It was absolutely brilliant that 32 members came along to Saturday’s session to enjoy some cake to celebrate M&C Art Group’s 30th birthday. Seeing so many people being creative together brings hope that, after two awful years of coronavirus and lockdowns, the group has a promising future for many years to come. Please keep coming to the group to enjoy painting with your art friends!

The day was lively and abuzz with chatter as members walked around to see the pictures being painted for our yearly competition. This year the subject of Tutankhamun proved a popular one with much gold paint being applied to paper and canvases.

Fifteen entries were put forward for the competition which were all viewed closely. We each had one vote to pick our favourite picture. The mediums used were watercolours, acrylics, inks and coloured pencils on paper and canvas, with one entry even being painted on papyrus. It was a very difficult decision as all the pictures had their own merits and were beautifully painted. Well done to all entrants, your work was amazing.

The runner-up was Kay, with her painting of Tutankhamun arising from his golden coffin, painted in acrylic with tiny details on the mask.

The winner was Susan, with her detailed coloured pencil study of one of Tutankhamun’s guardian statues, carved from sycamore wood and covered in resin and gold leaf. She actually saw the original statue at the Tutankhamun exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in 2019.

Very well done, ladies, your pictures are worthy winners!

During the day some members painted Tutankhamun pictures but didn’t enter them for the competition and other members painted their own theme, one especially being very apt as Saturday was actually St.George’s Day.

The next session at the hall will be on Wednesday 11th May from 7-9pm.

Also, look out for Steve’s email at the beginning of May which will tell you how to pay subs for the next four months.

At recent sessions you may have seen George starting to paint portraits in oils of film and tv actors. He has now finished his latest five portraits. Great work, George!

On a warm Wednesday evening we had 13 members painting, drawing and continuing with collage.

The majority started work on this month’s theme of Tutankhmun, most are still a ‘work in progress’

Tutankhamun theme

Christine continued with a collage work of the seven Sisters, Peta started a view of a town in Portugal, Andrea painted a spray of flowers and George was painting a self portrait which he will send in later.

We are looking forward to seeing the completed Tutankhamun works at our next meeting on Saturday the 23rd of April which as you know is our 30th Anniversary. There will be tea and cakes to celebrate and a competion to find the best Tutankhmun painting on the day.

Do come along

Happy 30th Birthday to us!

The art group was started in 1992 by Pat Dear and Ruth Thompsett, initially meeting at Pat’s house in Strood then in a local school as the group grew larger.  In the late 1990s Eric Stewart took over running the group and began meeting at the old village hall in Chalk.  When the old hall was demolished the group met at St.Aidan’s Church Hall in Gravesend until the new Chalk Parish Hall was opened in 2007. 

In 2008 Susan Ewing and Patrick Sebell took over from Eric, being joined by Tracy Quarrington-Page in 2015.  Susan took a step back in 2020 and Steve Goldson took over her roles within the group.  

Medway and Chalk Art Group still runs on the original ethos of an informal gathering of art friends, creating art together over a cuppa and a natter.   Many members are still friends after all these years and Ruth remained a member until last year. We hope that M&C remains a friendly group which welcomes artists of all abilities who enjoy painting together.

We will celebrate our 30^th Birthday at the Saturday session on 23^rd April when we will have Birthday Elevensies of tea, coffee and cake.  Coeliac/vegan cake will be provided so everyone can join in.

Wednesday 13th    7-9pm   –  Start painting for the competition

Our annual competition is a friendly affair and is NOT compulsory.  If you don’t want to enter a painting that’s fine, please just use the suggestion as inspiration for a drawing or painting.

Get your gold paint out because the theme is…TUTANKHAMUN

One hundred years ago in 1922 the tomb of Tutankhamun, the best-preserved pharaonic tomb ever found in the Valley of the Kings, was discovered by archaeologist Howard Carter.  Carter’s meticulous assessing and cataloguing of over 5000 of objects in the tomb took nearly ten years.

The objects were displayed at Cairo Museum and around the world at various times.  The exhibition in London due to run until May 2020 unfortunately closed two months early due to Covid.  Did you get a chance to visit and take photos?  All the objects from Tutankhamun’s tomb are now housed in the Grand Egyptian Museum and will never leave Egypt again.

Choose to draw or paint Tutankhamun’s death mask or jewellery, a model boat or guardian statue, canopic jars, chariot, chair or wall paintings. The choice is yours in any medium.

There’s no right or wrong way to paint this subject…just your way.

Saturday 23rd    10am-3pm   –   Competition continued

Continue with your Tutankhamun picture, or paint another. All pictures to be in by 2.15pm then we all cast one vote for our favourite painting. There will be small cash prizes for the winner and runner-up.

A maximum of three drawings/paintings per member.  If you paint a picture but can’t attend today please arrange with someone to take and collect your artwork.

If you feel uncomfortable entering a competition that’s fine, you don’t have to. Paint the Tutankhamun theme but leave your painting on your desk so it won’t be with the pictures submitted which will be on a separate table.  

We’ll stop at 11am to have Birthday Elevensies.