Society News

Thank you to our Officers, Council and member volunteers.

With this years change of venue, came an enormous amount of extra work and organisation for our Officers, Council and Executive Secretary. The exhibition simply wouldn't happen without them!

There was much less time in which to unload all the cases and miniatures from the van, set up the cases, and arrange/hang and number over 400 paintings and sculptures. It was an intensive, hot and tiring six hours, but we did it!

There has been lots of very positive feedback about the exhibition, and we feel very at home in the Bankside Gallery. 

Thank you to everyone who has helped put on this amazing exhibition, you always go the extra mile and it is very much appreciated!

Philip Mould OBE

Many thanks to Philip Mould OBE who officially opened the exhibition and presented the awards at 28th June 2023.
 

Thank you to our wonderful judges, 
Dr Victoria Button and Alan Derbyshire.

Victoria Button is the Head of Paper Conservation for Royal Collection Trust. Prior to starting in this post, from 1999 until November 2022, Victoria had been a Senior Paper Conservator and Lead Project Conservator at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  Her doctorate was awarded in 2013 and explored the function and use of Hans Holbein the Younger’s portrait drawings through his choice of materials and techniques. The Clothworkers’ Foundation funded Victoria’s training in the conservation of portrait miniatures from 2013-2016.  Victoria is an ICON accredited conservator.

Alan Derbyshire B.SC., Dip. Con.
Currently: Director of Alan Derbyshire Art Conservation Ltd., - specialising in the Conservation of Portrait Miniatures and Works of Art on Paper. I work for various dealers, private collectors as well as many institutions around the world.
Previously: joined the V&A Museum as a Paper Conservator in 1983 and became Head of Paper, Books and Paintings conservation until leaving in 2020. 2017 - 2019 External Examiner for the MA in Conservation of Fine Art, University of Northumbria, Newcastle. In 2018 awarded the Plowden Medal for significant contribution to the advancement of the conservation profession and in particular, to the field of Paper Conservation and the Conservation of Portrait Miniatures.

Enquirer article 
by Anthony J. Lester FRSA

For those who admire high detail, the annual exhibition of the Royal Miniature 
Society (RMS), is always an endearing occasion. Taking place from 28th June to 
8th July at the Bankside Gallery (next to Tate Modern), Thames Riverside, 48 Hopton Street, SE1 9JH, it is the world’s foremost showcase for contemporary miniature art. 

With a maximum size of 6 x 4 inches (15.24 x 10.16 cm), the painting of miniatures demands self-discipline, for where large pictures give some latitude in composition, miniatures are unforgiving of the least mistake; a tolerance of even a millimetre is hardly permitted. Apart from their quality and beauty, they have much appeal because of their size and, with stunning works available from a few hundred pounds, affordability is an enticement too.

Anthony J. Lester, FRSA

Call for archive material

Like many venerable art societies, the RMS was proud of its historical archives; however, during World War II their London headquarters were bombed resulting in the loss of these records.

For some years the organisation has been trying to gather together a complete run of the Society's annual exhibition catalogues but we still need the following years: 1914-1920, 1922-1924, 1927, 1940-1943, 1945, 1948 and 1950.

The Society would be delighted to hear from anybody who has copies of these missing catalogues - even photocopies would be adequate for archive purposes.

If anybody can help please contact the RMS Archivist, Anthony Lester - lesterartcritic@gmail.com

Your news, exhibitions and events...

If you are a member please let us know about your shows, events & exhibitions, we would love to hear from you!

Please include a few pictures and a short written piece about your event.



Email: publicity@royal-miniature-society.org.uk

Thank you!

Woodcarving magazine

Discusses his miniature carvings and the 
Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers.

In Augusts issue of Woodcarving Magazine...

Dominic Fonde ARMS

Nature: Flowers, Mountains, Woodland.

Back in 2021 I participated in an exhibition in the UK that encouraged artists working with glass to collaborate with an artist working in another medium. Tominaga San was an obvious person for me to collaborate with. We had similar interests in nature and wildlife and I had been impressed by her collages of leaves and grasses pasted onto wooden boards. Our work, mixing wood and engraved glass were well received. This exhibition is our chance to fully explore our ideas and take our collaboration to its natural conclusion.

Gallery Arai: 14-20 Koshien 6bancho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8176 Japan  
Phone: 0798-42-2263
www.gallery-arai.com

Lennox Cato DL
Congratulations to one of our special guests, Lennox Cato DL who has had the recent honor of becoming Deputy Lieutenant of Kent.

Pictured: Lennox Cato DL enjoying a miniature portrait of himself painted by Bill Mundy RMS