Newsletter April 2008
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to read the latest newsletter as a word document April 2008
As we start a new year the members of Haydon Artists'
Society are looking forward to finding different and inspiring subjects
to paint. We all seem to go through times when we don’t know what
to do next, but one of the good things about belonging to a group is
that there is usually someone who will talk you through the sticky times.
Exhibitions
Last year we had our first two week exhibition. This was a
great success and we had lots of people looking round and most were
very complimentary about our work which this time included collage work
and some applique needlework. We also, for the first time, invited local
schools to visit the exhibition and Haydon Wick and Haydonleigh Primary
Schools took up the invitation. The children came in groups and whilst
one group looked round with Nickie Moon helping, the other group stayed
downstairs with Barbara Moody and did some portraits of each other.
We had a competition for the children and the winner was a little girl
called Lauren who attends Haydon Wick Primary School. We are now looking
forward to our next exhibition in May. The new hanging system means
we can have many more paintings on show so we have to work hard to produce
more.
Logo Competition
We have also had a competition to design a logo for the group.
The result is at the top of this letter and was chosen by all the members
of both the Tuesday and Thursday groups. With so many ideas it was difficult
to choose one design, but we thought the fairest way was to have all
the entries and voting done anonymously, this seemed to work very well.
Christmas Party
In spite of all the illnesses around we managed to have our usual Christmas
celebrations. 24 members of the Tuesday group had lunch at the Abbey
Meads and 35 of the Thursday group went to the Blunsdon House Hotel.
Both groups had a really good time.
Workshops
We had two workshops taken by a local artist Patric Bown who paints
in watercolour. These were very well attended and everyone agreed they
were really enjoyable. Some people tried watercolour for the first time
and were surprised at the results, others who already use watercolour
found the new and different techniques really made them think. We have
had demonstrations by a portrait painter from Abingdon and from a pastel
artist, Christine Russell, who showed us the most inspiring still life.
Texture Mediums
We are now looking forward to having more workshops this year
in different mediums and are also hoping to have some more demonstrations.
We also plan to have more life drawing evenings as the one we had last
year was so successful. One evening which is happening on April
17th is going to be an experimental painting session. Paula
Dagnall and Karen Miller are arranging the evening when we will all
have a canvas and acrylic paints and other things in an attempt to do
an abstract painting. For the members who have never done abstract painting
it is going to be very different.
Visits
On May 7th 25 members are going on a day out to visit
Jack Russell’s Gallery in Chipping Sodbury and then on to have
a tour of the garden at Highgrove House, the home of the Prince of Wales.
It is almost two years since we applied to go to Highgrove so we are
really looking forward to it. Jack Russell was the
England wicket keeper who found he had a talent for sketching. From
this he moved on to painting and had an ambition to open his own gallery,
this he has done and the gallery, in the High Street in Chipping Sodbury
is well worth a visit.
In July there will hopefully be another visit to Art in Action which
is held at Wheatley just outside Oxford. Last year over 30 of us went
and although there had been so much rain and flooding around, the day
was fine and dry and we had a good time.
Join Us!
Whatever we do, we are certain to enjoy painting at our weekly meetings
and we hope that if anyone who reads this letter feels they would like
to come and have a go, they can be certain of a warm welcome.
Meetings are on Thursdays from 7pm to 9pm at North Swindon
Library and on Tuesdays from 10am to 12 noon at the Haydon Wick Council
Offices.
Beginners are always welcome and although these are not classes there
is usually some one who will help. The cost of belonging to the group
is £6 per month and as members we pay whether we go to every meeting
or not.
For more information please call
Barbara Moody on 01793 722410
For more information come along or call
Past Newsletters
Oct
2005
Jan
2006
April
2006
July
2006
Nov
2006