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Art Palette

Welcome back to an autumn of artistic activities …

Annual Art Exhibition in November

Art Group members are invited to enter up to three artworks in the annual exhibition, which is from Tuesday 10th November until take down on Sunday 22nd November. Completion of the online entry form is by 30th October. Click here to open a copy of the 2026 entry form

The good news is that the Reception Team (Rahma, Jimmy or Isabelle) will help you complete the online form if you ask. The tutors can also advise you; although it would be best to avoid using their time during classes. There are printed copies under the notice board and in the art studio so can see what is required online. The maximum size framed artwork 80cm wide and 60cm high.

Drop off framed artwork on 8th November.

Exhibition Opening Drinks

Art Group members are invited to the opening of the exhibition at 6pm on Tuesday 10th November with a glass of wine. The exhibition will be opened at 7.45pm by Dr Nick De Leon, head of Design at the Royal College of Art; Nick gave us a private tour of the RCA end of year exhibition introducing us to many students who were looking forward to their future careers.

Art Group Annual Dinner

Art Group members are invited to the annual art group dinner on Tuesday 10th November sitting down at 7.45pm. Click here for the poster

Booking through Reception is essential as we have been full for a number of years. Tickets cost £45 for Art Group members and £60 each for a maximum of up to three guests.

Private visit and talk: Stern Pissarro Gallery
With Leila Pissarro, great granddaughter of Camille Pissarro and her husband David Stern, 13th October 6–7.30pm

Art Group members are invited to this fabulous opportunity to view a gallery of major impressionist artists and a gallery of paintings by Camille Pissarro and five generations of his family. We will be joined by Leila Pissarro who will talk with us about the experience of learning Pissarro’s techniques, palette, colours and shades from his youngest son, her grandfather, Paul Emile Pissarro. David Stern will talk about Camille Pissarro’s place amongst the great founders of impressionism. Click here for the poster

This is a special opportunity with limited space. Booking through Reception is essential and we will take a short waiting list. The cost is £10 to cover a glass of wine.

Art Lecture

Tuesday 22nd September at 8pm
What If? The power of Artistic Thinking
Click here for the poster

PhotoClub Lecture

Tuesday 6th October at 7.30 pm
The two sides of Marilyn Monroe
Lecture by John Francis
Click here for the poster

Art Studio

The soundproofing of the Art Studio is complete and we are looking forward to less sound of squash if not the sound of silence.

Art Classes

Booking is now open for autumn term art classes which run for 10 weeks in the Art Studio starting Monday 21st September and finishing on Friday 4th December. Some places still available. Contact Reception to book. Click here for more information

Reading Room Exhibition: Janine Railton

 

Janine has always been happy to try something new, but no one was more surprised than she was when, three years post retiring from the NHS, she signed up for the beginners’ art class with Kathy. Her sister, a keen artist herself, found this highly amusing and, with typical sisterly honesty, pointed out: ‘But you aren’t very good at it!’ Little did they know where this would lead.

 

Very soon afterwards in 2020 came lockdown, and Kathy proved to be a true saviour, brilliantly, skilfully and entertainingly delivering the art classes via Zoom. Every week, Janine would proudly put her latest artwork into her ‘frame of the week’. Each picture would take pride of place in the kitchen until it was replaced by a new ‘masterpiece’ the following week.

Some members of the group developed a particular love of pastels, and so the pastels group evolved. It has proved so popular that it is always a full house.

Janine has been fortunate enough to attend classes with a wonderful range of extremely patient tutors, including Kathy Baker, Daisy Drummond and Shaun Carey. She has embraced every opportunity to learn something new and has become a great advocate for everyone having a go at any of the classes, especially life drawing – something she thoroughly enjoyed, despite the challenge of trying to capture a modicum of likeness of the model.

From a slightly dubious beginning – and a sister who wasn’t convinced of her artistic potential – Janine has certainly proved that you don’t have to be ‘very good at it’ to have a go, enjoy yourself and discover a whole new passion.