Dear Member
As this is the first Newsletter you will receive in 2025, may we wish you all
Last December the final event of the year was our Christmas Party. As always, lots of members turned up for a most enjoyable get-together, bringing some lovely food for us to share. We had a raffle with a gold watch as one of the star prizes (well, perhaps it wasn’t really gold!) and a tricky quiz which had us all scratching our heads.
Many thanks to all who came along to make it such a good event, and especial thanks to Rachel for organising the food list and to Freddie for the quiz.
Membership Renewal
Just a final reminder in case you have forgotten to renew your membership. When you do renew, our membership secretary, Sue, will send you an email Membership Card with an outline of the year’s events.
This will be your last newsletter if you don’t wish to renew.
Your membership renewal was due on 1st January, 2025. To renew, simply send your fee by bank transfer to our HSBC account (payee: Cookham Arts Club, sort code 40-42-09, a/c number 41157671) with your name followed by the word SUBS as reference. Fees are £20 for single membership and £34 for a couple at the same address.
If you can do this as soon as possible it will be very helpful. We are not asking members to submit a renewal form this year so if any of your details have changed, please do remember to let us know. If you wish to pay by cheque, let me know and I will make sure you are sent the necessary details.
Events in February
Monthly Meeting
Thursday 20th February, 2 – 4pm at the Parish Centre (Churchgate, Cookham, SL6 9SP).
A Demo by Mick McNicholas – charcoal – improve your drawing skills.
We have enjoyed Mick’s previous visits to CAC, including one of our critiques (pictured), and you may have even spotted him on a recent Sky Portrait Artist of the Year. We look forward to an enjoyable and no doubt amusing afternoon.
Club Workshop Day
Saturday February 22nd 10 – 4 pm in the Parish Centre
Pouring Acrylics with Wendy Mercer. Although quite a few people have signed-up for this workshop, there are still plenty of places available – do come along for some messy fun in February!
I am sure we have all seen some of the amazing patterns which are made by pouring different colours onto a canvas. Try an internet search, and you will find lots of examples. This workshop will be a great opportunity to try the technique without having to buy in all the materials (and make a terrible mess at home!!) Your workshop fee will include virtually all of the materials, including three canvases (Genuine Daler Rowney, 8×10, 9×12 and 12×12 inches), mixing pots, PVA glue, some acrylic colours etc. You will bring some of your own acrylics and protective equipment for you and the tables! Also bring appropriate boxes in which you can carry home the still-wet canvases – old pizza boxes, perhaps? We will send participants a more precise list of what to bring, later.
To join the workshop, contact us requesting how many places you will require by 1st February. Numbers will be limited to about 15.
Sue will then email your confirmation and outline your payment options. No payment will be required until Sue has emailed you and confirmed your place. Cost: £25/person to include the materials (What a bargain!!)
Coming Soon
You are invited to take part in our annual
Spring Art Exhibition and Sale, 7th – 9th March 2025
This will be held in Pinder Hall, Cookham Rise, SL6 9EH and is for club members only.
Brief details as follows:
- To exhibit your paintings screens will be available for hire. £10.00 for a 4ft x 4ft screen and £15.00 for a 6ft x 4ft screen. 2 artists may share a screen.
- Members may exhibit single paintings on a ‘mixed artist’ screen for £5 per painting if they do not want a whole screen.
- To exhibit craft items a few tables are available at £15.00 per table.
- If you hire a screen, you may offer greetings cards for sale.
- On the screens we will only hang original artwork, not reproductions/prints.
- If you hire a screen, you may, in addition, put a maximum of 3 unframed pictures for sale in racks – originals or prints are acceptable – prints must be of ‘archive’ quality (probably ‘professionally’ printed Giclee prints). Digitally created artwork (not photographs or digitally modified photographs) may be entered as unframed prints.
- Artwork in the racks, whether prints or originals, should not be priced too low – as a guide; approx. A4 sized, £20 minimum; approx. A3 sized or larger, £30 minimum.
Please look on our website at the Spring art sale exhibition page.
All the detailed information you need for the Spring sale can be found in the FAQ’s.
Fill in the screen/table request form (found in ‘How do I book a screen/table’) if you would like to exhibit.
Once we receive your request you will be sent the Entry form and details of how to pay by bank transfer.
It will really help with our planning if you send your request form as soon as possible.
Closing date for your Request is Monday 24th February 2025
You will have been sent a FLYER for the Spring Sale attached to the email for this Newsletter (in a couple of file formats).
Please use it to advertise the event – in print, on your social media etc.
Tuesday Painting Workshops
At Cookham Dean Village Hall, Church Road, Cookham Dean, Berks SL6 9PY, from 1.40pm to 5pm.
| Tuesday Painting: cost £2 A topic, appraisal, tea and cake |
Tuesday Extra: cost £2 Painting, tea and biscuits |
| February 4th: Design a still life and paint it in two different media – perhaps a multi-coloured acrylic painting and a monochrome charcoal drawing. | February 11th: Paint what you like |
| February 18th: Take a painting you have completed and turn it up-side-down and reproduce it. | February 25th: Paint what you like |
TIP OF THE MONTH
Looking for inspiration?
Try an internet search for Sky Artist of the Year Masterclass, or put the same search directly into YouTube. It should lead you to all sorts of inspirational articles and videos. Just follow any links which look interesting to you.
Yours sincerely
Robert Jones
Newsletter Editor