The World in Acrylics

Posts from the ‘Art Group’ category

Exhibition News Featured

One of the best moves I have made in being an artist is joining a local art group, in my case the SAA Frome Valley Art Group in Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire. Each year we hold our annual art show, our 26th, having taken place this last weekend. And boy, what a show!

In the 5 years I have been attending, the wealth and variety of talents across many mediums used has grown from strength to strength, this year’s event exceeding everyone’s expectations in both numbers of visitors, and numbers of works sold, and with over 60 members, there was much to see, although not all of our members exhibited.

The lead-up to the show is hectic, both from the committee’s point of view in organizing, and ours as the artists. In my case the busiest being that of deciding which paintings to put in, then pricing each work (always a problem). More so this year due to the current economic crisis. Would people want to pay what is a frivolity, a non-essential, when they have worries over fuel and food bills. Our exhibitions have always proved popular but the usual concerns as to whether anyone would come let alone buy anything are constantly there. Once entries are decided upon, next comes the business of obtaining suitable frames and mounts etc, not normally an issue but stores here supplying these, are struggling to obtain stocks or have limited choice.

My seven paintings were hung along a wall all to themselves, with the theme of water running across four of them.

My wall of paintings, and some of our many guests on preview night

From the moment the preview evening’s doors opened the room was packed. One of the many joys at these events is being able share and talk art with people who love your work, often more so than the satisfaction that comes from selling one. I was of the mind that even if nothing was sold, it was unimportant. To my surprise and delight one of mine, the bluebell painting, sold within half-an-hour. People love my bluebells, it seems. The purchaser was even more delighted to be introduced to me. A second joy came when another couple sought me out to chat about one of my works they had purchased in late 2021. Saturday proved equally busy, as did Sunday, the only lull being during lunch time.

Some of the many works on show

Arriving for stewarding duty on the Saturday afternoon, I was greeted with news that 2 more of my paintings had sold that morning. On Sunday, arriving to enjoy an afternoon cup of tea and cake from the refreshment table before the raffle was pulled and the event closed, I didn’t notice at first that a fourth painting of mine had also been purchased.

A happy band of Sunday afternoon stewards, all members of the art group

It was a thoroughly enjoyable, and successful show for everyone involved, if tiring. Over 40 paintings sold, not including those from the mounted tables.

The mounted artwork tables

Many artists, including myself, are donating our sales money to our chosen charity, the Ukrainian Red Cross, as has one member who ran a table in the foyer selling her bespoke, hand-crafted and beautiful individual greeting cards.

What a show!

Sold Painting

NewsFlash Featured

This weekend (14th and 15th of May 2022) sees the 26th Annual Art Exhibition of the SAA Frome Valley Art Group at Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire. There are excellent paintings in multiple media on show, the majority of which are for sale, including seven of mine, in support of this year’s chosen charity. Do come along and see the great work produced by this ever-growing and thriving art group. Refreshments available, disabled access, and free parking.

The 25th Frome Valley Art Show Featured

It has been a busy month for me to date, leading up to my art group’s 25th Annual Art Exhibition. I was delighted when the committee asked if they could use one of my paintings (“Sunflowers”) on the advertisement poster, placed in local newsletters, on many sites and pages on the internet, and in local shops and libraries.

For me this year, the hardest part was in deciding …Read On

(NB: The painting of the rose above my head is by another artist.)

Exhibition Nerves Featured

No thanks to the world issues of Covid, my local art group had to cancel last year’s annual art exhibition. Although some restrictions are still in place here in the UK, the group is busy making preparations for this year’s, scheduled for next weekend 10th and 11th July. Sadly because of current restrictions we are unable to offer refreshments during the weekend which is a great pity as we enjoy making homemade cakes, biscuits and treats to eat with tea or coffee for sale and all profits from this part of the exhibition goes to our chosen charity (see below).

The SAA Frome Valley Art group currently has 47 members, an eclectic mix of age, mediums and styles, from acrylics (my medium of choice), pastels, watercolours, oils, gouche, ink and pen and everything in between. And, like me, most of us have found the past 16-18 months difficult to become motivated to paint, so for me it was hard determining what, if any, artwork to exhibit. But the choice has been made, and I am currently busy framing and labelling my five pieces of art. Sorry, let’s rephrase that: I am exhibiting five paintings, three framed and two on stretched box canvas including the one in the poster below.

This is our 25th annual exhibition and to celebrate, the committee asked for all frames to be either silver or white coloured. Believe me, finding good quality picture frames in silver is no easy matter and I am relieved I only needed three.

I was delighted when the committee also asked to use my painting of “Sunflowers” on the exhibition poster. I hope it entices people to come along as see what the group has been up to. the majority of the work exhibited will be for sale, with a percentage of each sale and all of the monies raised in the raffle going to this year’s good cause: The Southmead Hospital Covid-19 Charity.

With only a week to go, nerves are setting in. Will further restrictions halt the exhibition in its tracks? Will any members of the public come? Will anyone like my work? Will anyone hate what I’ve done? Will I be lucky and sell anything? Will we raise any money for the charity? What do I wear to the preview evening? What do I wear for my 2-hour tour of duty on Saturday? Can I cope with wearing a mask for 2 hours? Why am I even doing this?

I know why. I love it. I love painting. I enjoy the company of other like-minded artists. And most of all, I love seeing and hearing the reaction of others. Like books and films, not everyone is going to like the same thing. What appeals to one, will not to another, but it doesn’t not matter. It’s the being part of this wonderful group and for the support, encouragement, help and boost that matters most.

I hope some of you are able to find the time next week to pop in, have a look and enjoy the beautiful work by everyone on show and contribute a little something to the cause.

Meanwhile, stay safe, stay healthy and most of all, have some fun!

A Long Awaited Return Featured

After a much long-awaited time, the art club I attend (the SAA Frome Valley Art Group) finally re-opened its doors last Friday afternoon and evening. As a matter of safety, COVID rules where adhered to and we were assigned “bubbles” to work in. We are only a small group of 12, compared with our fellow members who meet Friday afternoons (30), so we were able to spread ourselves out around what is a large hall, with a work-table each. Plenty of room to spread our equipment out.

It felt strange and a little surreal arriving at the venue, masks on as we registered and elected a table, fetched our own chair and unpacked. But as everyone arrived and masks were removed, it didn’t take long before we settled, reacquainted ourselves and chatted about what we had or hadn’t painted during the long absence. When everyone said they had, like me, not painted a great deal during lockdown, often not having the inclination, I felt relieved I wasn’t the only person who hadn’t done much. Okay, I have painted what: six? maybe seven? paintings in the previous 14 months. That is not a lot for me, I am normally prolific; a painting a week, if not each month in normal times.

Until all restrictions are lifted, the kitchen is out of bounds which meant we could not stop for refreshments and a natter around the coffee table. Nor were we able to obtain water for paints and washing brushes so had to bring our own. Being an acrylic artist, this caused a dilemma for me as I could not leave my brushes unwashed until I returned back home. The paint on them would have dried by then and virtually impossible to remove; brushes would be ruined. Having a selection of watercolour pencils which I have not used and water-brushes (the water is contained in the brush itself, a little like a fountain pen), I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to practice with them.

Now, I’d be the first to admit I am not very good at drawing and sketching, something that is necessary for watercolour painting, and the image I chose from a photo of wallflowers picked the day before from my garden was, with hindsight, a little too ambitious even for me.  I was also pleased I used my “practice” sketchbook and not wasted expensive watercolour paper in learning how to paint with watercolour pencils. Plus the paper in the sketchbook is very smooth and didn’t take the pencil well. Still, all good practice, as they say. Here’s what I produced in the allotted time.

As it will be a few more weeks yet before we have full use of the venue and access to water etc, I shall continue with the pencils, but next week, start with a lot simpler image and on the correct paper for the medium. You know me, I love a challenge.

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