The third instalment of subs is due this month to take us up to the end of 2023. Please pay the £25 by bank transfer, cheque or cash, details of which Steve has emailed before. No cash by post please, only at a session or hand delivered to Steve’s address. If you paid the full £75 in January you don’t need to pay any more subs this year.

Here are ideas for this month, but you’re always welcome to come and paint anything you want to, whilst having a walk around and natter of course!

Wednesday 13th 7-9pm – Statues

Using any medium draw or paint a statue. A local one, one in the UK or anywhere in the world. It could be a person or people you admire, or if there isn’t one already then design your own.

There are many real animal sculptures like the lions in Trafalgar Square, the elephants in Bishops Square in London, or any equestrian statue. Or there are mythical creatures like the dragon boundary markers into the City of London.

Saturday 23rd 10am-3pm – Landscape with hay bales

Wherever you go in the UK there will be fields looking very scenic with haystacks or hay bales, either rectangular or round. Use any medium to draw an iconic scene with hay bales and include a combine harvester or tractor if you prefer drawing or painting machinery.

If you don’t fancy a landscape then paint people picking hops, apples or anything harvested, the choice is yours.

Twenty one members visited Rochester Cathedral to sit and draw at the Fenland black oak table, a piece of fossilised wood over 5000 years old. It was a deep, brownish-black colour and highly polished, placed in the central nave of the cathedral. The section we used was covered in waterproof material, so thankfully we didn’t have to worry about making a mess on it, which would have been disastrous!

We all had a fantastic day sketching and colouring with dry media as painting wasn’t allowed at the table, and having a good natter of course. Luckily we weren’t outside as at one point the heavens literally opened, with torrential rain causing flooding in the streets outside. Adult and child visitors to the cathedral came to look at our pictures and to have a chat, which was lovely. It was a very memorable day for the art group and thank you to everyone who gave a donation to cathedral funds, we raised £123.

Read about the Fenland black oak table here…www.rochestercathedral.org/fenland-black-oak-table

Most members sketched the view to the front or side of them, whilst others photographed parts of the cathedral inside and out, then used the photos on their phones or iPads as reference.

Some members created pictures to their own theme.

In the aisles either side of the nave was an exhibition called ‘Threads Through Creation’, twelve huge embroidered panels depicting the story of the creation and the Garden of Eden. They’re by Jacqui Parkinson and will be at the cathedral until next Sunday, 3rd September. We all had a look and were very impressed by the size, colour and detail of all the panels.

More info here…www.rochestercathedral.org/articles/2023/6/5/creating-the-world-in-eight-million-stitches

Here’s a few more photos of inside the cathedral and outside in the garth (garden).

Thank you to everyone who came along, it was a special day to be involved with.

The next session is on Wednesday 13th September at Chalk Parish Hall from 7-9pm.

Beatrix Potter’s little story books are still popular today, even 80 years after her death. Beautifully illustrated with detailed, delicate watercolours, they transport you into a world of animals, good and rather naughty, and their adventures.

9 members came on the evening and one lady who will hopefully become a new member. Tracy brought in all 23 little books, to help members with pictures to use for sketching and painting.

Here are all our pictures, either sketches or in watercolour or acrylic, including 2 stones Sue painted for her grandchildren to find in a nature trail in her garden…what a brilliant idea! Most pictures are on the Beatrix Potter animal theme, with one of Beatrix herself, one of Hill Top Farm, in Near Sawrey in the Lake District, and one picture inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

Well done everyone, you were very creative!

Our next session will be on Saturday 26th August from 10am-3pm inside Rochester Cathedral. Final details will be sent in an email nearer the time.

Wednesday 9th – 7-9pm – Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter’s delightful books have enchanted children and adults alike since her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, was published in 1902. Use her artwork to inspire your drawing or painting of a little animal, or if you have a pet, use them as your character. If that idea isn’t for you, paint her home, Hill Top Farm, in Near Sawrey in the Lake District, or one of the many other farms which she bought and gifted to the National Trust on her death in 1943.

Lots more info here… www.beatrixpottersociety.org.uk

Saturday 26th – from 10am-3pm – at the Fenland black oak table inside Rochester Cathedral

We return to Rochester Cathedral as Kay has gained permission for us to sit at the Fenland black oak table inside the cathedral. It’s currently in the central nave and hopefully still will be when we visit.

It will be a ‘dry’ session as no painting or water for brushes is allowed, for obvious reasons!

Bring a sketchbook or whatever you want to draw on and use normal graphite pencils, coloured pencils, water soluble pencils or Inktense pencils or blocks (to then paint at home). There are other dry mediums to use to get creative so bring them along too. The idea is that we sit at the table all day to sketch our surroundings, so please don’t wander off for ages because if we all did that there would be no one left at the table! If you want a different view then swap chairs with someone.

Please don’t arrive too early because the cathedral doesn’t open until 10am. The café in the crypt should be open on the day but bring a packed lunch if you prefer. I’m not sure if we can eat and drink at the table so expect an email a few days before the session with final details.

We’re not being charged to use the table but there will be a collection for cathedral funds during the day.

Twenty one members have put their names down for the day which is a fabulous number. If you want to come along, or now can’t make the day, please email Tracy asap. It looks to be a unique and interesting session for our art group.

Details of the table are here… www.rochestercathedral.org/fenland-black-oak-table

A year ago the church grounds were so parched the grass was yellow and the ground dusty, but this year the grounds were very green from all the rain we’ve been having! Thirteen members visited Chalk Church last Saturday with the weather looking unsettled, but it was dry for the first 3.5 hours. Once the rain began we adjourned to draw and paint either at tables inside the barn or sat on the benches under the covered area. As usual it was a busy session being creative and chatty. We donated just over £52 for the church fund.

Some members chose to paint the replaced ‘Monet’ bridge or draw plants found in the grounds.

Other members chose their own subject or finish pictures from previous sessions of the Coronation of King Charles III or Zentangles.

The next session will be back at the hall on Wednesday 9th August 7-9pm, then on Saturday 26th August will be inside Rochester Cathedral. Please email Tracy if you’re interested in a place at the Cathedral.

Eleven members came along on a warm, bright summer evening bringing an assortment of ‘Boots and Shoes’

Some of the following are works in progress.

Chris had time to work on another painting and Patrick went back to a sketch he started many years ago on a visit that the group made to Yorkshire.

Well done all. Please forward your finished work to Tracy or Steve

Our next meeting on Saturday the 22nd July is in the garden at Chalk Church at the usual time of 10am till 3 pm. The bridge has been totally replaced and the pond, complete with water, has been reinstated. If the weather should become rainy we can use the cover and facilities of the adjacent building. Do come along. You don’t have to paint the Church or stay for the whole day

Best wishes

Wednesday 12th July – 7 to 9pm –   Shoes

We haven’t drawn or painted what’s in front of us for a while, so bring along some shoes and set up your own still life, or bring one pair if you prefer. The lighting is rather dull in the hall so also bring along the little lamps you’ve been using on a Wednesday evening, to light your still life better. Use flip-flops, sandals, trainers, wellies, sparkly party shoes, works boots, DMs etc, the choice is yours. If you’re feeling inspired then be a designer to create your ideal or imagined shoe.

The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers dates back to 1272 and is number 27 in the order of preference of the City of London livery companies. Click on their website link for more info and photos… www.cordwainers.org

The V&A Museum in London has a collection of over 2000 pairs of shoes. There are photos on their website and you can click through for more info… www.vam.ac.uk/collections/shoes

Saturday 22nd July – 10am to 3pm –  ‘Do your own thing’ at Chalk Church

We return to our summer venue at St.Mary’s Church in Chalk. The church and ‘Monet’ bridge are popular subjects to paint, but you don’t have to. Many of us have painted these several times, so instead start any project for our Open Day (Saturday 25th November) or bring paintings you want to finish.

The area around the Monet bridge has apparently been planted, so that will hopefully look better than last year’s very dry clods of earth!

If it’s raining we still meet at the church as there’s an indoor room in the barn with tables and chairs for us to use. There’s a large car park, toilet, and tea, coffee and biscuits as usual.

Please bring along a folding chair or stool if you intend to paint outside and a packed lunch too. If you can only make the morning or afternoon, please come along and join us for a couple of hours.

The church doesn’t charge us to use the barn or gardens, so any donations to the Church Fund is appreciated, thank you.

If you’re a new member and haven’t visited Chalk Church before, please have a look at this map to see where we’ll be meeting.

Peta has been working hard when she visits London and has created more marvellous ink sketches on her travels. The sketches have been published on the website ‘Spitalfields Life’ and each one is accompanied by an informative description of the view.

There’s a lot to learn from each and every one and the details she has captured are amazing. Well done, Peta!

The following photos are screenshots from the website. If you click on the first one you’ll be able to read the description before clicking the right arrow to the next one.

If you want to see the sketches on the website then follow this link… www.spitalfieldslife.com/2023/06/20/petas-bridles-watery-london/ then scroll down past two photographs to the article.

If you’re interested in more articles on the website just click where it says ‘home’ and you’ll see the latest posts.

George has been very busy these past few months, painting portraits in oils of film stars from Westerns and other genres. Lovely work, George!

Can you guess who they all are?

The theme for Saturdays meeting was Fabulous Flowers and Tracy requested that perhaps members could wear something bright and floral, which many did even including Peter.

Here are the ‘fabulous’ paintings in various mediums that we produced.

Some members ‘Did their own thing’ all are ‘works in progress’

Well done all , 22 members attended, what a lovely day.

Ann Brooker, a member for many years, has let me know that as she is unable to drive any more and will not be able to attend meetings in the future. She sends her best wishes to everyone. We all hope that she continues painting and perhaps will send in some of her work to go on the website.

Meetings for next month are.

Wednesday 12th July 7pm till 9 pm. at Chalk hall

Saturday 22nd July 10 am till 3 pm in The garden at Chalk Church