Small is beautiful

Brian Griffiths says, “here are four of my 9cm square paintings, its a great size to play around with, no pressure like in a larger painting”

Pastel and Pencil

Sue Embrey is a recent convert to pastel painting and yet has produced and exhibited some lovely pieces in a short period. This one of Manorbier was shown in an LAS exhibition last year and we had planned to use it in an advertising poster for this year's spring exhibition (The best laid plans ...)

Manorbier

Anyone using pastels or wanting to give them a try would benefit from visiting https://www.howtopastel.com/ If you scroll down the initial page you'll find a list of categories on the right which makes it easier to find your way around.

Simple Pleasures

A suggested topic by an art group John Allen belongs to. A couple of loo rolls on a table.  He says "This is my effort. Hope you like it."

Was the recent shortage of loo rolls in the supermarkets caused by artists seeking inspiration?

Simple Pleasures

Interesting technique

Daph Willett shares two of her paintings. The first, Trees, uses an interesting technique. The support is crumpled kitchen paper stuck to a board, then covered with gesso. When dry, you can paint with layers and lots of water, and Inktense pencil shavings.  Sprayed with a mist of water it makes the Inktense shavings spread. Lots of water. The picture is from her classes with BrianGriffiths. 'Good fun!' she said.

Trees on kitchen paper

Dawn

After Hobbema

Val McDonald's painting is after Hobbema. You can see what the National Gallery says about the Dutch artist Meindert Hobbema if you visit https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/meindert-hobbema He served his apprenticeship with the more well known Jacob van Ruisdael.

Design sketches

Sue Murphy is a member of Ross-on-Wye District U3A. She wrote to say ‘Our U3A were hoping to have a big celebration display in June, which will obviously be postponed but our Art Group have planned a display board of 9 x9 cm paintings representing different groups (there are 49). It’s very challenging in terms of ideas and size.

Here are a couple of my ideas, trial sketches and also a first idea of an illuminated letter. Those monks knew a thing or two, didn’t they? The book, incidentally, is a collection of all Leonardo’s drawings.’

Autobiographical Paintings

Diana Woods-Humphery writes: ‘This piece is painted in acrylics and dates from a task which Tony Bateman suggested i.e. an autobiographical memoir in paint. In this case it is paint with some collage. I ended up with something a bit strange but it does relate to people in my life - apart from the Staffordshire figure which represents a current obsession of my own.’ She suggests ‘it might start off other people with the autobiographical memoir thing.’

Art doesn't stop

Although we cannot hold our usual monthly demonstrations nor paint together in confined spaces, our members are still continue painting and drawing. We shall be sharing some of their work on this blog from time to time.

Here's the first few

by Ian Fountaine

by Ian Fountaine

Croome Landscape Park by Richard Hyde