NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2008

Dear Members and Friends

Finance
We have had another very successful financial year  with  excess income over expenditure of £232.41 .  We have sufficient funds to think about purchasing our own projector or other equipment that may  enhance the scope of our weekly meetings or  to  try out some  new ventures.  I am sad to have to say that David Wilson has resigned from his  office as treasurer  at the A.G.M.  He and Eileen propose to  move to Milton Keynes to be near their daughter.  We will miss them both very much and wish them all the very best  in their new home..  A presentation of a Boardman's voucher was made to David by Peter Blascos on behalf of the members.  David said he had enjoyed being the treasurer of the Art society, and hoped to still be a member and to be able to make the occasional visit.
We welcome David Smith who has been elected our new treasurer so please in future send your subscriptions to him.  Please remember that the annual subscriptions of £15 are due on the 1st April each year.
People in the News
A warm welcome is extended to our new  Treasurer David Smith and our new Secretary Pamela Sinclair and new  committee members Pamela White, Victoria Brayshaw, Melanie Harris, Heather Brown, and Barbara Thomson.  Our very special thanks go to David Wilson our retiring Treasurer  who has worked so hard in keeping the accounts and producing the facts and the figures and advice  to enable us to make the right decisions.  Also Margaret Blascos  has  decided  to retire in her 45th year as a member and committee member.  During her membership she has been Secretary, Programme Secretary Chairman and President . and it is due to her,  with support from her husband Peter that we have such a successful  and flourishing society today. Margaret was presented with a bouquet of flowers from all the members.  She said that she had very much enjoyed doing what she had for the society  and the bouquet of flowers were a complete surprise to her, we hope that she will now be able to take and enjoy a well earned rest.  Thank you Margaret.  Thanks also to retiring committee members, John Conder Liz Wright and Margaret Gates. .
Margaret Blascos was commissioned by the Chamber of  Commerce to paint  the Georgian frontage of Pearson's department store and its Tudor Architecture.  Margaret included the displays in the windows with people walking in and out of the shop  The finished watercolour painting was presented to Mr Steward the manager on his retirement after twenty two years.  Mr Steward wrote to Margaret saying how delighted he was with the painting.
Karen Adams was asked by the school she had attended 29 years earlier  (The Manuden County Primary School) to take a class of twelve 5 to 11 year olds to teach art and encourage the children in painting. She considered it to be a great honour,  and taught the children paint effects and paint techniques which she had herself  studied at the Regent Academy of Fine Arts. Karen gave each of the children a set of  fifteen different paint brushes, so that they could carry on painting when they got home.  They all had a fantastic morning and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Richard Francis our president has his own art exhibition at the Quay Theatre ,Quay Lane, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2AN until the 6th June, 2008 it is a retrospective exhibition of his Oil and Watercolour paintings including some wood carvings.
We warmly welcome the following recent new members joining the society. .   They are named in alphabetical order:-
Victoria Brayshaw , Julie Charlton,  Ken Darton,   Tony Hass,  Mary Richmond
.Summer Programme
We have four evening meetings arranged at Thorn Grove School commencing at 7.30 p.m.   The first of these is our first meeting of the summer on the 15th May.   Derek Bush will be hosting the evening. .  He requires members to bring a poem which will be read out.  The poems will then be the subject for painting which will the be  presented at a follow up evening (June, 19th at Thorn Grove) . . Mavis has found some new outside locations this year, so there are small maps supplied..  Mavis has said that if you are in any doubt where to meet, you are welcome to telephone her for further assistance.  One of the favourite locations has been included again, because of  its popularity and that is The Hoppit , at Bambers Green.   On Saturday 2nd August, for our traditional day out, we will be visiting Heybridge Basin, we meet in the car park at 11.am. it is also Carnival day for those non-painters who would rather spend the day in Maldon.  Richard and Jean Francis have invited us for a day  out with them painting in Long Melford,  and then to go back to their home for a B.B.Q.   Richard would like you to let him know if you are coming two  weeks before so that they  can arrange the food  his telephone number is 01787 374745.
Winter Programme 2008 to 2009
As usual we have a very full and varied programme of demonstrations, talks, critiques and life drawing  commencing with a demonstration on a watercolour landscape, by Brian Thatcher on the 11th September, 2008. As it is the first  of our winter evening meetings we shall have wine and soft drinks in the interval.   The following week on the 18th 
September, is a working evening  drawing or painting an Elizabethan Model  You are  also invited to bring in your Summer paintings to display for other members to view. Three of our members  will be taking part in the Winter programme.  two working evenings  will be organized by Pat O'Connner.   On exhibition set up day she will be showing views on a screen one of which will be used to do a painting.  On another day she will be bringing her collection of hats for us to paint. Mary Holmes is going to give us a demonstration on Chinese painting .Richard Francis  will be running two working evenings a still life evening, the other called "Building bridges"  Len Rogers will also be organizing a working evening subject to be announced later.  We have a critique evening on Thursday 9th October by John Glover, also two of our favourite demonstrators  are returning Robert Mackervoy  on the 8th January, and Andrew Pitt giving a watercolour demonstration on Boats and beaches on the 30th April.  The winter programme will end with the usual A.G.M. on the 7th May, 2009 , and as it is our last meeting  we will socialise the event by having nibbles and wine.

We have three workshops arranged in the year. The first one on Saturday 28th June is given by Richard Francis  and is on collage  this is being held at Markwell Pavillion.   This workshop has already been fully subscribed.  On Saturday the 18th October, Bill Newton is running a watercolour  Workshop.  On March 7th Brian Ryder is doing  a Workshop on Acrylics/Oil.
If you would like to attend a workshop please speak to Mavis Page or Barbara Thomson who will give you all the relevant details..

The Christmas Social evening will be on Saturday 6th December, commencing at 7 p.m.  We will be using the same caterer's as last time, and tickets will be on sale from September.  Please make a note of the date in your diary.

Exhibitions

Our exhibition at the Library this year will be for two weeks, the first week is to be donated to twelve primary schools in the area, the second week will be our usual annual exhibition.  The exhibition set up day will be on Thursday 6th November, when we shall be installing the panels and the primary schools paintings.  On the 13th November we shall be setting up our own exhibition.   Stan will be issuing all the details at a later date.  Volunteers will be welcomed  to help with both exhibitions.

We have a date arranged for another exhibition at the Thorleybourne Gallery in the Rhodes centre. This will be from the 28th January to the 28th February.   Unfortunately as we have  to pay a higher rent , the cost of hanging our framed painting will be £1 per week i.e. £4 per framed picture for the 4 week duration of the exhibition.  Unframed work will be 50pence a week i.e. £2.00 for the 4 week duration of the exhibition.   The commission charge has also been raised and will be 25% plus VAT on any work sold this will be paid to Rhodes at the end of the exhibition.   You are advised to make sure when you price your pictures that you take into account the increase  in commission charges.   Three framed pictures will be allowed per member. there will be no restriction on the number of  unframed pictures.   All the details will be issued at a later date.

Walbourne Cup

Congratulations go to Elaine Tallintire  the winner of the above trophy for the portrait voted the favourite by the members at the AGM.  The portrait was a picture of her friends children.

I wish you all a very pleasant summertime painting, and look forward to seeing  the results of your work on the Thursday 18th September, 2008

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                             David Cooper (Chairman)