The two suggested people to draw and paint this month were the legendary motorsports commentator Murray Walker and American civil rights activist and poet Maya Angelou.

Steve drew Murray Walker in charcoal on Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper. What a great idea to include Murray’s headphones as this is how most people remember him.

Dot drew Maya Angelou in pencil and then added some inspirational words spoken by Maya herself. The words are so neatly drawn, well done. Dot also completed a picture of opening tree blossom, for the April subject ‘to open’.

Juliet drew both Murray and Maya in her usual impressive pencil sketch style. Their faces are instantly recognisable and their eyes the focus of attention as the pencil is used darker there.

Susan used her favourite medium, watercolours, for her portrait of Maya, beautifully capturing her glowing skin against the darker background.

Tracy drew Maya in HB pencil then added a few words and the rainbow in coloured pencils.

Some members were busy this month producing colourful selections of paintings on the themes of Greece and April’s own definition ‘to open’. Well done to all of you, it’s good to know how much you enjoyed painting at home by joining in with the suggested subjects. (PAOTM pictures of Murray Walker and Maya Angelou will be posted in a few days)

Jane has used oils to paint St.George’s Church in Lindos, Rhodes. Such good depth of field as she has used aerial perspective by painting the distant mountains in a cool purple and the foreground in brighter, stronger colours. It can’t come soon enough that we can travel again to distant lands!

Juliet has painted open blossom on trees in an orchard using watercolours and watercolour pencils. We could just step into the painting and walk amongst the fragrant trees.

Steve has painted open umbrellas in a fun and vibrant design using pen and watercolours. The painting works well with all the colours and shapes seemingly swirling around.

Susan painted this opening flower in watercolours and gouache on Indian watercolour paper which soaks in the paint and gives an interesting texture to the painting. A very delicate painting.

Dot painted an iris in watercolours on A4 watercolour paper and the daffodils and tulips in Brusho on smaller pieces of paper. Such well observed paintings of colourful flowers.

Tracy kept busy in April, loving painting pictures of Greece as it reminded her of holidays in the past. All paintings on Saunders Waterford 300gsm watercolour paper 5″ x 7″.

The first two paintings are of the Church of the Panagia (Our Lady) in Lindos, Rhodes. One in watercolours and one in gouache, giving different effects. Which one do you prefer?

The flowerpots with olive trees in are on a staircase in a shaded inner courtyard in the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes in Rhodes Old Town. The Old Town is well worth visiting as narrow, mediaeval lanes twist and turn and it’s all very photogenic.

Tracy thought painting the whole of the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens was rather too complicated so painted a corner of it, trying a looser style than usual, taking inspiration from the Korean artist Sunga Park. Do look at her amazing art work as it’s both very loose and detailed at the same time… parksunga.com

Two final painting, this times on the theme of opening. Some magnolia flowers in watercolours and daffodils in an old coffee pot in gouache in a naive style.

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George has been busy and finished four more oil paintings. The first two were started long ago but he’s pleased to have had the time to complete them.

Here is ‘A Sharpe Lookout’ and ‘Forest Pool’

Here are two paintings from images taken by the Hubble telescope. George says that they are an experiment and the nearest he will ever get to an abstract!

Twelve years ago Angela M was in her last year of Pastoral Counselling Training at Launde Abbey in Leicestershire which she attended once a month. She had a free afternoon and was just going to go for a walk to reflect on the morning’s session when she noticed, behind a shrub, a naturally formed cross that had ivy growing up it.

Angela knew she had to draw the cross and completed it in graphite in 3 hours. It was her first foray into the art world and she has enjoyed drawing and painting ever since. The picture is put up in her home every year at the beginning of Lent, through Easter until Pentecost.

It’s a very apt piece of artwork to put on the blog today as it is Easter Sunday. Thank you, Angela, for sharing your Easter Cross picture with us.

Here are a few ideas to paint this month. The evenings are lovely and light now so even if you’ve had a busy day do sit down late afternoon or early evening and get drawing or painting. There’s quite a variety so you have plenty of subjects to choose from. Send all your photos to Tracy by email, text, WhatsApp or Messenger by the end of the month.

APRIL

The Romans called this month Aprilis and the word April comes from the verb ‘aperire’ which means ‘to open’. Many things open this month…

• flowers in the wild and in your garden
• blossom on trees
• David Hockney’s exhibition ‘The Arrival of Spring – Normandy 2020’ is due to open soon at the Royal Academy. Look at www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/david-hockney and scroll down to the bottom of the page to see his artwork.
• umbrellas – paint several umbrellas open in a pattern or do a wet-in-wet rainy background and paint a person walking with an umbrella
• eggs of birds hatching
• pubs are due open this month too, so draw or paint a favourite pub
• April is dedicated to the goddess Venus so create an image of her

GREECE

Greece has just celebrated the 200th anniversary of independence from the Ottoman Empire. Many members have holidayed somewhere in Greece so use any photos or memories to create a picture.
Draw or paint…

• one of the many islands
• boats or views of the sea, the Mediterranean, Aegean or Ionian Seas
• people – holidaymakers or locals
• animals
• buildings
• famous landmarks
• Greek gods, goddesses or legends

PAOTM

• Murray Walker – he recently died but was a well known personality, motorsport commentator and journalist for decades in newspapers and on tv.
• Maya Angelou – the American poet, memoirist and civil rights activist she had an April birthday. Paint her portrait and add one of her many quotes to her portrait.