ART CLUB MEETINGS from SEPTEMBER 2021
LIVE MEETINGS resume from September 2021
There will be 3 groups instead of 4, from this September, when the new Club year begins. All groups are now general painting/drawing groups, covering all media. We have simplified the titles to become Groups 1, 2 and 3 and there are just slight differences between ability & experience levels. Group 2, for example, is rather more structured, as it includes beginners. Group 3, meanwhile, allows more experienced artists to work on their own projects if they choose to, whilst setting a 'theme' for others who need inspiration!
The new schedule & times for each group is set out below. All meetings are on Thursdays.
Meetings take place at Lord Pirbright's Hall, on Pirbright Green (all meetings are in the Main Hall).
Group 1 meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month. The members of this group often work on their own individual projects but optional 'themes' and a suggested medium are set by Maggie each month, for those who wish to follow them. Maggie will demonstrate some techniques, show examples and will often provide reference. Times 1.30pm - 3.45pm. Intermediate and above.
Group 2 meets on the 4th Thursday of each month. Originally a drawing-only group, it now covers a wide variety of subjects in various drawing and painting media. Members of all levels of experience are welcome on this group, including beginners. Specific 'themes' and media are suggested each month and techniques are demonstrated by Maggie. Times are 1.15pm - 3.30pm
Group 3 also meets on the 4th Thursday of each month - from 4pm to 6.15pm. The 'themes' are more concept-based for this group and many of the artists prefer to continue with their own projects, with individual guidance and advice from Maggie. Not suitable for beginners.
Tables are set up in small groups of 4 or 5 and members are seated at some distance from one another - each person has an individual table. We suggest that members continue to wear face-masks when arriving and on leaving the hall. We will keep the hall ventilated and will avoid situations where people are bunched together eg. coffee breaks are now in the large hall rather than in the kitchen.
CLUB MEETINGS - SUMMER/AUTUMN 2021
Group 1
July 15th
Theme: The Sea - Waves & Surf - Artisan Oils (optional)
August
No Club Meetings in this month Membership renewals - subs due
September 16th
Theme: Low Tide - Beach or Harbour Scene when the tide is out, e.g. rock-pools and seaweed or boats stranded on mud-flats, etc..
Guidance on choice of reference and approach. Examples of compositional sketches will be shown. Use your own preferred medium and photos. Paint or draw. Maggie will have a few ref photos too
October 21st
Fading Autumn Daylight through trees or over fields – from your own photos maybe taken this month, as the days shorten – or using sketches made en plein air! Choose from photos with autumnal colours.
Suggest using painted watercolour washes with added pastel – bring watercolour paper (HP or Not) and watercolour paints and brushes etc. Or, use your own choice of media.
November 18th
Selection for the 2021 Annual Exhibition – bring your work so that Maggie can help with selection and advice on presentation - mounting and framing. Also continue with own drawing/painting project during this session.
Bring any recent* work for me to look at, whether ready framed or even unfinished – if you are unsure which pieces to submit for the exhibition. Work on your own project whilst waiting your turn for advice on entries.
* Paintings from the 2020 Online Annual Exhibition may be re-exhibited this year, as this will be a ‘live’ event with a different ‘audience’. Unsold paintings from the Pirbright Village Fair are also eligible for entry.
Group 2
July 29th
Theme: The Sea - Waves & Surf - in white pastel on black paper
Bring a white pastel-pencil and white soft pastel stick and black drawing paper
August
No Club Meetings in this month. Membership renewals - subs due
September 23rd
Beach-huts in Pen & Watercolour – bring your own photos or select from pictures provided.
Maggie will help you with perspective drawing; pen work; adding colour washes. You will need to bring watercolour materials and a drawing pen*. Hot-pressed (HP) watercolour paper is suggested - I will have some for sale on the day!
October 25th
Halloween Still-life - Pumpkins & Squashes! - Watercolour painting with (optional) Soft Pastels – bring watercolour materials* and some soft pastels. Bring objects for the theme - Maggie will have some spares available!
Create your own table ‘set-up‘ with my help – Maggie will bring some backing fabrics and objects
*Please contact Maggie for a ‘materials list’ if you need to buy a ‘starter’ kit of basic equipment. Maggie has created lists for drawing materials; watercolours; pen & wash; soft pastels etc.
November 25th
Selection for the 2021 Annual Exhibition – bring your work so that Maggie can help with selection and advice on presentation - mounting and framing. Also continue with own drawing/painting project during this session.
Bring any recent* work for me to look at, whether ready framed or even unfinished – if you are unsure which pieces to submit for the exhibition. Work on your own project whilst waiting your turn for advice on entries.
*Paintings from the 2020 Online Annual Exhibition may be re-exhibited this year, as this will be a ‘live’ event with a different ‘audience’. Unsold paintings from the Pirbright Village Fair are also eligible for entry.
Group 3
July 29th
Theme: The Sea - Waves & Surf
Optional medium and surface Maggie will be working on a board in Artisan water-mixable oils
August
No Club Meetings in this month. Membership renewals - subs due
September 23rd
Low Tide - e.g. beach or scene – real or imagined!
Could be abstract or a composition from reference photos of your own. Maybe rock- pools
or seaweed; boats stranded on mud-flats; distant figures and reflections. Your own choice
of medium. Examples and a limited number of photos provided, if you need ideas.
If you prefer, you can work on your own projects instead.
October 25th
Halloween! – Use the great shapes and colours of pumpkins and squashes, witches’ hats and skulls* to create a fabulous painting. Or translate the ‘theme’ in your own way. If you prefer – bring your own project to work on.
* Maggie will have some of these objects at the session for inspiration. You may create an
abstract or simply do a still-life painting!
November 25th
Selection for the 2021 Annual Exhibition – bring your work so that Maggie can help with selection and advice on presentation - mounting and framing. Also continue with own drawing/painting project during this session.
Bring any recent* work for me to look at, whether ready framed or even unfinished – if you are unsure which pieces to submit for the exhibition. Work on your own project whilst waiting your turn for advice on entries.
*Paintings from the 2020 Online Annual Exhibition may be re-exhibited this year, as this will be a ‘live’ event with a different ‘audience’. Unsold paintings from the Pirbright Village Fair are also eligible for entry.
Maggie Read is always on hand to help members with their work on an individual (and socially distanced) basis. Maggie is a qualified art tutor, teaching all aspects of drawing and painting in many different media. For further information about Maggie Read, visit her website www.maggieread.co.uk
There is an optional theme and suggested medium each month for anyone who needs inspiration! Members are encouraged to bring their own reference photos or source material to work from and use their own style and imagination to create original work...
We believe that art should express our own ideas and copying other artists' work is strictly forbidden, especially when it comes to exhibiting and selling art. Copyright rules are respected.
Our members work in a wide range of media, including drawing materials; watercolour; pen & wash; acrylics; pastels and oils.
(Please note, oil painters should only use water-mixable or low-odour oils.)
Normally, the condition for exhibiting at the Annual Exhibition in December is that current members must have attended at least 4 sessions in the previous art club year. New members, joining in September, must attend at least 2 of the 3 Autumn meetings to qualify for entry in the Annual Exhibition in December. NB.This rule is waived for members wishing to enter the 2021 Annual Exhibition, as we have been unable to hold live meetings until July 2021.
Tutored painting meetings: members can purchase a Voucher Card for 5 x sessions at a slight discount from the monthly fee of £10 (cards are £45). These cards are stamped each time a member attends a group meeting. Voucher-cards can be purchased at meetings.
LOCKDOWN 2020
Polperro Harbour
Staged demonstration
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by Maggie Read
May 2020
The November theme for one group was "A Frosty Garden Scene in White Pastel Pencil on Black Paper". Maggie produced a series of demonstration photos and a slide-show, based upon her own painting for members to view on YouTube, as we entered another period of lockdown. Some of the staged photos are shown below.
2020's April theme was "An Interior Scene in Half-light" in watercolour. Maggie produced a series of demonstration photos from her own painting on this theme, see below.
The pictures should be viewed in conjunction with these documents, which can be viewed in either doc or pdf format.
