Introduction to the St Ives Society of Artists

The St Ives Society of Artists has been around for nearly 100 years (next year is their centenary).  St Ives has long been popular with artists and the railway made it easier for them to move there.  The society was founded to raise standards.  In 1945 they took over the Mariners Church on Norway Square and eventually, members began to exhibit their work in the Crypt, the lower floor of the church.  

Nicholson, Lanyon, Hepworth and others split from the St Ives Society of Arts to form the Penwith Society of Arts.

The societies popularity waned as original members aged, tastes changed but the Society to include both contemporary and traditional work and Tate St Ives also helped to rejuvenate the art scene in St Ives.  The Crypt gallery had been used for 40 years by the St Ives Operatic Society but when they moved out it reverted into a gallery.

The society has around 75 members and they host three exhibitions of members work in the Mariners Gallery each year.  They also host exhibitions of invited artists between these longer exhibitions.  The Crypt is a smaller space below the Mariners Gallery and is available to rent by artists to display their work.  The current calendar includes individual artists, groups of artists, a painting course and visiting societies such as the Plymouth Society and St Ives Art Club.  These events in the Crypt generally seem to be a week long.

The gallery is in a central location from the harbour and if you are walking from the train station, walking by the gallery is a nice cut through avoiding some of the traffic on the narrow back roads.  The square it is situated on is now the Sloop Car Park.  You should only attempt to park in this car park if you get there early though!  Walking from the car park takes you along the side of the church where the entrance to the Crypt is located.

I found the door to the Crypt open and it felt easy to drop in and have a look around as it was obviously open.    

Exiting the Crypt, you continue to walk alongside the church and the path slopes upwards to an entrance on the next floor.  This door was not open, which I can understand as the weather was pretty horrible and this door was much less sheltered than the Crypt door.  There was nothing to indicate it was open to the public however and I lacked the courage on this occasion to just try the door.  I can see why they wouldn't hang a sign up, but maybe a nice rock with open painted on it?  Next time I will try the door...

It is a lovely building and I would absolutely recommend having a look round.

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