Burnham Market artist celebrates Royal Academy call
A print by a Norfolk artist has been selected for display alongside some of the country's finest modern masterpieces at the Royal Academy's summer exhibition in London.
Andrew Ruffhead's work, called Cactus Corner, was selected from more than 11,000 applications to be hung with about 1,000 successful entries in the prestigious gallery from June 7 to August 15.
The 58-year-old was thrilled to be chosen on his first application, and said it marked the pinnacle of a long career in which he has also lectured on printed textile design at the University of East London.
He was working in his Burnham Market studio when his acceptance letter arrived – and had to read it three or four times before the news sunk in that his print would be seen by thousands of art lovers.
'It is very prestigious and lots of people try year after year,' he said. 'It is the first time I had ever applied so to be successful is amazing.
You may also want to watch:
'At the moment, I would have to say it is the icing on the cake.
' It is really nice to have recognition of my achievements at such a very high level.'
Most Read
- 1 Norwich sees biggest rise in Covid infection rates in the country
- 2 Hotel 'nobody wants to buy' for sale as housing for £365,000
- 3 Aviva to close two large office sites in Norwich
- 4 Nine Norfolk flood alerts ahead of Storm Christoph
- 5 Man who died in west Norfolk crash named
- 6 Man who drove 128 miles for fish and chips among latest Covid fines
- 7 Part of seventh skeleton discovered in city street
- 8 Delivery van towed from deep water on road closed due to flood risk
- 9 Going full term during this coronavirus pandemic fills me with absolute terror
- 10 Carer caught on CCTV letting dog scratch vulnerable pensioner
Cactus Corner is a cyanotype print – a 10x9cm reproduction of a 37x43cm lino cut, produced through a photographic process which is developed using sunlight and tap water.
The combination of two chemicals used in the process gives each unique print its characteristic cyan colour.
The image came from a drawing of some cacti which Mr Ruffhead saw in a greenhouse while on holiday in Spain.
'The print is tiny, but it has amazing detail and a fabulous intensity,' he said.
'It is a lovely process, and the fact that it is done outside in the north Norfolk sunlight makes it even nicer.'
Mr Ruffhead's portfolio includes pen and ink drawing, acrylic paintings, and coastal art made from driftwood, flotsam and jetsam.
His Fish and Ships Coastal Art studio, on Ulph Place in Burnham Market, will be open to the public 10am-5pm until Sunday as part of the Norfolk Open Studios project.
chris.hill@archant.co.uk
