History of the AMA
In 1972 a two year part-time Diploma course was instigated at the Mid-Warwickshire College of Further Education. This course consisted of painting, drawing, art history and printing, so that by 1974 students were emerging as enthusiastic contemporary painters.
Bruhl in Germany, the twin town of Leamington, sent an invitation for an art exhibition from Leamington to be part of their anniversary celebrations in March 1985. As a result of this successful event, ‘Image 85’ in Bruhl, an inaugural meeting of fourteen of the exhibitors founded the Leamington Artists.
The first open exhibition was held at Leamington Art Gallery in 1987. Since then members have held exhibitions at many venues throughout the Midlands. Several painters have had private and public commissions.
An art week called ‘Art on the Move’ was held in 1992 and was run with great enthusiasm. Some artists opened their own studios to the public, exhibitions were held in shops, garage showrooms and at the old fire station. We even had ‘Art on the Railings’ in the Jephson Gardens.
Artists from West Midlands, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire became members so the group name was changed to the Association of Midland Artists (1994).
A programme of monthly talks began in 1996 at one member’s house. Numbers increased, so the venue was changed to the Earl of Smith Gallery. When this gallery closed we moved to the Satchwell Room, Leamington Baptist Church.
In 1997, we managed to obtain a small lottery grant and ran a summer school for two weeks with ‘A’ level students from local schools and other interested people.
We have had prizewinners at national open exhibitions, two members becoming Academicians at Manchester, and many members having work accepted at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, The Mall Gallery in London, West of England Open, Royal Watercolour Society Open, Cheltenham and Cleveland Open Drawing Exhibitions, amongst others.
In 2006 we were proud to launch our website to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the inauguration of the AMA.
Since then the AMA has developed into a thriving art organisation. The Association has undergone many changes. We have a Twitter feed, an updated website and we meet monthly, back in the Baptist Church where it all began. We produce a regular newsletter informing the membership of exhibitions and art fairs within the region and providing information about art in general.
Bruhl in Germany, the twin town of Leamington, sent an invitation for an art exhibition from Leamington to be part of their anniversary celebrations in March 1985. As a result of this successful event, ‘Image 85’ in Bruhl, an inaugural meeting of fourteen of the exhibitors founded the Leamington Artists.
The first open exhibition was held at Leamington Art Gallery in 1987. Since then members have held exhibitions at many venues throughout the Midlands. Several painters have had private and public commissions.
An art week called ‘Art on the Move’ was held in 1992 and was run with great enthusiasm. Some artists opened their own studios to the public, exhibitions were held in shops, garage showrooms and at the old fire station. We even had ‘Art on the Railings’ in the Jephson Gardens.
Artists from West Midlands, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire became members so the group name was changed to the Association of Midland Artists (1994).
A programme of monthly talks began in 1996 at one member’s house. Numbers increased, so the venue was changed to the Earl of Smith Gallery. When this gallery closed we moved to the Satchwell Room, Leamington Baptist Church.
In 1997, we managed to obtain a small lottery grant and ran a summer school for two weeks with ‘A’ level students from local schools and other interested people.
We have had prizewinners at national open exhibitions, two members becoming Academicians at Manchester, and many members having work accepted at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, The Mall Gallery in London, West of England Open, Royal Watercolour Society Open, Cheltenham and Cleveland Open Drawing Exhibitions, amongst others.
In 2006 we were proud to launch our website to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the inauguration of the AMA.
Since then the AMA has developed into a thriving art organisation. The Association has undergone many changes. We have a Twitter feed, an updated website and we meet monthly, back in the Baptist Church where it all began. We produce a regular newsletter informing the membership of exhibitions and art fairs within the region and providing information about art in general.
Leamington Spa Pumps, later to incorporate the Art Gallery and Library
Old Bruhl: the market place