Eleven members attended the session and we welcomed a lady who works at Rochester Cathedral who came along to see if she wants to join the art group. We all enjoyed chatting and walking around to look at the pictures created.

Everyone chose a different way to tackle the subject of the Olympics and Paralympics in Paris as there has been a plethora of images available online or in newspapers. Some members chose to ‘do their own thing’ which we always love to see too. Reference pictures have been included in the photos so you can see the images that the artists worked from.

The next session is on Saturday 28th September from 10am to 3pm.

If you didn’t pay all your subs in January the last instalment of £28 is now due by bank transfer, cheque or cash (only at a session). This will take your membership up to the end of 2024. Look out for an email from Steve with exact details of how to pay.

Summer seems to be zooming past and autumn is only three weeks away. That means our Open Day on Saturday 23rd November marches ever closer. Hopefully you’re getting an idea of what to exhibit so you’ll be finishing and framing your paintings. If you belong to another art group and want to exhibit the same pictures that’s absolutely fine. As usual the hanging evening is the day before, on Friday 22nd November from 7pm. This year there are 5 Saturdays in November so please pop the correct dates in your diary or calendar!

Here are the suggested subjects for September, but come along and ‘do your own thing’ if you prefer. If you can’t make a session but create a picture at home, please send a photo of the picture to Tracy or Steve for inclusion in a blog post.

Wednesday 11th – 7-9pm – Paris Olympics and Paralympics

The Olympics in Paris last month and the Paralympics on now have been captivating to watch. Athletes in so many different sports have performed to their ultimate level in the hope of winning a medal. The Paralympics seems especially difficult for some as they battle with their health too.

Choose any sport/s or athlete/s from either the Olympics or Paralympics and draw or paint them in any medium.

Saturday 28th – 10am-3pm – Then and Now

A simple format but one which can lead to interesting pictures.

Portraits – draw or paint a portrait of your mother, father or grandparents as a small child and then one when they are older. Or choose a person from history where you can show the difference in age.

Modern urban landscapes – look around where you live. Find an old photo online or an old postcard showing your street or town and create a picture from that source. Then draw or paint that same view en plain air or from a photo, showing the similarities and differences.

Rural landscapes – Same as the urban landscape showing a view then and now.

Your own art – have you still got any drawings or paintings that you did when you were young? Choose the same subject, bring along the old picture to the session and then create a new picture as an adult.

Your own interpretation of ‘then and now’ – what does this subject mean to you?

Our plans to return to the King’s Orchard, the private gardens behind Rochester Cathedral, were thwarted by the very heavy rain that fell for hours on Saturday. A huge thank you to Kay who got permission for us to draw in the cathedral instead, where we were based on tables in the north transept right by the stone rood screen. Some members used their folding chairs to sit by the tall columns in the nave.

Nine members came along and we were also joined by Ron’s two very polite and well behaved granddaughters aged 7 and his son-in-law. A whip round collected £40 and this was gift aided so £50 will be received by the cathedral.

We were initially disappointed not to paint outside but we all thoroughly enjoyed our day inside being creative. Annoyingly it finally stopped raining as the last two members left the cathedral at 2.45pm!

We couldn’t use any paint or water inside the cathedral so everyone sketched using dry mediums of pencils, coloured pencils, charcoal and pens. Most members drew the architecture and views around them but as usual we don’t mind at all if you come along to a session and ‘do your own thing’, so a giraffe and highland cow join the gallery. We start off with the girls’ pictures, including a super picture of Grandad Ron…

A few months ago some members embossed metal scales for a project at the cathedral. 12500 scales now adorn the Draco Roffensis dragon sculpture that is hanging above the nave. Here are photos of the sculpture and views in and around the cathedral.

The cathedral’s website with lots of info if you want to visit… www.rochestercathedral.org

Thank you to everyone who braved the weather, we had a good day!

The next session is back at Chalk Parish Hall on Wednesday 11th September from 7-9pm.

It was lovely to see ten members at the session, all eager to try their hand at drawing and painting horses, which we all thought was quite a challenge. The session was inspired by the birth of George Stubbs 300 years ago this month and his extraordinary paintings of horses in Georgian Britain. His most famous painting is ‘Whistlejacket’ in The National Gallery in London where visitors admire the horse’s perfectly formed body against a plain background so nothing distracts from the horse himself.

A good start was made with the pictures and hopefully they’ll be finished at home. Patrick finished his pencil drawing inspired by an old postcard.

Kay was disappointed not to come to the session as she loves horses. At home she found her sketching book which she had begun at just 5 years old and continued with until her mid teens. The pyrography was done when she was 14 and the last image was painted a couple of years ago as a gift for a friend of her own horse.

Lovely work everyone, do try the subject again!

Details of our visit to Rochester Cathedral on Saturday 24th August will be sent in a couple of days. Do email Tracy asap if you want to come along too.

Here’s what we’ll be up to in August but as usual you can draw or paint anything you’d like to.

Wednesday 14th August – 7-9pm –   Horses – inspired by George Stubbs 

English artist George Stubbs (August 1724-1806) revolutionised the drawing and painting of horses as he studied their anatomy in great detail. Without doubt the most important painter of horses in the 18th century his paintings are in galleries worldwide. Stubbs’ most famous horse painting is ‘Whistlejacket’ in the National Gallery in London and is the most asked-for painting by visitors.

Using any medium draw or paint a horse or horses in detail, either the whole body, just the head and neck or any part.

Here are details about George Stubbs and gallery websites of his paintings and drawings…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Stubbs

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/george-stubbs

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/george-stubbs-538

https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/name/george-stubbs-ara

Saturday 24th August – from 10am to 3pm –   Rochester Cathedral’s private gardens

We will be meeting in the King’s Orchard, the private gardens behind Rochester Cathedral, for this month’s outdoor session. We first visited these gardens two years ago when Kay gained permission for us to sit and enjoy the gardens whilst either painting the view or painting your own idea.

There are a couple of benches but not enough for everyone so you’ll need to bring a chair to sit on. You’ll also need to bring your own water container and lunch, but hopefully the cafe in the crypt will be open if you fancy eating there. The Cathedral are not charging us to use the gardens so we will be having a collection on the day.

A few months ago some of our members pressed patterns on to copper, silver and gold coloured metal scales which now adorn the dragon flying above the nave… https://mcartgroup.wordpress.com/2024/05/12/decorating-dragon-scales/

Hopefully we will be able to see Draco Roffensis on the day… https://www.rochestercathedral.org/dragon

Please email Tracy asap if you would like to attend or not, as we need to know names for the lanyards that must be worn at all times.

Further details about dropping off your art equipment and parking information will be sent by email nearer the time.

Here’s the session from August 2022 on the blog… https://mcartgroup.wordpress.com/2022/08/29/rochester-cathedral-august-2022-saturday/

On Saturday twelve members visited Chalk Church and enjoyed drawing and painting in perfect weather. It was sunny but not too hot, being pleasantly warm with a gentle breeze. The Monet bridge and pond area looked very bare last year but is now planted with wild flowers such as red, white and pink poppies and yellow and blue flowers too. In the pond we saw a newt and shrimpy things swimming with their little legs, dragonflies flew above whilst water boatmen and beetles scurried on the water’s surface.

We all enjoyed the day as we sketched and painted and enjoyed a good natter. Thank you for the £36 for the church fund.

Some members drew and painted the view in front of them and others created pictures to their own theme.

Look out for next month’s newsletter which will be published on Thursday 1st August.

We will be painting in the gardens of Rochester Cathedral on Saturday 24th August. Please note there will be 5 Saturdays in August but we always meet on the 4th one, which is on the bank holiday weekend this year. Please check the date to see if you’re free as Tracy will be asking for names to attend the day.

The next session at the hall will be on Wednesday 14th August from 7-9pm.

George has finished an oil painting of a dancer, measuring 65cm x 41cm, and also painted a picture of Twiggy, the model, actress and singer. Even though you won’t be coming to sessions with us any more, please keep painting George!