Mark Making ‘2’ – Workshop with Nick Harrison Jones 29th November 2011

This was an evening of surprises when about 30 members sat down and were confronted with a giant toothpick, blunt pencils, slips of cardboard, a photo of a house and some sheets of paper. Our guide, Nick Harrison Jones, proceeded to demonstrate how shapes, lines and shading could be obtained by dragging paint with the tools to hand at various angles across the paper. Soon members were dunking bits of card and the skewer into paint along with their fingers resulting in interesting patterns, lines and shapes. We were encouraged to break the pencil in half and use the broken ends to further enhance our efforts.

Having “mastered” these brushless techniques we turned to interpreting a photo of a building using these methods. Throughout the session Nick gave advice and encouragement (this workshop was a follow-up to a session last year which introduced his approach to mark making). The variety of images produced illustrated the benefits of embracing a different way of working. The net result was that members gained a huge amount of confidence, some new techniques but, more importantly, judging by the mood of the evening, had a lot of fun.

Life Drawing Workshop with Paul Curtis – 27th September 2011

Our first Life-Drawing Workshop of the Winter Programme Season welcomed a very popular Tutor, Paul Curtis. For the first half of the session, Members moved around the room, drawing the 2 models from different angles as they maintained the same poses. These were 8 minute sketches in charcoal or similar on large sheets of paper.

Some Members concentrated on only one model while others endeavoured to capture both within the same sketch. Paul encouraged us to really examine the figures, observing the solidity of the torso and limbs, the placement of the head etc. while undertaking the quick sketches. One of the models continued with the same pose for the rest of the evening enabling Members to develop one detailed drawing or painting while the other changed poses and modeled in a separate room. Paul spent time with each artist, giving encouragement and advice to over 40 artists as he moved around the room. There was a great variety in styles and approaches. Paul’s enthusiasm and guidance made the evening very enjoyable and the final display of work demonstrated that this was an extremely worthwhile Workshop.

For details of the regular, untutored Life Workshop sessions which are open to Society Members and non-Members alike, please contact Workshops@hertfordartsociety.co.uk – dates are shown in the 2011-2012 Winter Programme.

Summer Sketching Evenings 2011

Although the weather hasn’t been too kind to us this year, we have managed to get out and about for a few very enjoyable Tuesday evening painting sessions. The Egyptian Goose very obligingly posed for me at Dobbs Weir, and the Horse was so curious he had his head out of the stable for almost all the time. Most people came to the Pub afterwards, so these were very sociable occasions – ending on the last Evening with an excellent meal for members organised by Trevor Chamberlain. - Paintings by Yve Macartney

HERTFORD TOWN COMMUNITY DAY – 17th July 2011

Hertford Art Society was invited to take part in this event which took place in the grounds of Hertford Castle on the afternoon of Sunday 17th July. Despite a few showers, there were many visitors enjoying the Hertfordshire Concert Band, performances from a local group of Morris Dancers, refreshments and, for the children, a bouncy castle. There were many stalls representing local Clubs, Charities and Churches to showcase local groups & organisations which cover a variety of interests, hobbies and charities.

Among the attractions on the Hertford Art Society stall were demonstrations by Fiona Pruden and Ray Ward (watercolour painting) and Margo Ward (acrylics), modelling in clay with Emmanuel Pitsiladis and drawing from a still life with Kathy Burman. Visitors were encouraged to make a small clay item or produce a free drawing in charcoal or graphite to take away with them. The resulting talent was impressive with families joining in the activities. Many found talent they didn’t think they had and enjoyed chatting to Margaret Crooks and other team members about the many opportunities for enjoying practical art workshops, talks and demonstrations hosted by the Art Society at Cowbridge Halls, Hertford.

The Society thanks Mobile Stationery & Printing Centre Ltd of Stanstead Abbotts for their donation of materials for use on this occasion.

Still Life Workshop with Paul Curtis – 9th July 2011

This day was far from still. We were greeted by a long hilly lane of ceramics, statues, vegetation and other knick-knacks, and everybody setting up on tables around. Paul Curtis began the session talking about the importance of finding a spot that grabs your attention and how the organic and inorganic creates an interesting composition. He also asked us to pay careful attention to the negative spaces between the objects. Paul suggested that we start off with sketching and then go on to painting. The room was full of energy as people got started and became focused on their drawing.

Paul spent the morning and afternoon sessions with each individual both complimenting and discussing ways to take their work forward. As a tutor he was generous and inspirational. The variety of work produced was phenomenal and walking round and talking to fellow artists was enlightening and fun.

Everyone was inspired by Paul’s artistic wisdom, and the fact that the day was about more than drawing a few objects, it was about the ‘idea’, the ‘story’. An altogether brilliant day.

Summer Sketching Evenings 2011

The 2011 Programme of sketching outdoors begins on 24th May. Members usually meet at around 7.00pm (or beforehand by private arrangement) on Tuesday evenings for sketching & painting, then gather socially in the suggested public house when the light fails. Any local artists from these villages or areas are welcome to come along for the outdoor painting sessions etc.

Summer Programme 2011 (pdf) - click here for more details.

Saturday Life Workshops

Hertford Art Society runs 9 life workshops per year on the last Saturday of each month. These are essentially run for Members but we do welcome a few enthusiastic visitors at a slightly increased fee of £13.50 per session. The sessions last all day from 10.00am – 4.00pm with a 1hr break at lunchtime and are untutored.

We normally have 2 models unless the numbers are small and then it is only one. During the morning we have a variety of quick poses followed by setting up one model at around 11.30am for the rest of the session – this gives artists the opportunity to work for the remainder of the day on one painting (or sculpture) if they wish. When there are two models, there will be an additional fixed pose from the second model for the afternoon. Artists work with a variety of mediums and are a very enthusiastic and imaginative group, bouncing ideas off each other.

Dates for the coming season:

2011 – 24th September, 29th October and 26th November

2012 – 28th January, 25th February, 31st March, 26th May, 30th June and 28th July

Enquiries to: workshops@hertfordartsociety.co.uk

Summer Programme

Every summer following the indoor Winter Programme and the Open Exhibition, Hertford Art Society Members enjoy painting and sketching out of doors on Tuesday evenings at various venues in the Hertford Area.

Painting in the grounds of Hertford Castle

Any local artists from the villages or areas to be visited are welcome to come along for the outdoor painting sessions etc. Parish dignitaries or councillors are also invited to join Members socially later.

WINTER PROGRAMME 2011 - 2012

The Winter Programme starts mid-September and runs through to mid-May. During this period the Art Society meets every Tuesday, at the Cowbridge Hall, Cowbridge, Hertford. The meetings start at 7.30 p.m. and finish at 9.30 p.m. Roughly half the evenings in the Winter Programme are for Members to paint or draw either from still life arrangements or a life model. The remaining evenings are taken up with talks, critiques of paintings brought along by Members, demonstrations from a professional artist or workshops.

Winter Programme 2011-2012 (pdf) - click here for more details.

VISITORS’ WINTER PROGRAMME

The Visitors’ Winter Programme is a cut-down version of the full Winter programme. It comprises all of the sessions described above for the Winter Programme other than the ‘practical’ sessions of painting, drawing and workshops. It is designed to provide an opportunity for people who are not Members of the Hertford Art Society to enjoy any talk, demonstration or critique session being held for our Members.

The Visitor evenings include a 15 minute coffee break mid-evening which gives non-members an opportunity to chat to some of the 40 - 50 Members that usually turn up. We charge visitors a fee of £2 and would be grateful if visitors could introduce themselves to the evening’s organiser at some point in the evening.

Visitors’ Programme 2011-2012 (pdf) - click here for more details.