PAINT OUT in March

 What do you mean, I need a hair cut!


A gloomy forecast was about to sabotage another attempt to going painting in Noordhoek.
Twice previously the weather had failed us. But today, the sun appeared from behind the clouds offering a bright blue, rain-clean sky, the landscape burgeoned with greens and golds and we even
had models though, regretfully, they weren't in the mood to pose.

Alpacas! Those llama-like cousins originally from the Andes have found new lush pastures in Noordhoek and FHAS were privileged to visit Ohio Farm to see them, paint them and enjoy them.Strangely, most of us, didn't even paint them as they were in constant motion and proved a little taxing (even) for our artistic skills.

Di and Clive sat straight down and tackled a painting, nearly finishing their work before going home. Well done!

The farm house, however, was a delightful building, it didn't move, the garden around it was full of colour, the light was great and so ... most of us focused attention in that direction.

Ohio Farm is a marvelous place and especially for the artistically inclined.

There are ancient oaks, grassy alleys, a rambling garden with heady, bright blooms, and everywhere views of the mountains.

You are transported to another world - yet one that is still practically on our doorstep - and were were lucky enough to enjoy it for March's paint out.

FHAS is looking for more and interesting destinations to group for a paint out. They need to be fairly near Fish Hoek, hopefully with toilet facilities and with space to park safely.

If you have any suggestions, please get in touch.

TWO EXHIBITIONS in our area

Support your friends and meet up with fellow artists.

We have two upcoming exhibitions in our area:

1. Simon's Town Art Group (STAG) is holding its annual pre-Easter exhibition at the HALL in Simon's Town (located just above the Main Road as it goes towards Boulders). The exhibition will be open from the afternoon of Saturday 23rd March till Monday 1st April. Well known local artist Penny Steynor will be opening the show.

2. Kalk Bay's THE STUDIO is featuring an exhibition by artist Pari Marakis also over the Easter period. Details below.

Diarise both and go enjoy!

WORKSHOP by Adolfo McQue

How does he do it?

In a space of some 50 minutes well known local artist Adolfo whipped up a delightful oil painting – with no visual reference in front of him – of Noordhoek and Kommetjie Lighthouse.

How many of us could do that?

Where was the photo, the sketch or a thumb nail image from which to work?

"It is all in here," he said tapping his head. "When you have done it so many times, it remains here."

He laid out blobs of Cadmium Yellow, Cad Red, French Ultra, Cerulean, Burnt Umber and a large squish of Titanium White.

STUDENT QUALITY PAINTS, ALL!!!

"Why spend more," he said with logic. "The Artists' quality paints are very expensive."

A very refreshing and reassuring attitude!




He then took out his paintbrushes and palette knife and began.

It would seem as though all those rules about a strong drawing, values, colour mixing and only using expensive paints went out of the window.  Adolfo proved you can create a fine painting with few props but ... years of experience.


Firstly he mixed a blue ground and covered his white canvas.

Then sketched in some trees with a brush.











Gradually he built up the colours, dark to light.

Until he stepped away and declared it finished. He pointed out he does not go for a photographic approach: the camera does that job.

Concision, composition, interesting brush strokes, a limited palette and strong negative spaces were the keystones of his work.

And in the wings, Clive, the only one to have brought - and brought out - oils, followed Adolfo step by step and produced a very credible view of Noordhoek Kommetijie à la McQue. Bravo Clive.

Clive commented at the end of the workshop that copying was a great exercise as Adolfo has the gift of reducing what one sees to the essentials. Many of us get bogged down in details and it was a very useful lesson to see that 'less' is really 'more'.

Another Adolfo in the making?

NEWSLETTER MARCH and APRIL 2013

Another AGM has come and gone and the new committee remains much the same, but with Iain Lamond gracefully bowing out, and Cindy Bath taking the reins as Madam Chair. Thanks to Iain for his leadership during the past two years.

We hope that you will all support the committee, keeping in mind that they work hard in the interests of the Society. Do not hesitate to contact any of us if you have advice or a query.

We would like to have a theme this year – “Challenge yourself” and hope that our workshops and evening meetings will inspire you to do just that.

We have sadly lost two of our most stalwart members recently – John English and Marguerite Ives. We send sympathy to their families.

Welcome to two new members – Suzette Duby and Mary-Ann Clarke

Past events:

“The Impressionists” shown on the DVD evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all those attending. 

We forget that many now famous artists struggled to have their work recognised - none more so than the feisty Impressionists.

The visit and talk by Hazel Soan was extremely well attended, many visitors joining us for the afternoon. Hazel is a most vibrant and inspiring artist, and we were really privileged to be able to listen to her talk about colours in between watching snippets of her DVD on the same subject.

Events for the coming months – please make every effort to support them. We are privileged to have such vibrant and interesting speakers giving their time so generously for us.

12 March – 2 pm Adolfo McQue will be giving a demo, and advice on the use of colour to give vibrancy to a painting. Please bring your own materials should you wish to do some work during or after his talk. Adolfo is an inspiring artist to watch, and we hope that many of you will join us.

19 March – 9.30 am

Paint-out. Third time lucky!! Meet John Strickland at the entrance to the Ohio Farm Noordhoek (on the right just past Noordhoek Farm Village) and drive in together. Bring a chair, umbrella and something to drink and spend a morning painting alpacas, or whatever takes your fancy there. Toilet facilities are available.

27 March – 7 pm

Tim Johnson, well-known local artist, will be giving a talk on digital art which is a relatively new art form much talked about these days. Although many of us tend to dismiss it as not being “real”, younger people find it interesting and stimulating. So… challenge yourselves and come along to hear what a traditional artist like Tim has to say on the subject. If any of you have children or grandchildren who are 21^st century aspiring artists please bring them along.

9 April – 2 pm

Workshop – We are very lucky to have well-known artist Sonia Jacka come along to give us a workshop on “Values”. Bring own materials.

16 April – 9.30 am

Paint-out – Kalk Bay Harbour – meet at parking lot on the corner of Boyes Drive and Main Road and walk together.

24 April – 7 pm – We will be showing two short DVDs on pastel art -  which tends to be overlooked in favour of other mediums.

14 May – 2 pm

Workshop – Val Parry has kindly agreed to run this workshop and to go through the criteria for the drawing competition at the end of the month. You may bring your own article/s to draw, and Val will set up some objects as well.

21 May – 9.30 am

Paint- out Water’s Edge Boulders. If the weather is inclement we can meet at Boulders and decide where to go out of the rain/cold.

22 May – 7 pm DRAWING COMPETITION criteria to follow

Start thinking monochrome.

Pencil?

Charcoal?

Drawing pen?

Crayon?

Pastel?

Ink and feather?

What takes your fancy?

Just remember, it is MONO CHROME - one colour only.

4 June – 2 pm John Strickland will be giving another workshop on sketching, a subject that many of you are interested in.

18 June – 9.30 am - Paint-out – TBA

26 June – 7 pm Yvonne Ankerman, a local and international selling artist will be giving us a demonstration on the use of a palette knife to create colourful and interesting textures in oils. Please come along and watch Yvonne’s special brand of magic.

Following the discussions at the AGM please give Mary-Anne Clarke a call on 021 782-2061 or 078 335 0075 if you are interested in showing your art work at her proposed Sunday market.

The Write Shop in Long Beach Mall has artist paint specials on at the moment. Go and have a look at what they have.

After this issue we will not be sending out newsletters to those whose membership is not up to date. So, please pay your subs by the end of March to keep informed of our activities.

REMEMBER

Workshops – The second Tuesday afternoon of the month at 2 pm. Unless told otherwise, please supply your own materials and paints, etc.

Paint-outs –The third Tuesday morning of the month at 9.30 am

Evening Meetings – The 4th Wednesday of the month at 7pm unless otherwise indicated in the newsletter. Workshops and monthly meetings are held at Nerina Gardens Hall, Recreation Road, Fish Hoek.

SPECIALS at the W'RITE SHOPPE

Hello fellow artists.

Look at this! Just down the road at Longbeach Mall the Write Shoppe is becoming a place to stop for supplies.

Here is what's going on:

The Write Shoppe has expanded and is in the process of being revamped. There are many changes and shoppers are encouraged to come in and see the extended magazine selection and art department, and at the same time benefit from the Art Giveaways and the March specials.

*      To the Winton, Zellen & Lukas range of oils, they now also stock Georgian oils from Daler Rowney.

*      The Iris, Dala, Galleria & Zellen acrylics range now includes Lukas and Daler Rowney’s system 3.

*      The watercolour range of Cotman has expanded to include the Lukas aquarell studio.

The Write Shoppe now has the widest range of art materials in the Valley.

Lukas:

Buy 2 tubes of acrylics (75ml) or oils (37ml) or Berlin Water/Oil (37ml) and get 1 (18” x 24”) canvas free.

Daler Rowney:

Buy 3 tubes of acrylics (75ml) or oils (75ml) and get 1 white free. 

Winsor & Newton:

Buy 3 tubes of acrylics (60ml) or oils (37ml) and get a (12” x 16”) canvas free.

Other March specials: The Stationery Super Savers Specials.

February Fun

A talk on Colour by Hazel Soan, mid month, was fascinating. Part of her DVD "The Essence of Colour" showed Hazel in action. It was very well attended and many of us felt moved to get out our watercolours and start a new painting. Hazel is always a very engaging speaker and is most inspirational.

After weeks of sun, the cloud and rain decided to appear on the February paint out. 

Wisely, most painters chose to do other things that day but the valiant few turned up at the Galley Restaurant and, fortified by Horlicks, good humour and Clive Tyler's wisdom made what might have been a wash out into a very pleasant morning.

Clive even finished an oil painting.

True to form, at midday, the sun began to break through the clouds but by that time we had cleaned our brushes and repacked our pencils.

Let's hope that March's paint out will be a dry one.

NEWSLETTER January/February 2013

A very happy New Year to you all. 
Another exciting art year is ahead and we hope that everyone is rested and enthused to draw, paint and generally enjoy being creative.

PAST EVENTS

Unfortunately the paint-out at the Alpaca farm had to be cancelled due to inclement weather.  Hopefully the weather in March will be more favourable.

As reported in a mini newsletter sent out during December, the Alma Byng trophy evening was well attended and some very interesting works submitted.

FUTURE EVENTS

Events for the coming months – please diarise them and make every effort to support them. We are privileged to have such vibrant and interesting speakers giving their time so generously for us. If anyone has suggestions for workshops or evening meetings please let us know.

23 January at 7 pm

The first part of a film dramatizing the life of the Impressionists will be shown.  This is an excellent film and not to be missed.  The second half will be shown after the AGM on the 27th of February.

  

12 February at 2 pm

We are very excited to tell you that internationally well-known artist and author Hazel Soan will be doing a workshop and talk on colour for us.  We are extremely lucky to have such a wonderful artist to speak to us, and we hope that you will make this a date circled in red in your diaries.

19 February at 9.30 am

Paint-out.  Meet outside the Galley Restaurant on Fish Hoek beach. There are many exciting views and objects to paint on the beach and walkway, and the galley is a good place to have a cup of coffee or lunch afterwards.

Inspirational views: look forward to seeing you there!

27 February at 7 pm

AGM 

We know that many people don’t enjoy these meetings but they are very important.  It gives you, the member, a chance to choose the incoming committee, and more importantly to air your views and to give suggestions for demos and evening meetings.  We will be showing the second half of the Impressionists film after the meeting so that will be something to look forward to.

19 March – 9.30 am

 Paint-out.  We will again make arrangements for a morning at the Alpaca farm in Noordhoek. Third time lucky !

We are waiting confirmation from artists willing to run a workshop and do a demo during March and we will keep you posted.

We appeal to you to please pay your subs before the end of January.  The Society needs funds to run efficiently.

We would like to wish our President John Strickland a quick recovery after his knee replacement. Knowing John he will be running around in no time at all.

To diarise:

Workshops – The second Tuesday afternoon of the month at 2 pm. Unless told otherwise, please supply your own materials and paints, etc.

Paint-outs –The third Tuesday morning of the month at 9.30 am

Evening Meetings – The 4th Wednesday of the month. These meetings are held at 7pm unless otherwise indicated in the newsletter.

Workshops and monthly meetings are held at Nerina Gardens Hall, Recreation Road, Fish Hoek