Solidarity
As we see the devastating events unfold in the Ukraine, it’s hard to feel anything other than helpless. What can we do to help our fellow Ukrainian artists? Ann Witheridge, the founder of London Fine Art Studios, has been researching Ukrainian art and architecture, discovering rare and beautiful talent among them, four of whose work is shown above. Please do follow these artists – and London Fine Arts who will be posting more about Ukrainian artists – on social media to show your support.
Meanwhile, the Artist Support Pledge founder Matthew Burrows MBE and gallery director Zavier Ellis have come together to launch the Ukraine Support Pledge. They are inviting artists to offer work and collectors to acquire for just £200.
All proceeds will go to Global Giving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. Artists and collectors can participate by posting and following using the hashtags #ukrainesupportpledge and #artistsupportpledge. For full information please follow @ukrainesupportpledge and @artistsupportpledge
In this issue, we’ve got plenty of inspirational art to distract you from troubling headlines. Highlights include a feature on Yorkshire. True, the biggest county in the UK might not be
London, but it’s giving the capital a run for its money by boasting some of the most exciting art establishments in the country (page 30). Van Gough and David Hockney are from different eras, but Adrian Mourby explores a book that looks at how the two artists shared a love of finding excitement in the ordinary (page 46). Then, we profile six talented artists who are part of the Contemporary British Portrait Painters collective (page 28) whilst The Big Interview focuses in on artist Nicola McBride who makes hyper-realistic work using BIC Biro pens. Meanwhile, Jake Spicer is back with his second instalment on life drawing, this time with soft pastels, and Laura Smith signs off the final chapter of her drawing workshop.
Finally, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Laura Boswell, the Artists & Illustrators columnist of the past seven years, as her page in this issue is to be her last. She will, however, still be contributing to future issues of the magazine. What’s to follow will be revealed in the next issue, which promises to reveal lots more exciting and visually indulgent ideas. See you there.