Sarah Gillespie
‘The copper-plate the mezzotint is done upon, when the artist first takes it into hand, is wrought all over with an edg’d tool, so as to make the print one even black, like night: and his whole work after this, is merely introducing the lights into it; which he does by scraping off the rough grain according to his design, artfully smoothing it most where light is most required …(from ”The Analysis of Beauty”, 1753).
Sarah Gillespie has specialised in recent years in the form of print-making known as ‘Mezzotint’ (literally ‘half-tint’), which achieves tonality by roughening a metal plate with thousands of little dots made by a serrated metal tool called a “rocker”. Invented in 17th century Amsterdam, the technique quickly found favour among collectors in England and was popularised by William Hogarth in the eighteenth century,
Thus mezzotints are said to emerge from darkness into light, and it is a medium which particularly fits her subject, the unseen, quiet and obscure wonders of the night.
In 2019 Sarah’s work was recognised at the International Mezzotint Festival in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where she was awarded the prize for ‘Adhering to the Traditions and Skills of Graphical Work’.
EDUCATION
1981-82 Paris – 16th & 17th Century methods and materials, Atelier Neo-Medici
1982-85 Oxford University (Pembroke College) Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art BFA
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2021
‘North. South. East. West’ mixed show, Beaux Arts Bath
2020
‘New Works for Winter’ mixed show, Beaux Arts Bath
2019
‘New Mezzotints’, Beaux Arts Bath
Solo show, Beaux Arts London
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London
Prizewinner at the International Mezzotint Festival, Yekaterinburg, Russia
Invited member of the Arborealist group
2018
London Art Fair – Beaux Arts
Invited artist in residence, Dartington Arts, Dartington Hall Estate, Devon
2017
Solo Show at Beaux Arts London
2016
Beaux Arts Bath
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London
London Art Fair, Islington
2015
Beaux Arts Bath
Beaux Arts London
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London
London Art Fair, Islington
2014
Beaux Arts Bath
2013
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London
Beaux Arts Summer Show, London
Beaux Arts Summer Show, Bath
2012
Solo show, Beaux Arts Bath
London Art Fair, Islington
Invited artist, Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London
Threadneedle Prize Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2011
2 person show, Portland Gallery, London
Invited artist, Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
Artists of Fame and Promise, Beaux Arts Bath
Printmaking at Dartington printmakers and John Howard Studios, Penryn
2010
The London Art Fair, Islington
Raw Materials, Coombe Gallery, Devon
2009
Native Place, with Peter Randall Page & Anna Gillespie, Waterhouse & Dodd, London
The London Art Fair, Islington
2008
Crossing Over, Beaux Arts Bath
Artspaces @ Roland Lewinsky Building, Plymouth
2007
Solo show, Waterhouse & Dodd, London
The London Art fair, Islington
2006
The London Art Fair, Islington
Gallery Arttists, Coombe Gallery, Dartmouth
The Last Picture Show, New Street Gallery, Plymouth
Concepts in Realism, Las Manos Gallery, Chicago
2005
Solo show, Waterhouse & Dodd., London
Art London
2004
Group show, Waterhouse & Dodd, Cork Street, London
2003
Solo show, New Street Gallery, Plymouth
2002
The Sea Show, Thompsons Gallery, London
2000-01
Elemental group show, Coombe Farm Gallery, Devon
Solo show, Ariel Centre Gallery, Devon
2000
Solo show, Ariel Centre Gallery, Devon
1999
Contemporary Realists show, Gallery North, Topledo, USA
1993-99
R.W.A. Open, Bristol
1998
Solo show, Ombersley Gallery, Worcestershire
1997
Cheltenham Open Drawing Competition
1993-97
Birth of daughter Amy-Grace, and son Louis.
Did not exhibit but continued to paint and showed each year at R.W.A.
1991
Re-design and gilding of the Giant Door Gods at the Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong
1990
Atelier Neo-Medici retrospective, Gallery Revel, New York
Restored Sir Gerald Moira’s Arthurian Cycle frieze at the Trocadero, London
1989
Solo show, Thursday Gallery, Bath
1985-87
Invited member of Bath Society of Artists
Restored the John Piper stained glass windows at All Saints Church, Bristol
1984
Elizabeth Greenshield International Award for Figurative Painting
1983
Egerton Coghill Award for Landscape Painting
COLLECTIONS
Chatsworth House
Merryl Lynch Bank
Rolls Royce
Victoria Gallery, Bath
Government Offices for the South West
Rowcroft Hospice