Staffordshire Open Art

The Staffordshire Open Art exhibition is a unique show because any artist, who lives, works, studies or who was born in Staffordshire is invited to submit their latest work for inclusion in the show.

The exhibition features paintings, drawings, prints, photography, film & animation and sculpture.  Most of the work is for sale and there is always something to suit all tastes and pockets. 

The show is an extremely important event in the gallery’s calendar as it promotes new talent and provides an opportunity for newly emerging artists in the region to show their work, often for the first time. The exhibition is very popular with local artists and some artists succeed in having work accepted year after year.

The exhibition also enables the Gallery to forge long lasting relationships with local businesses. Therefore our thanks go to Stafford Railway Building Society, Barnett Ratcliffe Partnership, Hand Morgan & Owen, SCHOTT UK Ltd, The Paper House, Stafford, and Stafford Tourism Bureau.

Open Art 2012

The Open Art Exhibition runs from 19th May – 8th July 2012.

Bringing in dates at the Shire Hall Gallery are 27th and 28th April during normal opening hours.

Entry Forms

PDF DocumentOpen Art Entry Form 2012| (2.12mb)

PDF DocumentOpen Art Entry Form Under 16's| (1.16mb)

Open Art 2011

Last year we received 461 entries from 222 artists from all over the County.

Exhibition selector Rob Ryan achieved the very difficult task of selecting the 108 pieces of work on display. "It was a real honour selecting, what I considered, to be the best of the submitted pieces of art. These paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures were not made for profit and as such the love put into their creation shone through all the more brightly. There were some real gems in there and though not all of them were diamonds they were all definitely 'A' for effort and I saw very few that were lazily made. Well done artists of Stafford." - Rob Ryan

We would like to thank Rob Ryan, our sponsors and finally our thanks go to all the artists who entered work for the show. Their interest and enthusiasm ensures the well deserved success of the exhibition.

The Winners 2011

Stafford Railway Building Society Prize Winner:  Hoping (Oil), Geraldine Taylor

Schott UK Ltd Prize Winner: Defibrillation (Pencil drawing), Ian Naylor 

Hand Morgan & Owen Prize Winner: Stornaway Road (Acrylic), Graham Stokes 

Barnett Ratcliffe Partnership Ltd Prize Winner: Cannizaro 2 (Screen print), Sandra Casey £255

The Paper House, Stafford, Prize Winner: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl (Oil), Gill Stokes

Last year's sponsors:

Click each logo to be taken to our sponsor's websites.

 

Stafford Railway Building Society|   

 

Hand Morgan and Owen|

 

Schott UK|  

 

Barnett Ratcliffe| 

 

Stafford Tourism Bureau|   The Paper House|

NADFAS|

 

 

  

Staffordshire Open Art 2010

Saturday 15 May - Sunday 11 July

See a video about Open Art 2010 on our Facebook page|.

 

 Ian Henderson Stafford Railway Building Society and Open Art Winner 2010 Ian Naylor

Sarah Lockitt and John Meadows, SCHOTT UK Ltd

Karen Sayle, Ray Barnett, Barnett Ratcliffe Partnership and Rob Pointon

Edward Smallman and Judith Delgarno, The Paperhouse

Katie Kesterton

In 2010, Ian Naylor from Cheadle scooped the top prize for his charcoal and acrylic work entitled 'Community Flo'.  He received a cheque for £1250 and a stunning piece of contemporary glass by artist Stuart Akroyd, sponsored by Stafford Railway Building Society. 

Runners up prizes were awarded to:

Sarah Lockitt from Weston under Lizard for her oil on canvas entitled `Self Portrait' - £250 prize sponsored by SCHOTT UK Ltd

Karen Sayle from Burslem for her animation 'Kendo Nagasaki - Genesis in Portrait'  - £150 prize sponsored by Barnett Ratcliffe Partnership

Edward Sellman from Stafford for his oil painting `Waiting Room' - £100 of Artist materials sponsored by The Paper House, Stafford

£50 Prizes sponsored by The National Association for Decorative and Fine Art Societies (NADFAS) were awarded to:

  • Dulcie Brewer aged 8 from Penkridge (8 and under winner)
  • Elliot Jones aged 12 from Cannock (9 -12 winner)
  • Ruby Coates aged 15 from Stafford (13-16 winner)

The Gallery received over 400 entries from 184 artists from all over the County.   Exhibition selectors Elizabeth Hawley, Visual Arts Officer, Arts Council England, West Midlands and Lisa Henderson, Artist and Art Historian had the difficult task of selecting the 111 pieces of work for display.

Lisa Henderson said: "We are particularly pleased that the first prize goes to an outstanding drawing as this is an art form so immediate and readily accessible but so often overlooked by artists".

Elizabeth Hawley added: "This year's submission did much to prove that creativity is alive and well in Staffordshire, and was almost enough in itself to affirm the county's title of 'Creative County' garnering as it did over 400 entries". 

During the eight week show visitors voted for their favourite piece.  The  Visitors Choice Prize winner was Katie Kesterton for her drawing entitled `Tripudio'. 

 

 

Sponsors

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Download a pack here:

PDF icon Open Art 2011 Sponsorship pack| (PDF, 688KB) 

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