NO MEETING

A.G.M. The Annual General Meeting and election of officers will be finished by coffee time. Colin Hammond will then lead a discussion on dealing with some of the innumerable problems that beset every artist at some stage of composition. Bring along up to 2 paintings (finished or unfinished), which are at the stage where you feel that some advice from an expert would prove helpful.

SUE HOWELLS – BEST SELLING WATERCOLOUR ARTIST
Local Artist Sue Howells is now recognised as one of the UK's leading watercolour artists. Her work can be seen in many galleries in the UK and in major galleries around the world. She also provides paintings for TV programmes and advertisements.

Her website is: - www.suehowells.com

Click here to read about Sue's presentation.

FIONA PEART – WATERCOLOUR/PENCIL TECHNIQUES
Fiona trained at the Flemish Academy of Fine Art in Leuven, Belgium, specialising in drawing and watercolour. She has exhibited at The Mall Galleries in London and works full time as an artist. Fiona writes regularly for Leisure Painter magazine and has written two books and produced 9 DVDs. She demonstrates throughout the country and is seen regularly on Sky TV. Her subjects are varied and encompass figures, flowers, coastal and town scenes.

Her website is: - www.fionapeart.com

Click here to read about Fiona's presentation.

MIKE SKIDMORE – PORTRAITS IN OIL
Mike’s previous demonstration in 2003 was very well received. Over the years he has mastered a number of traditional techniques that help him to create pictures of depth, drama and character. Mike’s demonstrations are informative, engaging and great fun, with many anecdotes along the way to keep the smiles coming. Mike is a motivational speaker. Also he coaches on creative development and innovation and is a former radio presenter for the BBC.

His website is:- www.mike-skidmore.com

Click here to read about Mike's presentation.

SUE SAREEN – VIBRANT WATERCOLOURS
Sue paints across a wide variety of subject matter and has a particular affinity with cats. Always in her paintings there is a strong sense of intimacy with the subject matter. Sue originally studied at Leeds Art College and later gained an MA in fine art at Nottingham Trent University. She exhibits widely and has won several awards for her work. Sue has published a book on watercolour painting and produced two videos. Frequently, she writes articles for the “Leisure Painter” and the “Artist” magazines. She runs regular classes and workshops on watercolour painting in her Nottingham studio and also organises painting weekends and holiday’s abroad.

Her website is: - www.sareenarts.com

Click here to read about Sue's presentation.

F.L.A.I.R EXHIBITION – WORCESTER SQUARE, KINGFISHER CENTRE, REDDITCH.
We will be taking part in this festival of local arts, when members will be able to display their interesting and skilful works.

STEVE ABBOTT – DERWENT PENCILS AND SILHOUETTE CUTTING
Steve Abbott is one of only 6 practicing silhouette cutters in the UK and also collects old and unusual silhouette art.

He is also an accomplished watercolour painter who enjoys teaching these skills to others and manages to fill his lessons with a passion and enthusiasm for art that makes it a delight to learn.

He will give a talk and demonstration of a range of Derwent pencils, which can be tried during the evening in a mini-workshop. Steve bring along a range of pencils for sale. He will also speak briefly about his passion for silhouette cutting.

His website is: www.cutting-image-art.co.uk/picgal.html

Click here to read about Steve's talk.

VIC BEARCROFT – WILDLIFE IN PASTEL
Vic Bearcroft is an award winning pet and wildlife artist. He is completely self-taught, working mainly in pastels on velour. He specialises in wolves and Siberian Huskies. He also paints other wildlife subjects in pastels and offers other mediums, such as pencil, acrylic and pyrography. Starting out as a paying hobby for many years, Vic started painting full time in 2003. The realism in Vic's work is extraordinary and is often mistaken for photographs.

His website is: - www.vicbearcroft.co.uk

Click here to read about Vic's talk.

PETER MILLWARD – ATELIER INTERACTIVE ACRYLICS
“Atelier Interactive” is a major change – the biggest improvement since artists’ acrylics first appeared in the 1960’s. The Interactive formula does so much to broaden the scope of acrylic technique with long painting sessions and blending that cannot be done with conventional acrylics. Peter will demonstrate the qualities of this medium and will bring along examples of his work. He paints in most media and his subjects include Abstract, Buildings, Figure, Flowers and Gardens, Japanese Painting, Landscape, Life Drawing, Still Life, and Townscapes.

Peter’s website can be found here.

Read about Peter's demonstration here.

GEOFF KERSEY – WATERCOLOUR LANDSCAPE
A skilled and accomplished Watercolorist, Geoff is now very much in demand as a Tutor and Demonstrator. Specialising in landscapes, he now has 4 painting videos and a book (Perspective, Depth and Distance) available. His demonstrations are packed with advice, tips and information that are designed to provide invaluable help for the beginner and improver alike. Geoff demonstrates how to paint a watercolour landscape from start to finish, covering most aspects of this fascinating medium. He includes colour, materials, composition, light, and how to get that all important feeling of distance, in an inspiring and entertaining manner.

His website: - www.geoffkersey.co.uk

Click here to read about Geoff's talk.

AUTUMN EXHIBITION KINGFISHER CENTRE, WORCESTER SQUARE, REDDITCH.
Work displayed will be varied in medium and subject, many being for sale. Voting by members of the public will take place to choose their favourite painting of the day.

JAN FREEMAN – MIXED MEDIA – COASTAL LANDSCAPE
Jan Freeman has been teaching art from her purpose built art studio in Warwickshire for 10 years. She learnt to paint in the U.S.A. at Silvermine Guild of Artists where the watercolourist Charles Reid taught. Jan is equally comfortable in any medium and particularly tries to capture mood in her work. She does this by using light and colour to enhance her subject matter. Although Jan can paint any subject matter, she prefers to incorporate people into her paintings.

Website: web.mac.com/janfreemanartist

Read about Jan's demonstration here.

ERIC WATSON – PASTEL/GRAPHITE - PET PORTRAITS
Eric is a self-taught artist from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire having originally trained and worked as a Designer in the automobile industry.
He has become well known for his sympathetic detailed portraits of animals and birds, spending time watching and studying in the natural habitat for detail. His commissions have been published in cards, fabrics, tiles and bone china. Eric likes to utilize light and shadow using a unique and bold combination of pastels, pencil, acrylic, gouache and watercolour to build up from a base to a creation of stunning detail.

His website: - www.jacqueriifineart.com

Find out more about Eric's demonstration here.

At coffee break, warm yourself with a complimentary glass of mulled wine and a mince pie to join us in celebrating the festive season.