The extraordinary contribution made to contemporary art by three late artists will be highlighted in a new exhibition at the Sayle Gallery this weekend.

David Gilbert, Norman Sayle and David Fletcher, throughout the course of their lives in the island, influenced, educated and had a profound effect on a many number of student artists who either studied at the Isle of Man College or worked at David Gilbert’s home studio.

The three artists were colleagues, contemporaries and, most importantly, friends with each other, and their legacy of mutual appreciation and love of creation and the arts still resonates in the Manx art world today.

Both the Sayle Gallery and the Manx Museum have been exhibiting some of David Gilbert’s work, and have paid tribute to the work he carried out at his home, at Bishop’s Demesne farm, between Kirk Michael and Ballaugh.

Not only did he create some of his captivating sculptures there, but he and his wife, Sheila, also regularly took in young people who struggled with the educational system, teaching them about art and how to live off the land.

Norman Sayle, who died in 2007, is considered one of the most famous Manx painters, and was the first recipient of the Tynwald Medal of Honour.

He was the head of art at the Isle of Man College up until his retirement, and his colleague David Fletcher took his place.

They also brought David Gilbert to the college to teach sculpture.

Carola Rush, from the Sayle gallery, said that their combined impact on the island’s art artists cannot be underestimated or ignored.

’All three were very supportive friends of each other, and they were also colleagues, working together at the Isle of Man College,’ she said.

’They have been honoured individually, but we should put the three men together.

’They have had such an effect and impact on the Manx art world.

’Obviously, as teachers at the College, most of the artists who have come through the Manx art educational services would have been taught by at the least one of them, if not all, or their successors.’

Well-known, local artists, such as Nicola Dixon and the late Simon Buttimore were taken under the wing of David Gilbert, and they in turn have influenced a whole new generation of artists.

The UK-based contemporary artist Kevin Atherton and another former head of art at the Isle of Man College, Ian Coulson, studied under Norman Sayle, and David Fletcher.

’Norman didn’t do a great deal of his own work while he was teaching, but most of us have come across some of his work he produced,’ said Carola.

’He was very prolific, turning out numerous watercolours after his retirement.

’David Fletcher’s work is chiefly two dimensional.

’He was a painter, and was fascinated by the medium. He liked to explore it, and how he could express thoughts and feelings through colour, shape and form.

’Something we have tried to do in this exhibition is to show different sides to Norman’s work. He was well-known for his amazing draughtsman-ship and fantastic control of painting watercolours,’ she continued.

’But he also did a lot of other works that were quite off-the-wall, so to speak. We have one picture that Norman made for David Gilbert, which will be in the exhibition. It isn’t what most people expect when people think of Norman’s work.

’Even after David Gilbert had left the island, when he moved to Liverpool in 1989, the three men still corresponded. They wrote to each other a lot, often discussing art and philosophy.

’They motivated, stimulated and inspired each other a great deal.’

The ’Three Contemporaries’ exhibition opens on Saturday, March 24 at the Sayle Gallery.

’Crossing Open Ground: A retrospective’, which features many of David Gilbert’s sculptures will remain on display at the Museum until Saturday, May 5.