Still going on about the snow

I shouldn’t complain, we were inconvenienced far less than a lot of people. However, we did have to postpone last Saturday’s workshop and are very grateful to everyone for being so understanding and for rearranging to the revised date or choosing something else. We will now have Susan Boddy delivering a Watercolour Workshop for Beginners on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th March. There are only a few places available on both dates. Click here to find out more.
Nigel also had to disappoint the art group in Chelmsford – no! – By not being able to get there.
Anyway things were getting back to normal by Sunday and I had a great day with some lovely ladies producing some fabulous Stitched Flower Landscapes – well done girls you all achieved brilliantly.
Also on a positive note the weather did inspire Nigel to get the watercolours out, an example of his dabbling seen above.

Enough about the snow already….. Stitchy News

The Embroiders Guild, a national organisation, is coming to open a new branch in Harwich. It will be based at the Mayflower Project Visitor Centre at the end of the railway line in Harwich Town.There will be two meetings on Thursday 15th March: 12.30 – 2.30 and 5.00 – 7.00 where you will be able to find out more and maybe join. You do not have to be an accomplished embroiderer to get involved, although the more experienced will also be very welcome.
Why not come along and find out all about it? Tea, coffee and cakes will be available, as well as lots of samples of the guild’s work. I will also be there for both sessions with examples of what I do and have donated an Angie Hughes Workshop as a raffle prize – could you be the lucky one?.

Don’t forget
Fishy Business – FREE day with Monique and myself. Come along and make Textile Fish to decorate the town during the Festival of Arts. Tuesday 13th March 10.00 to 3.30

A trip to the Smoke

After going on about it for ages, we finally got out of Harwich for a day trip to London. We had a good excuse in that the Wapping Group of artists were having their exhibition at the Mall Galleries and three of the ‘Wappers’ were demonstrating, including an Old Bank favourite and Wapping Group president Roger Dellar. The three of them were working from the same reference photo; one in watercolour, one in pastels and Roger in Oils and very impressive they were. We also managed a couple of hours in the National Gallery and Nigel found something he has attempted to copy from photographs before now.

Incidently

The Wapping Group are taking themselves away from their more familiar Thames and the London area and having an outing to Harwich in June. This is during the Festival of Arts, so it will be nice to welcome some esteemed painters to town who will actually be painting! They might even let Nigel join in; he’s promised to keep them all topped up with tea.
Also in June we have Roger Dellar’s Plein Air Weekend for anyone who’s inspired to take their oils outside and learn from the man.

Feeling Crafty

During March and April we have quite a diverse mix of craft workshops coming up all of which are suitable for beginners. So if you fancy trying your hand at something new, there maybe something of interest below.

Three very different painting days

On Saturday 21st April have a new artist teaching a new medium – new to the Old Bank that is. Fraser Scarfe will delivering a full day workshop ‘Atmospheric Landscapes’ using interactive acrylics. If you haven’t used these versatile paints before, Fraser will introduce you to the possibilities of what can be achieved and you won’t need to go out and buy a set before hand as all materials are supplied for free.
This day is suitable for Beginners.

The following day, Sunday 22nd April we have another artist joining us for the first time, Anthony Nield. An accomplished artist and illustrator, Anthony will teach you his approach to creating beautiful, traditional scenes in line and wash.

Then to kick off May we have the ever popular and very talented Lois Cordelia. With the theme of animals in motion, let go of conventional ideas about realistic colour and obsessive detail and instead be expressive and spontaneous. Be prepared to paint quickly and freely completing two or three large works in the day. It’s aimed at Beginners and all the materials are included – so what’s to stop you!

And finally

Everybody’s newsletter highlight – The Banksy bit:

Well it’s like Banksy just a bit more realistic. The truth is Banksy is a very scruffy boy at the moment, as he hasn’t been for his hair cut and I’m a bit embarrassed to show him. So I’ve made a stand in. I can feel a new workshop coming on; watch this space.
Best wishes to you all and roll on spring.

Bev