Head of Young Girl
Arthur Neal
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Spring Morning,
Westminster Abbey
Bob Brown
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NEAC News 2006
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On 22nd September 2006 our long overdue book ‘The New Engish’ by Professor Kenneth McConkey was launched in The Fine Rooms of the Royal Academy, Burlington House. This is the first published history of the New English Art Club. It has many beautiful illustrations covering the story of the club since its inception to the present. Our thanks goes to the author for a wonderfully crafted book, the publishers, the Royal Academy and all those involved in its production including our own members who raised the funds in 2002.
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At this year’s annual general meeting following the close of another very successful open exhibition, the membership elected three new members:
- Richard Bawden
- Ben Levene
- Lorna Vahey
We welcome them aboard and look forward to their future participation to further enrich the club. For Kenneth McConkey’s huge work and skill in writing the book and for Pat Lambert’s longstanding commitment, work and support for the club they were both voted companions to the club at this year’s AGM.
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| The success of the Club’s Annual Exhibition continues to grow with over 100 works sold exceeding £140,000. The quality of the 565 exhibits demonstrated the strength of figurative painting today both within the membership and outside. 12 prizes were awarded to some outstanding works. The club would like to thank those who donated prizes and the sponsors of the exhibition. For the second year the exhibition was reproduced here on the web site and work was bought both on the internet and through the gallery. This venture proved a great success and will happen again next year.
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In addition to the David Wolfers Memorial Lecture there was a very well attended and entertaining lunchtime conversation between Anthony Green, Ken Howard and William Packer. It was chaired by Charles Williams and proved a profoundly interesting discussion on how the three work and on their views of painting.
On the evening of the 12th of December the members held a party at the mall galleries to celebrate the senior members of the club. Cheese, wine, singing and dancing dominated the proceedings.
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Sir William Orpen (1878 – 1931)
Born in Dublin Orpen studied at the Metropolitan School and the Slade School in London. He was well known as an exceptional draftsman and portrait painter. In 1917 he went to the western front as official war painter of the first world war where he drew and painted soldiers of all rank both alive and dead on the battle field. Most of these works are now owned by the imperial war museum in Lambeth who kindly loaned 6 for this exhibition. On Tuesday 5th December Kenneth McConkey delivered an insightful and extremely interesting talk on Orpen as this year’s David Wolfers Memorial Lecture.
His studio is now owned and occupied by the club’s previous president Ken Howard.
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The NEAC Keeper, Charlotte Halliday this year handed over The NEAC archive after making it available to Professor McConkey for his research. The numerous fascinating documents dating back to the club’s inception will now be looked after by Tate Britain where they will be looked after for future posterity and the public will be able to view them.
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