Dear Member
Recent Club Events
Cookham Dean Village Fete
Members of our Tuesday Painting group put on a lovely exhibition at Cookham Dean Village Fete this year.
Aiko and Lyn had a busy day demonstrating their skills in the craft tent. Many thanks to all who took part and helped to assemble the exhibition. It was an enjoyable day and a successful exhibition with several sales of cards and pictures, not to mention Aiko winning second prize for her magnificent onions!
Monthly Meeting
At our Monthly Meeting in September Ian McManus, a new demonstrator to us, came to do a marine landscape in watercolour.
It was fascinating to watch Ian at work as the harbour scene materialised. His expertise made the painting look effortless – but we all know how troublesome watercolours can be! Thanks to Ian for a super demonstration.
Workshop
In early October Paul Alcock came to run our workshop, based on an ‘urban scene with figures’ using oils or acrylics. He started by demonstrating techniques on a prepared sketch of Southwold Market Street, which he blocked in with acrylics before adding some details in oils. As he worked, he gave lots of advice and during the day he was busy chatting with and advising participants. Altogether a very enjoyable day’s painting.
Events in November
Workshop
We have another workshop coming up on Sunday November 16th, 10am – 4pm in Cookham Dean Village Hall. Brian Smith RI will be running the workshop entitled achieving light and atmosphere in your watercolour paintings.
There has been a very good interest in this and all places have been filled (although it might be worth enquiring if you would like to be added to a reserve list).
If you are coming to this workshop, please arrive at 9.30 to help set-up for a prompt start at 10am. You will be sent a list of suggested materials to bring, soon.
AGM and Talk
Our AGM is on Thursday 20th November in The Parish Centre (Church Gate, Cookham, SL6 9SP) from 2 to 4pm. Please submit any questions for the committee or points you would like to raise at the meeting on our Contact us page by 7th November.
Come along to hear our annual report on the club activities followed by a talk by Keith Le Page, Archivist at the Stanley Spencer Gallery. Many of us will have visited the gallery in Cookham, dedicated to our most famous artist, and it will be fascinating to learn more about him.
Elizabeth House
Each year, over the Christmas period, October to January, ‘Tuesday Painters’ put on an exhibition at Elizabeth House. An opportunity to support Elizabeth House and make some sales for Christmas! You may bring 2 framed and 2 unframed paintings, and also up to 20 greetings cards or packs of cards – there will be a form sent to you for the details of your entries.
Please bring your work along to set up on Wednesday 22nd October at 2.15pm – it runs until January 21st 2026. Elizabeth House takes 20% of any sale. If you are not a regular ‘Tuesday Painter’ (or have not received your form) and would like to take part, please get in touch on our Contact us page.
Coming Soon
The Christmas Party!
Put the date in your diary: December 18th 12.45 – 3pm in the Parish Centre. More details will be in the next Newsletter.
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 |
| November 11th: Design a Christmas Card competition – we will vote for our favourite. | October 18th: Paint what you like |
| November 25th: Lost edges in a still life e.g. a bowl of fruit. The fruit in the bowl will be sharp-edged. Fruit and other objects around the periphery and outside of the bowl will have more blurred (lost) edges, especially in the shadows. | December 2nd: Paint what you like |
TIPS OF THE MONTH
If you look carefully at the photo of Paul Alcock’s easel and palette, you will see that his oil paints are squeezed out onto a small strip of wood, which is then clipped with a bulldog clip to the main palette.
He can then pick this up and clean or replace his palette without disturbing or wasting his paint. Also, the strip of paints is easily transported in the pochade box. Clever stuff!
AND FINALLY, A LITTLE REQUEST FOR HELP: It will soon be time for the 2026 events to be added to our Website Calendar. I am just wondering if any member might volunteer for this? It’s quite a big job to enter all the events, plus they need to be checked carefully – BUT it doesn’t really need web experience, just training for the event entry page. Our web expert, Karen, would be happy to train someone and put together a printed user guide which could serve as a reminder and a checklist. And she would be on hand of course.
Karen puts in so much time for the Club; a little help would be greatly appreciated. If you can help, please send a message on our Contact us page
Obituaries
Sadly, we report that Mavis Edson has passed away. Some years ago, she moved to America to be near her son and it was at his house that she died. Mavis served on the committee in the late 1990s and regularly exhibited until about 2015. Mavis, Margaret Scott and Jean Smithson were regulars on the club holiday until Jean moved to Cornwall some years ago.
Dr Michael Scott, husband of our much-loved member Margaret, has passed away. As a result, Margaret has now moved away to Cirencester. Margaret served on the committee from 2002 to 2019 and regularly exhibited until 2018. On the club holidays she produced the most beautiful sketch books. She was always to be found in the kitchen on club events including demos, parties and at exhibitions – what will we do without you, Margaret?
Yours sincerely
Robert Jones
Newsletter Editor