The 2012 OBA Award
Works by the Eleven Shortlisted Over-60s UK
Artists to be
Exhibited in London in October
The shortlist for the
inaugural Oldie British Artists Award (OBA), launched earlier this year by The Oldie magazine and specialist heritage
and fine art insurer Ecclesiastical, has been drawn up. In true Oldie style, and following great
deliberation by the judging panel, the works of eleven artists have been
selected instead of the originally planned shortlist of ten, and these will be on
public view at St Mary-le-Bow Church, London,
from 8 to 12 October prior to the
award ceremony on 16 October.
The eleven over-60s
artists, whose works will be on display and now go through to a second round of
judging in September, are:
·
Gerry
Dudgeon, Beaminster, Dorset
·
Anny
Evason, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex
·
Mac
Gregory, Boston, Lincolnshire
·
Henry
Hagger, London
·
Adrian
Hemming, London
·
Suzan
Swale, London
·
Elizabeth
Vibert, Bristol
·
Giles
Winter, London
·
Sheila
Wood, Claverton, Nottinghamshire
·
Marjorie
Wrentmore, London
·
Donald
Zec, London
Entries for the OBA
Award closed on 31 July 2012 and the organisers have been delighted with the
enthusiastic response in its first year. Over 300 figurative paintings
were submitted by artists from around the country, from the Shetland Islands to
the Isle of Wight.
The judging panel,
chaired by painter and sculptor Maggi Hambling CBE and including Richard
Ingrams, Editor of The Oldie,
Huon Mallalieu, Arts Correspondent of Country Life, Philip Athill of Abbott and
Holder Gallery, and Clare Pardy, Fine Art Underwriting Manager at
Ecclesiastical, now faces the challenge of selecting the winner of the
competition in a second round of judging which will take place in
September. The winner of the first ever Oldie British Artists Award will
then be announced on 16 October
at a glamorous event at the English Speaking Union in London.
Richard Ingrams,
Editor of The Oldie, commented on
this year’s submissions: “The standard of the entries was
amazing and the Award received an excellent response in its first year.
The best part of all the entries was the fact that there wasn’t a drop of
formaldehyde in sight.”
Clare Pardy, Fine Art
Underwriting Manager at Ecclesiastical, added: “Our thinking behind the
Award was to shine a light on not only people who have painted all their lives
but also those who have discovered painting in their later years.
Gratifyingly, the competition has stimulated some very impressive
examples from all sorts of artists which is thrilling.”
The Award was launched
in March 2012 to celebrate the work of artists aged 60+ and as a counterblast
to the unmade beds of the YBAs (Young British Artists). 2012 also marks
major milestones for the founders of the Award: The Oldie’s 20th and Ecclesiastical’s
125th anniversaries. The winner of this year’s Award
will receive a cash prize of £5,000 and an opportunity to exhibit their work at
London’s
prestigious Abbot and Holder Gallery.
Notes
to editors
About
The Oldie
Launched in 1992, The Oldie is a monthly magazine with an
emphasis on good writing, humour and quality illustration. Now in its 21st
year, the magazine boasts a circulation of 41,000 and attracts some of the
country’s best writers, illustrators and cartoonists as contributors
every month. The magazine, edited by former Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams, offers its readers
reviews of arts and books, great features, independent opinions and much more.
About
Ecclesiastical
Ecclesiastical is a
specialist insurer of heritage buildings and fine art, charities, the
education, care and faith sectors. Founded in 1887 to provide insurance
for the Anglican Church, it now offers a wide range of commercial insurances as
well as home and travel insurance, selling through brokers and directly.
Ecclesiastical also offers a range of ethically screened investment funds and
has a team of Independent Financial Advisers.
For
further information, artists’
profiles and images, please contact:
