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Sunday, April 20, 2014

Art In Action Trip


Saturday, 19th July
 

We are hoping to arrange a trip to Art in Action at Waterperry Gardens south of Oxford on Saturday 19th July.

If you are interested in going please let Helen Davies know.

Waterperry House, Waterperry,
Near. Wheatley, Oxfordshire
OX33 1JZ

 The site covers many acres and is an opportunity to see well-known artists and craftspeople at work. There are exhibitions of paintings, pottery, glasswork, woodturning, furniture, etc as well as workshops and demonstrations. The artists change every year. There is also a very large marquee devoted to the sale of art and craft materials so put a limit on your spending money. The gardens and house are also worth seeing and music is performed in the house and in the open-air theatre in the garden. There are plenty of places for eating and drinking and queuing is not a major problem - the raspberry and cream crepes were delicious last year!
 
For details look on the Art in Action Website  www.artinaction.org.uk
 
Below are some pictures taken on previous visits:

 Glassblower

 Portrait Artist

The Art Marquee


Harpist in the Open-air Theatre
 
 


Friday, April 4, 2014

AGM AND CRITIQUE EVENING




Another year had passed and we had reached our 2014 A.G.M. There were a few changes to the Committee - Claire Palmer transferred from Programme Co-Ordinator to Publicity Officer and was replaced by Di Alexander who had edited our newsletter and then set up and run the website and blog. Both had held these positions for at least ten years and made an enormous contribution to the Society. Di has been replaced by Betty and Tony Rackham. Members wholeheartedly applauded the Committee for all the work that had been done during the past year and which has made the Society such an enjoyable friendly organisation where we all learn and play together.  

AGM - an attentive audience

After the main business we had a critique session led by Anne but with members making the comments. Paintings brought by members ranged from portraits to landscapes done in a wide variety of mediums. Comments were made on composition (should that tree be there?),  perspective ( Where is the vanishing point?)  viewpoint ( Move to the left? or right?) and background ( Light or dark?)  Techniques were discussed particularly unusual ones. Chris Jackson had used felt tip pen under a layer of oil paint which was then gradually removed to leave a strongly toned monocolour portrait.

  
Anne points out how her own painting could perhaps have been improved



 
Di and Anne discuss Lorna's landscape
 

Mary and Rosalind discuss backgrounds for Rosalind's flowers




The end of a really good evening
 Photos: Betty Rackham
Below is a list of contributors with their paintings
 
Lorna Hollingum              Female posed figure 
Lorna Hollingum              Textured landscape 
Betty  Rackham                North Pembrokeshire Coastline
Mary Maskell                    Landscape
Shirley Lester                    Three Ducklings
Chris Jackson                     Female posed head and shoulder – ‘lift-out’ technique
Rosalind Saggs                  Flowers in vase
Janet Hutchings               Toddler on beach
Anne Hamerton               River Dart in November
Audrey Sharrar                 Forest Cottage after Ruth Edwards
David Butcher                   Buildings Study
Di Alexander                     ‘The Tasting’ historical scene
Joan Bass                             Snowdrop botanical painting