Mary created her Pointillism pictures using fibre tipped pens. She commented that the pictures took a lot longer to create than her usual paintings, but were very enjoyable to do.

Well done, Mary, you have created three beautiful pictures!

Here are a tiger, a landscape and the actor Aiden Turner playing Ross Poldark…

Susan was contacted via this blog with a request to paint Rochester Cathedral.

Chris saw Susan’s painting of a squirrel in a previous post and e-mailed saying “I was rather fortunate coming across it, looking for a local artist who hopefully would be able to help me on my quest of gifting my fiancée with something beautiful on the day of our wedding!”

Correspondence flowed back and forth with Susan going to Rochester and taking photos of the view suggested. Kay, one of our members, who works for the Dean of Rochester, together with the gardener at the cathedral, helped with research as Susan wanted to know what the cathedral surroundings would look like in May, which was when the wedding was taking place. She also painted the clock at 12.30, the time of the wedding.

Here is a close up of the finished commission and also photos of the framed painting in its new home.

Well done, Susan, Rochester Cathedral is beautifully painted and to paint the clock at the time of the wedding was a brilliant idea. No wonder Chris and Kayleigh love the painting!

There was a lovely atmosphere in the room on Saturday with 24 members attending. With such a broad subject we had a range of paintings from landscapes, Galway Bay and The Rock of Cashel. An Irish dancer, a Leprechaun and a portrait of Brenda’s grandmother. Cillian Murphy a character from Peaky Blinders was sent in by Jane. Some are still works in progress so do send your finished work in, on line or bring it along to the next session.

Some members chose to ‘Do there own thing’

Tracy and Steve brought along their finished pointillism paintings.

Well done all.

Our next session is on Wednesday the 13th July. 7pm to 9pm.

It would be good to see some members, who do not usually come to the evening sessions in the dark winter months , come along and take advantage of the light evenings

Kay’s friends recently refurbished and opened their pub, The Kings Head, in Sutton Valence, just south east of Maidstone.

They redesigned the Kings Head logo and Kay painted and framed the design to hang in the pub. She says the food is delicious and well worth a visit!

It was a quiet session as most members enthusiastically tackled the Pointillism theme with dots and marks in paint, pencils and felt tip pens. There’s no right or wrong way to tackle this theme so everyone relaxed and enjoyed creating their pictures of any subject. Deirdre was especially creative and produced two cloud and sky paintings in under two hours! Some paintings are works in progress and will be finished at home.

Some members worked to their own theme or finished animal and Tutankhamun paintings from previous sessions.

The next session will be on Saturday 25th June from 10am to 3pm.

Here are a few ideas for our sessions this month, but if you want to DYOT (Do Your Own Thing) then that’s absolutely fine. Come along for the company of painting with friends.

Wednesday 8th 7-9pm – Pointillism

Georges Seurat and Paul Signac developed the technique in the 1880s, branching off from Impressionism. Pointillism relies on the ability of the eye and mind of the viewer to blend the different spots of colour into a fuller range of tones. Henri-Edmond-Joseph Delacroix (aka Henri-Edmond Cross) also painted very successfully in this style.

Look up paintings by all three artists and either paint the whole or part of one of their paintings. Or paint your own subject in a Pointillist style. If you are enjoying the Platinum Jubilee celebrations this weekend then paint a jubilee picture. Don’t forget to try and include Very Peri, the Pantone colour of the Year 2022!

Saturday 25th June 10am-3pm – Ireland

The Irish Free State gained its independence in 1922, becoming known as the Republic of Ireland in 1949 and in Gaelic is called Éire. With a long history dating back many millennia, Ireland is a broad subject which you can interpret in many ways. Perhaps you have travelled to Ireland and can use your own photographs?

Initial thoughts – The Emerald Isle, a cèilidh, Dublin, students, St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness, folk music, hurling, pubs, whiskey, leprechauns and faeries in folklore etc.

Famous Irish actors, authors and musicians – Pierce Brosnan, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Evanna Lynch, Bono and U2, Enya, Van Morrison, The Dubliners, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Becket, Seamus Heaney.

Landscapes – the rugged Atlantic coast, rolling green hills, mountains.

History – The Book of Kells, neolithic megaliths, castles.

Use any media to create your picture of anything to do with Ireland. If you like painting portraits then choose a person, if you like landscapes then paint any view of the countryside or if you like urban environments then Dublin is a great choice.