RAILART AT QUAINTON ROAD            

The Guild of Railway Artists forthcoming exhibition is at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road, Quainton, Aylesbury from Saturday 23rd May to Sunday 21st June 2009. The venue situated near Aylesbury was part of the famous Great Central route. The Guild exhibition is planned to be staged in the former Rewley Road Station building formerly located in the heart of Oxford and now forms the Visitor Centre to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.

This year is the Thirtieth Anniversary year of the formation of the Guild of Railway Artists. Since its inception in October 1979 exhibitions under the name “Railart” have been held at various venues with strong and historically established railway lines.

Railart at Quainton Road will be the latest of such exhibitions and the GRA is both pleased and honoured to exhibit members work at such an attractive and historic venue.

In addition to the exhibition of such stella international luminaries as Philip D Hawkins, FGRA, John Austin, FGRA and John Harrison,GRA and others, the Guild is initiating a proposal to involve and attract younger members to the Guild.

Designed on an educational principle, involving cross curricular opportunities, children will be invited
to take part in competitions. For our exhibition at Quainton Road the Guild will be initially staging an observation competition for visiting children. It is hoped that this start to the educational programme will lead to staging art competitions in the future

The Guild of Railway Artists target is two fold; to celebrate the profound social and historical impact   railways have had on the development of mankind since 1825 as well as to introduce young creative people to the aims and structure of the GRA, with a view to life-long membership.

Almost by definition, the GRA has a mature membership, despite the enormous energy and creative prowess of that membership, the need for forthcoming generations to become aware of the GRA’s pre-eminent position as a creative body of stature is important.

The Railart at Quainton Road exhibition therefore becomes a showcase not only for the established vanguard, but also heralds the potential for young creative talent to flourish within the Guild of Railway Artists into the Twenty First Century.