Seventeen members visited Rochester Cathedral on a perfect painting day. The temperature was in the low to mid 70s, not too hot but pleasantly warm, with a little light breeze and fluffy white clouds adorning the bright blue sky.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable day drawing and painting a view of the Cathedral and precincts from the private gardens at the rear. We sat under the mature trees, their shade keeping us cool and stopping our paints drying too quickly. At lunchtime some ate packed lunch in the garden, some visited the cafe in the crypt and others bought their lunch and coffee from Rochester’s vibrant High Street. A whip-round for the Cathedral Trust collected £56 cash and several members added to the total by donating by card inside.

Many thanks to Kay for gaining us permission to use the private gardens. Thank you, Kay, we all had a fabulous time!

From sketches to completed paintings to works in progress, using pencils, pens, acrylics and inks, here are our drawings and paintings.

A few more views from inside and outside the Cathedral…

Ron painted a sunset over a lake in acrylics and used opposite colours on the colour wheel, blue and orange, making the picture very dramatic.

Tracy finished a watercolour of Viking Bay at Broadstairs and the second painting is a watercolour commissioned by her neighbours. It’s a view from the balcony of a hotel in Benaldámena on the Costa del Sol in Spain, where her neighbours spend February every year. It’s now in pride of place on their living room wall and they gaze at the view until the next time they travel there..

Two more watercolours on a holiday theme are one in just blue and white, the colours of the Greek flag where it’s set. Tracy splattered some white acrylic paint on the sea’s surface for the sparkling effect of the sun. The other picture is a tiny painting of a beach hut at Herne Bay and is a work in progress.

It was a muggy evening after another hot day and super to have 18 members painting and chatting together in the hall.

The subject of ‘holidays’ was a popular one with drawings and paintings of the bucolic British countryside, a Cornish river, coastal scenes of beaches and Hastings, the Tower of London and also views in Venice, Greece and Egypt . Many are works in progress, to be completed at home or at a future session.

Some members painted to their own theme of a portrait of Marie Curie, a ballerina and a fuchsia.

Here are three paintings finished at home on previous themes of flowers in a container and Tutankhamen.

The next session is on Saturday 27th August at Rochester Cathedral from 10am. Look out for a detailed email in the next few days!

Hopefully you are all enjoying the summer, but wasn’t that a very hot spell at over 40°C/104°F? It’s cooled down now but is very muggy every day. The weather just can’t get it right!

Here’s what we’ll be up to in August, but you can draw or paint anything you’d like to. What is suggested is simply to help you if you’re stuck for ideas.

Wednesday 10th August – 7-9pm – Holidays

A good subject for August as you may have already been on holiday, are on holiday or wish to go on holiday. Draw or paint a favourite holiday destination that you have visited or one you long to go to. From Blackpool to Benidorm to the Bahamas, the choice of destination and medium used is yours. A sweeping vista, children playing in the sea, a long mountainous walk, a cycling holiday, reading on the beach, a cruise etc.

Saturday 27th August – 10am to 3pm – Rochester Cathedral

We will be meeting in the private gardens behind Rochester Cathedral for this month’s outdoor session. Please email Tracy if you would like to attend. Thank you to everyone who has already emailed :o)

Further details are being finalised and all information will be sent by email nearer the time.