Iain Gardiner Artist: The 125th Royal Miniature Societies Annual International Exhibition

I exhibited five miniatures in this years Royal Miniature Society 125th Anniversary Exhibition or if you prefer it in more highfalutin terms - The RMS Quasquicentennial Anniversary.

Iain Gardiner standing next to his work

Iain's 2019 award winning miniature is featured
in this years RMS Catalogue

The RMS has a long history of being the main bastion of Miniature Art - helping to provide a platform to promote these wonderful miniature works and keep the genre alive in a modern digital world. The Society encourages painters, sculptors and gravers to explore and create contemporary work that pushes the boundaries in the world of miniature art.

The Gold Memorial Bowl and a selection

of sculptors and Gravers work

As a result in recent years miniatures have found a new renaissance and popularity not just amongst seasoned artists but also younger aspiring artists and obviously the more discerning collector.

The exhibition shows works of over four hundred miniatures, by some the best exponents in miniature art today.

Ray Winder and Geoffrey Munn

This year saw Ray Winder take up the mantle as the new President, which certainly bodes well for the future of the RMS.

The exhibition was opened by Geoffrey Munn OBE MVO FSA FLS - jewellery specialist on the BBC Antiques Roadshow.

Here is a short edited video of the opening speeches

(sorry I had to edit - unfortunately the video was to big for my blog page)

I was pleasantly surprised to see the 125th exhibition this year was particularly strong in the variety of subject matter and innovative ideas executed. This is partly due to a new innovation award sponsored by the UK Gas Technologies Group and also the Elizabeth Meek Young Artist Award.

The selection committee chose a wonderful array of work that ultimately created an excellent all round exhibition. This years Gold Memorial Bowl Award - for the best in show was won by Luann Houser for her lovely painting 'Parasol and Lace.'

Innovation Award 1st, Anne Marie Walters, Kyoto Breeze

Innovation Award Runner up,

Elizabeth Meek Young Artist Award,

Claire Anscomb - #filterlife

Gold Memorial Bowl winner

Luann Houser for 'Parasol and Lace'

The North Gallery

I found the new arrangement in the North Gallery has refreshingly revitalised the exhibition - by giving it a new and exciting modern space that exquisitely showcases the work.

The North Gallery

The North Gallery is now a far more comfortable and pleasant space compared to its past - when it would often get unbearably hot and sweaty.

The North Gallery

Ray and his wonderful team at the front desk

The North Gallery

With regards to my own work I showed a variety of different subjects in the exhibition - from my Dad working on his allotment to my latest oil painting 'ANOTHER DAY' which interestingly shows a view of New York taken from Manhattan Bridge.

I will write a blog all about it next time...