Twenty one members attended the meeting. The theme for the day was ‘A full length portrait’

Steve provided two 30 minute poses.

Some members just did their own thing

We also welcomed a new member Dorothy Finlayson

Everyone sent their best wishes to Ann Brooker for a speedy recovery. Jane Oram was unable to attend but sends hers as well.

Thank you to George for doing the raffle and for everyone who helped set out and put away the tables and chairs.

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 8th March

A quiet night with ten members coming along on a cold night, but the hall was warm and we had a good natter whilst being creative.

Some members painted anything to do with Saint Valentine, patron saint of courtly love and beekeepers. Ron was especially busy painting a card and a wooden heart plaque for his wife for Valentine’s Day next week.

Other members started the next session’s subject of a full length portrait, whilst others painted to their own subjects.

The next session is on Saturday 25th February from 10am to 3pm.

Susan started her rabbit painting last month when the subject was the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit. She has now finished the watercolour with more colours on the rabbit’s fur and the background completed in soft focus, which gives the painting good depth of field, especially against the grasses and flowers in the foreground.

Well done, Susan, your paintings always show such mastery of watercolour!

Angela M has sketched some garden birds with a black biro to show their different shapes and feather patterns. Once she is confident with their individual identities she will draw them again and colour them using coloured pencils.

Well done, Angela, you’ve made a very good start to your project!

Cold, dark January zoomed past didn’t it? This first day of February brings apricity and hopefully a lifting of our spirits as spring looks not too far away.

Thank you to everyone who has paid their subs in January, either for the whole year or the first of three instalments. Paying promptly gives us the financial backing to pay the hall hire fees and also helps planning for tutors to visit, raffle prizes and most importantly, a regular supply of biscuits! :o)

We met on unusual days in January but from February we are back to our usual second Wednesday evening from 7-9pm and the fourth Saturday from 10am-3pm. Just circle these days in your diary or calendar for the rest of 2023 to keep them free for art. Some months have five Saturdays, but we meet on the fourth one.

Here are the session ideas for February to hopefully give you inspiration. As always, if you don’t want to paint the session idea it’s absolutely fine to paint your own subject. Just come along and enjoy the sessions with friends over a cuppa.

Don’t forget to try and add the colour Viva Magenta to your paintings this year.

Wednesday 8th – 7-9pm – Valentine’s Day

Named for Saint Valentine, a 3rd century Roman bishop martyred on February 14th, he is the patron saint of courtly love, the town of Terni in Umbria, Italy, of epilepsy, and beekeepers.

Draw or paint a picture of anything to do with Saint Valentine. Or of a couple together, or one mourning a loss, a pair of lovebirds, the traditional modern gift of red roses or chocolates, or paint anything in a heart-shaped image. Tracy will bring along three wooden heart shapes if you need a firm shape to draw around.

Saturday 25th – 10am-3pm – Full length portraits

We have drawn or painted portraits and self portraits in the past which have been of a person’s head and shoulders. This time draw or paint in any medium a full length portrait to include the body, arms and legs.

It can be a self portrait or of anyone at all. Whilst a head and shoulders portrait can be more intimate, a full length portrait can bring more information about the sitter, if they are at rest or being dynamic with their limbs. Work from your own photos, online images or life. Steve has offered to sit for an hour at the session so you can draw or paint him. If anyone else wants to offer too then please do so on the day.