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Ithell Colquhoun and the Penwith Society Jason Lilley
The Penwith Society of Arts was set up in
1949, in St Ives. It went on to become the most influential
modern art society
in Britain. Here, in the Penwith Gallery archive,
we still have a full record of its
meetings and exhibitions. With Ithell I think it was partly on an aesthetic level, and partly her association with Marlow Moss that went against her. This didn’t stop Ithell trying, and I’m sure her name will crop up more in the boxes yet to be catalogued. It also didn’t stop her from exhibiting in the Penwith’s second exhibition in Spring 1950, found in the list of works at 'number 76 “Tendrils of Sleep” 35gns'. A note from David Lewis - now in the Tate archive - indicates that the painting was selected by 6 votes to 4, but that spring she had two other submissions unanimously rejected. The star next to her name means that Ithell was ‘sponsored’ by a member of the Penwith. According to a letter by Shearer Armstrong, 6th November 1949, it turns out this sponsor was Dod Proctor. Dod had been accepted as a full member along with Dorothy Bayley, Brian Winter, David Haughton, Tom Early, Garlick Barns, Mesomé Piel, John Tunnard, Arnold Forster, and craftspeople David Leach, Michael Cardew, Alec Carne, and Allice Moore at a general meeting held at St Christopher's on 21st Feb. These elections were carried out after a proposition by Peter Lanyon, seconded by Robin Nance, that there should be a ratio of 1 craftsman to 4 artists. I think Ithell would have probably tried to use the 'sponsor' route on more than just this one occasion, but all decisions were voted on at hanging committee level at each show, which might explain her later absence from Penwith Society exhibitions. Dod also, later, fell out with the society (as many others did).
As you can see, she
was never accepted as a full
member, a lifetime ‘honour’, which would have
meant at least one of her works would be guaranteed to hang on the walls
of the gallery per exhibition. She did show as an 'associate'
in the late 60s, however. These
shows were selected and curated by full members and were usually on for
a month - but there were exceptions (for example from the 70’s, the first
show of the year saw the associates mixed in with the full members).
2) July 1968 form re alterations to entrance and members room - signed I (Ithell) Colquhoun & annotated with her thoughts on the art work loan scheme and offering a drawing & carbon copy letter 30.07.1968 Breon (O’Casey) to Ithell Colquhoun thanking her for her donation and comments; 3) 3 page handwritten letter 05.07.1971 Ithell Colquhoun to Mr Leach enquiring about full membership of The Penwith Society (she is a 'lapsed Associate') and asking him to nominate her; (annotated) carbon copy letter 12.07.1971 (Kathy) to Ithell Colquhoun - all work is selected, you have to exhibit as an associate 6 times to apply, ring if any queries. 4) Annotated 2 page handwritten letter 15.06.1979 Ithell Colquhoun to Hugh Scrutton applying for full membership, used to be an associate but couldn’t afford to deliver works several times a year without guarantee of being shown; 5) Annotated 2 page typed list of works in Penwith Associates exhibitions 1968 31 Jan to 23 Feb (including Ithell Colquhoun); 6)
2 page typed list of works in the Penwith
Associate exhibition 1967 - including Lar Cann, Michael Praed, John
Charles, Ithell Colqhoun & Patrick Woodroffe (18.10.1967 to 11.11.1967).
For more on the current Tate St Ives exhibition: https://www.artcornwall.org/exhibitions_/Tate_St_Ives/Ithell_Colquhoun_Between_Worlds.htm https://www.artcornwall.org/interviews/Katy_Norris_Ithell_Colquhoun_Between_Worlds.htm
Interview on Marlow Moss: https://www.artcornwall.org/interviews/Lucy_Howarth/Lucy_Howarth_on_Marlow_Moss.htm
Interview on the Penwith Society and the Penwith Gallery archive: https://www.artcornwall.org/interviews/Jason_Lilley/Jason_Lilley.htm
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