All you need to know about the New English Art Club, (NEAC).
Some history of the NEAC.
The New English Art Club (NEAC) was founded in London in 1885 as an alternative venue to the Royal Academy. It began as an exhibiting society by artists influenced by impressionism and whose work was rejected by the conservative Royal Academy.
It was the young English artists returning from studying art in Paris who mounted the first exhibition in April 1886. Some of these early artists were Thomas Cooper Gotch, Frank Bramley, John Singer Sargent, Philip Wilson Steer, George Clausen and Stanhope Forbes. Early exhibitions were held in the Egyptian Hall.
The Impressionist style was well represented at the NEAC, in comparison to the old-school academic art shown at the Royal Academy. For a time, the NEAC was seen as a stepping-stone to Royal Academy membership.
How has the NEAC changed in this time?
Over the last century or so , the visual art world has seen great change. It was only after World War Two that the focus of the art world has shifted from Paris, which up until this time was considered the centre of the art world. Since the War, New York has become a giant, and London has even more recently greatly increased in importance. Along with this, London has witnessed a large increase in the number of public and commercial galleries.
Today the New English continues in a figurative style, while the Royal Academy is seen to have been drawn to more abstract and conceptual art. It represents the best of contemporary British figurative painters. Figurative painting is based on nature, and is a representation of the visual world. It is one of the most influencial exhibiting art societies.
The Drawing School
At the New English there is a thriving centre of excellence for drawing and painting and is at the heart of what it represents. It is staffed entirely by members of the NEAC, and offers a thorough and sound approach to drawing in its many forms, with small classes to ensure a personal and individual tutor/student relationship.
Courses are run at various venues, mainly in London, on drawing, sketching and working from drawing to painting.
“Anyone can draw'”, is a key principle at the Drawing School. You are not required to be either a member or a Friend of the NEAC. It also offers the option just to ‘drop in’ to any of the courses, rather than sign up for a full course, which provides a flexible approach which many find encouraging.
The Annual Open Exhibition 2015.
For the first time, th
e date of the Open Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, was moved from its usual November date to an early summer slot in June. Artists submitted over 1000 entries into this years exhibition, from these 300 were selected for further scrutiny by the selection committee, with 94 pieces selected for hanging in the Mall Galleries.
The 2015 Exhibition is now closed, however some of the unsold work is still on sale and can be viewed on the NEAC website.
A copy of the brochure is available here.
Who’s Who at the New English?
The Patron of the NEAC is HRH The Prince of Wales.
The NEAC President, Richard Pikesley, will be the guest artist on a painting holiday to Puglia, in Southern Italy in July 2016.
There are currently around seventy members , of which half are female artists.Members are leading contemporary UK artists producing fine original art. The New English Art Club website offers an opportunity to view the work of many of the finest British figurative artists. Here you can view their art and find out about their work and lives. Some works can be found at the NEAC Trading Company shop for sale.
Amongst the current leading NEAC members are, Ken Howard RA, Peter Brown, and Pamela Kay, with whom we are fortunate to work with as host painters on painting trips over the years and into 2016.
Pamela Kay
Richard Pikesley
Ken Howard OBE RA
Peter Brown
For a sneak preview of our 2016 instructional and ‘work alongside’ painting trips with these and other artists, please click here.
The Friends are members of the public who support the aims of the Club. They are the Club’s primary audience and they give great help, both financial and moral. They are a highly valued part of the New English family. There are about 300 Friends at present.
As a Friend, you will:
* be invited to all of the New English exhibitions, where you will be able to meet many of the artists who are members of the Club.
* receive a newsletter, and you will be invited to at least one studio visit.
* receive discounts on all classes and courses run by the NEAC Drawing School
The annual subscription is only £30.