NO MEETING

A.G.M. The Annual General Meeting and election of officers will be finished by coffee time. There will then be an open discussion led by John Ford, 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.

Click here to read about February's meeting.

JOHN FORD – THE ART OF DRAWING
To a struggling amateur it can seem like magic when an experienced artist draws with casual ease, and captures likeness, perspective and the other “difficult bits” that give life to a drawing. It is partly the “tricks of the trade”, but the first obstacle to overcome is the sad conviction: “I don’t have the talent for drawing”. John sets out to convince you that everyone has a latent talent for drawing – and will show you how to bring out your own talent – as well as exposing the tricks that make drawing so much easier. Many good artists can draw well, but find it impossible to understand why they can, or to explain how to do it. John understands, and will show how you too can do it.

Click here to read about John's talk.

TERRY HARRISON – EASY ACRYLICS
Terry trained at Farnham Art School and went on to work in graphic design and illustration. He gave up his day job in 1984 and has painted full time ever since, undertaking a full schedule of exhibitions, private commissions, demonstrations and more recently workshops.

He specialises in both watercolour and acrylics and has published a number of books covering both mediums, alongside developing his own range of brushes.

The evening will begin with a brief description and demo using Terrys speciality brushes then Terry will use these brushes to complete his first painting, a bluebell wood before the break after this he will paint a second landscape painting.

His website can be found at http://www.terryharrisonart.com/

Read about Terry's talk here.

CHANGE TO SCHEDULED PROGRAMME
PAUL ARNOTT – COMPUTER ART
Our planned demonstration by Ian King will no longer take place. Ian has injured his foot in a car accident and having just been released from hospital, he is unable to attend. We wish Ian a speedy recovery and look forward to watching Paul Arnott who some of you may remember demonstrating Computer Art to us four years ago, demonstrating in his place.

Click here to read about Paul's talk.

ANTHEA DE LA ROCHE – PORTRAITS IN PASTEL
Anthea studied at Maidenhead Art College, graduating with a Diploma in Fine Art. She is related, through her grandmother, to the French artist Paul De La Roche. She has painted around 2000 protraits during the course of her career without one reject.

Her inspiration is drawn from painting in many countries, and from in-depth esoteric studies. Her personal focus is colour, studied with unflagging enthusiasm for forty five years.

Anthea specialises in Fine Art portrait painting in pastels, and her presentations include all aspects of colour with a hands on approach, plenty of words but always enhanced by direct personal experience. Shown below are two of her stunning portraits Camilla and Michael Jackson.

More information about her can be found here. Click here to read about Anthea's demonstration.

GRAHAM WILSON – TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES
Graham has lived in Bromsgrove for 30 years and in the area for most of his life. He went to school in Birmingham and, although he has no formal art training, creating pictures has always been his hobby.

Graham's style is flexible and although he enjoys creating landscapes, his sense of humour makes his cartoons unique. He hopes that he can bring to viewers of his work a little of the pleasure that painting them gives to him. Past commissions include greeting card design, book illustrations, artwork for company presentations and magazine advertising.

Read about Graham's demonstration here.

HASHIM AKIB – TEXTURED ACRYLICS
Hash will demonstrate using Daler Rowney System 3 heavy body acrylics, to make things interesting the audience gets to chose the scene he will paint from three images. This keeps the demonstration fresh and and Hashim on his toes! There will be lots of insight and informative chat.

Hashim's website can be viewed here and further information found here.

To read about Hash's demonstration click here.

SUE MCDONAUGH – PASTELS (CHILDREN ON THE BEACH)
Sue’s joyous appreciation of life is abundantly evident in the vibrant quality of her pictures, yet a less straightforward entry into the world of art couldn’t be imagined. Sue was a serving
policewoman in Essex Police when she was diagnosed with an advanced ovarian cancer. During one of her hospital stays her work colleagues bought her a set of watercolours to distract her from her treatment. She began to draw the staff and other patients and discovered a talent for portraiture.

Having been given the all clear from cancer, she then cycled from John O’Groats to Land’s End and raised £6000 towards a new scanner for Barts Hosp, where she had been treated. She was invalided from the police and subsequently moved to a small seaside town in South Wales to begin a new life as wife and full time mother to two little boys, whose mother had died of cancer.

Although completely self taught, she continually explored new artistic territories and discovered new means of expressing herself. She began to teach and demonstrate further and further afield.

Her own small gallery with attached studio was opened in Cowbridge in 1993. Her delightful and popular brightly coloured pastel studies of children at play feature on greetings cards and calendars, and she has a comprehensive range of over 70 paintings published as limited edition prints. Sue has now found herself now painting largely to commission, enjoying the continual challenges set by her clients, but still finds time to exhibit whenever possible.

Loving strong colour, she works mainly in pastel, acrylic or oil paint, continually seeking to push the boundaries of her artistic vocabulary.

Sue paints children in pastel and she will demonstrate initial drawing in charcoal looking at proportions then moving on to using saturated colours.

Sue's website can be found here. Click here to read about Sue's demonstration.

PAUL PRIESTLEY – OIL LANDSCAPES
Paul works in oils, acrylics and watercolour using a very textured style of painting with bright and contrasting colours, in the style of Monet and other Impressionist artists. Paul has given lectures, talks, workshops and demonstrations to art groups, art societies and community groups all over the country. He has a vast knowledge of art history and has taught A'Level Art for a number of years. For the last few years he has run his own art company, running art workshops and events in schools, the corporate world and locally as well as producing his own work.

More information about Paul can be found here. Click here to read more about Paul's demonstration.

ROB PERRY – ARTIST'S TALES
Robert is one of the most original landscape painters of his generation, his work deeply rooted in the tradition of observation and direct response to Nature. His restless and analytical eye has ranged from the urban-industrial landscape of the West Midlands, to the Spanish high sierra and the melancholy battlegrounds of the Somme, in each case attempting to capture the unique atmosphere and spirit of the place.

Adventurous and ever resourceful, he has developed specialised methods and equipment which enable him to work in all conditions, rain, snow, and sunshine, by day, at night or, by the light of lamps, deep underground in long-deserted First World War shelters and tunnels.

His website is here. Click here to read about Rob's talk.

ZORA PAYNE – ILLUSTRATION (WORKSHOP)
Popular, local artist Zora is an enthusiastic and multitalented demonstrator. This lively evening will see her encouraging us to try out various illustrative techniques in a festive ‘hands on’ session.

Click here to read about Zora's talk.

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