Dear Friends, welcome to our summer bulletin 2026.
The gov.uk website notes that in 2023, 33% of people went to a museum or gallery of which 17% visited 3 to 4 times a year. However one 2025 report states that about half of adults have never visited an art gallery, suggesting this activity is seen as ‘exclusive’. Art historian Ben Street suggests that although people may assume ‘ that art isn’t for us’, that they ‘don’t understand’ or are not ‘interested in art’, we can all get a powerful response to art that can enhance or change our opinions.
The Hatton Gallery regularly shows its own collection, the work of students, staff and visiting artists and important travelling exhibits. The Hatton Gallery has an impressive collection. Professor Richard Hatton’s role in the collection is described in this bulletin’s article by Dr Melanie Stephenson. Hatton saw it as an essential teaching resource for the School of Art, for students to appreciate, to learn to draw from the plaster casts. Over the years, the Gallery has amassed a significant collection for all to ‘treasure’ and enjoy. North East Museum curators, together with the students from the MA in Museums Studies, regularly exhibit selections for everyone to visit, see and value.
Artists exhibit for various reasons. This could include their desire to ‘share their vision’, ‘convey an emotion’, ‘emphasise a belief’, or demonstrate their skills and the artistic process. Exhibitions can provide the artist with an audience and lead to contacts with curators, critics and collectors. Artists may also experience the ‘business’ of art, through sales, commissions or invitations to teach. They may receive valuable feedback, encouragement or constructive criticism. An exhibition is a complex, challenging undertaking for the artist as well as a thought provoking experience for the visitor.
There will be a digital experience at the Utilita Arena in July called ‘Beyond Van Gogh: the Immersive Experience’. This is a very different type of exhibition as the visitor is surrounded by the reproduced paintings as projections and immersed in light and music to totally physically experience the art. Now widely exhibited in galleries and museums, known and popular with the public, he is a household name reproduced as prints, cards, t shirts, etc.
It is a myth that Van Gogh only sold one painting. He exhibited regularly through his art dealer brother, Theo. Initially commissioned by his art dealer, uncle Cor, to paint 19 cityscapes of the Hague, he sold his first painting to an art dealer Julien Tanguy and another ‘The red vineyard’ 1888, to a London gallery. Despite Theo’s exhibitions, he largely ‘traded’ his paintings for food and art supplies. Ironically ‘Orchard with cypresses’ 1888, sold at Christies New York, in 2022 for $117.2 million.
Every year at this time, the Hatton Gallery exhibits work by the Fine Art Department’s undergraduate and post graduate students. This is a requirement of their final year examination. For post graduates it is considered an essential valuable part of their professional practise. It is always exciting to see new ideas and new talent. The Friends are also exhibiting their work in July in Ex Libris Gallery, in the Fine Art Department. Their work is an excellent reflection of their skills and experience. I encourage you to visit both. We send the Students and fellow Friends best wishes and success with their upcoming exhibitions and creative futures
Geraldine Morris-Dowling
Chair of Friends of the Hatton
This bulletin contains contributions by:
Carolyn Asquith, Sallie Ball, Freddy Clifford,Josephine Cousin, Dr Martyn Hudson, Vivien Jackson, Julie Louhi,Ann McKeever, Luke McTaggart, Anne Moore,Geraldine Morris-Dowling, Roger Newbrook, Kath Price (Dr), Dorian Pritchard, Dr Melanie Stephenson, Joanne Wishart.
This bulletin is printed by YPD Creative, 67 Howard St, North Shields NE30 1AF
If you would like to write an article for us for use in a future bulletin; maybe a review of a workshop, talk or an exhibition you have seen, please contact us, by emailing FothChair@gmail.com or drop us a line of our Facebook page: facebook.com/friendsofthehatton.
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