The one-week experimental workshops at the St Ives School of Painting, developed by its principal Roy Ray during the mid-eighties, became so popular that local demand for similar one-day winter sessions prompted him to create what became known as the Friday Workshops. Under the direction of the artist John Clark, these sessions enabled many people from all parts of the community to develop a more personal direction in their work. Following Roy's retirement in 2000, the sessions continued to evolve when John was joined by Ges Wilson and Marion Taylor.
The work exhibited by recent members of the Friday Workshop, now known as the Porthmeor Group, demonstrates a diversity of subject matter, direction and technique by those who meet once a week in winter to share and enjoy their creativity and to take risks in the pursuit of their artistic goals.
porthmeor group exhibition 2010
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It is within the spirit of the St Ives community that the group meet up to work and exhibit together and have done so since 2004. Their work is highly individual and their process very personal, without hingeing on the commercial market. "It's good to see something different" is written frequently in the group's exhibition comment book. Such diversity works to create a show of rich visual interest. The exhibition will be open 10.30 to 5.00 pm daily.
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inaugural show
In 2002 the idea for an exhibition by the regular participants of the Friday workshops was developed.
This inaugural exhibition by the artists now known as the Porthmeor Group took place in June 2004.
The exhibition project proved to be stimulating and inspiring for everybody's own practise. Each of us has kept their own identity and developed confidence as artists, whilst cohesion and cooperation has grown in the group.
The consolidation of the group resulted in our decision to form the Porthmeor Group, and exhibit together in the future.
porthmeor group founded
Porthmeor, Cornish for big, sandy cove, is the name of the beach we overlook from the studio we work in in the St. Ives School of Painting. It is a fantastically beautiful beach at any time of day or year, and it is a miracle that we manage to drag ourselves away from the studio windows long enough to produce any work. It seemed an appropriate name for the group.