many more artworks and more artworks by non-members. Around half of the 465 artworks on display in their 2024 Exhibition - which opens to the public on 28th March - are by non-members. The RI also had the highest ever number of entries from non-members for this exhibition. (See Presidents Introduction in the RI 2024 e-catalogue)

I think the RWS would be well advised to read and study carefully The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code) is the rule book for non-broadcast advertisements, sales promotions and direct marketing communications (marketing communications).

(I'd emphasise the same point applies to all other UK art societies inclined to make ambitious claims that they have not validated - I've got a blog post started in draft on this topic!!).

The need to choose


One of the interesting aspects of the two national (in England) watercolour societies 
is that you can only be a member of one - and the route to entry is generally via exhibiting in the open exhibition.

An open exhibition is a reflection of the outlook of its members - particularly those who act as jurors for that particular exhibition.  
  • You can see the type of artwork produced by member of the Royal Watercolour Society on this webpage
  • I'd point out and emphasise that:
    • The more conventional traditional watercolours are typically by artists who have been members for very many years.
    • Those who lean heavily towards what might be called 'contemporary / abstract art" are more recent additions.
I'd always counsel artists who ask me which society they should apply to for membership (as has happened in the past) to look very carefully at the type of artworks hung by members in their exhibitions. It's a big clue as to who they will ask to join in future. Then to look at the number of sales - as that's a clue as to which is most likely to attract serious art collectors and buyers of art.

Review of the RWS Open 2024

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Do you want to apply for The Great Pottery Throwdown? (series 8)

The latest series of the absolutely amazing "feel good" programme which is Great Pottery Throwdown" is drawing to an end - and the FINAL is tonight! 

This is the stage at which they always start the search for the participants for the next series......

Do you want to apply for The Great Pottery Throwdown?


If you are thinking you have the right knowledge and experience to enter, below is a very brief summary of "what you need to know". 

You can also find a longer summary HERE PLUS you MUST read 

Who can apply

Only those who are:

  • aged 18 or above on 25th February 2024.
  • a resident of the UK (including Isle of Man and Channel Islands) 
  • NOT a professional potter, meaning that
    • you do not work full time as a potter, either at home or in a professional environment, 
    • nor does your main source of income derive from commercial ceramics or pottery.
  • NOT a Fellow or a Selected Member of the Craft Potters Association (CPA) 
    • nor can you be judged, by the programme makers, to be at that level.
  • NOT connected to the Love Productions (who make the programme) or Channel 4 (which broadcasts it) in any way
  • can commit 100% to the filming days during a filming period between August and November 2024. (I get the impression it's weekends - not sure why)
  • agreeable to background checks being performed to confirm who you are and what you have/have not done.
  • able to respond accurately to all questions asked and do not withhold anything when asked
  • able to keep all information about the application process for the programme and the programme itself strictly confidential.
This confidentiality applies and continues whether or not you are selected to take part in the Programme or remain actively involved in the Programme. You are not permitted to respond to any approach from the press or anyone else enquiring about the application or production process, anyone else involved in the process and/or anything about the Programme and will refer any such enquiries immediately to Love Productions.

What you need to do