Guest post by Jeremy Simmonds
An exhibition of the year’s work at the RDS (December 2024)
The Royal Drawing School is – or certainly should be – considered a treasure among London’s educational establishments: this non-profit organisation, established at the beginning of the millennium, offers a range of free courses for artists of any age showing talent and enthusiasm for drawing. In these times of crippling student debt, the RDS – part of The Prince’s Charities – offers a necessary beacon of hope to those wishing to pursue a career in visual art.
2024’s show demonstrates fully the school’s continuing power to attract a variety of unique talents to its courses, the work exhibited this December a breathtaking display of line, colour and inexhaustible imagination. It would be hard to pick a standout from the exhibition, however 2024 prize-winner Zoe Andrews appears a well-worthy recipient of the honour for her array of ceramics and paintings inspired by ancient Greek art. The £15,000 Award supports a year of creative development and production, culminating in a solo exhibition at the Royal Drawing School.
Others who stood out for me, include Arthur Boothby, who explores the inner and outer self in his striking drawings, and Myrtle Glanville, whose powerful work depicts the grotesque and surreal with humour and panache.
There is much here to appeal to a broad range of aesthetic tastes however, and the exhibition will inevitably draw the captivation of many. Visitors seeking a unique Christmas gift should also note that all works on display are available for purchase in person and online with prices ranging from £70 - £4,000.
The Drawing Year 2024 can be viewed between 4-19 December 2024 at The Royal Drawing School, 19-22 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3SG
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