Visitors root for painting of a Princess Royal at annual Railart exhibition
THE easels have been taken down, the paint brushes stowed away, visitors have left, the artists are relaxing, and the Kidderminster Railway Museum doors have closed on another hugely successful Guild of Railway Artists’annual exhibition.
Railart 2022 followed the pattern of all its predecessors during its run from August 20 to October
2 – a steady flow of members of the public, deep admiration of the art on show, and memories of steam redolent in the museum air for enthusiasts of a certain age, and of heritage modern traction for the younger generation.
Behind the scenes, the votes cast by visitors for their favourite among the previously unseen 56 paintings on show were counted, and Anna Bastin, the guild’s exhibition manager, breathed a deserved sigh of relief that Covid-19 and the woes of the economy failed to dampen people’s ardour for nostalgia.
“Despite it all, we got another Railart exhibition off the ground, and I am delighted to say that it was a real success and was enjoyed by our visitors,” said Anna. “We had steady footfall throughout, and it was particularly popular during the Severn Valley Railway’s autumn steam gala in mid-September.
“The comments in the visitors’ book were so complimentary about the varied selection and styles on display and the high standard of artwork.”
Of the 56 paintings on display, 15 sold during the event.
Accolade
The competition for the public’s prestigious Picture of the Year accolade was close and widely spread, with the eventual winner being ‘Princess Elizabeth at 70’ by Malcolm Root, a fellow of the guild, who pipped ‘Duchess at Greenholme’ by guild president John Austin.
Malcolm’s painting depicted LMS Princess Royal No. 46201 Princess Elizabeth travelling at 70mph on the West Coast Main Line at Low Borrowbridge, south of Tebay, a part of the country beloved by the artist and his wife Meryl.
“I am delighted to have won the vote and am really pleased that the painting was so appreciated,” Malcolm told Heritage Railway. “I painted it earlier this year when The Queen was still with us and thought of it as a tribute to her 70 years on the throne, but with her death occurring during the exhibition itself, it had an added poignancy.
“Our annual Railart exhibition is something I always look forward to, as do so many members of the guild, and Kidderminster Railway Museum is the ideal setting for members of the public to dwell over paintings of both a bygone era in railway transport and the modern day.
“I never cease to be amazed at the artistic skills on show, and it is heartening that the works of art receive so many welldeserved compliments from visitors.”
It is the first time that Malcolm, who became a full member of the guild in 1983 and a fellow in 2010, has won the public’s Picture of the Year vote.
Dates for next year’s exhibition, subject to confirmation, have been provisionally set for August 19 to October 1.