Dear Member

COOKHAM ARTS CLUB – still going strong after 80 years! 

We did hope to hold our 80th Anniversary Lunch Party on Sunday 10th July, as mentioned in the last Newsletter. However, at the time of writing our PM has just announced an extension of the Covid restrictions and we have decided to delay our celebrations until later in the year. Perhaps we will have a combined Christmas and 80th Anniversary Party.

It is time to plan our big summer event – the Annual Exhibition. Of course, Covid is still causing concerns and if the situation changes, so may our plans. We are sure that you will give us your support and send in your entry forms for the exhibition. These things simply cannot be planned at the last minute! At the moment we think it is very likely that we can go ahead with this event.

The Exhibition is open to members and non-members. Members do not pay fees for entry and are guaranteed that at least one of their entries will be exhibited. Non-members are charged a fee for each entry – if you are a non-member reading this and would like to find out about the exhibition, please use the Contact form on our website or email Wendy on wgmforcac@gmail.com for details.

Members have received all the details about the exhibition in their Newsletter, and therefore the details are not repeated in this ‘web version’.

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Other News and events.

For our critique by George Boyter in May, 17 participants came along to listen in.

George took a very methodical approach when looking at our artwork and he clearly had prepared well for the Zoom session. He suggested a number of points to consider when analysing paintings, and gave us good feedback and tips. His list of points is here:

• Composition: distribution of shapes and their relation to each other. Is there a focal point?
• Tonal values, light to dark – can be used to create form. Strongest contrast is often where the artist decides to put the focal point
• Colour – from warm to cool.
• Edges and brushwork. Edges are where one tonal value meets another – lost and found/soft and hard.
• Mood and atmosphere – best to consider this before you start.
• Intention – meaning and realisation.
• Development – what you might do next. Perhaps other work you might refer to.
• Reward for the viewer – trying to figure out the reason the artist produced the work.

On the development of our work, he had several suggestions of artists which he admires and that we might like to look at – well worth an internet search ….

Mark Fennel for portraits – (Mark is doing our demo in June).

Joan Eardley, Scottish painter and Nicolas De Stael, French painter – palette knife painters.

Frank Newbold and Fred Taylor for posters of LNER.

James Morrison – for seascapes and landscapes in Scotland.

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An on-line demonstration has been planned for Thursday July 15th, 2 – 4pm.

Tony Parsons will be showing us how he captures gestural poses in oils. Look at his work on www.artistonthehill.co.uk and we are sure you will be inspired – we will send you the Zoom link nearer the time.

We do hope to resume ‘live’ monthly meetings in the Parish Centre in September.

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Cookham Arts Club Holiday 2022

Every year we organise a holiday for members and their partners and now we are planning for 2022.

Following difficulty in securing the 2022 holiday in June, our ‘usual’ time, we have had no choice but to move the date to September and will have to pay our deposit quickly.

We have chosen a beautiful area to visit in north Somerset, which you can read about below. 

We would love more members to join us, with their partners if they wish.  There are plenty of places to visit on foot, by car or by public transport, on your own or with other members.

DATES: 23rd September 2022 – 7 nights

COST: £791.00 per person for 2 people sharing, single rooms (limited number available) supplement approx £10 per person per night. (As always, the cost may change a little – it depends on how many people go.)

Please contact Wendy as soon as possible if you are interested:
Wendy Mercer, 07985 343437.   Email wgmforcac@gmail.com 

HF Holnicote House, Selworthy, Somerset.

Lying near the attractive village of Selworthy, in the heart of the Exmoor National Park, historic Holnicote House stands within a series of peaceful gardens with spreading lawns. Once the centrepiece of an extensive 12,500-acre estate, the charming and characterful house was gifted to the National Trust in 1944. Since then, it has been reimagined as a walkers’ retreat, with wonderful access to the countryside. As well as 32 delightful en-suite bedrooms, there are two comfortable lounges and a sociable bar. Your stay will be full board: Full English Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, 3 Course Evening Meal The landscaped gardens are still part of the wider Holnicote Estate and provide a wonderful area to wander. Outside the house, explore wild Exmoor, stroll on the Somerset Coast Path with the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, drop in to Dunster Castle, ride a Victorian cliff railway and watch for wildlife including the majestic red stags.

Enjoy your evenings in our country house where you can share a drink and re-live the day’s adventures. Discover the clarity of the night sky in this International Dark Sky Reserve

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‘Tuesday Paintings’. Now that the summer is here and the weather is likely to be fine on 22nd JUNE we will meet up and paint (socially distanced of course!) outside the hall on Cookham Dean Common. The topic is ‘Shelter’ (which I hope is not a bad sign!) If the weather is forecast to be bad John will send out a last-minute Zoom invite. If you need tempting to come along, we promise CAKES. Please bring your own drink and mug, chair and table/easel. You will be able to go into the hall for the water supply and toilets ONLY. 

Hearts by Aiko Hester

Yours sincerely Newsletter Editor email rdjforcac@gmail.com