Drawing the figure is an excellent disciplinary exercise, even for landscape painters. It hones skills, such as seeing the subject as a collection of volumes and shapes, finding the underlying structure, recognizing proportions, and it allows experimentation with different media. Unfortunately nude figure studies are considered by some viewers as an excuse for voyeurism or demeaning to women. They can stay home, but those of you who understand the discipline and appreciate good drawing, go see this show.  You will learn from and enjoy the experience.

Loveridge presents a collection of  black and white drawings of robust women whose body language tells us they are confident and content to be who and what they are. With fluid lines, some strong others delicate, the artist defines the spinal support for broad backs of rumpled flesh and dimpled buttocks, as well as relaxed attributes of athletic bodies.

These drawings tell us how the artist and her models react to political correctness and fashion dictates when it comes to being feminine. Alabaster is a rear view, from shoulder to bottom, of a lady with her hand firmly placed on an ample hip and her weight shifted to one leg. The pose is one of relaxed confidence while the work is an artistic celebration of drawing the nude. Female Terrain II is an undulating black line that suggests a foreshortened reclining nude. One broad brush stroke in a warm toned ink runs over the figure like a caress. And Freedom is a celebration of being.

One of Loveridge's talents is knowing when to stop. She has a fascinating repertoire of marks, some as gentle as a silk wrap around the body, others strong to articulate structure, but always there is sufficient blank spaces to allow the mind's eye to draw a conclusion. Another talent is the ability to use line to create a sense of volume that breathes, moves, is alive.

Lockhart too has a liquid line when it comes to defining the female nude. However his transparent figures are more linear patterns, flat shapes on a coloured ground, then attempts at suggesting volume.

Lockhart uses the drawn figure to fill one compartment of segmented compositions that also include an isolated landscape and still life section. The combination of these three traditional artistic themes in one exhibit negates any attempt at subjectivity. The lady and the landscape are considered with the same detachment as the bowl, piece of fruit, or cup - just one part of the overall design. This does not mean his exhibits lack expression, in fact these works evoke a strong sense of controlled passion.

Lockhart's painted sections are more interesting than his drawn figures. His landscapes of rich warm hues seem lonely and distant while his still lifes display good use of tone to create solid volume. By employing one dominant colour in each composition, the artist connects the three separate components. For example in Standing Blue Nude, Horizon, Dish the pale hues in the still life relate to their stronger use in the landscape while the colour blue is the unifying factor.

The juxtaposition of line drawing, moody landscape and formal still life is interesting when it works as in Bowl, Landscape, Green Nude, when it doesn't it is disconcerting. As there is no fault with any exhibit, personal taste will be the judge.

Loveridge and Lockhart approach the discipline of figure drawing with different attitudes but each understands what figure drawing can say. With the right attitude, everyone will appreciate this exhibition.