In mid-September, a small group of Studio Members at Artspace Brighton (Emily, Jane, Jude and Laura) visited the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester to see the exhibition of work by artist Glyn Philpot R.A. (1884-1937).

Glyn Philpot was mostly known as a portraitist, painting and drawing key society figures in Britain and America in both the Classical (informed by the Old Masters) and more Modernist style. He was also (in our opinion) ahead of his time in his sensitive depiction of people of colour.

On entering the space, we were immediately struck by the artist’s great skill and craftsmanship. A lot of his earlier charcoal portrait studies beautifully portrayed Chiaroscuro (the deep contrast between light and dark), Emily felt that this very much fed into aspects of her own creative practise, she also enjoyed the composition of some of the full-length oil painted portraits of society ladies. Meantime Jude appeared mesmerised by his later work. She was moved by the intense sadness in the eyes of one of the black sitters, depicted in the lighter palette of the more Modernist style.

We heartily recommend this exhibition, it is thought-provoking and there is something for everyone.