A serious learning experience for all, from complete beginners to professional artists

THE PAINTING SCHOOL OF MONTMIRAL

The Painting School of Montmiral has had much media mention - The Artist, The Artist's and Illustrator's Magazine, The Independent, The Sunday Times, Mensa Magazine, BDSA Magazine - and has been featured on television. In addition, Francis Pratt's writings have been widely published - The Artist, The Artist's and Illustrator's Magazine, Modern Painters, New Scientist and various academic publications. Below is a miscellany of items, starting with an explanation of our logo, followed by a slot for students to post information about CURRENT STUDENT EXHIBITIONS, two GALLERIES OF STUDENT WORK, in which works of particular students are accompanied by a photo of them and a letter written by them, ARTICLES about the Painting School of Montmiral and links to STUDENT WEBSITES.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

The rather strange looking bird pictured above and below is a Caladrius bird, a creation of the imagination, found in medieval bestiaries. It was said to have very special powers, including the ability to help people with eye-sight problems through the mediation of its droppings. More generally, it could restore people's sense of well-being by ingesting their troubles through its eye beams, flying up to the sun and regurgitating them into the all-consuming solar fire.

The picture below is the emblem of the Painting School of Montmiral and symbolises both seeing in new ways and the light and warmth of the South of France. The sunflower both symbolises the sun, which the Caladrius bird used to such good effect, and suggests the iris and pupil of the eye.

 

Caladrius

EXHIBITIONS OF INTEREST

Mary Yorke

Currently has an exhibition touring China - Shanghai, Bejing and Hong Kong.

 

Sarah Elliott

One person show : "La Façade de la Boulangerie"

Bistrot de Pays du Verdier

Friday 9th May - Wednesday 9th July

81140 Le Verdier

 

June Emerson

Solo exhibition at the Helmsley Arts Centre as part of the Ryedale Festival.

It will run from July 11th - August 1st.

Helmsley Arts Centre, Bridge Street, Helmsley, North Yorkshire  YO62 5DW

 

Belnda Gilbert-Scott

Group show at C.C.A Gallery  (formely 3rd eye centre)

November 2008

Glasgow

 

 

Any student wishing to announce their exhibition please contact the Painting School.

 

2004 was the last full season of the Painting School of Montmiral. However many students reacted strongly, asking me to keep it open. In response I decided to offer two sessions a year for previous students and their friends. These have been running successfully ever since. During this time we have seen a few new faces and anyone else who stumbles upon this web site is also welcome to apply to attend the school.

Below, we include various features which go back to earlier days. These will bring back happy memories to the many students who have come to the Painting School of Montmiral during its twenty years of existence.

 

FOR OLD TIMES SAKE

In the year 2000, I started a feature showing work and extracts from letters of students who came during the season. Here are two examples:

STUDENT GALLERY 2000

The oldest ever, the youngest ever and a beginner's progress

 

STUDENT GALLERY 2001

The most faithful student and 6 younger visitors

 


INVITED ARTISTS WHO HAVE ATTENDED THE PAINTING SCHOOL

One of the features of the sessions up to 2004 was the “Invited Artists” scheme by which distinguished contemporary artists, many of them personal friends, came, usually for a month, to do their own work in the Painting School studio.

 

Click here to see a page of references to the invited artists:

ARTICLES ABOUT THE PAINTING SCHOOL

Here are links to two articles about The Painting School of Montmiral:

Report from BDSA magazine

Report from Mensa magazine

 

STUDENT WEB SITES

PAINTERS

Louise Balaam   Ruth Geldard   Mark Gibbs   Peter Hopker

Belinda Gilbert-Scott   Heather Hourigan   Mary MacCarthy

Alison Brett-Hopper   June Emerson   Cathy Layzell   Mary Yorke

Godon Frickers   Nimmi Naidoo   Rosemary Thomas   Kathy Hirsh

 

DESIGNERS

Sara Simões   Virginie Roufignac   Edward Gooding

A serious learning experience for all, from complete beginners to professional artists