Dear Member
Recent Club Events
Summer Exhibition
A picture is worth a thousand words – so here is our Summer Exhibition in a few pictures!
Winner of the People’s Choice, Karen Comber with Swan and Cygnets, 2nd Amy Lovell, To the Top, 3rd Ruth Daniel, Running Wild.
A huge thank you to all the participants who exhibited, and all the volunteers who helped in so many ways to make the exhibition a success. Interestingly, the number of visitors was considerably less than last year and yet the sales made by artists were about £1000 more. All the financial figures will be available at our AGM in November, as usual
Many thanks must go to Karen for the truly excellent videos about our exhibition. They are on our website, Instagram and Facebook – if you haven’t seen them yet, you really must have a look – the setting up of the show is very entertaining!
Especial thanks to Wendy, our Exhibition Organiser, who worked tirelessly to bring everyone together for another excellent show!
Outdoor Painting
Our September Outdoor Painting was at Freebody’s Boatyard, Hurley.
Peter Freebody’s Boatyard in Hurley, the oldest working yard on the Thames, was the quiet and peaceful venue for the penultimate Sunday Painting day on 7th September- our first visit to that location. It proved to be a wonderful and interesting place for the 8 members who came to challenge themselves with the various scenes available.
Only a few boat owners were on site attending to their craft and we were free to explore and choose from a number of comfortable viewpoints around the site, whether we wanted to tackle boats on land or on the water or the attractive boathouses and buildings around the boatyard, each full of character. The warm and pleasant weather was perfect as were the delicious tea and cakes we found afterwards at the charming tea shop in Hurley village, just along the lane.
We all enjoyed a most relaxing day, the good company of fellow painters and complimentary comments from boat owners and visitors to the village. This year we have painted planes and boats, and road vehicles (etc) are planned for this month – so we now just have trains to find – a challenge for 2026 perhaps!
Events in October
Sunday Painting
26th October is the date of our last Sunday Painting this year. Did you know that there is a museum of motors, militaria and memories in Eton Wick – the History on Wheels Museum? As one of the reviewers on their website says, (they) “Had not realised what an extensive collection of military and veteran vehicles lay just on the doorstep.” You really must look at their website www.historyonwheels.co.uk, or look them up on Google Maps to appreciate what is on offer – or better still come on our Sunday Painting day. It’s all under cover so don’t let the October date put you off. There is an entrance fee of £7 for over 60s – but please contact us if you plan to come and we may be able to negotiate a group price.
Only open on a selection of days each year, the Museum was first opened to the public in 1980, and as the name implies, within this Museum can be found a truly unique collection of MOTORS, both Military and Civilian, MILITARIA, from 1900 to the 1950’s, from all conflicting Nations, and MEMORIES, illustrating artefacts of all types from both the civilian and wartime home fronts.
It is open from 10am to 4pm – look for directions on their website or Google maps or your satnav, and we will see you there at about 10 am on Sunday 26th October.
Workshop
Do you enjoy working in oils or acrylics?
There are still places available in our all-day Workshop on Saturday Oct 4th, in the Parish Centre. Why not sign up today?
Paul Alcock will be our tutor. Using oil or acrylic, the topic is an urban scene with figures. For some lovely examples of his oil paintings please visit Paul Alcock – Artist and Art Teacher
To join the workshop, please contact us requesting how many places you will require by Sat 20th September. Numbers will be limited so book early to be sure of a place. Cost: £40. We will then email your confirmation and outline your payment options. No payment will be required until we have emailed you and confirmed your place.
Monthly Meeting
The Monthly Meeting on Thursday 16th October 2 – 4pm is in the Parish Centre as usual.
Kevin Scully will be demonstrating using acrylics – ‘buildings in the landscape’. Kevin trained at Wimbledon School of Art and began his career as a scenic artist in the theatre and television. He then worked for many years as a successful illustrator in advertising and publishing, based in several London art and design studios. We look forward to seeing what he brings to our demonstration.
Coming Soon
Workshop
Do you enjoy working in watercolours?
We have another workshop coming up on Sunday November 16th, 10am – 4pm in Cookham Dean Village Hall (NOTE CHANGE OF DATE from that in your list of events). Brian Smith RI will be running the workshop entitled achieving light and atmosphere in your watercolour paintings. Brian is a professional artist with a background of twenty years freelance illustration in London before progressing to the Fine Art world where Watercolour became his preferred medium. In 2020, Brian was elected as a Member of The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour. He has an impressive cv, including winning Landscape Artist of the Year in 2024 and painting at the Windsor Castle Plein Air event in 2017 where he gained the People’s Choice Award.
For some lovely examples of his paintings please visit Brian’s website.
To join the workshop, please contact us requesting how many places you will require by Sat 1st November. Numbers will be limited so book early to be sure of a place. Cost: £45.
We will then email your confirmation and outline your payment options. No payment will be required until we has emailed you and confirmed your place. (Brian is a very good professional artist and we have had to charge slightly more than for other recent Workshops. We are still able to keep our fee well below what you might pay at workshops with other organisations).
And not quite so soon…
Coming in 2026. A reminder for our ‘old’ members and some information for new members. Did you know that the Club organises a holiday each year on which you can paint or just be a tourist for a week?
In 2026 we will be based in the Shropshire Hills National Landscape and there is still time to book your place.
The Club is planning a 7-night full-board Painting/ Sightseeing Holiday, based in Church Stretton, with HF Holidays – Date 19th-26th June 2026. Staying at the Longmynd Hotel, Cunnery Road, Church Stretton, Shropshire SY6 6AG
Set in a wooded hillside just a short stroll from the market town of Church Stretton (nicknamed Little Switzerland for its picturesque landscape), you’ll be within walking or driving distance of the Stiperstones, Caer Caradoc, Ironbridge Valley of Invention, and the historic towns of Ludlow and Shrewsbury.
The holiday includes breakfast, packed lunch and dinner. Non painting partners are welcome. Full details on our website on our CAC Holiday page.
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 |
| October 14th: A still life: ‘Start your day with a good breakfast’ | October 21st: Paint what you like |
| October 28th: An Autumn Walk. Try starting with a background wash of sepia and then full colour for the foreground. | November 4th: Paint what you like |
The ‘Tuesday Painters’ are a sociable bunch, and we enjoy tea, cakes and biscuits, and of course taking our turn at the washing-up!!
Regular Tuesday Painter, David, captured the event in this rather wonderful sketch of Lyn, Sue, Sandy and Leng.
TIPS OF THE MONTH
If you wish to upscale a picture, but keep its shape the same, here’s a geometry lesson for you. Place the picture, yellow, on the new sheet, grey, and draw a diagonal line through the original (well, you don’t have to draw a line – just lay a straight edge along the diagonal). Any oblong you then draw, e.g. the pink one, whose top right corner meets the diagonal will be the same shape as the original.
Yours sincerely
Robert Jones
Newsletter Editor