A little rise in temperature has been very welcome today after that freezing spell - hailstones and all.
Let's start with Jackie's photos to inspire us for our artwork next week.  She has sent us four photos, an excellent selection.  Of the waterscape with boat, she says, "For fans of Ronald Jesty's painting technique, this is an ideal subject."  (Thanks for the hint, Jackie.  I must look him up.  N.)
​Or as usual you can do your own thing.  
Click on images to enlarge them.

She has sent in two semi-abstract pictures, taken from previous blog inspiration images, including hellebores and other flowers.  The third picture is blossom, inspired by Hannah's photo last week.  She has also been working on her oil painting (shown on an earlier blog of Dave and dogs in the conservatory), trying to get the detail right.  This has kept her quite busy.
​

Harriet has been very busy today. We have Alliums 1, collage.  Alliums 2 mixed (coloured pencils, watercolour and acrylic).  Horse eating hay , then Ponies at the fen (coloured pencils, watercolour and acrylic).  Splendid work, Harriet!  

First of all, I want to remind everyone that Noreen is back on Blog duties from next week, for the whole of April, so anything you want included should be sent to her.
Then let me thank the members who have already sent me their self-portraits:-  Avril, Carolyn,Diana, Frances, Harriet, Hilary, Ian, Rachel, Richard, Sally L. and Sally T.  There will be a round up of names each week, so you will know your pictures have reached me safely.

So let's start this week with the pictures that Lesley has chosen to give you some ideas and inspiration for the week. First, reflections, boats, mud and water from the River Dart - and second, for those who enjoy painting and drawing animals, the last two photos are  of a Suffolk Punch at Gressenhall Museum in Norfolk.

Next Angela, who wasn't able to Zoom this week because of a power cut, but told us last week about the course she is doing online with Newlyn School of Art - Abstracting the Landscape, which had certainly kept her busy - as you can see here.  She has been working in a lovely zig zag book sketching over painted areas which has been great fun, and these may get worked up into paintings, but not, she says, the self portrait.  I love the reflections in the glasses and the detail of the bag hanging behind - good likeness too.

Also busy this week has been Harriet, who had trouble with her internet connection this morning, and wasn't able (during the time I was there) to be seen.  So here is the work she couldn't show, and her description of it.
'In the Pond 2 is my next project, based on a photo I took a while ago, In the Pond 1 is the sketch where I'm trying to work out what I wanted to include in my picture.
'Also I have included Rose 3rd dog portrait which I have finished and also In the Conservatory which I have been working on for a long time and have nearly finished.'
It is always interesting to see someone's process as they work through making a picture.  The texture of the brush strokes used to describe the fur (and therefore the face) in the dog portrait is very successful and expressive.

Diana looks back from this March to the two previous.  March 2021, Moth and umbrellas, March 2020,  looking forward to Spring, and a reminder of Life Before Covid - March 2019 at the Bowls Club - how life used to be!

From Frances, 'First, oil pastel and ink of the moth. Second, sketch done on Wednesday at Redgrave Fen, third the oil of winter sunset from my studio window.Fourth Just finished this one. Acrylic and charcoal.

As for me, what is it with my chin?!  Every time I try at a self portrait, I get the proportion wrong!  So her I have shortened it, using computer imaging software, but, because it is coloured pencil, it does not seem to be amenable to erasing and redoing - though I may try tomorrow.
By the way, for those on Zoom, Oscar is OK.  Probably an infection from a bite - so expensive antibiotics, etc...

So, just a gentle reminder - send your contributions to the blog to Noreen during April.  The self portraits should still come to me, by post.  Have a productive week!

Thank you to the six members who have so far sent their self-portraits to me,  What good likenesses! I thought I would play a game of opening without looking at the packaging details or any note, to see if I knew who it was, and so far - 6 for 6!  From Sally L. two, back to back,
This week's jobs on the house have included demolishing a long run of fitted wardrobes that must have been put in in the 1970s (judging by the anaglypta behind it) dark brown and then painted cream later.  Under the cupboards were ethernet cables snaking everywhere, some old, but not that old coins, and a cache of singles, mostly The Smiths, but including Waterloo Sunset by the Kinks.  We too used to meet at Waterloo Station every Friday night, so this seems like a good omen! The pinkish shape in the third pic is old wallpaper, maybe 1940s?

Anyway, some of you have been busy this week with self-portraits and other pictures.  I am going to find it hard going getting back into practice!
Here for a start is Frances - 'Two self portraits. Image one, I decided to put acrylic colours on paper then charcoal drawing from mirror on top. Enjoyed doing this. Second, acrylic from photo. Third picture messing with inks, Art Graf on Yupo paper inspired by Harriet’s photo. Finally another owl resting on a photo from newspaper for possible background.'
Frances also supplied this week's inspiration, see below.

Sally T. has also sent a self portrait, and work inspired by  last week's aeroplane image from Harriet.

Three colourful mixed media images from Ian's sketchbook.

Carolyn says,
'I have found it difficult to get back to normal after a month of pencil portraits! I have attached 2 doodles for consideration today. The Coach House at Brockdish has been a popular summer venue in the past and the larch cones are attractive and come from the lawn here. It has rather attractive lichen on it.' 

And this is Lesley's take on Samuel Palmer’s Apple Tree, in watercolour and oil pastel.
And a textile piece, utilising silk, velvet and needle cord, representing bark.

Finally, here are the images Frances has chosen to inspire us all. 
'Umbrellas from a festival in Brittany. Icicles on my neighbour’s thatch (red branches in foreground  work well.)  An Angle Shades moth I found on a timber in the kitchen about a fortnight ago, a subtle challenge.' 

Seeing some of the abstracts made in recent weeks I am looking forward to seeing what these will create.

Hello from far-flung Brundall in the sunny?? (we actually had hail today!) Norfolk Broads.  Hannah here, with, finally a good enough broadband connection to do the blog again.  Thank you so much to Noreen for stepping into the breech - as elegantly as ever she did, and thanks to all the contributors for the continuing high standard of their work.

Moving was interesting.  I knew we were in for fun when they packed the shoes I had been slipping in and out of all day, without asking; and my knitting, the garment, not the spare wool or bag, was packed with some cushions that haven't turned up yet.  Most of it was OK apart from that, but on the Monday when they returned with the rest of the stuff, they wedged their lorry between the front of the house and the fence, and had to get a recovery vehicle to pull them sideways.  Red faces all round!

First this week we have Maggie-Anne, with a self portrait and a painting of spring flowers.  This is the third, and she says she has now had enough and wants to get back to wildlife, dogs cats horses etc.  This is  a fine likeness, though, so the time was well spent.
She decided to do a spring flower picture and took some photos of the daffs and primroses in the garden but it wasn't a sunny day and the photos were disappointing. So this is based on a picture she liked on line, cropped and done in pastels. She found the hyacinth very tricky but really enjoyed the colours.

 Now for Diana, with something completely different.  She says, 'Got nowhere this week although I did try .So the first two  are son Charlie’s,  he even made my studio wall look amazing. The last one is mine from a couple of years ago ,based on a Shropshire hill.

A couple more self portraits, I think we will all know who, as the likeness is very good*.  More stern in the one done from looking in the mirror, but I think we are all finding that the concentration of observing yourself does that to your expression.

*That was Carolyn, of course.

Sally P. wasn't able to join us this week for Zoom, because she was doing a Michaelangelo at home (explanation below).  She sent these cards and said, 'Painted using Aldi Premium(!!!) acrylic paints! The colours and colour mixing are a bit dodgy and they dry very quickly! They have a satin and a metallic finish, which is rather nice.'  The stairs set up looks very professional - are you available to do a quote, Sally?

Here is a very recognisable face, showing the same concentration as Carolyn's picture, but with a bit of a Noreen twinkle!  She has also suggested that her palette contains some most interesting abstract painting - as you can see, she is right!

Jackie's first this week is an evening scene at Redgrave and Lopham Fen, with colourful sunset and the birds going home to roost.  The second is from a photo taken in Westhorpe Church a couple of years ago, where she was struck by the sense of calm and serenity, which is well conveyed in a deceptively simple image.

Jane has supplemented a painting from the photo she provided last week, with another from a similar subject also taken on holiday in France.  Both acrylics, she commented on Zoom on the difference she felt the two canvases had made to the process, one linen, one cotton - the linen much the better.

Lesley has been really productive this week.
1.  My final attempt at a self portrait, in watercolour using a photo taken In 2019. Not enough jowls and wrinkles, but strangely they didn’t show in the photo.
2.  An experiment with using a candle as a wax resist, Quink ink and watercolour on mixed media paper. I shall have another go, planning a composition rather random marks- it’s difficult to see white candle marks on white paper.
3.  My interpretation of Jane’s wonderful photo of her mineral collection. I decided not to be realistic but go slightly abstract. A hotchpotch of acrylic inks, wax crayons, oil pastels and metallic acrylic paint. I enjoyed doing this, thinking  about a previous life as I painted.
And finally,  a photo of an unusual cloud formation over my house at lunch time. It’s called mammatus, because it’s supposed to look like mammaries hanging down! It indicates really violent weather which seems right for today.

And so has Harriet, who has also provided this week's inspiration, which you will find below her week's work.  Another very good likeness in the self portrait, though she does look rather worried, but perhaps this is concentration again.

More images for abstracts as well as realism or impressionist treatment.  Full files below for bigger images.  Nothing from me as the limited painting I have done this week was of the same variety as Sally P's stairs (though nothing like as impressive!).  Have a good week.  Enjoy the beginnings of spring - only a couple of weeks to go before people can meet outside in gardens again, and then in April, hopefully even more freedom!

Hi Everyone from Noreen.  Nice to be back.  

Let's start with the inspiration photos for next week's artwork.  They are from Jane who, after some discussion with Hannah about abstraction, has chosen a couple of them with that in mind.  Whatever you decide to do, I know we shall all be pleased to see your picture(s) and hear what you have been up to, so please keep in touch.

The other two are of Cherry who is no longer with them, and this is the first time, after 4 years that she has felt like having a go at a painting her.  They now have another dog, Rose, as yet unpainted.
​

We had a good Zoom today, except for a few technical difficulties.  We saw more of Les Br. this time (loved to see his L-plate in his place when he disappeared), but June came and went a few times, evidently because she didn't get the appropriate email with the link.  Let's hope they can all be sorted out before next week.  
PS  (Friday)  I should have waited a little longer before posting the above.  Jane had had a hectic day and was a bit late in sending her excellent work in - see below.  

PPS (Saturday)  Here are some further additions, with apologies for lateness.

This is definitely the last for this week.  Thank you all for your contributions - which I know keep many of us going through bad weather and difficult times.  Noreen

This should really be titled 16th February, as that is when I am compiling it, rather early, as I am moving on Friday, and I think Thursday might be a bit busy!  Thank goodness the snow has finally gone, beautiful as it is to look at, even venturing down the road to the post box was hazardous with sheet ice and packed snow. Finally this morning, thank goodness, all the garden stuff that is coming with us is visible - It would have been quite hard to dig it all out for the removers.

Some eggcellent chicken-themed work from Avril.  The first is white gouache on black paper in different scales, and the second is a linoprint.  (She says it's facing a different direction because she forgot to turn the tracing over.)

Lesley took photos when walking locally in the snow, and these chalk pastel drawings are the result.

From Jackie, two pictures relating to last week's work, and a self portrait.  She is now planning an oil painting.

Also from Sally P. here is your inspiration for the week.   She has decided to give you some portraiture practice, and this picture is 'Especially for Les...', then I think, remembering last week, that this is Ginger Rogers the chicken, a still life and sheep in the snow.  Is it me being a townie, or are there more sheep out early this year than usual?  Good variety, thank you Sal. Larger files below for downloading.

And finally, a newsletter from Sally P.
Dear All,
Hello again. I hope that you have all survived the snow and cold spell. I for one, enjoyed walking to the local shop for a paper each morning, taking loads of photos with idea that one day I might paint from one. Then I think paint snow! And that’s the end of that!
Due to the continuing Coronavirus situation the committee arranged, with the kind help of Rev. Richard Court, to hold a zoom meeting to discuss the way ahead.
The pandemic meant that we were unable to hold the AGM in October as per normal. With this in mind, we, the committee, are prepared to remain in post for the year. If you have any queries regarding this or wish to object please could you let one of us know.
It was unanimously decided that due to the pandemic and our healthy finances that NO SUBSCRIPTION  would be required for this year. Please could you make sure that you let the membership secretary ( Harriet) have your up to date address, telephone/ mobile no. and email if you have changed these within the last year.
A working group is now planning (ever hopeful) a summer programme!
They will run in the mornings and be fairly local. If you could offer a garden or suggest a venue please let Lesley Buckwell, Sally Tyler,  Maggie-Anne, Jackie  or me  know via email or telephone ASAP.
We are looking into exhibition possibilities and will let you know if and when something definite happens.
The zoom meetings are going well, with over 10 people plus, logging on each week. There was some discussion as to whether the time put people off. We are considering changing the time to possibly 2.00 p.m. Could you please let us know if you would prefer this or are happy for it to remain at 12.00 noon.  Thank you to Avril for hosting this event.
There has been an increase in numbers looking at the blog which is good to hear. The work produced and sent in is a joy to look at and the photos for inspiration have been a great help. It’s one of the highlights of the week to log in and see what everyone has been doing. So thank you to Hannah for all the hard work of putting it together.
Sadly, I was contacted by an ex-member of the group who informed me that another ex- member, Jan Keene, had passed away after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in November.  Several of you may have known her from The Bank or the life classes held by Sue in Scole. The EAG sent a letter of condolence.
It was mentioned by one of our committee members that there is someone willing to sit for a zoom  life drawing session/ sessions, running for an hour. If you are interested please could you let us know. The model would invite us using her zoom. It would not be tutored.
Lastly, I do hope you are all managing to have a go at producing a self portrait 8” x 8” for our project. There has been much hilarity on zoom regarding this project and some rather splendid pictures shown both on zoom and in the blog. Could you please send them to me by April 2nd the latest. If you wish to have your masterpiece returned please let us know. As the original can be scanned and a copy used for the final piece.
Finally, I do hope you are all keeping well. Many of you will have been vaccinated by now and I hope that it went well.  Some of us have a bit longer to go..... oh to be so youthful ;-)
Looking forward to seeing you sometime in the not too distant future.
Sally P.

PS from Noreen
Here is a late addition from Maggie-Anne.​

First, a quick request for those who have work for the blog next week.  Please could you try to get it to me by Tuesday, so I can compile the page before I lose the internet in the moving process.  Noreen will then make the page 'live' on Thursday.
Second, The Zoom meetings have been very enjoyable, but we have been wondering whether some of you haven't been joining us because you find the timing awkward.  The proposal is that we change it to 2pm on a Thursday, giving you time to get some art done in the morning, have a leisurely lunch, and then join us!  Please let Sally P. know what you think of this suggestion.
Here is your inspiration for the week, courtesy of Avril, who says;
1. I thought the shape would be good for abstracts and challenging pencil work.
2. The woodturning shapes have lovely grain.
3. This one is interesting as the reflection from the window was quite a surprise
So we have Avril as well as a figure model in this last one.
[I do think we are getting great contrast in these inspirational photos, from week to week!  Bigger versions of these images available to download below.

That icy puddle from last week was a great catalyst for some fantastic work this week. 
Here is the first group, from Frances.
1. Acrylic and charcoal
2 . Yupo Plastic paper, Art Graf and ink.
3. Watercolour and wax crayons.

Diana got inspired, too.  She asked me to thank you all for having a go at her photos, and said,
'This time I started with  Sally’s icy puddle .  Quink  splodge  underneath then did oil pastel ,old gelli print for collage and magazine collage.'

And then Sally L. produced both a 'puddle detail' and a 'frosty track'.

Sally P's used pen and ink/ watercolour for a portrait of Ginger Rogers, one of her Chickens.
Then she decided to look at an old photo of a Petri dish sample and used Gelli print collage to produce a picture.  These three work really well together as a group. And there is more than an echo again of the icy puddle...

Avril went with a combination of the hat from last week, posed in her drawing on a ceramic head she made earlier, and two very different self-portraits - one in oil and acrylic and the other a lino print.

Jane has given us a linoprint of snowdrops and a pen and ink drawing of a tree in Mellis, that has been an ongoing picture that she has kept returning to.

Harriet has been experimenting. 'I used a book with instructions for the first two, I was trying to improve /explore different techniques. The first one, the path by the sea was done using a palette knife, which is something I don't usually do. The second picture, the tulips, the instructions were much harder to follow, so I ended up doing my own thing using the picture as a guide. The third picture, frost, is my attempt from the blog images.'

Late addition from Frances, two oil paintings ..hellebore of some years ago and one down the Mellis Straight last month...

The self portrait project has given some members their inspiration this week, and I am sure none of you will find it difficult to recognise any of the individuals involved.  There was some discussion on Zoom about how to tackle wrinkles, etc.  It is always disconcerting when it's your turn to sit for others on a Thursday morning, to find that your double chin and saggy neck are faithfully reproduced by those who are drawing or painting you; and worse; everyone else recognises you in those drawings!  I think our inverse Dorian Gray portraits are inside our heads.  Until we have to do an exercise like this, we still see ourselves as much younger than we are when we look in a mirror.

Let's start, though, with some really young faces.  Carolyn has been using her young neighbours as subject to practice portraiture on.  She started with the pencil sketch and then printed it onto watercolour paper to enable the adding of colour.  She plans to use the next month to brush up on portraiture (which she enjoys) and produce her self-portrait. 

Diana has made very interesting collages from her own photos of last week.

Harriet's interpretation of last week's photos.  Lovely, delicate colour.

Avril took the alternative path of making her own still life based on the same materials.

Maggie-Anne says, 'Beginning  of my self portrait and as said I found it quite depressing. However I was some what cheered whilst chatting this morning it was suggested that wrinkles could be left out 'In case one was insulted'  by showing them ( the truth hurts sometimes), and that actually wrinkles are  just 'contours'! 
I may leave a few out!!
And the chunky chicken is watercolour pen and ink. [Love those feet! - Hannah]
You know me. Has to be an animal pic of some sort on the go.
Plenty of dogs in my sketch book too.'

Just some of Angela's output this week.  She sent the self portrait to Noreen, who pronounced it 'Terrifying!'  So I asked for a copy for us all!

Sally Tyley returned to the waterlilies of a couple of weeks ago, and worked in watercolour, using the idea of glazes that was mentioned last week.  Another self portrait (pencil on paper) that didn't entirely satisfy its maker, but none the less carries a good likeness.

Noreen's first picture is an attempt this morning to do some hellebores.  [Rather more than an attempt, and there is something very satisfying in the conjunction of the delicacy of the painting and the texture of the paper - Hannah]
She says, 'The second is my first try at a self-portrait a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know if you want to put it on the blog. I think the chin is too small, or maybe the head (skull) is too big??? Will try again for the Rogue’s Gallery.'  [I think that might well be a good title for the eventual collection of portraits!]

From Lesley first a collage of eryngiums against a dyed background, and second the beginning of a painting of the gas works from last week.

Three images from Sally L.  who says,
'1. I chose this frosty morning for the texture on the frozen grass
2. I’ve heightened the colour a bit on this one of icy puddles
3. Old hat. I thought that this was a bit like Sally’s shoes, everyone must have an old hat hanging about somewhere.'
So use as you would like.

Nothing from me this week (says Hannah).  I have been busy with bubble wrap and boxes as we are on the move.  We are going to Brundall, near Norwich, but you won't be getting rid of me that easily. I will still be blogging and am looking forward to when we can all meet again properly.  The image below was sent by Carolyn, and gives us all the promise of spring.

Let down again by the world wide web!  Sally P. sent me her pictures yesterday morning - and this morning I received them - twice!
She says, 'Inspired by Sally T's pheasant I took to my inks and watercolour paints to produce these three pictures of a pheasant, hare and peacock.
I was also inspired to start on my portrait. The first this pencil drawing. I have now started on an oil.'
Great colours, Sally, and a terrific likeness.

I am starting this week with a funny story to cheer you all up.  Some of you have made the acquaintance of our cat Oscar, who has appeared on these pages, and is always friendly (and always hungry!).  He went missing on Thursday last week, and we spent quite a lot of the weekend putting out messages on nextdoor.co.uk, catsearch, a notice at the village shop, and letting the microchip people know he was missing.  We got him back on Monday, when it turned out he had hitched a lift to a yard in Horsford, north of Norwich, got on another of the company's vehicles the next day to go to Lowestoft, and eventually was found on Monday morning in an engine compartment!  He is confined to barracks at the moment!!  I would say he was as fed up as we were with lockdown, if it had affected him one jot!
I have started to write the story of his adventures - watch this space...
And if you have a story to share, send it to me for inclusion here.
We had a very full Zoom this morning - but always room for more.  It is lovely to see those who haven't been seen for a while, and have a bit of a catch-up.  There are still lots of you out there who could just drop a line or two to the blog for us all to hear how you have weathered the year.  While I am on the subject of catch-up, Eileen Walsh has added a Gallery page this week, and Carolyn has had hers updated.  Links a bit later on.

First to Lesley, who has captured this week's weather in the fields around her house. 'Working in monochrome suits snowy landscapes! The first two are in HB pencil on copier paper, not a good choice, but I didn’t want to go out to my studio in the cold, wet and dark. The third is in Indian ink.' She worried that there was very little detail or contrast, but I think it still works very well.
'The last one is a stretch of the River Dove and an unnamed tributary, in Acrylic, the grass, reeds and bush really were that bright. I probably should continue working on it, but I think I’ve had enough of snow scenes!' 
I especially like the reflections in the water.

These two contrasting images come from Sally T.  The first is from many years ago - a view from an East Dulwich window, and the second is a drawing from one of the pictures she provided last week for inspiration.  She also explained the middle object from her still life last week. 'It originated from the Black Forest in Germany in the late 1930s and is a wood cutter carved out of wood. On top of the stick he is carrying was an axe which is missing. There was also a pipe in his mouth which is also missing. The base can be removed to put in very small pyramids of wood which smouldered and smoke comes out of the pipe similar to incense. It is quite hard to draw.'  A wonderful little object, though.

From Diana, 'Embroidery  for son Jim’s travelling companion. Inky scribbles  and bits of old prints for Sally’s  winter fields.'  And there is inspiration from Diana for this week yet to come.

Frances says, 'Having been thoroughly fed up with my latest lino project I chucked it all in the bin and turned my attention to Sally’s photos. First is 3 inches by about 6 in my suet hole book. Art Graph and inktense. Second on plastic Yupo where I loosened up with Art Graph and ink and enjoyed swooping about! '

Nice to see that Noreen has felt well enough during this week to produce these three.  The colours used in the brick wall echo the colours in the pheasant.

From Harriet, 'Two lily sketches and my self portrait, which I didn't show on zoom - it is unfinished and is made using collage, so no realism here, no spots and crinkles. It's from a photo taken a few years ago. It has curled up a bit.'  The reference to spots and crinkles refers to discussion on Zoom this morning about self portraits, and how we would all like to make ourselves look rather younger!

Here is the inspiration for next week sent by Diana. 
To accompany the images she said, 'In 1880 there was a brick works at Cranley Green ,Eye. The photos are of Abbey Bridge and round the back of the old gas works ( from the playing field).Many of the cottages in Eye have brick facades from this time covering up the timber frames.We have narrow 400 year old bricks as well as stone from the Abbey in the inglenook.  I love  painting the distortions  and reflections in glass and Hellebores and lettering.' 
I hope all of you do too. If you want a larger version for printing etc., you can download below.

So have a productive week, and I hope more of you are getting the jab, so we can look forward to having proper contact with each other again.  Keep well!

For those who didn't make it into the Zoom meeting this morning, do try again next week.  Something went wrong this week and a number of us were locked out until Avril sorted it out.  Thanks for that, Avril. And it was nice to see Sandra today after so long, and Angela joined us as well.  Some of us were out of sync and others froze regularly (some of this may be atmospheric and to do with the wild weather), but we persevered.  This week we have a clutch of cats, several reflections and some fiendish stairs, along with still lifes all inspired by Carolyn's pictures last week. There was mention on Zoom of the self portrait project to be completed by Easter weekend. ( April 2nd).  If you remember from Sally P's email, we would like you to complete a self portrait in any medium on a piece of paper 8”x8”. No canvas boards or frames.  Will you use a photo, or a mirror?

So first we have Carolyn's own quick painting of Monty, and a delightful sketch of friends of hers in Belgium eating frites, sent when she asked for a photo to turn into a drawing - good practice for the self-portrait exercise, perhaps?

From Sally L.  'This is taken from part of Caroline’s still life, watercolour, oil pastel, and a fortuitous chunk of gelliprinted tissue. It needs a lot more work.
This picture was taken from a photo and sketch of the flooded marshes at Beccles, unfortunately I used an old sheet of watercolour paper, as it was going to be my trial run, which absorbed the paint unevenly, I wish I hadn’t been so mean!'

Jackie says, 'Thank you Caroline for your photographs. This was a loose, experimental exercise which I'd intended as an ink and wash and on the way forgot initial plan.
'Made a few pencil marks, lacked enthusiasm but persevered so at least it's finished. Have lockdown lethargy! Thank goodness for the regular group meeting on Zoom.'

From Diana: 'Dug out my watercolours which I hadn’t used since March and changed the Dahlias to Marigolds (first picture).
The embroidery thread (second picture) dates from the 1960s  and  I’ve had the felting equipment for about 15 years. Never throw anything away,never tidy up.'

Another cat, different again, this one a linocut from Jane, along with an unfinished linocut, showing some of her process.
And below, Frances sent us more printing paraphenalia, and drying prints.

Avril has used the colours from Carolyn's still life last week to set up her own, and worked on it in watercolour and then pastel.

I took Carolyn's idea of reflection, and an old photo from Sheffield Park in East Sussex, and cropped the bridge in the middle to give me a subject for a drawing, which I hope I might make into an abstract-ish painting.

These are the images for inspiration this week from Sally T.  The rather fine Pheasant in the middle is named Joshua, and the still life is very intriguing.

See you all again next week, and hope you all have a fine creative time.

As a starter this week, here are some suggestions for online events and catch-up that might be of interest to you.
Firstly, The Royal Academy has Live Short  Life Drawing poses for you to try, available HERE and also Romeo the horse, who posed last year and is being re-posted for drawing, available HERE.
Secondly, Sky's Landscape Artist of the Year is back, and Sky Arts is now free-to-air on Freeview (it should be Channel 11, though you might need to rescan the channels on your TV to find it). It airs on Wednesday evening, but is repeated at various times during the week.
Thirdly, Rick Stein's Cornwall, Episode 1 (on BBC iPlayer), features Kurt Jackson and Rick Stein exploring the Land's End peninsular together HERE.

Carolyn has provided this week's inspiration, offering shadows, reflections, still life and an animal portrait.  This is Monty, who I think knows the word supercilious. The still life is full of summer colour, much needed with the gloom most of this week.

Sally L. took the 'view from the window' from last week and made her own.  A very useful tip here was to use masking tape to create the window bars, so you can draw or paint the strokes of the image right across the paper, before removing the masking tape.  The second picture was taken from a newspaper photo, which Sally liked for the fun it looked like the women were having.  This started with watercolour, then pastel, then gelli prints for the swimming costumes, and it does indeed look like fun.

'Two photos of the ice indented with grass held up against the sun, an oil painting in the making and my abstract based on Jackie’s tin opener!!! I think I like the first photo best out of everything.'  All from Frances.

'Here are my pictures for the week, the first is a continuation of last weeks work, over- printing on my lino print and then adding a little white acrylic. The second is from Jackie' photo, one is drawn and printed over and the second is a monoprint using the original drawing.' Harriet has managed to get these to me for the blog despite all sorts of technical issues, and trouble with interent connection.

Lesley has used Jackie's photos to make two paintings in acrylic on multi media paper.
The can opener includes gold metallic paint. The ferry picture is unfinished.

So that's about it for this week.  Yet again a little exhortation to encourage those who haven't been joining in with the blog, to show us what I know you have been doing during these long months, and to join us on Zoom.  It may be that you have found you have technical difficulties in getting into the meeting.  The first page that comes up when you click on the link in Harriet's email may be one that asks if you want to join with audio and video, choose that you do, and you should then find yourself in the meeting.  By the way, the invitation email should work for any week, not just the upcoming one.  If you are having trouble, please email.  If I don't know the answer (quite likely), I can probably find it.

Dear All,

I hope that you managed to have a good Christmas and New year with everything that is still going on in the world! It has been very different for us all!
I was hoping to be able send good news about the group meeting up sometime soon, but alas, this looks as though it is still far off in the distance! In fact it will probably not be before the outdoor sessions are due to start.
There are thoughts that perhaps by then we might be able to put together a ‘ mornings only’ and keep it local. Much depends on how the COVID vaccine rollout is going! (Rather slowly at the moment, unfortunately!) We will obviously let you know of any plans and developments.
In the mean time we will be continuing with our weekly Zoom meeting at 12.00 noon on Thursdays, kindly organised by Avril. Here we can look at and talk about the work we have done, say hello to friends or just enjoy observing. You do not have to have produced work to show!
We are also lucky to have our web page where you can look at the weeks artwork that has been put on and you can even leave a comment if you wish. Thanks to Noreen and Hannah for this excellent presentation. At the moment work should still be sent to Hannah.
Each week someone from a rota puts photos on for you to do a piece of artwork from or to inspire you. This has been working well since we started a couple of months ago.
I have not set a Chairman’s project this year as we still have to show last years work. We have thought about putting it on the webpage but feel that it would be better to wait until we can meet as often the work produced needs an explanation with it. If the majority of you would rather it be shown via the web page we could possibly manage this with written explanations. Please let me know.
Thank you to all who took part in the patchwork picture. I had a great time putting it together and the end result is stunning.  The title of the piece is called The Confetti of a City. It is by an artist called Leonid Afremov. A Russian born artist who lived for a long time in Mexico before moving to America. He was born on 12 July 1955 and died on 19th August 2019. His style is modern impressionistic. Hannah is going to give you a link so that you can read up about him if you wish to. It is such a colourful painting full of hope and cheer.

Finally, some of the committee who have spoken together, have thought of a project that we could do together to be completed by Easter weekend. ( April 2nd)
We would like you to complete a self portrait in any medium on a piece of paper 8”x8”. No canvas boards or frames. We will then put them together to make a composite picture that one day, hopefully, we will be able to show at an exhibition.
We hope that this will be taken up by lots of you. More information will be sent out in the next letter.
With warm wishes to you all,

keep safe,
Sally

First up, here is your inspiration for next week, courtesy of Jackie.  Sunnier days at Felixstowe, a close-up mystery(?) object  to consider for something more abstract, and a view from Jackie's window.  All of these can lead you either to use them as they are, or to find your own equivalent.  We could have a whole streetful of views from different windows, for instance.

Harriet says, 'My two images are from a lino cut that I'm working on. One is a print done on a book binding press. Sounds good but it is in my husband's workshop, on the floor, in the cold, with very little space, so I only do a few at the time. The other is using the gel plate and so the print is softer and I have used coloured pencils and a bit of acrylic on it.
It has been quite nice to do, quite therapeutic, working away at it and listening to the radio.'

On Zoom this morning, Avril mentioned the book that has kept her sane over lockdown, full of large images with guidance for drawing them. 'You can get these diagrams on Youtube or the internet, but members might like to do these two I chose from the book at random.' 

From Sally P. 'Three quick pieces of work from me to try to get back into the swing.
An hour on the bottle, drawing it not drinking! A left hand half hour and a right hand 20 mins in pencil

And I have been drawing, as it's far too cold to stay in my studio for any length of time.  These are both from photos, the first a road we cross on one of our walks, and the second the cat who sleeps most undecorously.

Finally, Diana had me fooled when I first saw this - I thought she had laid out her tools ready for work, as she said, 'Looking forward to everyone's  ideas'.   and I love the words. Very clever!