Demonstrations are free for members   and they may bring along a guest for a fee of £5. Workshops and Trips are worked out at cost, to members and guests can attend trips if requests are made to The Programme Manager via the Society's email.

Special Ticketed Events for Members and their guests:  We run several extra social events during the year, which are ticketed and charged at a subsidised rate. During 2024 we had a BBQ and a lecture about putting on an exhibition and a Christmas Lunch in December. We are having another BBQ in 2025, which is now on sale.

Saturday 12th April Workshop 10am-4pm

Andrew Geeson: Loose Watercolour

At The Memorial Hall Art Studio, Hathaway Lane, Shottery, CV37 9BL

Cost £38. Postponed due to illness

Andrew will lead us in a relaxed and productive day, showing us how to liven up our watercolour painting by using a loose technique. He will carry out several mini demonstrations and support us in producing several fresh watercolour paintings.This workshop is suitable for any level of painting.

You will need to bring your own paints, brushes and paper. More details will be sent to members who sign up.

Andrew started his career as a botanical illustrator, producing very fine detailed work for publishers throughout the world. He also delved in to the exciting and fun world of children’s book illustration, working for several years with Enid Blyton’s daughter on her mother’s creation Noddy.

It was only fairly recently that Andrew looked for a new journey to undertake, and discovered the beauty and inspiration of loose watercolours. It wasn’t an easy transition, having painted in such a tight manner for so long, but he took up the challenge of this fantastic and rewarding style of painting, learning from the very beginning whilst having to throw off his old style of painting.

Saturday 10th May Workshop 10am-4pm

Carl March: Watercolour Boats

At The Memorial Hall Art Studio, Hathaway Lane, Shottery, CV37 9BL

Cost £37

'Boats in watercolour' 

Members only

Step by step watercolour exercises designed to help complete beginners and more experienced painters.

Exercises include brush control, colour mixing and drawing.

You will need to bring your own watercolour paints and paper. More details will be sent to members who sign up to this workshop.

Carl is an experienced tutor who received 100% positive reviews from last year's plein air workshop.

Refreshments will be provided but please bring your own mug and lunch.

Friday 16th May Workshop 10am-4pm

Wayne Attwood: "Expressive mark-making for setting-up an Expressionist painting”

At The Memorial Hall Art Studio, Hathaway Lane, Shottery, CV37 9BL

Cost £45. Fully Booked

Using Oil or Acrylic, we will experiment with using expressive mark-making to build the initial layer of an expressionist painting. Then explore how these beginnings can be developed at a later stage when dried and back at the studio. The workshop will be a practical extension to the approach I demonstrate the day before.

Materials:

Participants are asked to bring their usual Oil or Acrylic painting materials. These should include solvent if traditional oils are to be used. The solvent should be ‘Studio-Safe’ and NOT Turps; Jars/Containers; Rags; Palettes; etc.

Large flat painting brushes - at least 1” (25mm) but a wider range will be useful.

Canvas or Canvas Board; bigger the better would be preferred and recommend 36x36”, but must be at least 24”. Square format would also be preferable, but not essential.

Colour palette I will be using and recommend:

Ultramarine Blue; Phthalo Blue (or Cerulean Blue or ‘Windsor Blue Green-Shade’); Permanent Rose; Burnt Sienna; Yellow Ochre; Cadmium Yellow (or equivalent/similar); Titanium White.

Saturday 14th June Workshop 10am-4pm

Andrew Barrowman: "Oil Seascapes”

At The Memorial Hall Art Studio, Hathaway Lane, Shottery, CV37 9BL

Cost £39. Members Only.

Andrew will be joining us after his very successful oIl demonstration on zoom in December. This is a workshop for anyone who wants to achieve a loose and vibrant seascape in oils.

The workshop will be held at Shottery memorial Hall Art studio, CV37 9BL from 10am - 4pm. Refreshments will be provided but please bring your own mug and your lunch. A list of equipment required will be sent out to members who sign up, nearer the date of the workshop.

Andrew Barrowman is a landscape artist based in Cornwall. He works en plein air and from his

studio at Krowji, Redruth. He spends many hours walking and observing the varied Cornish

landscape and coastline as the light changes throughout the day and time of year. In his work,

he uses a variety of media but favours oils and charcoal. He is an addictive sketcher and can

usually be found in the landscape sketching during his daily walks with his dog.

In January 2024 he received The Artist Magazine Award at The Pastel Society annual exhibition

held at Mall Galleries, London. In 2021 he won The Bowyer Drawing Prize at The New English

Art Club annual exhibition and a Highly Commended Award at the Royal Birmingham Society of

Artists summer exhibition. In 2023 he was elected full member of the Pastel Society, London

and an Associate member of Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.

He featured as a main artist in Sky Arts ‘Landscape Artist of the Year’ in January 2024.

10th June Stanley Spencer Gallery Cookham and Sandham Memorial Chapel

Stanley Spencer was an English painter, who after leaving the Slade School of Art became well known for his paintings depicting Biblical scenes occurring as if in Cookham               

Spencer referred to Cookham as "a village in Heaven" and in his biblical scenes, fellow-villagers are shown as their Gospel counterparts.

Spencer was skilled at organising multi-figure compositions such as in his large paintings,  First World War memorials, for the Sandham Memorial Chapel and the Shipbuilding on the Clyde series, commission for the War Artists' Advisory Committee during the Second World War.

Cost £39 plus £7 or £3.50 (Art fund) visit to the Gallery

Departs: Henley 8.00      Arrives: Sandham  11.00

             Rother St 8.30                      

             Race Course 8.45

We go to Sandham Memorial Chapel in Hants 1st for 11am, 2 hours there with lunch.  Bring your own packed lunch or there is a pub. Then on coach for an hour to Cookham in Berks, for 2pm, then home, at 4.00pm.

Departs Cookham 4.00    Arrives: Stratford   6.00

BBQ Evening

26th July 6.30pm

Stratford Oaks Golf Club

Between Bearly and Snitterfield

This is a social event for members to meet up and enjoy a BBQ with the opportunity to have your portrait drawn by Sue Bain. Only members can book but they can purchase tickets for friends and family.



Menu

Glass of Prosecco

Aberdeen Angus (170g) Beef Burger - Brioche Bun

Chicken Tikka Masala Skewers

Cumberland Sausage “Hot dog”

Vegetarian options

Mixed Leaves

Tossed Salad: Tomato, Cucumber, Celery, Red Onion

Potato Salad

£20 per person