Birth of Venus

Winning painting in the Sandro Botticelli competition, by Brian Eley (c)

For the Art Session on Thursday 24th Jan we were looking at the works of Sandro Botticelli. Nine of those present created their own works inspired by the artist or based on one his works and we all voted at the end of the evening for the winning painting. Brian Eley created this version of Venus and won a DVD of painting tips kindly donated by the SAA.

Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus was painted in tempera on panel.  The size was over 2.7 by 1.7 metres.

Ponches Estruval Art Exhibition

The Dompierre sur Authie and Ponches Estruval Festival runs from 31st May to 2nd June and covers the villages of Dompiere and Ponches in Picardy, about an hour's drive due south of Calais. When Anne Howard and I went previously, in 2010, we displayed work in the small village church of Ponches Estruval where 2 classical concerts took place over the weekend. We also attended a much larger concert featuring dutch, english and french musicians in the large church in Dompierre sur Authie, a welcome and presentation ceremony with the mayor, were treated to a barbeque and chips and were guests at the Festival Dinner and entertainment (Scottish drum and pipe band from Boulogne and an accordian band) in a farm barn in Ponches.

The link between Arlington and Ponches Estruval is a cultural exchange forged between the 2 church parishes with the help of Interreg funding in 2008. 

 

We invited musicians and artists from the region, and the chair of Les Amis du patrimoine Ponchois et vallée d'Authie, to attend and take part in the Arlington Arts Festival in 2011, and once again we have been invited to send artists to this year's Festival Franco Anglais. The organisers have also booked the Cajun Dawgs, the dance band that impressed them at our Arlington Arts Festival, to perform at their Festival Dinner.

For any artists interested in taking part in the festival, you will need to arrange your own transport but accommodation will be provided by the hosts - Anne and I stayed with an english couple in the village who fed us very well. The exhibition will take place in the church alongside the concert - I am waiting to hear which church - and, if it is the same set up as when Anne and I went, you hang work in the church when you arrive on Friday afternoon and take it down after a concert on Sunday afternoon. There is no fee to take part, you can make a donation if you sell some work. Anne and I  sold three of the pictures that we took with us. All work should be priced in Euros and purchases are made in cash in euros.  We have the offer of 3 screens which will hold a total of 10 to 12 average sized paintings, I have been told. The chair, Michele, has asked for some miniatures, icons and sussex landscapes, but I am sure she would be happy with other work too, so long as it is suitable for display in a church.

When I have more information I will post it here, but if you are interested please let me know because the hosts need to arrange accommodation.

I can not volunteer to take other artists' work with me to display this year as I will have very little room in the vehicle because I shall be travelling with the Cajun Dawgs and all of their instruments!

Josie

Demonstrations coming up

We have the following 2 demonstrations lined up for 2013:

March 14th
Hazel Barker
(acrylic - mediterranean landscapes - square format)  

April 25
Ben Ecclestone
(at present in the Birley Centre in Eastbourne)

More details to follow.

Apologies for the confusion regarding Art Session dates in January and February. There WILL be a session on Thursday 17th Jan but there will be NO session on Thursday 21st February.
Check the EVENTS page for details (so far) of forthcoming Art Sessions.

Change to Art Session 17th Jan

17th Jan - The hall is NOT booked out to Arlington Parish Council as I had previously thought so we can have our usual Art Session and I suggest a theme of "Wassily Kandinsky".

AGM Agenda

AGM Agenda

Arlington Village Hall

Thursday 7th February 2013

7pm

1. Those present / apologies for absence
2. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting
3. Matters Arising from the Minutes
4. Annual Reports – presentation by members of the Committee
5. Accounts – presentation by the Treasurer
6. Election of Committee / Officers
7. Review of the Constitution and fees of the group
8. Any Other Business
9. Date of the next Annual General Meeting

Meeting should conclude by 8pm

We're in print!

We're featured in the latest SAA magazine, Paint!

It's an article about our involvement in the Art In Empty Shops project in Hailsham High Street. The project is still going but I have stepped out of co-ordinating it. If you are interested in taking part you can contact Cllr Steve McAuliffe through Hailsham Town Council

I'll bring our group copy to the next meeting or you can see it on the SAA website.

January 2013

Happy New year everyone!

Our first Art Session at Arlington Village hall is on Thursday 10th January - all welcome! The suggested theme is Paul Gauguin. Either choose one of his works as inspiration for style or subject, or just look at his life for a bit of inspiration. There's a slideshow of his work on this site http://www.paul-gauguin.net/slideshow.html

We have been once again invited to send artists to take part in the Art Exhibition at the annual Ponches Estruval Arts Festival in Picardy, France, from 31st May to 2nd June. If you would like to come and bring some of your work, please do let us know. Members of the Arts group may get some assistance with travel costs from the group, all accommodation and food is provided by the hosts in France.

Anne Howard and I attended a couple of years ago and the whole event was wonderful, the exhibition was inside the church in Ponches, very well attended, and we made some sales. That time there was no commission on sales but there may be this time - all those details have yet to be discussed so just let me know if you are available and keen to take part as soon as possible.

As you can see from the poster, the Cajun Dawgs are playing and they will also be playing for our Arlington Arts Festival in June.