The art club held an exhibition of its members art works in the Gardens Gallery, Cheltenham, from 27th August until 2nd September 2014.
Visitors were able to purchase art works during the exhibition and take them away the same day.
Members were available in the gallery to answer questions and also take applications to join the Cheltenham Art Club.
The exhibition was visited by many members of the public and interest was shown by several visitors about joining the club. Sales of pictures were up on last year and the event proved to be a success.
Thank you to all those who visited the exhibition. Special thanks to those of you who purchased works of art.
The Percy Mills cup is awarded each year to a member, who has been with the club for less than two years, painting the picture judged to be the best of those pictures submitted to the competition.
This year the paintings were judged by our President, Trevor Waugh. The winning picture was painted by Martin Taylor. The picture titled "Ken" was a portrait of a live model.
Trevor said that the picture was an example of someone adopting techniques learnt in the studio and was the type of picture that he would like to see more of being painted at the club.
Martin says, "I joined the club after the Open Day last September. I am 66 and moved into the area about 11 years ago.
I have been painting on and off for the last 15 years, primarily in watercolours, but when I took semi-retirement a few years ago, I built a small studio above the garage and started painting with Acrylics.
I tried experimenting with a more modern and looser approach but still haven't settled on a style yet. Most of my recent paintings have been very eclectic and I am still searching for signature style.
I joined Cheltenham Art Club primarily to learn more about portrait painting but I hope to take part in other groups later in the year.
I chose the painting of "Ken" which was painted during a Wednesday morning session at the studio last month because it was my first success in painting from a model that I have not had to modify later from reference photos, and it did show some immediacy that you can sometimes get from Alla Prima painting."
To view Martin's painting and the other entries for the competition visit the website.
Our new beginners' and intermediate classes have both been over-subscribed and highly successful. So much so that Darlas Hunter - our professional tutor - has agreed to run repeat courses in November.
The beginners' classes have attracted more than 20 new members to the Club, many of whom signed up on our Open Day in September.
Our president, Trevor Waugh (right) even popped in to help at one of the sessions.
The intermediate course caters for our more experienced members, working in both watercolours and acrylics.
We are thinking about running "improvers" classes in the new year.
If you would be interested in future classes, please contact David King..
The club is arranging a course of 6 lessons, probably on Tuesday afternoons this autumn. Sophie Turner, the course leader and qualified art teacher, will cover all mediums and provide something for everyone. A great opportunity to inspire new ideas and techniques.
To sign up for the course, please email our organiser, Colin Isted, as soon as possible. Places are limited.
Congratulations to Michael Walsh on winning this year's Beginners' Cup for his painting 'Snow in New York', one of a fascinating series of paintings of New York street scenes.
The Cup, which is open to anyone who has been a member of the club for less than 2 years, was presented by Dr. Frances Wilson-Copp at the AGM on 17 March.
Commenting on the strength of the field this year, she drew particular attention to Derek Harrison's Loch Awe and Liz Byrne's Heritage Guardian.
Congratulations to Rachel Jones on winning the 2011 Beginners' Cup, open to all those who have been a member of the club for less than 2 years. Though competition was particularly fierce this year, Rachel's painting 'Purple Skies' was judged a worthy winner by Dr. Frances M Wilson-Copp who awarded the cup at our recent AGM.
Frances stressed the high standard of all the paintings and said it was difficult to single one out from the nineteen entries. She chose three for special mention. In third place, 'Apples 2' by Sarah Powell and, in second place, Michael Butler's oil painting of a beach scene, 'Devon Heaven'.
Rachel had also been successful at this month's Gardens Gallery Exhibition and we look forward to her building on this in the futre.
We are delighted to announce that Trevor Waugh has agreed to become our new Club President.
Trevor studied at the Slade School of Fine Art under the guidance of Sir William Coldstream and later with Ernest Jones at Croydon College, gaining a distinction for his post-graduate certificate in illustration. After working as a free-lance illustrator, he returned to fine art in 1988, travelling and exhibiting extensively in recent years.
Trevor paints and exhibits at his studio in Cheltenham as well as running watercolours and oil painting classes in the UK and abroad. His art books are often in the best-sellers lists and he writes in "The Artist" magazine.
An artist of great skill and experience, ideas and enthusiasm, we are indeed fortunate to have him as our President.
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