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Our Autumn tern was kicked off with a return visit by popular Belfast Artist, Paul O'Kane.  Paul is a plein air artist, working mainly in oils and watercolours who enjoys urban sketch in all mediums, including acrylics, gouache and digital painting. His plein air work is mainly small works painted on various painting trips, whether abroad or at home in Northern Ireland. Click Read more to enjoy our You Tube recording of Paul's demo.
 The excitement was mounting as we prepared for our Annual Exhibition and Celebration event
This is particularly special for us as it is the first time in quite a few years that we have been able to secure a venue which will accommodate the work of over 25 local artists. Yes - you heard it ... over 25 Vis Art .... On Wednesday 30th March, the last day of our Spring term, a presentation was made to Billy Russell recognising his work for the club. Roy Naylor explained how some years ago he took over the position of Deputy Honorary Treasurer which ensured he was at Committee and became aware of the fact that some members could neither see nor hear the Artist when a demonstration took place. Billy invited Roy to accompany him when he purchased a camera and camcorder, sound system and in due course a data projector. Billy videoed the demonstrations which were projected live on to a screen and everyone was able to both see and hear the artist. But Billy didn’t stop there: he transferred the videos on to DVDs and members were enabled, through the treasurer, to purchase a copy for their own use.
Jacque has just set up her exhibition "Around Here" in the window of Midtown Makers in Ballymena. Take a virtual trip around Northern Ireland with her and enjoy her beautiful watercolour paintings, or drop in to Midtown Makers to admire the real thing. https://www.jacquemcneill.com/around-here-exhibition
Well done Lesley! Please bring the original with you to class on 12th January so we can see the detail denied us by technology.
Members provided the beautiful paintings to adorn the Club Room. Speeches were kept to a minimum, lunch was delicious, and the craic was mighty. Thanks to everyone who had any part in making this event a success.
Barbara ... Thanks to a grant from the Mid and East Antrim Council Covid - 19 Community Recovery Grants Scheme our club has been able to use Zoom technology to engage members in meeting, painting and socialising together. We have used the month of April 2021 to pilot this. Using Zoom technology as a possible way to give access to on-line teaching by Artists Sorrel Wills and Jacque McNeill has been an adventure and also, for the facilitators and participants alike, a steep learning curve.
We have been able to make contact .. Please don’t miss Sorrel’s amazing exhibition. Log on at www.sorrelwillsart.com and get blown away by her beautiful Landscapes, Animals and Interiors. Spring is well on the way to Summer and we lucky people who live in or near the countryside can see the plants, both wild and cultivated, produce leaves and flowers. There are still some ground frosts but another two weeks should see the end of those. The fields get greener by the day and the lambs are growing fat and more sheep-like the cows are grazing on the rich spring pasture and producing lots of milk. Thankfully most of it seems to be getting to the dairy and supplies are reaching the shops. The strong Easterly wind we’ve had over the last month has kept temperatures down but the soil has dried up after the wettest winter I can remember, and plants may soon get an April shower after not having rain for over a month now. Just think how the Golf Club must look, sadly there’s no-one there to enjoy the sight. Perhaps soon we’ll be able to get out and about and enjoy the things we all miss most, different for everyone but I ...
Due to Covid 19 we were unable to have the meeting where our efforts were to be displayed. Here are the ones I was sent. Vis Art played host to Mayor Cllr Maureen Morrow on Wednesday 4th March. After a refreshing cup of tea and chat with members Madam Mayor joined us in our “Patchwork Challenge”. Take one well known painting, make two large copies. Cut one into 25 similar sized pieces, cover the other. Each participant is given one of the 25 pieces at random plus a piece or similarly sized paper and have 30 minutes to paint their image on to the paper with accuracy of colour and size. The object is to re-make the painting from the pieces which have been painted. For practical reasons we limited participants to the use of Acrylic, Watercolour or pastels. The normal buzz of conversation was conspicuous by its absence during the 30 minutes we worked on the Challenge and a general moan of disbelief was heard when “time’s up” was called. When Lesley Sharp, our Society for All Artists coordinator, re-made the patchwork and revealed the original we were all pleasantly surprised. “Oh, that’s what that is.” “Gosh, it actually meets the rest of the tree trunk.” “That man’s head is in the right place.” How well did we do? Judge for yourself. Madam Mayor expressed her thanks for an unusual and relaxing visit where she met many old friends and made new ones and we all agreed that she’s a great sport for taking on our “Patchwork Challenge” |
