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.