As far as painting activities are concerned, the Society's year is divided into a Summer and a Winter diary with a sprinkling of social events and holidays mixed in to spice things up.
Summer diary events begin around the end of April, when, with the days getting longer and the sun warmer, as the sap rises the artists' desires turn to thoughts of ... outdoor painting!
Throughout the summer heat (well, ok, warm-ish weather and the occasional downpour, this is Britain after all) the members toil ceaselessly (ha!) to prepare for the Autumn exhibition, pushing their chosen medium to its limits and then tearing up the result until, one day, voila, a masterpiece! (well, it could happen!).
As the days of plenty (and shorter evenings) arrive and all artists are safely gathered in (they're harvested about September time), the Winter diary opens, bringing with it visions of studio evenings in front of a roaring fire and ruddy light flickering on portrait model and still life. Reality soon kicks in though, and the central heating and spotlights do work very well. With the Spring exhibition looming on the horizon, it's time to get those portraits and still lifes polished up ready to impress the selector.
And then, what do you know, it's the Summer diary again, when, with the days getting longer .....
Scattered through this remorseless activity are a few hours of respite when social wells are replenished. The annual dinner, visits to other art societies and galleries, the annual holiday weekend, all these events, and more, add an important social side to the society. Some are formal, most are not, but all help to make this a friendly group. See the list of social events for .
During the year there are two main exhibitions, but these are augmented by smaller, more informal outdoor shows at village fetes and other attractions. See the list of exhibitions for .
Workshops, tutored by established professional artists, are organised throughout the year to help members improve their technique. A wide variety of media and subjects are catered for, so all who are interested may benefit. See the list of workshops for , or click here for a brief report on past workshops.