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  • ARCHIVES 2016
    • Burston 30.6.16
    • Blacksmith's 16.6.16
    • Redgrave 9.6.16
    • Exhibition Private View
    • Blacksmith's 2.6.16
    • Blacksmith's 2.6.16
    • Stradbroke 26.5.16
    • Westhorpe 19.5.16
    • Gaze's, 12.5.16
    • Thursday 28 April 2016
    • Thursday 21 4 16
    • Chairman's Project 7.4.16
    • Thursday 14 April '16
    • Thursday 31 March '16
    • Trevor Osborne's workshop 3.3.16
    • Thursday 17.3.16
    • Thursday 10.3.16
    • Frances's Workshop 18.2.16
    • Thursday 25.2.16
    • Thursday 11.2.16
    • Thursday 4.2.16
    • Thursday 28.1.16
    • Thursday 21.1.16
    • Thursday 14.1.16
    • Thursday 7.1.16
  • Archives 2015
    • Trevor Osborne's pastels 23.4.15 workshop
    • Thursday meeting 26 March '15
    • Thursday 3.12.15
    • Christmas Party 2015
    • Thursday 26.11.15
    • Thursday 19.11.15
    • Thursday 12.11.15
    • Thursday 5.11.15
    • Thursday 29.10.15
    • Thursday 22.10.15
    • Trevor Osborne's workshop 8.10.15
    • Tracey Waghorn's acrylics workshop
    • Thursday 19 February 2015
    • Thursday 29 January 2015
    • Thornham & Blacksmith's in June '15
    • Stroll & sketch 21 May 2015
    • Thursday 19 March '15

Thursday 29 September, Redgrave & Lopham Fen

29/9/2022

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A fine sunny start augurs well for the day at Redgrave and Lopham Fen, but let’s see how it turns out.

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Angela has been busy in her studio, she tells me, and to good effect as you will see below.  “I finished a painting from my sketch of Sizewell beach and am happy with the sky as I don’t usually give big skies in my work. I’ve done two little woodland scenes - just messing about with composition and colour - good fun!
​  Click for larger images.

​I’m working on another pathway-through-trees painting but in a much looser style - have to see where that will lead me as it has a will of its own!!!”

​June
likes to go to the Bank on Wednesday mornings; it is handy for her and she enjoys the company.  Most people work from books, but June takes her own still life, mostly from the garden.  
​Here is yesterday’s sketch of grapes, with a couple of others from previous weeks.

​Carolyn
goes with the autumn theme of dried leaves, this time using her crayons again to good effect.  She finds she prefers them over Inktense at the moment.  We are also adding another drawing (last week's plum tart) to her Gallery page.
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Avril is the first to come in with a show of work from the venue.  It includes a photo of the subject of the first sketch, followed by three mostly monochrome sketches and a landscape on her iPad.  Again, Avril has been most industrious, and in what she says is nice weather and surroundings.
Ian’s pictures look like charcoal and pencil, not his usual oils anyway.  He says, “Two pictures today, a horse that actually stood still and a general view of one of my fellow artists at work   I was unable to stay until the end.”
Jane has sent us two beautiful drawings from a previous visit to Redgrave Fen.  She says, “I work so slowly you’d still be waiting for today’s drawings next year!  I went this morning and took some photographs for reference.”  I think you can tell that Jane has originally based her work on a visit to the place, where you can get a real feeling for it.
Here are Sally T's sketches, a mixture of pen and pencil.  Thank you for your contributions, Sally.
According to Sally P it has been a beautiful day for our last outdoor meeting.  A cold start but a warm and sunny afternoon. Eight of us turned up.
"Here are my two pictures from today:  A pencil drawing of part of one of the gates leading into the walks.  The second, an acrylic (not finished) of the field behind the visitor centre.'
Josie has sent a sketch in colour for the blog, 
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Frances couldn't make it to the Fen today, but has sent us a watercolour she painted there in winter last year. 
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Harriet too thought they had been very lucky with the weather.  She thought it was going to be cold but had to strip off in the afternoon!  The last picture is of those who remained for tea and chat at 3pm.
Two offerings from Lesley, she did the first one in the morning - a view of Middle Fen from the picnic tables outside the visitor centre using charcoal pencils.  She did the second one after an early lunch. It is a view across the field at the back of the visitor centre towards the road (where the SWT plant sales used to be held). Very strong sunlight and deep shadows, with early autumn tints. I used pen and zig Art and Graphic twin felt tips.
I think that must be the last of your contributions to the blog this week - thanks to all of you.  
Next week is our first meeting of the Autumn programme and includes the AGM.  See Events for Autumn Programme, or click here.  Do come and bring  one or at most two of your favourite pictures for the Show and Tell part of the programme.

Don't forget it is Hannah's turn to do the blog, so please send any contributions to her.

​

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Addition to yesterday's blog

23/9/2022

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Oops!!!  Apologies for omitting Carolyn's drawing from yesterday's report.  Entirely my fault as she had sent it in early, as usual.  
Carolyn, after the plum season in their garden, has turned to apples for her contribution.  She says she tried hard with the shadows, but it was done in the dining room which has light from three sides.
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Thursday 22 September, Wetheringsett

22/9/2022

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Change of venue for next week - please see note at end of blog.
A beautiful day today, at least to start with, and let’s hope it continues for our members going to the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway.  We have been there before a few times, I believe, and found many interesting subjects to draw and paint.
The railway was intended to build a 50-mile network to open up an agricultural area of central Suffolk, but it never really got off the ground and closed in 1952.  Informally referred to as the Middy Line, it is now a railway museum run by a charity.
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 I hear from Sally P that eight people turned up today and enjoyed the warm and sunny day.  Here are some location photos she took.
She produced three drawings, which she herself calls "not bad going".  (I agree.)  
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Frances concurs that it has been a lovely warm day there; “so much so that a Red Admiral sunned itself on my little sketch book for some minutes.  Having been sketching quite a few landscapes recently I decided to concentrate on shapes. In my small sketch book, watercolour and pencil, and on A3 sheet playing with oil pastels and ink.”
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We have a variety of sketches from Avril, in which she has cleverly captured a variety of textures, shapes and perspective.  Also included is her photo of three members at work.
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Jane was able to join the meeting this week.  It's great to see her beautiful drawing of (I think) the engine shed.
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Lesley decided to use oils today, not having had a paintbrush out for 5 weeks. She says, "I need to do a bit of refining of the rails and foliage when the paint dries. Also remove all the flies stuck in the sky!"
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Ideal sketching weather today, says Sally L. Of her first sketch, she tell us "I ​did have these engine parts explained to me in some detail, needless to say I have forgotten all of it! The Wissington came from Bury St Edmunds, used to ferry sugar beet to the factory.
"I think I might colour it, because the whole thing was in a shed and quite dark, except for the red brake lever."  
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Of the second sketch, she says, "This is a view down to the engine shed at the end showing the Wissington end on.  I drew this on top of a partly ready printed background, enabling me to squeeze in some opera pink paving."  (Nice to see some Opera Pink back.N.)
Harriet is in Wales at the moment, where it is raining.  She has sent us two sketches
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Next week's meeting was to have been at Bressingham, but Sally P reports that having chatted to the Plein air painters last week and this, we have decided to change the venue to Redgrave and Lopham Fen. ​
That's all for this week, I believe.  I wish you all the best for next week and look forward to receiving your contributions to the blog.  Don't forget, Hannah is away and you must send your work to me, Noreen.
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Thursday 15 Sept '22, Sizewell Beach

15/9/2022

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What an extraordinary week it's been, with everything overshadowed by events dominating the news since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.  It's been affecting and educational - for large numbers of us, I would think.  For those stalwart enough to queue or camp out to witness the lying in state, the weather seems to be getting cooler.  I wonder how it will be for intrepid artists in Sizewell.


Click to enlarge images
First, however, we hear from Carolyn who has returned to her garden for inspiration and sent us a very realistic watercolour painting of two plums from their large crop this year.  This is followed by the culinary rewards of gardening - a plum tart, now eaten.
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Frances has been in Carlisle for a week and has sent us some splendid sketches from her explorations of the area.
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Solway Firth at Port Carlisle
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Solway Firth at Bowness on Solway (Rome 1150 miles ... apparently since Hadrian's Wall began here).
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River water and stones at New Abbey Scotland
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Ullswater
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Ullswater (sitting on a rock)
The next picture is from Harriet who also did not go to today's venue.  It is done from a photo also shown, of Maggie-Anne's old bench, which she first showed us a version of a couple of weeks ago.  This appears to be a much more accomplished version.
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Harriet's latest version of Maggie-Anne's bench
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The rickety bench
Hurray for Sally L!  She's been to Sizewell today.  She says it's a great place for subject matter - a very brooding sky, with occasional bursts of sunlight, which made the white spherical reactor almost luminous, and the sea sparkle.  And here are her super sketches.  
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​Obviously, the sparkly sea won out over the more boring sphere.
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Ian J has sent us his pencil sketch from Sizewell today. 
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More news now from Sally P at Sizewell.  She tells us that eight members turned up.  A fabulous location with lots of different subjects for them to paint and draw.  The weather held out but not a great deal of sunshine.  The café, carpark and loos were all close by.
Sally's offerings are a pencil drawing of a boat and nets, and Sizewell power station in pastels.  She has used a bit of artistic licence with the sky, although there really were dark skies at times.
Evidently no-one remembered to take a group photo at the end of the day.  (Shame!)  Too busy eating delicious chips.
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Avril says she has 'quite a few" offerings this week - or in my language, "umpteen"!  A lot of hard work.  Here they all are:
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On Sizewell beach Jackie sketched her first impressions of the beach contours in pencil then, after cake, did a painting of the Sea Kale and objects on the beach near one of the boats. She says that a huge disadvantage was the constantly changing skies and light, but it has been a most enjoyable day.
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Angela has sent in three pieces of artwork from the meeting today, all showing the brooding skies.  She says she got some good photos which will help with colours for a painting.
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NOTE:  In the past couple of weeks some work has been done to update the website, but it is still ongoing and we are hoping for further contributions in the next day or so.   EAG members who have not yet replied to our letter of 3rd September, please get in touch without delay.

Next week our venue is the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway at Wetheringset.  There is parking at the location but don’t forget to bring your own refreshments.

ALSO, REMEMBER HANNAH IS AWAY.  SO PLEASE SEND YOUR BLOG CONTRIBUTIONS TO ME (NOREEN) AGAIN.

​Have a good week! 


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8th September 2022 - Sarah Huckelby's Garden, Hemingstone

8/9/2022

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addendum

I didn't hear of the Queen's death until after this was posted, but thought I ought to add something to mark the day.  She has always seemed to me to be the exemplar of monarchy and the country will miss her.  It seems good that she was in a favourite spot, and that her family were around her.  Something we can all wish for.
For some reason during all the time I lived in Thorndon, and visits were made to Sarah Huckleby's garden, it was always impossible for me to go; I was either away, or something intervened.  I looked with envy at the pictures of EAG members frolicking in the pool.  Today was certainly warm enough, and indeed Avril tells me that swimming took place, but in Norfolk the weather has been very uncertain, with several downpours during the day.
Seven members did make it, and want to thank Sarah for her excellent hosting.
Firstly, Avril, who had a busy day, producing all this work as well as enjoying a swim!
Here they are all assembled, together with Sarah...
Thanks to Avril for the photo (a little bit of photo editing magic shows everyone!)
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Next, Sally P, who said, 'It started with a cuppa and a heavy downpour but then the day cleared up and we were able to settle down to paint and draw. A few people also managed to get a swim in! At three we had tea, cakes and scones with homemade jams and our parting gift was a pot of homemade jam each. 
I did two pages of sketches and a third picture of a crab apple. I was attracted to the apples that had fallen on the ground forming a blanket of colour. This I left unfinished as I was pestered by ants and a pesky wasp!'
Jackie also enjoyed her day despite the heavy showers that interrupted proceedings.  This lovely watercolour shows one of the many outbuildings in the grounds.
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Heavy rain in his vicinity deterred Ian from going out this morning, but he has done more work on the saxted mill painting of a few weeks ago. although he prefers the tree on the left.  More work to be done.
He says, 'Also I have a question for members - I have been given a piece of ‘claybord’.  Has anybody used this and what is the best medium for it?  It has a very smooth surface.' 
Not something I have come across - over to the very knowledgeable and experienced membership,..


Diana also worked at home this week.  She has had some weeks without inspiration, but sent some 'scribbles' she has now worked on from photos of Stiperstones.  Looks like it has been a busy week!
Carolyn has been documenting the effects of the weather on her garden.
She says, 'The burnt-up look of the garden may be seen by the lack of green grass and the survival of only one conifer of a pair. We are not alone but it is quite distressing to see it in this state, especially after all the work Roy has put in.'  Those of us who visited them earlier this year will know how well looked-after this garden is. 
She used crayons for the plums and finds they blend better than Inktense.
Here is Sally T's drawing from today.
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Harriet chose a most unusual aspect for her painting today, the house as reflection.  She has sent a photo to illustrate what she was looking at, but the light, she tells me, does not reflect the conditions when she was painting.
I have done some work on my drawing from last week, but I don't think the changes show particularly, so I won't include it.
Next week Noreen is in charge, so send your work to her for inclusion.  I am going to be away from the end of next week, so she will also be doing the following two Blogs, (22 and 29 September).  I am going to the Peak District, armed with a camera and a sketchbook, so I may try and send something to her while I'm away!  Have a good couple of weeks....
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Thursday 1st September, Eye with Maggie-Anne

1/9/2022

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A change to the Summer Programme today:  sketching in Eye, with the visit to Bressingham being postponed to 29th September.  And such a lovely day.  Sally reports nine present, 8 staying all day.  ​Sally herself arrived at 11am after popping in to see Richard.
She started by drawing a picture of a stone hare.  Meanwhile Maggie-Anne set up a still life with pears, an apple and her aunt's beautiful jug.  Sally did a drawing of the said still life, then started one in pastel for the last hour.  She boasts that she had a quick lunch, then carried on drawing whilst everyone else sat having their lunch!!!  A first for her.  Yes, I am impressed Sally.
Frances did all her sketches today in A5 books.  She decided for the first two to revisit a style she used years ago - gridding the page and then playing with the subject matter within the grids.  The third sketch is in watercolour, ink and charcoal. The fourth is a pencil sketch "while awaiting our very tasty tea!"
Diana has recalled a previous visit to Maggie-Anne's:  2015 - a lovely day after all the rain.  The first two sketches are from today, and the last two from past years.
Carolyn and Noreen are two who didn't manage to get to today's venue.  Carolyn had a change from her usual garden subjects to draw a pretty pendant.  She has submitted two versions:  one with a dark background and one with the background left white.  She doesn’t say which she prefers.  
Noreen struggled with her picture today - looking up Lowgate Street. (Well, at least it's in Eye.) Thinks she may have to abandon her paints and brushes .... !!!

From Ian C we have a painting of an old well in the garden.... "the painting was enhanced by Maggie-Anne's pooch who now has two tone fur".  (More from Hannah below on this story.)
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Lots of photos from Hannah.  First her masterful pencil drawing of --- a bug hotel?  We also have a photo of the real thing.  Also pictured is Molly the Cockapoo who wanted to "help" Ian C with his painting and got covered in paint in the process.  Very much the star of the day, I understand.
More location photos from Hannah, including the gathering for tea.
"Here now some work from Harriet, who says, "I started by painting 2 pictures of a rickety bench that caught my eye.  I'm intending to do more work on the oil painting.  Also is an image of a leaning cherry tree.
"The first two I did standing up, hoping to get a bit of energy into the pictures. The third was done sitting down so it was more sedately done."
Josie and her husband Ian have sent in some work.  The fruit and group of chickens are Josie's.  the lone chicken and two landscapes are Ian's.
From Sally T:  Here are my pictures for today. Quick sketches of Eye Church Tower. 
That's all from Eye today.  Have a good week.  Happy painting.  It's Sarah Hucklesby's at Hemingstone next time.  Send your artwork and messages to Hannah next week.
​Cheers,  Noreen.
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