Rock Sand and Sea, New works by John R Harris

From Saturday 10th of February from 10am – 6pm the exhibition will run until Thursday March 8th.

John has been painting in the UAE for nearly 30 years He has an inate knowledge of and love for the landscape. His watercolours immediately transport you to the very spot from which he made his original observations and sketches.
Alison often describes John as an artist who can capture 5 Kilometres in just 5 centimetres. His work, understandably’ takes pride of place in many personal and corporate collections.

Click Here to see the full collection.

We are delighted to welcome Nick Bashall back as our January Artist in Residence

Born in England and raised in Zimbabwe, Nick returned to the UK to study law at Cambridge, where he was also a heavyweight boxing blue. A stint in London with one of the big solicitors’ firms preceded six years working in Pakistan and Dubai, saving up the money to study painting full time. He then trained under the Spanish maestro Joaquin Torrents Llado in Majorca for five years before becoming a full time artist in London in 1997 . Working mainly in oils and charcoal, Nick is renown for his ability to get beneath the skin of his sitters. Antecedents as well as descendants appear during the painting process with the finished portrait being something that goes deeper than pure likeness. Below are just a few examples of Nick’s work, more can be seen on his website www.nickbashall.com

Nick has lowered his London prices for Dubai He loves to come here and to give back to a country that helped nurture his creative spirit. His prices include VAT

Charcoals, head and shoulders

Children 8,250 AED

Adults 10,000 AED

Oil Sketches head and shoulders

Children 16,500 AED

Adults 20,000 AED

Groups are also a possibility

Two sittings of around two hours each following an initial “chat” are usually needed to complete a commission. To meet Nick in his studio at The Majlis Gallery and talk through the process please phone Alison on 050 4503853

Click Here to see Nick Bashall Portfolio

Welcome to the New Season at The Majlis Gallery

A very full season that promises lots of great exhibitions from our established artists as well as work from new talents and some great artifacts that we have sourced for you from all over the world.

Here is just a taster

On a trip to Sicily Alison found a wonderful family run company that produces hand made glass plates, bowls, serving dishes and platters, every piece is unique.

We also have a new selection of highly use able ash glazed ceramic table ware from ceramicist Peter Swanson who works very much in the tradition of Bernard Leach, Hennie Meyers funky jugs that come all the way from South Africa; and iconic Carol Boyes cutlery. What better way to start your day than breakfast out of a hand-made bowl with a beautiful spoon! And so that your table can feel some of the love, why not check-out our wonderful indigo table cloths from Jaipur. 

You’ll also find a great selection of hand painted mirror frames, some beautiful locally made wooden boxes, candle holders and many more “lovely things”.

 

Our exhibition and workshop programme until the early New Year

For details on workshops contact: Alison on 0504503853

Paul Wadsworth “Arabian Festival” opens on Saturday 9th of December
We are delighted to welcome Paul back with us. He has spent the last couple of years traveling and developing his work in a new direction. This new collection focuses on all that is colourful and lively in Arabia. From Global Village to Dubai Opera from Camel Racing to Cafe Society Paul captures the vivacity of this fast paced city.

Nick Bashall

Nick is with us again this December, running his acclaimed “Portraiture in Oils” Workshops and working on commissions in Charcoal and in Oils, more details will be on the website in a few weeks but in the meantime if you are interested in knowing more please call us.

 

 

 

John R Harris “Rock Sand and Sea” Saturday 10th of February

An absolute master in the art of watercolour Johns love for and knowledge of the Middle Eastern landscape knows no bounds

The Summer Collection

There is a lot to see at The Majlis Gallery throughout the summer months.

As the weather heats up and the pace cools down we invite you to enjoy the ambiance and tranquility of our traditional house, a house built to withstand the rigors of the summer months, though of course we do have air-conditioning!

Glorious abstract calligraphy by Khaled Al Saai, Abdul Qader al Rais and Jamal Abdul Rahim, an extensive collection from our New Orientalists painters John R Harris, Trevor Waugh, Spencer Tart and Faramarz Mohktapour,  sculpture by Lloyd Le Blanc, Karel Zijlstra, Mustafa Ali  and Micheal Chaikin and our half price Art Shack form our Summer Collection. We look forward to welcoming you.

Our Summer timings from 1st of June will be 10am -2pm

The Surface and Beneath by Khaled Al Saai – Saturday March 4th – Thursday 6th April 2017

Khaled is a man wise beyond his years. Deeply contemplative and quietly confidant he is not only a driving force behind modern Arabic calligraphic practice but also a passionate advocate of a wider understanding of this formidable art.
Recognition of his rightful place in the genre comes not only from art houses, museums, universities and collectors worldwide but also from fellow calligraphers who on numerous occasions have awarded him the title of Master of Calligraphy in both modern and traditional categories. Initially this ability to stride the role of being a painter and a calligrapher was a dilemma until with maturity he accepted that the two exist along side, no decision had to be taken, in fact the discipline of conforming to the edicts of the seven “pillars” of Arabic Calligraphy, Thuluth, Naskh, Tualeeq, Kufic, Diwani, Diwani Jali Jali and Regga feeds his abstract spirit allowing his painterly being to soar.

Khaled’s fascination with the written word was kindled and nurtured through growing up in Syria, in a family to whom creativity, visual, musical, poetic and edible! was part of daily life. His work is often a reflection on the emotions of freedom and discovery associated with his childhood though recently it has become more reflective on the bigger issues facing the world in general
Khaled travels extensively
Universities and pretigous galleries in Morocco, Europe, The States, South America all regularly host lectures, workshops and exhibitions.

Click below to download the complete Catalogue.

SPIRITED BREEDS

 

A photographic exhibition under the gracious

Patronage of  Her Highness Sheikha Hissa bint Sultan

bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

 

Limited edition equine photogravure etchings

and large format archival prints of exotic species by 

International Photographer Astrid Harrisson.

 

21st JANUARY – 17th FEBRUARY 2017
, 10am – 6pm  


Astrid’s vision is simple and clear for all who view her bold yet graceful portraits of animals. She presents compassion and empathy for her subjects, her talents behind the lens perhaps playing second-place to the sense of nostalgia she evokes with her intimate studies and the simplicity with which she presents them.

Astrid’s powerful imagery appeals to a global audience, her fine art prints now held by private collectors around the world. During 2010 and 2011 Astrid began to develop a global following during the documenting of over seventy of the world’s most important breeds of horse in order to illustrate iconic book title The Majesty of the Horse, written by Tamsin Pickeral and published globally in 2012.

Her Highness Sheikha Hissa bint Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan recognizes Astrid’s rare and remarkable talent to capture the spirit and beauty of horses and is proud to put this collection at the forefront of her artistic Patronage.

Sheikha Hissa, an Arabian Horse Breeder and lover of the arts, has a life-long background in the horse world as well as an interest and education in the arts. Since meeting Astrid she has become a fond supporter of her work – in particular her collection of etchings.

Astrid’s skill lies in her ability to capture the exterior physical beauty as well as the ethereal inner beauty of the horse through the artistry of her images”.  Sheikha Hissa.

Click here to see the Portfolio

December is a busy month at The Majlis Gallery

Our big room is full of

New works from our New Orientalists. John R Harris, Trevor Waugh, Martin Giesen, Spencer Tart, Paul Wadsworth and many others. We are also introducing a collection of fabulous oil paintings by Faramarz Mokhtarpour.

10-60x90_resized_2-600pxMountain Spring oil on canvas 90 x 60 by Faramarz Mokhtarpour

To make room for this show we have moved our Art Shack Bargains into the front room.
Great fun to be had in here !

Nick Bashall will be working on commissions in his studio

Nick Bashall is no stranger to Dubai, he lived and worked here in the late 80’s and early  90’s both as a lawyer and a painter. It is as the latter that most people remember him especially for the many charismatic family portraits he completed in both charcoal and oil. 

Sitting for a Portrait
Is not as intimidating as it sounds in fact it is a rather cathartic experience. Nick builds from the structure up, the image literally emerges from the paper or canvas. Anticedents as well as descendants appear during the process with the finished portrait being something that goes deeper than a pure likeness.

Prices for a head and Shoulders
Charcoal     Dhms
Child          7,500 
Adult        12,750

Oil
Child        21,000
Adult        37,000

He will also be giving workshops on 12-13-14 December, 10am to 4pm

These will replicate the typical short overview course he has taught for years in England, using the teaching techniques that were employed by art schools in the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century,  before such teaching was almost entirely abandoned in Europe. Instruction will be in the following basic principles that underlie all drawing and painting from life: 650 Dhms Per Day including a light lunch.

Day One:  Proportion, Line, Volume and Movement

Day Two:  Dark and light

Day Three: Colour

To book a course or commission a portrait call Alison Collins on 050 4503853

All this plus some unique gifts for every pocket, from hand blocked scarves made in Jaipur to silver jewellry from the Sahara and beautifully presented silk spice squares made in the UAE. 

The Majlis Gallery is a wonderful place to bring family and friends, a place to browse in peace and tranquility away from the hurly burly of the shopping malls.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Intimate Objects from Saturday 15th of October

The Majlis Gallery is the place for anything Fine Art related. An oasis of tranquility but buzzing with creativity.
Small is beautiful, from our earliest years we learn to collect little things that catch our eyes. A shell, an acorn, feathers, stones, as we grow older this intuitive habit never leaves us. That is what this exhibition Intimate Objects all about. Small intimate eye catching tactile objects that are just asking to be added to your collection.
We have brought together small works from, amongst others, Patricia Millns, Peter Hayes, Carole Grace, Hans Loots, Mustafa Ali, Lynette ten krooden, Junko Yamamoto and Sanna Swatt.

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Peter Hayes           –           Carole Grace          –           Patricia Millns

New Romance in Dubai’s Bastakiya Quarter

A Meeting Of Hearts & Minds (click here to read full article)

The Majlis Gallery is unarguably the cornerstone of the affair that’s blossomed between Bastakiya and art. A labor of love that dates back to 1978, the gallery began life as expat Alison Collins’ family home, slowly opening its doors to a motley crew of creative acquaintances, amateur artists and professional painters. Living up to its Arabic name, the gallery soon became a relaxed meeting place for artists and art lovers. The fabled Villa Number 19 could well be credited with laying the seeds for an artistic journey in this city, one that today manifests itself in such headline-grabbing projects as Art Dubai.

Majlis is home to a fascinating array of media with collections ranging from acrylics and calligraphy to lithography, photography, sculptures and of course, paintings. A much-coveted affair, the gallery’s Artist In Residence program has allowed global artisans to stay, live, breathe and create while being immersed in the potent flavors of Arabia from this unique vantage point. Over the years, the Majlis has done exceptionally well in bringing over artists of international standing, showcasing some exceptional works from the likes of Emily Gordon, Morteza Darehbaghi, Nitin Dadrawala and Sacha Jafri.

The School Of Paris -12th, March – 28th, April

From 1900 until about 1940, Paris was a thriving center of artistic activity that provided unparalleled conditions for the exchange of creative ideas. A wave of artists of all nationalities gravitated to the French capital and fostered an inspiring climate of imaginative cross-creativity. Because of the enormous influx of non-French artists living and working in Paris, a loosely defined affiliation developed referred to as the School of Paris. The international activity associated with this group in Paris was initially concentrated in Montmartre but subsequently moved to Montparnasse in the early 1910s. Focusing on conventional subjects such as portraiture, figure studies, landscapes, cityscapes, and still lifes, artists of the School of Paris employed a diversity of styles and techniques including the bold, dynamic colors of Fauvism the revolutionary methods of Cubism the animated qualities of Expressionism, and the private worlds of Surrealism.  Amongst these artists were Picasso, Braque, Miro, Matisse, Chagall and Dali. The War years of 1939-45 saw many of them moving to America and England  where they continued to influence the next generation of radical artists such as Bacon and Litchenstein

This exciting exhibition curated by Niall and Christina Fairhead features 51 Original works from all the major School of Paris Artists. All works are for sale and guaranteed genuine

Download – The School of Paris Catalogue