Ursula Leach
Concepts I make prints and paintings responding to farmed landscapes. Living in a mostly arable landscape I necessarily engage with current farming techniques as well as the natural changes that occur. The work is intended to be a document as well as an expression. Colour has become increasingly important to me as an expression of mood and atmosphere. Pictorial structure and the edge of the image offer exciting scope to explore the space and scale in a landscape of huge fields. I have become interested in buildings on the land, structures whose uses are sometimes obscure. Recently the work has become radically simplified and more abstract although always retaining a vestige of figuration and therefore more reliant on the colour being exactly right to elicit the response I am looking for. Processes and techniques Oil paint on canvas. Layering the paint. A lot of editing. Carborundum prints for painterly marks. Etchings with carborundum. Influences environmental, agriculture, colour, semi-abstract
Career path: 2021 Solo show The Art Stable, 2020 Solo show at Oliver Contemporary, 2017 Solo show at The Art Stable (introduction by Annette Ratuszniak/curator the Frink Estate) 2016 Solo show at Oliver Contemporary reviewed in The Week, 2106 - represented by The Project Gallery, Arundel. 2014 - Work exhibited in three major Open Exhibitions - The Threadneedle Prizes, The RWA Open & The Millfield Open. 2011-2016 Works on consignment to Marlborough Graphics, London. Represented by The Art Stable, Blandford, Dorset and Oliver Contemporary, London 2002-2017. Catalogue introduction written by Andrew Lambirth for solo show at The Art Stable. 2013. Chosen by Fay Weldon as her favourite artist in The Mail on Sunday 2013. Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers 2002. Catalogue written by Lynne Green to accompany touring exhibition, Growing Concerns 2001 - financially assisted by Attendi Gallery, London; The Old Warehouse Gallery, Dorchester; Maltby Contemporary Art, Winchester. 1998 Commission for Diptych for Worthing Hospital, funded by Artplace, Arundel 1998. Elected Associate of Royal Society of Painter Printmakers 1996. Represented by Attendi Gallery, London 1995. R K Burt Etching Prize, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath 1993. Exhibition and Residency, The Chesil Gallery, Portland, Dorset, financially assisted by Southern Arts 1989. 1989/92 BA Hons, Fine Art, West Surrey College of Art & Design, Farnham 1967/69 Fine Art, Dip AD Course, Wimbledon School of Art 1965/66 Foundation Course, Winchester School of Art
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 From Where I Stand, The Art Stable, Dorset
2020 Here and There, Oliver Contemporary, London
2017 Within Bounds (introduction by Annette Ratuszniak) The Art Stable, Blandford
2016 The Colour of Things, Oliver Contemporary, London
2013 Landscape Plotted & Pieced (Introduction by Andrew Lambirth)The Art Stable
2010 Homeland, The Art Stable, Kelly Ross Fine Art, Blandford, Dorset
2010 Seeing Change, The John Creasey Museum, Salisbury
2008 On the Edge, Oliver Contemporary, London
2006 Colour Fields, Oliver Contemporary, London
2002 Growing Concerns, Attendi Gallery, London
2001 Growing Concerns, Dorset County Museum, Dorchester
1997 Scratching the Surface, Attendi, London
1996 Scratching the Surface, Stansell Gallery, Taunton
1994 Landmarks, Southampton City Art gallery
Selected Group Exhibition
2024 London Original Print Fair, Somerset House, London
2024 Regeneration, Hansard Studio, London
2023 Acearts Open Exhibition, Somerset
2023 International Original Print Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London
2022-23 The Black Swan, Frome with Group 7
2022 Millfield Open, Somerset
2022 Connections with Group 7, The North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford
2022 Trees and the Sacred, Norwich Cathedral with The Arborealists
2021-23 Greenstage Gallery, Herefordshire
2021 International Original Print Exhibition, London
2021 Off The Wall, Buckinghamshire County Museum
2021 Twenty Years, Oliver Contemporary, London
2020/21 Field and Feather, The Slade Centre, Gillinham, Dorset. Two Person Exhibition
2020/21 Being with Trees, Bermondsey Project Space, London
2020-23 Nadia Waterfield Fine Art, Hampshire
2020 The London Art Fair, Islington
2019/20 The Arborealists, The Young Gallery, Salisbury and tour
2019 Summer Exhibition, Campden Gallery, Gloucestershire
2019 Made in Britain, Oliver Contemporary, London
2018 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London
2018 Sense of Place, the Project Gallery, Arundel
2017 Marshwood Arts Awards, Bridport
2017 The Masters, Open exhibition, London
2017 Seven Printmakers, Oliver Contemporary, London
2016/17 Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Bournemouth with Group 7
2016 The Gallery at Dukes, Dorchester with The Art Stable
2016 The Project Gallery, Arundel, Three person show
2016 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London
2016 For Art's Sake, London
2016 The Burton Art Gallery & Museum, Bideford with Group 7
2015-18 National Original Print Exhibition, London
2015 The Burton Art Gallery & Museum, Bideford
2015 A Promised Land, St Anne's Gallery, Lewes
2014 The Threadneedle Prize Exhibition, London
2014 RWA Open, Bristol
2014 Open Print Exhibition, Salisbury Art Centre
2014 National Open Print Exhibition, London
2014 Millfield Open, Atkinson Gallery, Somerset
2014 Belgrave St Ives, Cornwall
2013 Highgate Contemporary London.Three person show with Brian Rice, Tony Martin
2013 Hilton Fine Art, Bath
2012 Evolution: Frink and the Next Generation, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth
2012 RE OPEN International Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London
2011 In The Shadow of the Chase, Dorset County Museum, Dorchester & Salisbury Museum
2011 London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy, with Marlborough Graphics
2011 Print & Design Now, SW1 Gallery and Bearspace, London
2008-12 London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy Of Arts, London
2009-23 The Art Stable, Blandford, Dorset
2009 Open 09 Drawing, Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury, Wiltshire
2006-15 Arflex, Osaka & Tokyo, Japan
2008 The Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London. Invited artist
2007 The Study Gallery, Poole, Dorset. Two person show
2006/09 &13 New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey
2002-23 Oliver Contemporary, London
2005/02 &1995 Hunting Art Prize, Royal College of Art, London
2004-06 Elemental Insight, Met Office, Exeter; BBC, London, Museums Derby,Canterbury etc
2003-07 Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden
2003 In Praise of Trees, Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury
2002 The Discerning Eye, Mall Gallery, London
1994-2003 National Print Exhibition, Mall Gallery, London
1998 A Flight over Cranborne Chase, Salisbury Playhouse
1996 Summer Exhibition, Redfern Gallery, London
Competitions, Prizes and Awards
2016 The Badger Press Award. National Open Print Exhibition, London. 2016 Cover prize for Dorset Art Weeks brochure. 2009 - Intaglio Printmaking Prize, Bankside Gallery, London. 2006 Dorchester Open - Prizewinner. 2005 - The Curwen Print Studio Prize, Bankside Gallery, London. 1996 South West Arts Award. 1993 The RK Burt Etching Prize, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath. 1989 Southern Arts Award
Publications:
2016 - The Week - review. 2013 -The Wall Street Journal. 2013 - Open Frequency (www.axisweb.org). 2012 -The Spectator (Andrew Lambirth) 2012 - The Public Catalogue Foundation. 2011 - Art in The Shadow of the Chase. 2009 - Printmakers Secrets. 2008 -The Week. 2006 - Galleries Magazine. 2006 - The Week. 2006 - 50 Wessex Artists (Evolver Books). 2005 - Collagraphs and Mixed Media Printmaking. 2004 - Elemental Insight Catalogue. 1994 - Landmarks Catalogue (Lynne Green). 1994 - Contemporary Art Magazine
Collectiions
Durham University, Ashmolean Museum, Worthing Hospital, St Marks Hospital, London, The Royal Hospitals NHS Trust, Dorset County Hospital, Kirklees Museums, The Curwen Archive, The House of Lords, The Creasey Collection & The Victoria & Albert Museum
