There were 21 members at the Bowls club today and a happy buzz went around the room as we all got to grips with Jane's super still life, she sat very still for us so the results were good.

Members busy with the still life pictures

Jane sitting sedately with two father Christmases for company

The likenesses are great, now for the still life pictures

Diana sent this one by email. 'Good shapes in plant and added apples and coffee pot from my old watercolour which I had photo of.'

A reminder from Lesley to send in your Christmas greetings into Hannah for the website.  Have a look under Messages from Members for the greetings that are already there.  See you next week at the Christmas party.

Helen Ball from the cafe gallery in Botesdale visited this morning to see a wide variety of members work on display.
*** ​see note below

Sally reprised her still life setting as last week, a useful opportunity to continue and explore further.

And a ‘live’ game of bridge

Work inspired by the bridge players 

 Pictures inspired by the still life challenge

Hints and tips from Diana…a useful way to decide where to place the lemons on her picture

And a picture she completed during lock down in her kitchen.

On this bright sunny morning 17 members attended. Sally Procner made a splendid still life with lemons and glass, she also did the first portrait sitting. ​​While people were working, you could hear a pin drop due to the concentration.

Three different views of Sally, including a very good likeness from Jackie. Elizabeth used her pastels to good effect.

Work  produced using Avril as model.

John was pleased with the smile and faraway look in his drawing.

Still life photos:

Hannah's creation from the iPad.

Carolyn drew a picture of Avril and Richard's dog Sam

Diana sent these. Lovely colour in the garden. Son Charlie's art on old piece of tin.

Lesley says, "Here are my efforts from this morning from Sally P's arrangement, both in acrylic.
First, hydrangeas painted thickly on canvas board. Second, sea hollies and grasses on cartridge paper using acrylic heavily diluted to give watercolour effect."    

Please can members remember to bring a couple of finished small paintings/drawings next week to show Helen Ball of the Cafe Gallery at Botesdale. She is coming at 10-am so it may be a good idea to try to get to the Bowls Club a few minutes before, so we are settled when she arrives.

​Avril

​

Hello everyone, this is Hannah, back from holiday.  A productive morning at the Bowls Club today.  twenty industrious members (as you can see from the last photo below) worked on John's eclectic still life - different from every angle, and the man himself as model.  I had to leave before the 'Show and Tell', so thanks to Avril for sending me photos of everyone's work.

So here are the first batch: - Josie, jackie, Frances and Avril...

Next, Ian J, Sally L, Sally T, Maggie-Anne and Harriet...

 And now, Angela’s, Harriet’s, Jenny’s, Elizabeth's, and Sally L...  and Hannah (at the end!)

As a caution, just to be on the safe side, I shall say, for all of the above, all the right names but not necessarily in the right order!

Frances alerted all present and those who could not make it this morning, that Helen Ball of Santiago's Cafe in Botesdale will be visiting us at the Bowls Club on 30th November to get some idea of members' art for display in the cafe.  If you are interested in your work being included, please bring an example in on that morning for her to see.
I thought I would just add at the bottom here two sketches I did while away, on my iPad.  The first is a scene in Thorndon, the second is the view from our balcony, then there are two photos, the first showing the same scene with a calmer sea.  The second is a West Indian Whistling duck, who visited us, completely tame, and begging (in vain) for food.
Hope to see you all next week, when it looks as though Sally P is in charge.  Avril will be doing the blog, so any artworks you want included should be sent to her.

There was quite a good turn out today considering the weather. Harriet made a splendid display of gardening items even managing to find a few flowers in her garden.

Dave, Harriet’s husband, sat for the portrait painters and sported a great hat which challenged us.

​The hands on Judith's watercolour are very good and the shading was commented on.

​Sally’s glasses had a lifelike reflection and she thought that the shoulder was a bit high, she was pleased with the ink drawing but was not sure of the pastel one.

​Lesley did not like some leaves that she produced last week so she superimposed the flowers on top of them and we thought it looked effective. 

​Jane's dahlias were complicated as you get lost in the petals but the contours were good.  Jane said she might transfer it onto lino.

​Maggie-Anne liked the shapes of the second one  and Liz liked that the 1st one was offset on the page.

​Elizabeth liked that Liz’s pot was not standing upright and Liz liked how the line flowed around bringing the eye back.

​Elizabeth was not happy with this week's work that she did but people thought that she caught a likeness and that the reflection on the glass worked.

​Jenny’s composition is nice particularly on the terracotta pots.

​Everyone thought that John's pose was good and the hands in proportion. He showed me his other two that he had been working on that were expressive.

​Harriet's sketches made Dave look younger; she loved the shape of the hat. In the last one he had a yellow ear because she used wax crayon instead of pastel.

​I had my usual spread except that I tried the still life after break.
 

​Diana sent the following by email:  Lovely still life.  I’m  trying to keep loose but separating out cool areas from warm. I love mixing coloured greys.

​Frances sent in some work for the blog, saying:  Gold leaf and acrylic…. Fairly tricky handling the former (not real gold!!!)  Based on the earlier watercolour sketch below.
Two other ink sketches done locally here in Brittany.

My first attempt of doing the blog, hope that it is ok.  Avril

First a massive apology to Maggie-Anne for failing to photograph her wonderful still life, complete with riding gear and a saddle and boots (as you can see below) or her as artists’ model (and also apologies to Noreen for not living up to her example!). I am obviously still not in the swing of the Winter Programme, maybe I will do better when I come back from holiday in a couple of weeks.

Here are the pictures of this morning’s work at the Bowls Club. Quite a few very good likenesses, I thought. I did ask for identification on the picture, but I think most people forgot. While in the summer it is easy enough to know who did what, because they send it it, in the winter it would be helpful if you either wrote your name on your work, or on a piece of paper to be displayed on or near it.  It  seems unfair on those I don’t remember, not to be able to say…  What I will say is that I hope John will keep us updated with the progress of his canvas - love Avril's squared-off Maggie-Anne, is this AI art? - thanks to Freda for drawing all her fellow portraitist's feet! - thanks to Irene for allowing me to take a photo of her roses before she went, and it was very good to have the show and tell back in full flow.  My squiggle on the end is my take on Jackie's exercise from last week, with the saddle as subject matter.

Diana left early, so sent her photos in later.  She has included the work from last week that was just visible in front of the still life and add two more with these comments,  'Today I looked at old unfinished: 1. From last week, 2. Put cup at front of this one but didn’t like it , so changed it to beetroot as in 3.  As soon as I did that it worked both colour and shapes .don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t change watercolour.'
[I find it very interesting when people show the progress of a work, and we can follow it, week on week. Ed]

And from Frances,  'Having seen some gold leaf used by Chris Offili in Tate Britain the other weekend and then used by Lucy Perry, exhibiting in The Bell Gallery Bungay, I bought some ersatz gold leaf! Hence my fiddling about in my sketchbook with acrylics before I take the plunge! It will prove a fiddly medium I think…'

There were a number of announcements this week. 
First, a reminder of the Christmas Chairman's project 'Where on Earth are we Going To?'  2D work please, ready for presentation at the Christmas party on 14 December. 
Second, the Exhibitions Working Party have put together a submission  to the Halesworth Gallery, who have put out a call for artists for exhibitions next year.  To accompany the submission, they would like members to email Sally L  an image or two (or three) of your best work in the next week, please sally.ladbrooke889@googlemail.com, with some idea of medium used.   These may also be used for submission to other possible venues.
Third,  Sally L's workshop next week has a list of materials on the Stop Press page.  Have a look before next week.  It is also just possible that the workshop may have to be postponed, in which case that is also where you will find that information.
I am going to be on holiday for the next couple of weeks.  If you have work to send in for the blog, it should go to Avril or Sally L (I'm not sure yet who will be doing the blog.  Look at Stop Press before sending).

As mentioned last week, I forgot to photo from Avril's sketchbook some of her favourite sketches from the summer that were included in the AGM 'Show and Tell', so here they are.

Sally L has produced a list of materials for her themed morning on 26th October, which you will find on 'Stop Press'.  Don't forget to check for changes and other information on a regular basis.
Have a productive week!

You can see below the participants at the AGM, watching Richard as he presented his picture.  We had a lively meeting.  It was good to be back at the Bowls Club; a real sign that autumn has come.  All were agreed that the Summer Programme had been very enjoyable.  The Winter Programme has been produced - you will find it under the Events heading on the menu.  Make sure you read the notes as well as the programme, as there are some important messages about the running of the sessions contained there.
There have been some changes to the committee, as Ian C has stepped back after 5 years as Treasurer, and will be replaced by Ian J, making it easy to remember who is Treasurer!  Noreen, having given many sterling years to the Website, is going to be taking it rather easier, and I will be taking over from her, with help from Avril and Sally L, who will be learning over the next few weeks how to add to this page.  Many thanks to both Ian and Noreen for their years of service.
There was discussion too, about the exhibition held in July in Diss and the way forward for exhibiting.  A sub committee has been set up, comprising Angela, Frances and Sally L, who will be looking at the subject over the coming months.
There will be some interesting mornings ahead of us - both workshops and themed mornings.  A new Chairman's Project was set, to be presented at the Christmas party, as it was felt that everyone had enjoyed doing this last year.  The subject this time is 'Where On Earth are We Going?'.  Use your imaginations, but keep in mind that it would be nice to add the resultant work to an exhibition, so conceptual pieces requiring explanation are probably out.
The Show and Tell will be back at the end of each session.  Yours truly will find this a help in compiling the blog each week, as it gives me an opportunity to take photos of all the work produced in a morning.

The second part of the morning is the Show and Tell for the summer, with a very varied and interesting display being produced by the members present.  Apologies to Avril, who brought in a sketchbook (as that was how she has worked this summer), which I don't seem to have photographed... but I will add that work next week.
So first, work by Judith (who is a new member, but has been a summer host for some years) a narrative piece: what IS going on?, Maggie-Anne (x2), Richard and Ian J.

Next, John (x2) a narrative painting from a newspaper photo, and his grandchild, Ian C, and June (an old oil painting from the days when stubble burning was legal).

Here is work from Liz (x2), Lesley (a sketch from some time ago and the painting from it, done this year), and Harriet.

Frances started with a sketch at Sizewell, and turned its mood into work on sunflowers...

Sally T brought in her work from a number of outings.  The window still hasn't met with her satisfaction!

Sally P has started a whole new way of using her printer, and producing cards. Jackie (x2) and Josie (x2) brought in their work from the summer's outings, finally mine, which is the completed painting from last week.

So, don't forget to look at the Winter Programme, now on the Events page. And don't forget to check the Stop Press and More pages regularly.  Have a good week.

The end of the EAG summer. The last outing, to a familiar venue, with great hospitality. The weather is certainly autumnal here in Norfolk, though it looks as though it will be nicer tomorrow. Back to the Bowls Club next week. Hope to see as many of you as possible then for the AGM. The year does seem to have passed very swiftly - I'm not going to say what is around the corner! Many thanks to Avril and Lesley for the photos of 'Artists in Residence'. As you can see, they gathered, as is customary, for a 'Show and Tell', and you can see how few of Maggie-Anne's cakes were left by the time they got to that point!

And not only did Avril act as one of the chroniclers for the day, she also produced a lot of sketches...

So don't forget the AGM next week. There will be a Show and Tell, so bring your favourite piece of work from the summer with you.  The winter programme will also be available then.  See you there!

Seven members made it today - the one missing from the first picture is Sally P, who was behind the camera!
With the gales yesterday and the number of leaves blowing about, autumn is definitely here, and we will soon be convening each week at the Bowls Club, rather than braving the elements out and about.  Today though, the weather was much better than forecast, and Wetheringsett was the destination, one that is included regularly in the summer programme.  Also included below are two photos from Sally P, from last week, showing the glorious sky and sparkling sea.

Avril wrote, 'I am sorry to say that I have missed a lot of the summer events, due to holidays and family visits, wiggle walks etc.  Bob my old English sheepdog has been castrated and is doing well, but I need to stay and make sure he does not keep licking himself as the dog hood makes him crash into things and frustrates him and I need to supervise.
I have been asked by my daughter to paint a picture of her two cats Summer and Winter so I can send you my effort so far as a means of keeping in touch.
Acrylic picture of cats and photo of Bob feeling sorry for himself

Frances did make it today, but has also included some pictures from earlier in the summer...
'I forgot to send my couple of sketches from Germany… looking at a  typical barn of the region in Lowe Saxony. Then two from today.
'Just liked the bucket and then enjoyed doing the second of the front end of the wagon but structure so complicated I did wonder why I chose the subject!!!!'

Sally T had trouble sending me her picture last week, which she had worked on at home, but it is now included this week, together with her sketches from this week and a photo of a train carriage door.  Sketches are one looking through a carriage and the other looking between carriages. The photo is of first class. 

And here, from Sally P, for whom we have to say a very big 'Thank you' for the photos at the top of the blog, two sketches from today...  'In the morning I drew the Brockford sign with surroundings in pencil and in the afternoon, an old railway carriage in pen and ink. ( not finished) 
Started off quite sunny but ended up cool.'

So don't forget that next week's outing is very close at hand for most, as we will be in Eye, with the town, and Maggie-Anne's garden, as venue.  Have a good week.

I spent a lot of childhood holidays in Aldeburgh. It took 4 or 5 hours to get there from north west London. We stayed in the caravan site, in a borrowed caravan called ‘The Pumpkin’, which was exactly the size and shape the name implies, and collected milk from the farm every day. We fished for tadpoles in the dyke by the beach, and hated the lack of space when it rained and the chemical toilet.  We were there for the launch of a new lifeboat, and for the carnival, complete with floats, lantern procession and a firework display on the beach. We loved rowing on the lake at Thorpeness, and swimming in the sea, and that it was where Orlando the Marmalade Cat came for his holidays (well, Owlbarrow).  We used to walk past the houseboat where he stayed (no longer there).  I was delighted when I first came back to Suffolk to find how much of it was still the same.  I didn't know anything about Kathleen Hale as a child, except that I loved her drawings.  She moved in some elevated artistic circles, first, secretary to Augustus John, Friends with the Bloomsbury group and then with Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines.  She rather proved the point about the longevity of artists that we observe in EAG, as she lived to be 102! 
Enough of my waffling to hide the fact that I didn't go there today...  Thanks very much to Jackie for the photos.

Starting with Lesley's lively watercolour sketches.  She said, 'A lovely sunny day in Aldeburgh, warm with a slightly fresh south-easterly wind which encouraged quite a good turn out, considering the distance, of nine members. Maybe helped by the prospect of coffees then tea (and cake for some) at the Brudenell?
Based on the seawall at Slaughden,I took my landscape sketchbook, watercolours and a fine (0.1) pen to produce the three sketches below:
1. Looking north towards the Brudenell and Thorpeness in the distance
2. Looking inland across the River Alde
3. Looking south towards the Martello tower - minus the parked cars on the sea wall!'

Carolyn has sent two quite different drawings today.  The first looks at garden flowers, and the second is a lovely study of clothing and embroidery, very three-dimensional.

Ian also went to Aldeburgh and has been busy with pencil sketches today.  Three different views around Aldeburgh.

Jackie was obviously busy today as she has produced three pictures, a sketch of her fellows at work,  the beginnings of a watercolour and a study of a boat. She says, 'Super, super day.  The sea was calm and shimmering in the sunshine.  Not too pleased with the painting but it was quiet, few people and one could just lose oneself in the process of painting.'  And the shimmering sea can be seen in the photo above.

From Sally P, 'Nine of us turned up today. The early birds started with a drink at The Brudenell and then wandered off towards the Martello tower. 
The weather was gorgeous.... although it did dry the paints up rather quickly 
First drawing in pen. Second picture is watercolour. It needs some more work on it as I ran out of time. We then finished the afternoon at The Brudenell again before heading off home.

Well, I've got to 7.30 and this is all that has been sent.  I know I was late posting last week, but I would like to remind you all that if you want your work included, you need to get it to me by 6.00 pm.  Apologies to Sally T, who did try and send me hers, and whose work I will add as soon as I get it.
Next week is the Mid Suffolk Light Railway.  Have a good week until then.

First, an apology.  I was supposed to be going to the theatre today (Fri 8/9) for a matinee.  The performance was cancelled, so we went last night.  Hence the delay in the appearance of this week's blog.  And I have to say, something strange going on with emails, as I have received several this week that were sent originally a couple of weeks ago.  So if you have had some baffling correspondence from me, that is the explanation, but whether it is AOL or BTInternet causing the problem, I don't know - the wonders of the intertubes!!
Thanks to Jackie for the photo below - of those who made it to tea time.  Altogether I am told, about eight made it to Park Farm yesterday.  A very hot day, so well done for surviving.

First of all, Jackie's work from last week, which I didn't receive, but have got now (1 & 2 below)... together with her sketch from this week (3).  She said, 'Just a few artists sketching today.  The pleasant breeze and plenty of shady corners helped.
I just loved the old tack room, delightfully crammed with stuff, dark corners and a subtle palette of browns, gold's and purple- grey.'

Ian has sent sketches of the farmhouse, a damaged tree and a very quick sketch of a moving tractor and trailer

Next week should be back on schedule, and posted on the right day!  Next week's venue will be Aldeburgh - which will be great if the weather holds.  Have a good week everyone.

Lesley said, 'This morning I took on the challenge of the stream in acrylics, but decided not to put in the house. The light kept changing as I was in semi shade. I was sitting on the bridge across the stream, excitement when my paints fell into the stream, rescued by Sally P.  This afternoon I chose to do a large, dying? Apple tree in pen and watercolour, somewhat stylised.
Next week is at Park Farm Hoxne, I won’t be there as I’ll be hanging my textile group, Chain Reaction’s annual exhibition at Snape Maltings.'  She described the garden as 'stunning, as usual.' Also included here is the flyer for her show, with all the details so you can visit.

Frances has sent in a mixture of sketches describing her voyage home, and work from this morning at Wortham...  1.St Malo while waiting for ferry to depart. Pencil. 2.View at sea on ferry. Pencil.  3.Someone came to enjoy sun and fell asleep in front of me!   Pencil.  4.Batteley’s Cottage . Pencil and watercolour.  5. Ink and watercolour.   6.Very quick scrawl… charcoal, some watercolour and charcoal.

Here are Harriet's sketches from this morning.  Shes said, 'Such a lovely garden! Difficult to do it justice, however here are my two paintings, acrylic, the paint dried very quickly on my palette.'

Sally T worked in pencil and pen and ink. The first two are attempts at a chimena. The third one is a bench with apples and a wire sculpture. I think I lost my way a bit but a lovely garden and afternoon.

From Angela, 'It was a lovely day to draw at Wortham Ling and a beautiful garden to sit in. I had the dog, so chose to sit on the ling. It was full of colour, shapes and textures.  I thought I might want to paint later so I made some notes about the place and then did a little sketch. 2 1/2 hours later it was time to take the dog to the hairdressers so I left. I came home and started a little painting- only got the first couple of coats on and no detail yet. I’m leaving it to dry a bit and I’ll work on it tomorrow.'

Sally had an adventurous day - She rescued Lesley's paints from the stream, see above, and nearly got knocked out by an apple!  She said the weather was lovely, and specially mentioned thanks to the
lovely tea and cake provided by the hosts for the day.