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Edward Burra (1905-1976) is a name that comes up regularly in Rye, as one of our most famous

inhabitants there are many people who remember, recollect and eulogise about this enigmatic

individual. His artwork and his life were a journey of immeasurable achievement, he was

overwhelmed with illness from birth but rather than allowing this to become his identity, he worked

tirelessly creating the paintings we now recognise as some of the most famous watercolours in the art world.

In fact, so much so that one of the finest treasures of Rye Art Gallery’s permanent collection, the

painting by “Ed”, Black Mountain, Wales (1968) has travelled up to London where it features in the

Tate Britain exhibition on Edward Burra that opens next week on June 13th .

Read more on the Curators Blog 

Synergy by Victoria Atkinson & Karen Birchwood 

Opens Saturday 28th June. 

Victoria and Karen have a heartfelt connection to the landscape and have chosen to work together to respond to each other's work for this exhibition.

Karen's paintings are not a portrayal of literal place but an emotional feeling of landscape as you move through it. In a similar way Victoria's figures are moving within a landscape, the response is an emotion of being eternally present there.

The works created for Synergy express their shared love of the natural elements, earth, wind and fire, with organic figures wandering through open, sometimes bleak landscapes.

Elements that are mirrored by the use of complementary earthy tones of landscape with colour, mark making and form all working beautifully together.

On May 31st, we invite you to immerse yourself in a unique cultural experience by joining us for an engaging curatorial walk and talk featuring the insightful perspectives of Terry Hulf, Louise Simkiss-Day, and Dr. Julian Day.

Following the curatorial walk, we are excited to present a second session of live "marsh" music within the gallery space, continuing until 5:30pm.  Tickets are £10.00 which not only grants you access to this unique event but also supports the continued programming and exhibitions at our gallery.

BUY TICKETS

Attention all artists! We invite you to take part in the thrilling En Plein Air Competition display your beautiful outdoor artwork at Rye Gallery! Seize the opportunity to win a fantastic £1000! Get inspired and unleash your creativity!

The act of artists working outdoors to produce sketches and drawings to accompany their larger works has been an established tradition for many years. The scientific approach from John Constable reveals countless sketches of skies and lands observed closely and depicting the ever-changing light, mood and weather. What was an ideal for artists like Turner and Constable soon became a reality for the impressionists. The transition to en plein air originally depended on the developments of paints and materials becoming more transportable, with the invention of the box easel allowing artists to travel easily with all the equipment they needed.

You can now apply and submit your work online. Closing date July 31st 

APPLY HERE

Last weekend we opened our annual Rye Society of Artists, Spring Exhibition, 2025.

For our private view we were greeted with a huge crowd of members, friends and customers alike. A great way to start the Spring season the show brings together over 40 members and eight invited artists. Each living within a 15 mile radius of the beautiful citadel of Rye.

This extensive showcase is featured throughout three of our gallery spaces. With something for everyone it features over 200 works for sale and includes painting, print, sculpture and ceramics.

The exhibition is scheduled to run until May Bank Holiday (May 5th). It is open to all, so do take the time to come and say hello.

Our first exhibition for 2025 opened with an extremely busy and exciting Private View on Saturday 25th January. 

'Land - Sea - Sky' sees a welcome return from plein air artist Karl Terry and his second solo exhibition with us. 

Showcased in galleries 1 and 3 and with over 50 pieces of work available this an opportunity to reflect on Karl's lifelong passion for plein air painting.

For this show Karl has not strayed far from home, working beneath our beautiful changing Sussex skies, he has captured the moment and the atmosphere. Perhaps most importantly, a very real sense of place, which in many ways creates that emotional experience between artist, the artwork and the viewer.

The exhibition is scheduled to run until Sunday 16th March.

On a very sunny autumnal Saturday, the gallery welcomed a large number of guests to celebrate the opening of 'Timely Connections with David Crew & Tony Bennett'. Both artists were in attendance.

The exhibition, a long time in the making, is being showcased in galleries 1 & 3.

It features a strong narrative from Tony and David.

For David, it made the connection between his family and the friendship with German prisoner of war Mathias Hess, thus making more precious memories to be cherished and a story to be told.

In Tony’s case his work is a continuous dialogue with certain themes which have been constant throughout his working life. Principally, the concern of our ongoing struggle between our animal origins and the advancement of our intellectual powers.

The exhibition has been extended and will now run until Sunday 10th November.

Photo credit: John Cole Photography

Mid September's sunshine was a welcome treat for all of our En Plein Air painters. The final painting day finished off a very successful trio of days in and around Rye.

Event 1. with Karl Terry RSMA on Camber dunes.

Event 2. with Tom Marsh ARSMA around the citadel of Rye.

And Event 3. with Clare Mitchell and Georgie Watson at the mouth of the estuary at Rye Harbour.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the four artists who held these days, for giving their time and sharing their valuable skills.

We are hopeful that this will lead to more exciting events in the very near future.

On Saturday 24th August we welcomed a large crowd into the gallery spaces for the opening reception of our brand new exhibition 'En Plein Air, 2024'.

Alongside a huge selection of works from contemporary artists we have placed an additional focus on en plein air works held in our permanent collections, including Howard and Mary Stormont, Vanessa Bell, Fred Cuming, Ivon Hitchens and Jacqueline Stanley.

The exhibition is scheduled to run until Sunday 29th September with an En Plein Air competition opening to coincide from September 25th until September 29th.

Photo credit : John Cole Photography

The 'Pathways' exhibition, a joint showcase featuring the artwork of Denise Franklin and Jane Beecham, was inaugurated at the gallery with an impressive turnout on Saturday the 22nd of June.

The opening reception was a vibrant gathering, teeming with art lovers, customers, and passionate supporters. The event was held in two distinct spaces within the gallery, as well as drinks outside on our beautiful terrace creating a dynamic and immersive experience for attendees.

This much-anticipated exhibition will continue until Sunday, 11th August, providing ample opportunity for those who wish to explore the unique artistic expressions of both artists.

Photo credit: John Cole

On Saturday 1st June, Rye Art Gallery were delighted to receive an acquisition for our Permanent Collection from the artist Nigel Oxley Hon. RE.

Nigel, who was visiting to deliver a talk relating to our Print Biennial: 'The Art of Printmaking' very kindly donated this etching with aquatint, by the artist John Piper CH (1903-1992).

'Les Junies' was created in 1988 and is printed on Velin d'arches paper.

On Saturday the 11th May we opened the Rye Print Biennial, 'The Art of British Printmaking', with a very well attended Private View.

The show focuses on the many different processes of printmaking such as etching, woodcuts, linocut, lithography and screen printing.

As with many of our recent exhibitions staged here at Rye Art Gallery, we are curating this show alongside important works held in our permanent collections including those by Sir Frank Short RA PPRE, Robert Sargent Austin RA PPRE, Margaret Barnard, John Piper CH, Paul Nash, Edward Burra CBE, Norman Ackroyd CBE RA Hon. RE, and Edward Twohig Hon. Curator RE.

The exhibition is scheduled to run until Sunday 16th June has a selection of events linked to it, please go to our Exhibitions & Events section for more details.

Photo credit: John Cole

To herald the first weekend of Spring, we opened the annual RSA Spring Exhibition throughout the gallery, accompanied by an extremely well-attended Private View.

Over 40 locally based artists are exhibiting, and we are proud to showcase over 150 artworks in an extensive variety of mediums - from paint and print to ceramics, sculpture, and photography.

This year, in our studio space, the RSA has also invited seven new artists to display their work, with the potential for them to become full members of the society, subject to a membership ballot.

We wish them all well and their work looks fantastic.

The exhibition runs until 5th May 2024

On Friday the 15th of March we were delighted to welcome Steve Warren relative of the artist Terry Warren on a visit to the Gallery.

Here is Steve sat proudly in Terry's 'Driftwood Chair' which was very kindly donated to the Permanent Collection by Alexander Stiller back in 2009.

The chair is currently sitting on our terrace area looking out over the Salts.

On Saturday 17th February, the gallery welcomed an extraordinary number of guests to the opening reception of Louis Turpin’s new solo exhibition.

This event was hosted in galleries one and three and was attended by customers and supporters far and wide. Despite an initial hurdle involving a lack of electricity, the opening reception was a resounding success. The atmosphere was enhanced with the use of candles, and plenty of ‘Bucks Fizz’ it made for an unforgettable experience. This led to a turnout that the gallery hasn't seen in a long time. The exhibition features more than 25 pieces of Turpin's work. These pieces, presented in the two separate spaces, range in mediums from oil and ink to pencil.

The exhibition is scheduled to run until 17th March.

Ermentrude Robertson-Luxford (1881-1968)

“Aunt Trudy” was the wife of Henry Curteis Burra of Springfield, Playden and later Chapel House (The Rectory) Rye. She was the very dear mother of Edward Burra (1905 -1976) painter, of Anne (later Lady Richie of Dundee) and of Betsy (died aged 13).

This important painting in oil of Burra’s mother joins our permanent collection in Rye, generously donated by the family. A beautiful portrait by an unknown artist, it was created c.1908 and depicts Ermentrude in fashionable style.

Rye Art Gallery has several historic paintings of the great and good of Rye, including many self portraits of artists in our collection.

To read more on this story copy and paste this link into your browser to take you to the latest article written by Juliet Duff in Rye News:

https://www.ryenews.org.uk/culture/portrait-donated-to-rye-art-gallery-jd

On Saturday 9th December, we joined forces with the 'Barefoot Opera' for a very special evening of music with singers performing set pieces from famous operas including Giuseppe Verdi's popular ‘La traviata’

We welcomed over 70 guests throughout the gallery spaces, and raised over £1,500 which will go towards the next essential phase in the restoration of our historic buildings.

During 2024, the restoration works will focus on our three permanent collection stores and archive rooms which desperately need updating to a museum standard. We can then look after our growing permanent collection of over 1,500 artworks more efficiently. This will also allow for better public access to the artworks and our special archive.

We thank everyone who attended and the members of 'Barefoot Opera' who gave such fantastic performances.

We are now in the process of discussing more of these events for 2024........

Photo credit : John Cole Photography

On Saturday 18th November, the gallery welcomed a very large number of attendees to celebrate the opening of our final exhibition of 2023.

‘Abundance’ is a group exhibition that celebrates the fantastic new work of our local artists at Rye Art Gallery. Artworks featured include ceramics, drawings, paintings, prints and sculpture.

The exhibition has now been extended to run until 28th January.

Do come and see us soon........

William Chappell 1907-1994

The son of actors, William Chappell was born in Wolverhampton on 20 September 1907. His parents separated and his mother, Edith Blair-Staples, moved the family to Balham, South London c.1913, and became a fashion journalist. Chappell went on to Chelsea School of Art at the age of thirteen (1921); where he met Edward Burra, they soon became close and remained lifelong friends.

On leaving college in 1924, Chappell became committed to dance. He performed in and was given a crash course in classical ballet by Marie Rambert, whom he knew
through Frederick Ashton. Despite this late start he was to create a number of important roles. Throughout the 1930's, Chappell appeared in ballets produced by Rambert and Ninette de Valois's Vic-Wells company at Sadler's Wells (from 1934). He was also a talented painter and simultaneously began to make designs for the theatre which soon established his reputation as a distinguished stage designer.

Chappell edited two collections relating to his close friendship with Burra including the witty and fascinating ‘Well Dearie The Letters of Edward Burra (1985). Billy died in Rye on 1st January 1994.

We acquired these costume designs for our permanent collection so that they could be shown together with those already in the collection by Edward Burra.

The two pencil, ink and watercolour costume illustrations are signed, inscribed and dated 1948.

Both illustrations are from the production of "Sugar and Spice" shown at St Martin's Theatre, London from September 3rd until October 16th 1948.

'Mormon / Larry Drew' depicts the actor Larry Drew in mormon costume for the section 'The Mormon Who Couldn't Quit' by Hastings Mann. 'Child Wife / June Howard' depicts the actress June Howard in costume for the section 'Punch's Revenge' also by Hastings Mann.

Chappell provided the decor and costumes for the entire production.

Our latest permanent collection bequest has been kindly donated by Jacqueline Stanley's estate.

'Salon Selfie' is a large self portrait of Jackie, painted towards the end of 2016 in pastel and graphite.