Chairman’s Newsletter
November 2014
Introduction
This newsletter has details of all Art Circle activities planned for the first half of the New Year, including the start dates of the Portrait Group and Life Class. I have also listed the titles of the Friday afternoon Talks and the schedule of the Saturday Workshops.
There is a reminder about paying your annual subscription and news of a couple of important decisions the Committee have taken recently.
Please note the dates of next year’s annual exhibition. Although June probably seems a long time in the future, I can assure you that it will upon us very quickly. It is never too soon to start thinking about the work you plan to show in 2015.
Saturday Workshops
Once again Marie Paine has prepared a full programme of the popular Saturday Workshops – see the Workshop flyer included with this newsletter. Anyone interested in attending one of these workshops should return the Booking Form with payment direct to Marie as soon as possible. It is a great way to try a different medium/technique and these tutored sessions tend to get booked up very quickly.
Annual summer (Festival) 2015 Exhibition
This is just an early warning of the dates of next year’s exhibition. Again we are fortunate that David Weight has managed to book the Scout Hall for the Art Circle so that the second week of our show coincides with the Southwold Arts Festival week.
The Art Circle Exhibition will run from Monday, 22nd June to Sunday, 5th July. Handing-in day will be on Saturday, 20th June. There will, of course, be more details of this event in the next newsletter.
Studio Notes
Following on from John Bennett’s talk on beauty, I have included, with this Newsletter, a set of notes I have made over the years, collected from numerous sources, which attempts to list some of the characteristics of a successful painting. It is only a guide and not in any way definitive. It is, however, a useful list of questions to ask yourself, if, like me, you are all too often, trying to work out why a particular painting hasn’t worked. I hope painter members will find it useful.
Annual Subscription
If you do not pay your annual subscription by Direct Debit then you should find a note from the Treasurer with this Newsletter. The £10 annual subscription is now due. This covers your membership for the year beginning January 2015.
(If you have recently joined the Art Circle then the subs you have paid will also cover the period to December 2015.)
I have visited a lot of art societies and I have to say that the subscription to the Southwold Art Circle is the cheapest I have come across. Because it is so reasonable it is easily forgotten. Please remember to give/send a cheque (£10 payable to the Southwold Art Circle) to our Treasurer: David Weight, 4 Long Marsh Close, Reydon, Southwold. IP18 6RS (01502 724705).
Thank you.
News from the Committee Meetings
We have all known for some time that the Art Circle website is need of updating, despite Barry Tolfree’s valiant efforts to maintain the site with the latest news. The committee have had several lengthy discussions about the sort of web site the Art Circle needs. David Weight has carried out a lot of research, and although it has been a slow process we are now much clearer in our minds about the direction we want to take. Developing a new website will be expensive so the Committee have understandably taken a cautious approach before finally committing the Art Circle to a big expense. We should have a fresh site in operation next year, if all goes according to plan.
I will be pleased to hear from any member, or spouse of a member, who is interested in looking after the website after it has been set-up.
More expense: for many years we have relied on Jack Stephenson to help with the delivery of the illustrations for the talks; he has kindly allowed the Art Circle full use of his computer and projector. At the last committee Meeting we decided to purchase our own projector.
The Schedule of Talks
The dates and times of the painting groups/classes and the programme of talks on Friday afternoons are all listed on the next page of this newsletter.
On-line members may find it useful to print this page so they can refer to it and avoid missing anything.
Some Final Quotes to Ponder
I think this little quote, which I came across the other day, is a really succinct description of the cause of the frustration we all have with our paintings:
“Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression.” Issac Bashens Singer.
I’d be pleased to narrow my valley to just a chasm!
“Draw your pleasure, paint your pleasure, and express your pleasure strongly.” Pierre Bonnard.
“If you could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.” Edward Hopper.
“Art…you lose and find yourself at the same time.” Thomas Merton.
“The principle of true art is not to portray, but to evoke.” Jerzy Kosinski.
Finally, on behalf of the Committee may I wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a peaceful, healthy New Year.
Best wishes,
Andrew