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.

I understand it was raining first thing in Hoxne, and maybe in other Eye adjacent places.  Perhaps that explains how few of us were in New Buckenham this morning (5), where the weather was glorious and quite hot.  Unfortunately, the cake shop/Angel Cafe was not open.  I left just after lunch, so I don't know where the other four went for tea.  Coffee was had by three of us in the Kings Head pub, which was a very nice spot.  The food choices (had we been there for lunch) looked rather good too.  I don't feel I did New Buckenham justice in my sketch (later).  I'd forgotten how taxing architecture is.  Below some photos of the location. Thanks to Sally P and   Harriet for their contributions.

First, some work from last week that came late to the blog.  Remember, there is a deadline of 6pm (18.00 hrs) on the day...

Diana was not able to come to New Buckenham, but has sent this array of work from the week...
'1 & 2. Went out with son to take photos to work from at home
3. Felt tips + water
4. Felt tips + cold tea + oil pastel
5. Son Charlie  did this for my birthday today  (acrylic)' - Happy Birthday from all of us, Diana!

Harriet has sent several sketches from today's outing.

From Frances, '
Quick impression watercolour and pencil corner of the garden,
Peacock butterfly appeared on an agapanthus. Watercolour,
Impression of sea once more from my memory of floating in it. Watercolour and pencil.'

Eight EAG members enjoyed Judith's hospitality today.  The weather was fine and there were lots of lovely features and views to suit all, including animal models! Thanks to Avril and Sally P for photos.

Avril was back from holiday and seemingly raring to go, if this lot are anything to go by!

From Sally P, an ink drawing of the new shepherds hut and a pencil drawing of the rose arch.

Angela ran out of time in her schedule to make it to Beccles last week, and she was off to Folkeast today, so she sent some work she has been doing at home. 'Up and down dale’ in oil and cold wax and another of her climate change pieces- collage oil etc called ‘Under the Ice’.
She says, 'I am pleased with this one as I think the composition is ok. The other paintings I do are ‘quiet landscapes’ but these collages are not quiet and despite not being pretty or something you might put up on a wall they do attempt to say/shout a message however uncomfortable it may be. Well that’s what I hope!!!'

Frances says, 'Encore en Bretagne!
First, fiddling with oil pastels based on an idea stirred into existence at Sizewell.
Second, acrylic, not finished but based on the splashes I made in the sea lying on my back yesterday!'

I didn't need to be there today to know that the weather was glorious, though i think I might have found it a bit warm, and maybe difficult to keep awake in the heat! Such a change from last weekend, the wind and the rain blown away, and summer has returned - though maybe only briefly...
To set the scene, photos courtesy of Sally P [Thanks - Ed.]

Carolyn proves herself to be a faithful contributor again this week from home, and still experimenting - She says, 'I had a new lemon yellow to try, so this is wet in wet, a section of it. The other is an InkTense drawing of clematis.'

Frances has joined in from Brittany with two sketches, The first not Beccles but a lock on the Nantes/Brest canal on a cycle ride nearby, ink and watercolour pencils. Secondly, fiddling in her sepia sketchbook as she sat outside this morning with conté pencils.

Sally L was on home turf, and was the host for the afternoon gathering and lovely homemade biscutis and cake -Here is Beccles Quay, looking down river to the Lido, a lovely sunny day, bright colours and strong shadows and lots of river activity which I seem to have missed out!
Secondly,  the flower head of a lily that broke off in last week’s winds. Lilies usually look so upright and stately but this one looked almost dynamic as though it was whirling round, and I loved the different positions of the flower heads.

Harriet has a tale and a half from today -
'I had a bit of a disaster today. I decided to go to the river on the other side of Beccles to the quay, so I drove round and then couldn't find a parking space near (not surprising) so I parked on the road adjacent to Sally's road, and it was about a 10 minutes walk to where I wanted to go. I loaded my trolley up and set off, it was slightly unbalanced, and when I crossed the main road, my stuff fell out and scattered on the road. Luckily the traffic was slow and people stopped to help me pick it up.
When I arrived near the river side I was told I couldn't access it, as workmen were there improving it! So I just stopped where I was and drew / painted Beccles looking towards Ballygate.'
Despite all this, here is an acrylic and a sketch. Well done for perseverance!

Our next contributor is Sally P, who said, 'Nine of us turned up today and after a coffee we all wandered off to draw and paint. I did one at the quay side. Realised that the perspective is all wrong.Second drawing is looking down from the churchyard at some houses. Lots of trees!
I finished at 1.30 and met my son's partner for a drink and a fascinator hunt. Very successful. Before wandering up to Sally's for a drink and lovely home made biscuits and cake.'

That's all there is this week.  Hopefully there will be more next week, from Judith's home in Mendlesham Green.  the weather is due to take a dive, so let's hope it's evened out again by then. Sand your work to me, Hannah.

Keep the contributions coming in!!

First I must apologise to Les and Barbara for disappearing without thanking them for their hospitality (and the great cakes).  I caused all sorts of nuisance by (most unusually) being one of the first to arrive, and then needing all the cars behind me to move to let me out.  Sorry, Jackie, Harriet and Ian J!
The day looked rather grim to start, with grey clouds overhead, and it did try, very half-heartedly, to rain at one point.  It never got too cold, and by the end, I gather, the weather had brightened considerably.  The field behind Les's house had been harvested, and there was a huge panorama of stubble and a sky to suit even Ian C.  So with that, Les's and his neighbour's gardens, there was plenty to choose from...

Harriet set to and made a detailed study of a thistle and two paintings of different aspects of the field.

Although Sally P arrived late because of an appointment, she seems to have worked very hard before teatime arrived...
She said, 'Managed to knuckle down after lunch and produce three sketches! Not bad for two hours work.
We had a lovely tea and cake at three o'clock. It was quite an effort to leave as the sun had come out and everyone was enjoying themselves. Thank you Les and Barbara. 
No afternoon photo! We all forgot!'