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28th July 2022 - at Ian's in Westhorpe

28/7/2022

Late Addition 29th July

Sally T tried very hard to get her work to me yesterday, and it finally arrived today, so I have added it here. These are pen and water colour of pine trees and foxgloves going over next to trellis in Ian s garden

Sorry not to have made it today, but I don't think you would have wanted me there. I have a dreadful hacking cough (not THE one, though - I did a test), which I am sure no one would have wanted any contact with. Paintwise, I have been quite busy this week, as you will see later.
Six members made their way to Ian's house, where they were treated to a flow of tea and coffee and the three delicious homemade cakes! Thanks to Ian, and especially, Linda.

Carolyn thoroughly enjoyed the EAG visit last week, and thanks those who came. she couldn't get near her own lily pond when you were there, but this week she has tackled that subject, and also sent in a drawing done on the day of a rather fine rose on the trellis by the table, and a drawing of the articulated model she was given by a now late EAG member.

Angela has finished the painting she started last week at Carolyn's. This just shows me again all the ways I went wrong drawing the same subject!

Avril had a busy day at Ian's. The colours of these pictures all speak of the dryness of the weather at the moment.

Jackie wasn't able to get to Ian's today, but she has worked some more on trying to paint another willow tree like the one by the side of the Mere in Diss. She was concerned with using the light and shade to describe the tree top to bottom.

Here is Noreen's work from a photo she took at Carolyn’s last week and using pastels. She says, 'Found I was getting too many layers. Not easy!' Which I think was the consensus last week, as different versions emerged of the delicacy of the flowers with the solidity of the leaves, and the reflections, and the water... Well done, Noreen!

Sally P gave me a verbal snapshot of the day today. She says, 'It was lovely weather wise although a big gust nearly took the sun umbrella flying and my acrylics needed spraying continually to stop them drying up.
My painting this week is an acrylic of one of their floribunda roses and my 10 min sketch is of a few of their pots.'

Before I started coughing, I was quite busy painting this week. First is an oil painting taken from the drawing I did at Flixton, and second is a very tiny 5" x 7" canvas from a photo taken in Norfolk's newest country park, just north of Horsford.
The blog has been posted a little late this week, as I was hoping for more submissions. Do keep us in touch with what you have been up to, even if you can't make it on a Thursday. If you do come on a Thursday, please share your work, we are all interested!
Next week Noreen will be in charge, and the venue for Thursday will be Saxtead Green.

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Thursday 21st July, at Stradbroke

21/7/2022

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A digression first about last week when we had our Summer Exhibition, at the United Reformed Church in Diss, from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th July. From what I’ve heard and saw, we did ourselves proud, with a good number of viewers, compliments on the strong standard of work and a few sales. Sales included 7 pictures and 9 cards. Well done everybody who took part and many thanks especially to those who helped to organise, set up, and steward the exhibition. For those who made sales, Ian has a message for you on Messages from Members. (You may need to click on “MORE” to get these.)

Today we were invited to Carolyn and Roy’s garden in Stradbroke. - great to see them again, and I know how much Carolyn enjoys seeing you all. There were about 11 present at one time or another. What a relief that the temperature had cooled down a little. The star attraction was their wonderful lilypond, but there were plenty of other subjects asking to be painted.

Carolyn produced two drawings for the blog, the Garden Border with crayons and the interior view with Inktense, here modified slightly with water brush. She says she looks at the indoor view every day at mealtimes. She likes the idea of a composition almost entirely made up of straight lines.

Avril is first in with her three takes on the lilies, not an easy subject in any medium. (Look how many times Monet had a go!) Three very lively and colourful pictures from Avril.

Here we have two artists' work. First, Sally P used watercolour pencils on SAA practice paper to do a study of a waterlily. She says, "Not a great end result. It looks a bit dull. Might try them on a better quality paper to see if that produces a better result. " Then Hannah has produced a very gentle work, almost monochrome, of what looks to me like a flowering hosta.

Jackie has sent us two photos, the first of one of the lovely waterlilies in Carolyn's pond.
The second is of the Mere in Diss, started last Thursday and worked on during the last week. She adds, "I would love to capture the essence of Willow trees so if anyone has any tips?"

From Sally T, "Here are my pictures for today of Carolyn's water lilies. Both are sketches which I hope to work on. One is in pencil and the other in Inktense pencil, water brush and ink. I managed to decorate my trousers with ink in the process!"

Sally L’s subject is not unrelated to gardens and ponds, but with a novel approach. She says, “I’ve been playing with some collaged bits of gelliplate contact sheets to make some Mythical Moths. The only trouble is I’ve had a fan on because of the heat, and it’s blowing these tiny fragments all over the room!”
The second piece is Josie's work, which is good to see as she often tends to hide her light under a bushel. It comes via Hannah.

Harriet has sent us her work from today, two sketches of waterlilies.
She has also submitted 3 from her visit to Wales 2 weeks ago, "not sent before as I was having problems with the signal and then it was too late."

Richard has produced an interesting image as the start of an abstract piece in Art Nouveau style. Sally P pronounced it a brilliant idea, so let us see the finished work in due course, Richard.

Just one more in from Angela, who was painting the side of the border with the trees behind. She says, "I might do more work on it when it has dried a bit but I don’t want it to get too fussy. I abandoned the geraniums at the front as they were so delicate I couldn’t get my palette knife to convey their translucent qualities - I just pretended they weren’t there! It was lovely to see Carolyn after such a long time and in great spirits."

The day finished with all present enjoying tea with Carolyn.

Next week's meeting is at Ian's, at Westhorpe and it is Hannah's turn to do the blog, so please remember to send photos of your work to her. Keep painting and have a very good week.
Cheers, Noreen.

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14th July 2022 in Diss

14/7/2022

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First a big thank you to all those, both members and member's spouses, who help to hang the exhibition this morning. The display looks very handsome, as you can see below, and we had over 20 visitors today. Light in the room is quite good, though it was so bright outside today that those of us who had stayed to steward found ourselves blinking in the sunlight. Tomorrow the church holds a coffee morning, so visitor numbers will probably be considerably higher. I recommend a visit, if you can go before we dismantle it again on Sunday after 4pm, when it closes.

Some of those who had participated then went out to sketch in Diss. Here are Avril's, which are full of life.

And these are Jackie's, lots of bird life from the Mere and the park...

Carolyn's contribution this week consists of a fuschia drawing from her garden, one of her favourite flowers, which we can all see next week if you come to her garden next Thursday, very delicately done with crayon, and a more jokey subject - a cat's toy, to cheer us in troubling times. this was a cat's Christmas gift, and looks well loved.

Noreen, although unable to come to Diss, has sent a view of the Mere from some years ago. She has also been experimenting with coloured pencils on a self-portrait. She says, 'Unfortunately, they seem to lend themselves best to detailed, realistic work - i.e. distinctly unflattering!' It is very recognisable, but I think what Noreen means is that she looks rather more stern than we usually see her!

Diana has sent more of her previous work. She says, 'All done on Hahnemuhle “Cornwall” watercolour glued blocks which come in all shapes and sizes,it’s tough and you can throw water at it without it cockling. 1. and 2. were done in Anglesey, 3. at Stiperstones ,Shropshire, 4. at Bowls club

Frances started this work this week, an unfinished 5'' x 5" block canvas...

This is from June, done at the Bank yesterday morning. She has used her newly acquired set of Koh-I-Noor pastel pencils, which are softer than her previous pencils but didn’t include the colours she wanted.

Finally, the finished version of the painting Angela started last week at John's. Thanks to Noreen for sending me these last two.

So next week it's Carolyn's turn to host. Hope to see many of you there. Noreen will be blogging next week, so send her your photos. Let's hope we do get some rain before then, as the gardens are desperate, but NOT on the day, and that you all manage to keep clear of Covid!

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Thursday 7th July at John's

7/7/2022

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After a cloudy start, today brightened up to a lovely sunny afternoon. I arrived at John's after driving down Fiddler's Lane, which proved rather unnerving. My car's warning system was screaming at me all the way that I was too close to the side ... both sides in fact!!! It is so narrow. Such are the risks of Suffolk.
Some folk had already gone when I arrived but I had a wander round, was shown John's beloved oil-smelling studio, took a few photos and was promised more from Sally P. later. I had a thankfully more comfortable return journey via Cock's Road.

First one or two of the photos I took. John's house has a very rural setting, as you will also see from Frances's sketch below. Sandra and Angela are sitting beside a colourful herbaceous border

The first work I received from today's location was by Frances, who says she only had time for one sketch before having to rush off. She has called it "View through the Hedge".

Avril's is not from the location but from a photo taken in Kenya. as she coould not go to John's this week.

Carolyn has been working in the garden again but doesn’t find it easy. She really prefers working on a table. The redcurrants were done with crayons and the garden view was with Inktense - hence the dry and wet versions.

Diana didn't get to the location today and has dug out another ancient sketchpad to show us: (1) Hoxne Vicarage and Bodmin Moor (2) Ludgate Causeway (3) and (4) back and front of John's (formerly her old) house.

Sally L is on holiday and promised to send a postcard this week. Here it is: A view from the back of our hotel of what was probably at one time a rather grand house and terrace garden, now apartments. Horrible perspective challenges; too hot to concentrate. (Naples) (Perspective looks fine to me - Noreen)

Although I (Noreen) went to John's this morning, I was not able to do a painting. Here is something I did at home - another pastel painting of a view just off Lowgate Street in Eye.

This is Maggie-Anne's depiction of one of the buildings in John's garden (the studio, perhaps?)

This one is a drawing from Hilary, from the visit to Walberswick on 16 June.

From Lesley: Here is my offering, using inktense pencils and graphic twin felt tips. It’s the landscape just outside John’s garden. The brick building is his studio. I was only able to stay for the morning.

Now for the images Sally P sent in. First, she tells us twelve turned up today. Several had to go early due to other commitments but there were 6 of us that stayed for tea, cake and biscuits. John is in the first photo, on the left.
After a grey and blustery morning with the threat of rain it turned out to be a gloriously sunny day by the end and we were looking for shade!

Sally sent two pieces by Angela - an oil of silver birches using a palette knife, and a sketch.

Then a pastel sketch of an artichoke by Sandra.

Next Sally's own work. A drawing of fields from John's garden. Followed by a mixed media painting looking through an arch towards a herbaceous border.

That's all for today. Keep painting and send your work to Hannah next time (14th July, Diss).
Have a very good week.
Noreen

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28th July 2022 - at Ian's in Westhorpe

Late Addition 29th July

Thursday 21st July, at Stradbroke

14th July 2022 in Diss

Thursday 7th July at John's

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