Jean Rees
Encyclopedia
Jean Rees was a British
artist
.
She dedicated the later part of her life to promoting the visual arts in the West of England
. A highly accomplished landscape artist in her own right, exhibited at the Royal West of England Academy
(RWA), the Royal Academy of Arts, The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
, the Medici Gallery, Penwith Gallery, Newlyn Gallery and many others, she is noted for her distinctive, abstractive approach to colour, light and form inspired by the landscapes of the Mediterranean and the western counties of Cornwall
, Devon
and Somerset
.
Jean Rees (née Jean Lamb) commenced her career by obtaining a National Diploma in Textile Design from the Hastings School of Art
, Hastings
, East Sussex. Upon completion of this course she embarked on a four-year Open Scholarship with the Royal College of Art but, in 1935, married Glyndwr Rees, moved with him to Somerset and spent the next few years in freelance textile design
while raising three children.
In 1946 she co-founded the Bridgwater Arts Centre and later became its Chairman. This was an important post-war mile-stone for it was Britain's first art centre, funded by the Arts Council
for many years. She was a founder member of the Chandos Society of Artists, later becoming Chairman, and also chaired Artists 303.
In 1988 she was elected to the committee of the Royal West of England Academy
, Bristol
and in 1989 was voted Artist's Chairman, holding this position for 3 years. During her tenure she curated two important exhibitions: the acclaimed "Scottish Art in the 20th Century" and "Painters from Cornwall", which marked a time of significant change for RWA. Shortly before her death she was made an Honorary Academician for her services to the RWA.
Her paintings are in the permanent collections of the RWA, University of Bath
, Somerset County Council
and in private collections in Europe, USA and Canada. A retrospective exhibition entitled "A Vision of Landscape and Light: Jean Rees Hon RWA 1914 - 2004" was staged at Bridgwater Arts Centre and Royal West of England Academy
during 2006, receiving enthusiastic praise from several hundred visitors. The exhibition was accompanied by an illustrated biography which is available on request.
Her son Jeremy Rees
, founded the Arnolfini
in Bristol in 1961.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
.
She dedicated the later part of her life to promoting the visual arts in the West of England
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
. A highly accomplished landscape artist in her own right, exhibited at the Royal West of England Academy
Royal West of England Academy
The Royal West of England Academy is an art gallery where Queens Road meets Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, England.- History :The Academy was the first art gallery in Bristol. Its foundation was financed by a bequest of £2000 in the will of Ellen Sharples in 1849, and a group of artists in...
(RWA), the Royal Academy of Arts, The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours , initially called the New Society of Painters in Water Colours, , is one of the societies in the Federation of British Artists, based in the Mall Galleries in London.-History:In 1831 the society was founded as the New Society of Painters in Water...
, the Medici Gallery, Penwith Gallery, Newlyn Gallery and many others, she is noted for her distinctive, abstractive approach to colour, light and form inspired by the landscapes of the Mediterranean and the western counties of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
.
Jean Rees (née Jean Lamb) commenced her career by obtaining a National Diploma in Textile Design from the Hastings School of Art
Hastings School of Art
The Hastings School of Art is an art school in Hastings, England, located at the Brassey Institute on the top two floors of the Library building at Claremont...
, Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, East Sussex. Upon completion of this course she embarked on a four-year Open Scholarship with the Royal College of Art but, in 1935, married Glyndwr Rees, moved with him to Somerset and spent the next few years in freelance textile design
Textile design
Textile design is the process of creating designs and structures for knitted, woven, non-woven or embellishments of fabrics.Textile designing involves producing patterns for cloth used in clothing, household textiles and decorative textiles such as carpets. The field encompasses the actual pattern...
while raising three children.
In 1946 she co-founded the Bridgwater Arts Centre and later became its Chairman. This was an important post-war mile-stone for it was Britain's first art centre, funded by the Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
for many years. She was a founder member of the Chandos Society of Artists, later becoming Chairman, and also chaired Artists 303.
In 1988 she was elected to the committee of the Royal West of England Academy
Royal West of England Academy
The Royal West of England Academy is an art gallery where Queens Road meets Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, England.- History :The Academy was the first art gallery in Bristol. Its foundation was financed by a bequest of £2000 in the will of Ellen Sharples in 1849, and a group of artists in...
, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and in 1989 was voted Artist's Chairman, holding this position for 3 years. During her tenure she curated two important exhibitions: the acclaimed "Scottish Art in the 20th Century" and "Painters from Cornwall", which marked a time of significant change for RWA. Shortly before her death she was made an Honorary Academician for her services to the RWA.
Her paintings are in the permanent collections of the RWA, University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
, Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council is the county council of Somerset in the South West of England, an elected local government authority responsible for the most significant local government services in most of the county.-Area covered:...
and in private collections in Europe, USA and Canada. A retrospective exhibition entitled "A Vision of Landscape and Light: Jean Rees Hon RWA 1914 - 2004" was staged at Bridgwater Arts Centre and Royal West of England Academy
Royal West of England Academy
The Royal West of England Academy is an art gallery where Queens Road meets Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, England.- History :The Academy was the first art gallery in Bristol. Its foundation was financed by a bequest of £2000 in the will of Ellen Sharples in 1849, and a group of artists in...
during 2006, receiving enthusiastic praise from several hundred visitors. The exhibition was accompanied by an illustrated biography which is available on request.
Her son Jeremy Rees
Jeremy Rees
Jeremy Rees was a British arts administrator. He was the founder of the Arnolfini Centre for the Contemporary Arts in Bristol and its director from its opening in 1961 until 1986....
, founded the Arnolfini
Arnolfini
The Arnolfini is an arts centre and gallery in Bristol, England. It has a programme of contemporary art exhibitions, live art, music and dance events, poetry and book readings, talks, lectures and cinema. There is also a specialist art bookshop and a café bar. Educational activities are undertaken...
in Bristol in 1961.
External links
- http://www.rwa.org.uk/rees.htm
- http://www.artists303.co.uk/artist_jean.html