SSA Annual 2010 | Society of Scottish Artists

THE 113th ANNUAL OPEN EXHIBITION OF THE SOCIETY OF SCOTTISH ARTISTS

The Royal Scottish Academy Building
The Mound, Edinburgh
Saturday 20 February – Thursday 18 March

Edinburgh has the largest gallery community outside London, but finding exposure to the market is still a real problem for a great many artists. That is where the exhibiting societies come in. They are co-operatives where producer meets consumer and, although they take a commission, there is no middleman. That’s better for both parties, but it also fosters diversity and gives independence a chance.
From Duncan Macmillan’s **** review of the exhibition and robust defence of the importance of the three Societies’ place in Scottish Culture. The Scotsman newspaper, 03 March 2010. Click here to read the full review.

‘…the judicious selection has produced a slimmed down, highly professional hang of variety, depth and experience.’
From Giles Sutherland’s **** review of the exhibition. The Times 15th March 2010. Click here to read the full review.

President: Christopher Wood RSW
Vice-President: Louise Ritchie

2010 Hanging and Arranging Committee
Philip Duffy, Chrissie Heughan, Tiina Leppänen, Sharon Quigley, Louise Ritchie, Vasile Toch, Christopher Wood

Secretary and Exhibition Organiser
Noreen Sharkey Paisley

Introduction From The President

Welcome to SSA 2010, the 113th Annual Open Exhibition of the Society of Scottish Artists which sees a welcome return to Edinburgh and the Royal Scottish Academy Building, the traditional home of the SSA.

The Society’s Annual Open Exhibition continues to draw entries from across the length and breadth of the UK and beyond and this year we have seen another huge number of submissions – a clear testimony to the high regard in which the Society is held. An unusually large number of works on a small scale has put the Hanging and Arranging team on their mettle in order to create a coherent exhibition, and I would like to thank them, the Selection Committee, the Council, our tireless Administrator and all the helpers who gave so generously of their time to make the exhibition a reality.

We have, as usual, invited work from recent Graduates of each of the five Scottish Art Colleges. Each year SSA Council Members are sent off to the degree shows charged with the unenviable task of choosing just two graduates from each to invite to show with us in our annual exhibition. This year, as every year, the imagination, creativity, intelligence and ambition of these artists brings a freshness and vision which ensures there is no room for complacency within the Society.

The International element of this year’s exhibition comes to us courtesy of my predecessor, Professor Elaine Shemilt’s peripatetic tendencies and curatorial abilities and we are all grateful to her for introducing us to the wealth of Printmaking skills shown by the members of staff of The Department of Printmaking at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, Poland. Furthermore, I am pleased that these works intrigued the artist and SSA Council Member Nan Mulder so much that, together with the Head of Wroclaw Academy, she has already put in motion plans for an exchange which will see SSA artists exhibiting in Wroclaw in 2011.
With times as they are, artist-run organisations like ours are precariously balanced and we are ever-grateful for the loyalty of all our members on whom we rely, not only artistically but financially. We are also fortunate enough to have the support of a number of institutions, businesses and individuals both in the form of advertising and of prize-sponsorship, and to them I extend a particular thanks.

We are fortunate this year to have attracted a number of new prizes sponsored by individuals, galleries and businesses. In particular, Maureen and Tony Toft, who are patrons and collectors, and who have guaranteed an extraordinarily generous prize for the next five years; also The Kilmorack Gallery prize which has been donated by Tony Davidson of the gallery; and the Connell and Connell prize, given by the well-known firm of Edinburgh Solicitors. These join our long-standing awards from Deloitte LLP, Grampian Hospitals Art Trust and Edinburgh Printmakers, and on behalf of the membership and the eventual winners, I thank them all for their support.

I hope you enjoy your visit to the Galleries.
Christopher Wood, President

The Open Exhibition

Click on an image below to scroll through slides of the exhibition.

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Photographs courtesy ©Norman McBeath

The Private View

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Photographs courtesy
©Kirsten Scheuerl

Invited Graduate Artists

As part of its commitment to contemporary art, the SSA has traditionally showcased the work of recent graduates from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and Moray, and this year is no exception. At each degree show members of The SSA Council select and formally invite two graduating students to exhibit at the following years Annual Show. This is an opportunity to show work alongside newly emerging and established artists in a prominent public venue. The students are supported by a council member to enable them with their arrangements and their work is featured in the exhibition catalogue and on the website.

We welcome them and look forward to exhibiting with them in the future.
Click here to find out about our invited graduates for 2010.

Grafika Polska

The SSA is pleased to be exhibiting a selection of works by staff from the Printmaking Department of the Wroclaw Academy of Fine Arts. This display, curated by Elaine Shemilt PPSSA, is a welcome introduction to a department which has grown into a major centre of printmaking in Poland. Click here for more information.

Juteopolis – Education and Outreach

Juteopolis at Verdant Works, Dundee Heritage and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee. Click here for more information.

2010 Exhibition Catalogue

To download the 2010 catalogue please click here (Please note this is a large file: 5.7MB)

44 full colour pages; 37 colour illustrations; full list of exhibitors and prize-winners; invited graduates; invited polish artists (grafika Polska); price list.

2010 Exhibition full exhibitor list

For a full list of artists exhibiting in the 2010 exhibition click here

Congratulations to All Prize-Winners

The Tony and Maureen Toft Prize – £1000
Justin Butcher, The Keys of Life series: Spiritual Flight
The Kilmorack Gallery Prize – £500
Camilla Watson, High Sky
The Deloitte Prize – £500
Ben Fielding, Pump Action Table
Grampian Hospitals Art Trust Purchase Prize
Janet Melrose, Thought of a Fox
SSA Prize – £400
Kevin Dagg, Stress Position
Connell & Connel Prize – £300
Matthew Draper, Atlantic
*The Edinburgh Printmakers Award (see below)
Joseph Calleja, Synderesis
**SSA Website Awards (see below)
Molly Bullick – Pojagi and Beyond
Patrizio Belcampo – Victoria

*The Edinburgh Printmakers Award
This prize offers the opportunity for an artist to attend a printmaking course at Edinburgh Printmakers plus three months free session fees enabling them to work in the studio to create a body of work.
**SSA Website Awards
The SSA will award two artists the opportunity of having their work featured on this site for a year. The winners will be prominently featured on the website homepage.

All exhibiting artists were eligible for these prizes, both Members and Non-members alike.