It has been splendid to see such a large turnout for our recent Saturday meetings and to welcome various guests and new members. We are always pleased to see new faces; no fee is payable for a first attendance, but after that it is expected that guests join the Club as Associate Members if they wish to come along again. Between January and March we’ve had an unusual set of demonstrations and talks and we have been encouraged to think more broadly than perhaps we normally do.
Exhibition time is coming round again and soon you will receive further information about this from Debby and Dawn. If you are a Full Member and have never exhibited with us before, or if you haven’t exhibited with us for several years and wish to do so this time, I suggest you make sure that Debby has your up-to-date address and contact details. You can find her contact details in the Exhibitions section of this Newsletter. Please remember that we can only run successful exhibitions if we have enough stewards, so if you intend to exhibit, do make sure you will be available to participate in the rota if required. Ed.
Forthcoming Saturday Meetings from 2.30 – 4.30pm at the Pavilion, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham GL51 6PN:
Saturday 15th April: Jenny Bowden – Making Mounts for Watercolours
Saturday 20th May: John Horton – Beachscape with reflections, birds, etc. W/c
Saturday 17th June: Jackie Garner – Wildlife
Saturday 16th September: Sue Townsend – Cotswold Landscapes with aerial perspective – Acrylic.
The Selection Committee will next convene at the Saturday meeting in June 2017. New/Associate Members wishing to apply for Full Membership should note that they should submit three framed pieces of work (or canvases) for approval and presented as if ready for exhibition. Full Members have the right to exhibit work with the Club, as well as access to all the other activities already open to Associates.
Summary of Saturday Meetings held at the Pavilion from January – March 2017:
January: Frances Browne started our new year off with a number of quick sketches to demonstrate how she frees up her mind to paint loosely before embarking on her main painting. For the latter she put a very large canvas on the floor in front of us and after doing a surface wash she continued by adding layer upon layer of acrylic paint, quickly drying each one in turn. Now came the more figurative aspects of the painting: a kingfisher painted in a mixture of metallic green and ultramarine perched on a branch created with thick paint applied with a cardboard scraper. All manner of marks were made by various methods: squiggles with paint nozzles, thin acrylic poured onto the canvas and then marks scratched into that, water sprayed onto thick paint which was then pushed around using a large household brush and Liquitex matt satin varnish poured over. This meeting was attended by a record-breaking 45 or more members and a few guests.
February: Painting on the floor has become a habit so far this year! Our own member, Traceyjane Rees, was on her knees to demonstrate how to use Pebeo mixed media paints that she applied to surfaces primed with gel medium resulting in a glass effect. Again we watched a demonstration of pouring liquid rather than painting, and then drawing in to move the colours around. This time it was a very much a matter of allowing the paints and mediums to interact. Traceyjane created several different pieces of work and stressed the length of time needed to dry each one out before working back onto the result with one of the other products she’d brought along. Although most of the work was fairly abstract, Traceyjane did show us how she creates a collage of artificial leaves – certainly a good bit less messy than trying to use real dried leaves as I’ve done in the past – hers didn’t fall to pieces (Ed.)!
March: Our President, Martin Bowden, has to be admired for his ability to entertain us purely by talking ad lib for over half the afternoon on the subject of the Sistine Chapel. With many historical references and a number of juicy asides he explained the relationship between the various 15th and 16th century popes and artists, above all Julius II and Michelangelo. We thus learned in considerable detail how the renowned sculptor came to paint the frescoes and how he overcame the technical problems involved particularly on the vast ceiling. Martin had intended to illustrate this talk with colourful images, but unfortunately there was a last-minute breakdown in communication between the projector and computer. Thus Martin’s incredible feat and we congratulate him on overcoming the difficulties with such gusto.
Exhibitions:
Our next exhibition will be in Lower Slaughter from 24th May to
6thJune 2017. Our usual exhibition rules will apply and a few weeks beforehand information will be sent out to members who wish to exhibit. If you have not exhibited previously, or not for a long time, please contact Debby well in advance so that your name can be added to her exhibitors’ list.
We also plan to exhibit during the whole of October 2017 at the Corinium gallery in Cirencester. Please note that 30% commission will payable on sales at this latter venue, but the good news is that we shall not be required to steward there. The start date for this exhibition is in the first week of October and the handing-in date for exhibits will probably be on 3rd October, but the exact dates can’t be finalised till nearer the time. So please be patient and await final details in September. Pictures will be taken down on Monday 30th October.
If you need to make contact about either of these exhibitions, please note the following telephone numbers/email addresses:
Debby Hooper: 01242 530780 info@debbyhooper.com
Dawn Niven: 01242 522189 dniven2015@gmail.com
but only call if absolutely necessary. General exhibiting details are in the documentation received by all exhibitors on Debby’s list.
An opportunity has also arisen for our members to submit work for exhibition at the Gardens Gallery during the Cheltenham Literary Festival. Information has been emailed to members, and is also available with hard copies of this newsletter.
Workshops:
Traceyjane Rees personally ran a successful mixed media workshop in November 2016. She is hoping to organise a Wildlife Art workshop by another artist in the Autumn 2017. No details are available at present, but if you wish to express an interest in this, Traceyjane is contactable as follows:
07894 607058 or 01242 690171 or email: t-jrees@hotmail.com
Membership:
The following associate members have now been elected to Full Membership:
Fred Green and Kathy Webb. Congratulations.
En Plein Air: If you would like to join Cheltenham Art Club members on their outdoor painting days, please contact Jane Few by email: cacenpleinair@gmail.com
This is the programme:
Wednesday 10th May: Tewkesbury Abbey
Thursday 8th June: Chedworth, views and fields
Wednesday 5th July: Cotswold Lavender Fields, Snowshill (date may change if lavender is late)
Thursday 3rd August: House of the Open Door, Childswickham
Wenesday 6th September: Toddington Station, GWR
General Information:
A new art gallery has opened in Cheltenham in Knapp Road!
Ian James, formerly of Martin’s Gallery, has been the man behind this exciting development and you can find information about exhibitions and events at www.thechapelarts.com Opening hours 10am – 4pm Tuesdays – Saturdays.
Our member, Caroline Hope, will be exhibiting her work in the following 2 places:
31st May – 6th June at the Gardens Gallery, Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham
PASTEL & BRUSH – an exhibition with Jan Whitton
Saturday 10th June – Sunday 18th June Cheltenham Open Studios:
Caroline’s studio will be open 10am – 6pm each day except Wednesday at
Court Farm House, Little Witcombe, Gloucester GL34TU including Woodland Art Trail.
Finally, please send me any news items for the next Newsletter BY THE END OF AUGUST:
Barbara Swindin, Secretary: barbara.swindin@btinternet.com
42 Perry Orchard, Upton St. Leonards, Gloucester GL4 8DQ tel: 01452 616687