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24th June 2021

24/6/2021

extra - 26th June

There are now pictures of our latest exhibition on the Exhibitions page (under the Events menu), I think you will agree it looks like a fine display, and is on until the end of July.

A couple of late additions, the first from Ian, from Thursday's visit to Redgrave and Lopham Fen.

And the second from Diana, 'No inspiration at the moment so here are some more old ones .One of Eye from behind the fire station and the other two were In Rachel’s garden I think. I don’t use pastel much because it makes me cough but it does get good results with the ink.'

When I arrived at Redgrave and Lopham Fen this morning, there was no one else in sight, so I had a leisurely cup of coffee looking out at the wide horizon and took this panoramic photo.

Shortly I was joined by Sally P and Jackie, and we went walkabout. Jackie did keep trying to get us to stop and sketch, but we took lots of photos and then had the great adventure of actually seeing the Fen Raft Spider, which Jackie and I had never seen on previous visits, and which thrilled two visitors with immensely long camera lenses, who had thought they were going to be unlucky. You will have to wait until the end of the blog...

But in the meantime, here is my take on a portion of that panoramic view, from the right hand side of the fence.

Avril worked on a number of botanical sketches throughout the day, and produced some lovely images from very detailed observation.

Noreen and Carolyn were unable to join us today, but that didn't stop them from contributing work that was most appropriate to what we saw.

These are Carolyn's pictures - first wildflowers from last week's photo, and second an orchid flowering with many buds to come.

And Noreen's pair of flower studies. First watercolour and pen, and second, mixed media.

Angela and Sandra were using a technique they have been learning about on the Newlyn School of Art 'Abstracting the Landscape' course, making strong sketches to crop and use to make abstract paintings.

Sandra's sketch, left, and Angela's, right, have used compressed charcoal which is water-soluble.

Frances was away this week, in Northumberland near Hadrian's Wall. She says 'Here are some of my sketches. My little travelling watercolour box has limited colours . I think a palette knife version is calling me for Steel Rigg. Such wonderful countryside, walking and electric biking!'

Like me, Sally P didn't get started with her drawing until after lunch, didn't finish it and intends to continue to work on it. She worked in pastel on pastelmat paper. Love the colour of the grass flowers. She also photographed wild roses which you will find at the end of the blog as inspiration. and she said, 'But I did see a fen spider with you and Jackie. Not bad for my first visit!'

Jackie chose her fellow artists as her subject - can you guess from these backs who they were? And also sent a study of cows, of which she said, '... still to be finished but am at the scary stage. Could go so very wrong!' I like to think they are jostling to be centre stage.

Harriet said. 'I found drawing/ painting the grasses very hard - which is in front of which?' and thinks she might add something on top of the painted version of the iris.

More grasses and plants from Sally Tyley, and, right, a landscape sketch.

And here is that spider, at last, along with three other images for you to use. And a photo of some of us enjoying the day1 There were about 10 who came, and most stayed for most of the day.

Don't forget to go and see our current exhibition at The Bank, open Wednesday to Saturday 10.30 to 3.30. It will be on until the end of July, and I hope to have pictures on the Exhibitions page under the Events menu shortly.
Just a little reminder that submissions should be sent to whoever is doing the Blog by 6pm on Thursday, if at all possible, so as not to delay its publication.

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17th june 2021

17/6/2021

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18th June - A quick addition from Harriet, who has worked on the alliums from Carolyn's garden, the river Waveney at Beccles last week and a sketch of a willow in Jane's garden yesterday.

I thought I would start this week with my own miniscule contribution. the week has been busy with everything but art, but we do have the exhibition being hung at the Bank on Monday 21st, and open from 23rd until the end of July. At the bottom you will find a poster that you can print out to spread the publicity. Anyway, this meant that one of my pictures needed the finesse of canvas edges being painted, and because of the subject's colours, it's not my usual one colour edge.

Sally P said, 'I didn't go over to Mellis until 3.00 but I did spend time in my studio. Once I'd finished a late breakfast followed by a lengthy coffee break I made my way to the studio. I then pondered upon what to do and finally settled on a jug of Roses and Salvia. I decided that I was not going to do any drawing first, threw myself into it and then later regretted that I hadn't worked on the background colour first!!! It was an enjoyable activity and below is what has been produced so far.
'Only the brave and hardened artist went out first thing this morning.......John! The rest of us held back and worked from home, venturing over at various times of the day. I finally arrived just in time for tea and cake! There were 7 of us and one or two who were there just for the morning. Thank you Jane for hosting and Frances for making cake.'

So here is John's intriguing sketch, with great colour and light.

Sally T was one of those who did make it to Mellis, not that she had to travel far!! She asked me to remind those who are submitting to the exhibition that the fees for hanging (£1 per picture) must be handed in on Monday in an envelope with your name on, when bringing in your work.
Here are her sketches - both of Mellis Common, one is the view across the common and the other is the view from her gate.

From Lesley, 'As it rained all morning, I didn’t get over to Mellis until after lunch. I had intended painting the common, and the wildflowers were as beautiful as ever. However it was still very overcast (see photos) and there was no one there, so I went to Jane’s. At first I thought I was the sole visitor but John was busy doing a pastel painting.
I spent rather a long time talking to Jane, so only produced this ink sketch of ox-eye daisies in her garden, before getting down to the serious business of tea. By then another four members had arrived!' Apart from this lovely, delicate sketch, here are more daisies for anyone who wants to use them as subject matter.

More daisies now from Frances: A small box canvas painted some years ago based on Mellis, a self-evident sketch and the resulting small box canvas...she says she may do a little more to it.

Thanks to Jane for her hospitality today, see below...
And a pencil drawing of daisies and sweetpeas from the garden.

Diana found a photo of Mellis for inspiration from a couple of years ago that she started with using acrylic this morning at home and will finish it with oil .The sketch is from 2011 using watercolour pencils.

Now a big thanks to those who didn't make it to Mellis, but have still shared work produced this week. First Carolyn, who made a fine sketch from last week's swans at Beccles, and then shared a lovely picture of her water lilies, which had not yet flowered when we visited recently. The flowers are wonderfully delicate, and I particularly like the treatment of light on the water.

As it was raining Avril decided not to go to Mellis, but was busy painting a rose.
'We went to RSPB Minsmere yesterday and got some beautiful pictures of nature. The rose was one of them. It is a watercolour with a little pastel added.' She said.

Sally L said, 'Sorry I didn’t get to Mellis today, I spent a couple of hours on Pakefield beach, which has beautiful mounds of pale yellow Lupins in flower amongst the Marram grass, so in spite of the dull day it looked really pretty.'

Lastly, another reminder about the exhibition - do try and visit while it is on. You have until the end of July. Here is the poster, and the file for download - you can also send to a friend or two in an email...

June 2021 poster
File Size:	375 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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10th June 2021

10/6/2021

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Extra news 15th june

Please see Stop Press re the visit to Mellis on Thursday 17th June.

addendum 13th june

So I was right. Lesley had emailed from Sally L's garden on the day, and no sign of the email! Fortunately she persevered on Saturday, and now I am post visitor, here are her sketches. The first is in water soluble pen. Next one using double ended watercolour pens.

And here are Harriet's...

I am envious! It sounds as though a great time was had by all today at Beccles, and the weather still continues to improve. I was stuck at home moving furniture in readiness for the carpet-fitters, and then putting it back again once done. We did achieve a lot, not least the moving of some wardrobes using a contraption of straps - I was very skeptical...

Carolyn wasn't among the group who met at Beccles, but she has sent me a watercolour with added watercolour pencil of the alliums that a number of people drew and painted last week in her garden - lovely colour!

Here are just some of those who gathered, shown at the beginning and end of the day, with views of some of the subject matter on offer. Sally P said, 'A lovely day spent by the river. It started with a coffee and chat and then we all spread out.
Not quite as warm as predicted but pleasant. May be even a bit on the cool side if sitting in the shade! Then at three, some of us gathered again in Sally's garden for some delicious tea and homemade cakes and biscuits.
Twelve of us turned up for the day. Some just for the morning.' And here are Sally's finished sketches - the first in pencil, and the second a half hour pen and ink study.

Sally T found it frustrating that 'Every time I started to draw a boat it moved off. So a few quick sketches. I have included a charcoal drawing from yesterday of a neighbour's barn doors for good measure.'

Here is John's contribution from the day, and on the right, a view of the artist at work...

From Avril a trio of pictures - 'Had a wonderful day at Beccles today. The first attempt looms a bit like a page of a children’s picture book. Not so good...
The second one was a close up in pencil, Harriet helped me with the positioning of the cabin - I liked the curtains.
The third was done in Sally’s beautiful garden, a frog ornament against a wall with creepers.'

Frances was similarly busy. First is a small sketch of the Waveney and second larger version of same view using watercolour and charcoal. Third an exercise in geometry with some charcoal and thirdly colours in Sally’s garden. She says, 'Lovely day and thank you to Sally for a tasty tea!'

And thank you to Sally L for acting as host and providing garden, and refreshments in the afternoon. She says of her sketch, 'No boats?'

I have held off until Friday lunchtime to publish because I thought something must be amiss with my email as I have received relatively few submissions this week.
Don't forget that you don't have to have gone to the 'plein air' session to participate. Everyone will be very pleased to see what you have been doing. Having said that, nothing from me this week - too much furniture moving!

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3rd june 2021

3/6/2021

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See stop Press for details of trip to Beccles 10 June 2021.

This week we were at Carolyn's lovely garden, in definitely summer weather. Most of the day had sunshine, giving us nice contrasts of light and keeping us rather warmer than of late. I counted 10 plus Carolyn, though some went earlier than others. Thanks to Carolyn for the tea and coffee making, which was much appreciated, and to her and Roy for the glorious garden. Before we came, Carolyn had sent me two drawings she had already done this week (the first of another dog from the same family as last week's - Finwe the springer spaniel, the second some of the tools that helped to create and tend the garden), and some photos of the garden for the benefit of those who might not be able to come.

I shall start with Noreen, who was a welcome sight, as it has been a long time since she has felt able to come and work outside.
She said that this was an attempt made at home to make sense of her sketched 'blobs of colour'. I think she has captured the part of the garden she was looking at very accurately.

John Walters stayed until lunchtime and produced this detailed painting of the pond, with its reflections of the house.

Diana didn't stay long. She said it was good to see everyone, but also took her work home and did more to it. The order is:
1. Beginning 2.Adding felt tips at home,then splashing on water. 3.Bottom half,better than whole thing.

Avril produced these three interesting plant studies.

Sandra showed a lot of energy in her sketch of the cow parsley under the trees.

Like many of us today, Lesley felt she had given more time than she should to catching up, and had therefore done less than she expected. She said,'The drawing of alliums I kept simple as I will probably have it made into a thermofX screen so I can use it for printing backgrounds. The second of Carolyn’s woodland glade was to keep in the shade and experiment with drawing light and shade using a 0.1mm waterproof pen. I gave up........ So I went to the nursery in Weybread, then planted out my purchases.' Then there are two atmospheric photos for anyone who might like to use them.

Harriet has sent in not only this week's unfinished sketch (which she is going to work further on at home), but also two others.
1. From last week - Abbey Farm, Hoxne
2. This week at Carolyn's - Alliums - not finished, I hope to work on it further this week
3. Aquilegia - I'm intending to do some more on this as well

Sally P. said, 'Two rather feeble attempts from yesterday. Started the Alliums but got too hot in the sun and then went into the shade in the afternoon to attempt the trees. Rather a lot of artistic license as I ran out of space! They say you learn by your mistakes and I certainly did! It was so nice to see everyone and listen to the background chatter.'

Chatter certainly was a feature yesterday as we caught up with one another - it was very convivial! You can see above, Noreen and Carolyn chatting in the shade, and others at work in different parts of the garden, along with some other garden views.
I won't bother you with my first effort, as it was rubbish, but here is my second, and the beginnings of a painting in progress at home, based on the magnificent poppies in the garden.

Could I use this space to remind anyone who said they wanted to participate in the exhibition at The Bank that you have until Sunday to return your form to Lesley, whether electronically or by post.
Finally, we do still want to hear from you, even if you haven't been able to come to one of the venues on a Thursday, or done work that was based on any of the photos taken there. Please continue to contribute!

Just realised, I should have said that it is Hannah this week, though I am sure you guessed from the style and the lateness(!), so send your entries to me during June.

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24th June 2021

extra - 26th June

17th june 2021

10th June 2021

Extra news 15th june

addendum 13th june

3rd june 2021

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