
ROYAL INSTITUTE OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOURS

www.royalinstituteofpaintersinwatercolours.org
Works are available to browse & buy at www.mallgalleries.org.uk
020 7930 6844 | artsales@mallgalleries.com | www.mallgalleries.org.uk
www.royalinstituteofpaintersinwatercolours.org
Works are available to browse & buy at www.mallgalleries.org.uk
020 7930 6844 | artsales@mallgalleries.com | www.mallgalleries.org.uk
On behalf of the Council and Members of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, I welcome you to our 213th exhibition.
In May last year, 2024, I was delighted to receive a letter from the Principal Private Secretary to The King and Queen at Buckingham Palace, confirming that the review of the Patronages of The late Queen, The former Prince of Wales and The former Duchess of Cornwall had been completed. Following the analysis of over a thousand organisations, he was pleased to confirm that His Majesty would be delighted to accept the Patronage of The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. This news, scheduled to mark the first anniversary of the Coronation of Their Majesties was particularly warmly welcomed by myself, as we had heard the sad news of the death Our late Queen Elizabeth II just a few months after I had become RI President and I had been really hoping that the RI's Royal Patronage, that we have enjoyed
since 1831, would be confirmed to continue before my tenure as President ended. We are delighted that this has now happened.
We thank Our Patron, His Majesty The King for the loan of two of his watercolours that are displayed in the West Gallery. We also thank Martin Clayton and Lauren Porter of Royal Collection Trust for arranging the loan.
As well as our Members' paintings we have had yet another strong submission from non-members this year, making up half of the almost 500 works in watercolour and water-based media that we present in the three galleries. Some stay close to the sublime traditions of watercolour, while others push the boundaries further, employing water-based mixed media techniques, using some of the huge range of new and innovative art materials which are now available. We hope that from this vast variety of work, you will find something that you love.
This year we are pleased to welcome our eight new RI Members who were elected last year, and you will see a brief introduction to them on the following page. In addition this year, we are delighted to have six innovative artists standing as Candidates for election to the RI and I hope that you will take time to see some of their work on display in the East Gallery.
The RI continues to nurture the talent of young and emerging artists with our RI Young Artist Award, a prize of £1,000 presented for a painting by an artist of 25 years or under, plus of course, with our new schools competition, The RI Coronation Award, also in its second year, and now sponsored by Dryad Education.
We thank all of our sponsors who for another year, have so generously provided our awards and prizes with a total value of over £7,000.
We thank Winsor & Newton who once again will hold their popular A Celebration of Watercolour event in the gallery on the afternoon of April 1st, as well as providing on the same day, the prizes for our popular, now annual, evening event, Paint with RI Members
We thank all of the FBA staff at Mall Galleries whose help and assistance enable us to stage this inspiring exhibition.
And, last but by no means least, I give my personal thanks to all of the RI Members and particularly our Council Members who have supported me, and in doing so, the Institute itself, over the last three years. It has been a very great honour to serve as President.
We hope that you enjoy our 213th Exhibition.
Chris Myers PRI RBA
President.
The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours.
This year we are delighted to have the Royal Academician, wood engraver and printmaker Anne Desmet agree to open our 213th RI Exhibition.
Anne was born in Liverpool and studied at Oxford University and London’s Central School of Art, and was later elected an Honorary Fellow of Worcester College Oxford in 2018 for ‘distinction in the world of art’. She has won over 40 awards and has works in international public and private collections.
The Ashmolean, Whitworth, Pallant House and V&A all have substantial holdings of her work and Anne has had over 50 solo exhibitions and has written seven books on printmaking and drawing as well as being the editor of Printmaking Today from 1998-2013.
Anne has also carried out commissions for the British Museum, National Gallery, British Library, V&A, Sotheby’s and the Royal Mint.
From a young age and throughout her distinguished career, Anne has kept sketchbooks where she has made good use of watercolour to keep a visual diary of her experiences. Six of these beautiful books can be seen in the display case in our Exhibition.
In its second year the RI’s annual competition for school students has been even more successful. This new RI competition was inaugurated in May 2023 in celebration of the Coronation of Our Patron and Honorary Member, His Majesty King Charles III and is open to UK secondary school students aged 11-18 working in watercolour and water-based media.
This year we have been fortunate to have received the sponsorship of Dryad Education who are generously providing prizes of art materials to the value of £300 for the winning student and £150 for each of the two runners-up. In addition to this, they are providing a bursary of £1,000 of art materials to the first prize winner's school. We thank Dryad for their generous support.
This latest competition resulted in a total of 290 entries from over 52 schools and we hope to build even further on this success in the years to follow. The three winning paintings are on display in our Exhibition and we congratulate the artists for their success.
Maya D. Age 17
Barton Court
Certificates of Merit are awarded to the following entrants:
Milly W. Age 18 Barton Court
‘Ophelia’
Raisa S. Age 13 Cranford Community
College ‘A Beautiful Day’
Eva C. Age 16 Denmark Road High School
‘Sunday Walks’
Poppy-Mae F. Age 18 Hurst Lodge School
‘Macro Mould’
Yumna Z. Age 16 Oxford High School
‘Walk Around Oxford’
Samuel M. Age 16 Rougemont School
‘Lychee Skins’
Bonnie C. Age 17 St. Martins School
‘Tomatoes’
Charlie K Age 18 St.Martins School
‘Fragile’
Rose V. Age 18. St.Martins School
‘Hidden Flaws’
Fallon B. Age 17 St. Simon Stock
Catholic School
‘Tell Her Story’
Katherine-Rose M. Age 17
Swakeleys School
‘Untitled’
Self Portrait with Lilies
Danielle O. Age 16
Truro High School
Pineapple
Kseniia H. Age 17
Bishops Stortford College
Through my landscape paintings, I aim to capture the play of light and shadow, the interplay of colour, the textures and patterns found in the environment and its interaction with humans. My goal is to create works that are both aesthetically pleasing and emotionally resonant, inviting viewers to experience the wonder and beauty of the world around us through art.
I am a landscape painter and I seek to connect the viewer of my work to the presence of the land through its granular nature and mineral composition. The construction of a painting is not only a function of representation but a combination of classical observances and physical substance. There is a link between art and science which allows for a sensory experience of place via materiality. Hopefully through understanding the pictorial geological processes that form the landscape we can better understand and respect our place within it.
Vicente Garcia Fuentes
Painting has been my passion since childhood; not a moment of my life has been devoid of its influence. For me, painting is a vital means of communication. My artistic vision is in a state of perpetual growth, as I aim to invest a piece of my soul into every piece, whilst cherishing my vocation as a painter following in the footsteps of the great masters of painting history.
I have worked almost exclusively in watercolour for nearly twenty years. My practice is predominantly focused on portraiture and the natural world and heavily rooted in realism. Regardless of subject matter I seek to create paintings that are visually beautiful, naturalistic and filled with intricate details. I have a keen interest in entomology, ornithology and natural history and hope my paintings can at times blur the line between fine art and scientific illustration.
I have always felt a deep connection with the sea and countryside. Painting goes beyond the aesthetic into a more personal realm where I attempt to capture my feelings and impressions. I like to paint the soul of the scene I’m working on, depicting the essence of that which is before me.
On the lookout for the outstanding in the ordinary and overlooked, North London is my reservoir. Watercolour is my only medium, I’m immersed in waves of washes, flooded paper and translucent depths. I’m honoured and delighted to join with others who recognise hydrology as the definitive activity on Earth.
Through painting and drawing I aim to map real and imagined spaces, drawn from my own experiences, dreams and written work. My work explores spiritual practices and rituals, pulling on both local and global contexts. I explore witchcraft in relation to landscape and the natural environment and sometimes the work has a tangible presence of animals and figures. My inspirations come from a wide range of sources including books, found images and the immediate landscape surrounding my home in North-East Scotland. Mixing media excites me and I love this unpredictable and dynamic process.
I am a landscape painter using watercolour and gouache to render an abstracted stillness in the environment. My process starts with the elements and an attempt to capture the light, atmosphere and physicality of my surroundings, but evolves into something less tangible. Finding the space between a prescribed figurative approach and a more simplified, ambiguous one is the challenge I enjoy most in my work for it to have lasting and multiple meanings.
The RI would like to thank the individuals and companies who generously award the following prizes:
The Winsor & Newton Award
A prize of £3,000
2024 Winner: Richard Anthony Elliott
The Winsor & Newton Product Prize
£1,000 worth of Winsor & Newton art materials
2024 Winner: Martha Zmpounou RI
The RI Young Artist Award
£1,000 awarded to an artist aged between 18 and 25
2024 Winner: Emma Rach-Syslak
The President’s Choice Award
An award of £750
2024 Winner: Núria Riera
The Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award
A certificate of commendation for an outstanding work chosen by the art critic and broadcaster Anthony J Lester
2024 Winner: Lucy Pulvers
The Baohong Artists' Watercolour Paper Prize
Two prizes of £250 worth of watercolour paper, awarded to a member and nonmember for excellence
2024 Winners: Anne Lynch and Naomi Tydeman RI
The Cass Art Prize
£200 of art supplies from Cass Art, awarded for innovative use of colour
2024 Winner: Monica Vitorino
The Chaoshan Watercolour Award
£250 for the best classically inspired watercolour
2024 Winner: Claire Harkess
The Debra Manifold RI Memorial Award
Presented by the Linda Blackstone Gallery, an award for the most innovative work
2024 Winner: Alison Dickson
The Dry Red Press Award
The winning work will be published as a greeting card in the Dry Red Press 'Prize Winners' range, with royalties from the sale of the cards going to the artist
2024 Winner: Núria Riera
The Escoda Barcelona Award
A set of Escoda's finest brushes for an outstanding landscape painting
2024 Winner: Kate Morgan RI
The Frank Herring Easel Award
An easel presented by Frank Herring & Sons for an outstanding work
2024 Winner: Alex Chilvers
The James Fletcher-Watson RI Award
£500 for the best use of watercolour
2024 Winner: Yuesen Lin
The John Purcell Paper Prize
Paper to the value of £100, awarded by John Purcell Paper
2024 Winner: Miranda Brookes
The Megan Fitzoliver Brush Award
A trophy, named The Pipe Fish, and bespoke brush awarded for a work that inspires a connection with the natural world
2024 Winner: Juliette Losq RI
The Michael Harding Award
A varied selection of Michael Harding watercolour sets
2024 Winner: Miranda Brookes
The Richard Plincke RI Prize for Colour
An award of £250 for creative use of colour
2024 Winner: Delia Cardnell RI
The Schmincke Prize
A Horadam Aquarell Artists’ Watercolours set to an outstanding exhibitor
2024 Winner: Carol Harvey
Norman Ackroyd CBE RA Hon.RI (26 March 1938 – 16 September 2024)
On September 6th last year, we were very sad to hear the announcement of the death, at the age of 86, of the outstanding engraver, printmaker and watercolourist, Norman Ackroyd.
Born in Leeds and a student of Leeds College of Art as well as the Royal Academy, Norman became a master of etching and was best known for his evocative interpretations of landscape and seascape achieved with a technical brilliance which is rarely seen.
The RI have been proud to have Norman as our Honorary Member, as well as being able to exhibit his beautiful watercolours which so beautifully evoke the British landscape. And we do so again this year. Norman will be greatly missed.
President: Nicola Hicks MBE
The Artists' General Benevolent Institution (AGBI) supports professional visual artists in need who are unable to work due to accident, illness, and older age. Founded in 1814 by members of the Royal Academy of Arts, the AGBI has been giving grants to artists for over 200 years. Donations support the continuation of their work and create a positive impact in the lives of artists.
Offices of the Institute: 15 Churton Street, Pimlico, London SW1V 2LY www.agbi.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 212667
“It is, therefore, solely by the talents displayed in his Works, that the Artist can claim any preference and that the unfriended man of merit, who is unknown to the Public, will receive equal attention, and will have a fair opportunity of publicly displaying his Works... It is only upon the broad and simple principle of personal merit that this Society is founded, and its Regulations formed…” from the RI’s original Mandate of 1832.
As you can see from the quotation above, the RI has always seen the importance of an open exhibition where paintings by RI Members and work submitted by non-members can be displayed together in equal number.
We have had yet another amazing submission this year and we really hope that some of the beautiful paintings we have received, which continue to demonstrate the diversity and flexibility of watercolour and water-based medium, will have been created by some of the RI Members of the future.
We give our sincere thanks to all of the artists who submitted paintings to our 213th Exhibition this year.
Wednesday 26 March 11am to 4pm
Lillias August RI and President Chris Myers will be in the gallery to chat to visitors, show them around and answer any questions they have about the variety of work on show.
Thursday 27 March 11am to 4pm
Paul Talbot-Greaves RI will be in the gallery demonstrating his unique approach to landscape painting in watercolour.
Thursday 27 March 2pm to 4pm
Hannah Woodman RI will be presenting: ‘Blurred Edges: A Contemporary Approach to Watercolour’
Hannah will be giving a tour of the annual exhibition focussing on contemporary approaches to water-based media, followed by a deep dive into her sketchbooks and selected works. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the exhibition collection and to browse through Hannah's portfolio to discuss methods such as abstraction, mark-making and colour theory.
Friday 28 March 11am to 4pm
Brendan Smith RI will be in the gallery, carrying out a watercolour painting demonstration as well as showing sketchbooks and talking with visitors.
Saturday 29 March 11am to 4pm
Gary Cook RI will be painting tree scenes using watercolour, ink and charcoal in the gallery. He will also have a selection of sketchbooks on show.
Sunday 30 March 11am to 4pm
Nicki Heenan RI, award winning, studio and plein air landscape artist will be demonstrating her unique method of working in water-based media combined with natural pigments, as well as showing sketchbooks and talking to visitors.
Monday 31 March 11am to 4pm
Florence Yuqing RI, winner of Best Small Portrait at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition in 2024, will be carrying out a painting demonstration as well as talking to visitors about her technique of working.
Monday 31 March 11am to 4pm
Chris Forsey RI landscape painter and specialist in watercolour and mixed media will be carrying out one of his extremely popular painting demonstrations while chatting to visitors.
Tuesday 1 April 11.30am
Jean Noble RI will conduct a tour and give a talk on abstract painting as well as looking at and discussing visitors' artwork on iPad.
Tuesday 1 April 2pm to 5pm
A Special Free Event,
‘A Celebration of Watercolour ’ sponsored by Winsor & Newton
Winsor & Newton is once more offering the opportunity to see the chemistry behind how watercolour paint is made and will be displaying some fascinating historic material from the Winsor & Newton archive. There will also be the opportunity to see some of the latest innovations from their product range.
RI Members including Harsh Agrawal, Roger Dellar, Brian Smith and RI President Chris Myers will be on hand with some of them painting in the gallery.
The Mall Galleries café will be open for the purchase of refreshments.
Tuesday 1 April 6pm to 8.30pm
RI Evening Art Event: ‘Paint with RI Members’ sponsored by Winsor & Newton
For a third year we are offering another opportunity to paint in watercolour with some of our RI Members at an evening event.
RI members painting this year will include Brian Smith, Roger Dellar and Harsh Agrawal. Entry to the event will be ticket only.
The paintings produced will be judged by the President Chris Myers and other members of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, with a first prize of Winsor & Newton art materials to the value of £150 awarded to the most successful painting and two further runner-up prizes of Winsor & Newton art materials worth £75 each.
What to expect:
6pm: Artists arrive and commence painting from two clothed portrait models or a still life arrangement.
7pm: A short break for complimentary refreshments, including a glass of wine.
7.15pm: Painting continues.
8.15pm: Judging commences, after which the winner and runners-up will be declared.
Participants should bring their own paper and art materials. Easels and boards will be provided on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, therefore artists are encouraged to bring small portable easels wherever possible.
Tickets are available via www.mallgalleries.org.uk, priced £12 to participate, or £10 to spectate.
Wednesday 2 April 11am to 4pm
Felicity Flutter RI will be painting in the gallery and discussing her watercolour process with the aid of her sketchbooks.
Wednesday 2 April 11.30am
Jean Noble RI will be giving a tour of the Exhibition and discussing the variety of work on display.
Thursday 3 April 2pm to 3.30pm
Harsh Agrawal RI will be conducting a 90 minute Watercolour Workshop. This event is exclusive to Friends of Mall Galleries. For more information, please contact friends@mallgalleries.com
Friday 4 April 11am to 4pm
Teresa Lawler RI and Roger Aslin RI will be talking to visitors in the gallery and at 1.30pm Teresa will be conducting a tour of the Exhibition. This will be a ticketed event. Tickets are available via www.mallgalleries.org.uk.
Saturday 5 April 11am to 4pm
Brendan Smith RI will be painting in the gallery, demonstrating the transparent and opaque qualities of watercolour, showing sketchbooks and talking to visitors.
Watercolour 16 x 33 cm NFS
Kate Bentley Abundance
Watercolour on paper 55 x 73 cm £3,000
Watercolour 71 x 53 cm £3,800
220
media 28 x 37 cm £850
Watercolour 50 x 36 cm £2,250
Watercolour 66 x 93 cm £4,200
Watercolour on paper 34 x 71 cm £2,790
Thorn Autumn Window
Watercolour and pencil 36 x 59 cm £1,100
Florence Yuqing Self – Living Room Blues
Watercolour on paper
30 x 21 cm £1,550
Martha Zmpounou Mother and Child
Watercolour and ink on paper
40 x 30 cm £550
The works for sale in the RI Exhibition are available to buy through the Own Art scheme. Own Art interest free loans make it easy and affordable to buy original, high quality contemporary art and craft.
Representative 0% APR. Subject to status. Terms and conditions apply. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
Patron His Majesty the King
Honorary Member HM King Charles III
President Chris Myers PRI RBA
Vice President Juliette Losq RI
Honorary Secretary Felicity Flutter RI
Honorary Treasurer David A Parfitt RI
Publicity Secretary Chris Myers PRI RBA
Membership Secretary Jean Noble RI
Exhibitions Secretary Jean Robinson RI
Website Editor Deborah Walker RI RSMA
Social Media Officer Aimee Birnbaum RI /
Felicity Flutter RI
Archivist Rosa Sepple PPRI
Council
Gary Cook RI
Roger Dellar RI PS ROI RSMA
Mari French RI
Matthew Phinn RI RSMA
Brian Smith RI
The late Norman Ackroyd CBE RA (1938 – 2024)
Fred Beckett Hon.RBA FROI RSMA
Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Chris Orr RA
Simon Palmer
Leslie Goodwin RI
Moira Huntly RI RSMA PPPS
Robert King RSMA
George Large RBA
Mary Mahler RI
Janet Skea RI
Eric Waugh RI
John Yardley RI
17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5BD
Tel: 020 7930 6844
www.mallgalleries.org.uk
King Charles III, Moru Kopjes, Serengeti Plains, Tanzania (1997)
when Prince of Wales HM King Charles III, From Moru Kopjes across Serengeti Plain,
when Prince of Wales Tanzania (1997)
1 Norman Ackroyd RA Hon RI Barra Head (2016)
(1938-2024)
2 Norman Ackroyd RA Hon RI Kyle of Tongue, Sutherland (2017)
(1938-2024)
3
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
166
176 Vicente García Fuentes RI She is contemplating a painting by Sorolla
177 Vicente García Fuentes RI The Last Volcano
178 Nic Gear Meander [Andante]
247 Yuki Lamb Stream of Petals
248 John Lambie Mandarin
249 Teresa Lawler RI Beyond the Big Blue Waterfall
250 Teresa Lawler RI Distant City : Night in the Sheltering Forest
251 Teresa Lawler RI Hinterland : By Cascading Waters
252 Teresa Lawler RI Hinterland : By Cascading Waters 2
253 Francis Leavey Awakening
254 Yeonwoo Lee Dress Maker III Neurotic
255 Yuesen Lin Stories from Ancient and Modern
Harsh Agrawal RI
Colin Allbrook RI RSMA
Roger Aslin RI
Lillias August RI
Mat Barber Kennedy RI
Kate Bentley RI
Mike Bernard RI
Varsha Bhatia RI
Aimee Birnbaum RI
Ann Blockley RI
Charles Bone PPRI
Delia Cardnell RI
Martin Caulkin RI
Gary Cook RI
Ian Cook RI
Nora Dalzell RI
Ralph Dalzell RI
Roger Dellar RI PS ROI RSMA
Mark Elsmore RI
Don Farrell RI
Pauline Fazakerley RI
Felicity Flutter RI
Chris Forsey RI
Mari French RI
Vicente Garcia Fuentes RI
David Gleeson RI
Lisa Graa Jensen RI
Steven Allan Griffiths RI
Robin Hazlewood RI
Nicki Heenan RI
Kevin Hughes RI
Tony Hunt RI
Colin Kent RI
Ann Kilvington RI
Teresa Lawler RI
Zi Ling RI
Juliette Losq RI
Anne McCormack RI
Kate Morgan RI
Chris Myers PRI RBA
Anna Dudley Neill RI
Jean Noble RI
Nick Orsborn RI
David A Parfitt RI
Jordan Peers RI
Matthew Phinn RI RSMA
George Politis RI
Aidan Potts RI
David Poxon RI
Sue Read RI
Jean Robinson RI
Jenny Ross RI
Bob Rudd RI
Rosa Sepple PPRI
Ian Sidaway RI
Brendan Smith RI
Brian Smith RI
Julia Sorrell RI
Claire Sparkes RI
Edward Stamp RI
Paul Talbot-Greaves RI
Richard Thorn RI
Shirley Trevena RI
Naomi Tydeman RI
Deborah Walker RI RSMA
Hannah Woodman RI
Geoffrey Wynne RI
Florence Yuqing RI
Tianya Zhou RI
Martha Zmpounou RI