Dear Member
Recent Club Events
Sunday Painting
A small group of members work hard to find great venues for OUTDOOR PAINTING SESSIONS, on Sundays in the spring and summer. Most recently outdoor painters have enjoyed two days out at Pann Mill, High Wycombe and Bray Lake, Maidenhead.
Bray Lake
We were spoilt for choice with some lovely views and interesting subjects to paint. And fabulous weather too.
Along with the ducks and geese, there was paddle boarding and kayaking on the lake, the clubhouse was full of activity with people relaxing or preparing for their water sports and the scene across the lake showed the hospice with the surrounding land nearby. Although the place was a hive of activity, it was a pleasantly calm and peaceful location to be, although much to our amusement, the peace was punctuated every now and then by desperate screams of fear from the bungee-jumpers situated on the other side of the club house.
We ended our day with coffee/tea and cake at the clubhouse. All the people working at the water sports club were friendly, considerate and helpful, which contributed to making our day at Bray Lake very pleasurable
Pann Mill
Here is a selection of photos from a really enjoyable day spent at Pann Mill on Wycombe Rye.
The rye was alive with people enjoying a sunny Sunday, creating a pleasant atmosphere overall. The mill itself was idyllic and we all had a productive time painting and drawing the mill and its picturesque gardens.
Usually, we convene at the end of the day over cake and coffee or tea but the cafe only offered burgers and chips. Subsequently we opted to have ice cream from an ice cream van near the mill and this turned out to be an excellent decision as the ice cream was delicious.
The next OUTDOOOR PAINTING will be at Wraysbury Park Bowls Club and Windmill near Staines – why not go along and join the group? Details below….
Workshop
Jan Munroe
In April we had a most wonderful workshop with Jan Munroe, a mixed media professional artist.
She creates simple still lives on board or canvas and that was what we did. We had to choose the background colour first and cover the surface. Then we started to make different patterns on paper, using stencils or homemade tools, like twigs, toothbrushes or sponges. We used an acrylic medium to glue the pieces of paper on canvas and once it had dried we were able to paint and create a still life with a vase and flowers.
Jan was very supportive, generous and she gave us useful tips. It really was a fun day and the results were brilliant.
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Monthly Meeting
Also, in April we welcomed Paul Berryman who did a portrait of one of our members, Pam.
He used a ‘classic’ lighting of one, high-up spotlight, giving a good contrast of light and shadow, with the interesting triangle of light on Pam’s left cheek. He worked with pastel pencils, sharpened to very long points, so that he could use the side of the ‘lead’ for rapid shading as well as the point for more detail. He uses cartridge paper on which he could build many layers with a gentle application of the colour – ‘pastel paper takes up too much pastel!’ In the short time of the demo he achieved a super portrait which Pam was pleased to take home.
A very enjoyable demonstration. We are pleased to say that we have booked Paul for a ‘monochrome portrait’ workshop next February.
Events in June
Sunday Painting
June 7th, 10.30 – 4pm.
Sunday Painting is at Wraysbury Park Bowls Club and Windmill near Staines. The picturesque windmill, sits immediately beside the Wraysbury bowls club. We visited them and they have kindly agreed we can sit inside their club area to paint the windmill and to use the facilities of their small clubhouse, if we wish to.
Please could anyone planning to come please contact us as the space inside the hedge is quite limited and therefore it is quite important that we have an idea of how many people may come. Driving time is about 25 minutes and nearer the time, we can do directions for anyone who wants them (car share is recommended). Parking is free. The address is Wraysbury Bowls Club car park, The Green, Wraysbury. TW19 5NA and the club’s website gives some good images of what to expect – wraysburybowlsclub.co.uk
The Perseverance pub is 100 yds away and we plan to go there afterwards. Rachel or Lyn will be pleased to help if further info wanted.
Monthly Meeting
Thursday 18th June, 2 – 4pm in the Parish Centre, Church Gate, Cookham, SL6 9SP
It is our New Arts Critique with Vivienne Chaikin. For this event we bring along, not traditional, but abstract or semi abstract works for Vivenne to critique. Please bring 1 painting and 1 spare (for Vivienne to look at if we have time). Do try to bring paintings which we have not seen before (I am reluctant to say this, but we have seen some works on more than one occasion – it adds interest if the audience sees something new!) It is always an interesting event. After the critique we will look at all the works, together, and vote for our favourite – a small prize for the ‘winner’!
Vivienne is a very experienced artist, as you can see from the details, below, and we very much look forward to her visit. Her work includes paintings, sculpture and jewellery. She studied at Harrow school of Art (Westminster university campus) and at the Royal College of Art.
She has exhibited extensively in group and solo exhibitions, including the Royal Academy summer exhibitions, the Mall galleries with the society of water colour painters and the society of women artists at Westminster Hall. She has also trained as a Silversmith and Jeweller.
In 2002 she was honoured to be commissioned by the councillors of White Waltham and Shottesbrooke to design and make a broach for Queen Elizabeth to commemorate her Golden Jubilee, which she presented to the Queen at Buckingham palace; receiving a recognition letter from the Queen.
She has lectured as a Senior lecturer and Head of Faculty in colleges, and more recently The London Metropolitan University. She has been a Judge for the Craft and Design council’s competitions in the Platinum and diamond section, at Goldsmiths Hall.
The photos: A recent commission drawing of children and a sculpture of Stanley Spencer,
Coming Soon
Summer Garden Party
Sunday July 5th Summer Garden Party
On Sunday July 5th, 12-4pm, we plan to hold our Summer Party and Rita has offered her lovely garden in Marlow. In our next newsletter we will give more details.
Our Summer Exhibition
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 |
| June 9th: A seascape or sea life | June 16th: Paint what you like |
| June 23rd: Design a book cover – maybe a children’s novel, thriller, romance, science fiction? | June 30th: Paint what you like |
THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
One intricate embroidery art form is called Blackwork embroidery which can trace its origins back to Northern Africa. This style passed into Spain and from there it was apparently introduce to England by Catherine of Aragon (1485 – 1536), where it developed with a distinct identity. Lace was very expensive and blackwork was used as an alternative way to embellish clothing.
Blackwork embroidery is a traditional form of embroidery that uses black thread to create intricate, decorative patterns on fabric. It is worked in repetitive, counted thread patterns on an even weave fabric such as linen or aida (cross stitch fabric). In artwork, some fine examples can be seen in portraits of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII. A quick internet search should give plenty of examples of this ancient craft which has undergone a revival in recent years.
An example from www.metmuseum.org which is dated ca 1590.
With deceptive simplicity, skilled English embroiderers worked the finest Flemish linen, called “lawne,” with black silk. Here, the Tudor roses, pomegranates, and rose hips are filled in with at least ten different minute patterns, highlighted with stitched chains of gilded silver-wrapped silk floss, called “Gold of Venice.” Blackwork embroidery decorated royal household linens as well as items of clothing like neckerchiefs sported by Henry VIII; a pair of sleeves owned by his third wife, Jane Seymour; and panels for Queen Elizabeth’s kirtles, the bodices and skirts worn under her gowns.
Yours sincerely
Robert Jones
Newsletter Editor