10th December 2018
Granville Danny Clarke from Watercolour Challenge
Danny offers a Special unique arts performance ‘Watercolour – Words and Music’. He has been a professional Artist since his first one man exhibition in 1977 at the Galeria Gallery Malden Essex.
Drawing since Childhood and with ambition to be an artist, in the Mining town of Cudworth, near Barnsley, the compromise of earning a living and trying to become an artist was by becoming an apprentice signwriter craftsman by day for various decorating companies and attending Barnsley College of Art on day release and evenings gaining his first class Honours qualification in the decorative arts with the City Guilds of examinations board London.
Qualifying as a Teacher but with few opportunities available he accepted an offer to become a window dresser for Kyle wallpapers managing five outlets in the Midlands for 12 months, before returning north, where he met up with a fellow folk singer to form the Foggy DewO. GDC’s art imput was then designated to designing posters and Decca Record album covers for the successful duo alongside continuing to write his poetry and create songs.
In the 1980’s he developed his passion for snow scenes. From 1984 onwards he was invited by P & O cruises becoming the only artist to paint around the world in 90 days in 1990/91 and linked an exhibition of the works with BBC’s radio Two arts 2 hour program and sight savers donating works for operations in Bombay India.
His national Television break came in 1998 when he was asked by Channel four TV to become the first art expert and commentator for the successful daytime series ‘Watercolour Challenge’, assisting in its format and appearing on 36 programmes to a 2 million viewing audience.
Marlborough College engaged him as main art tutor for their summer school for 8 years in 2001 .
2nd November 2018
Graham Short – My Life as a Micro Artist
Graham Short is a micro-artist, living and working in Birmingham. Known for producing miniature pieces of art, he has spent over 50 years going to physical and mental extremes to produce the highest-quality hand engravings ever seen. Appearing in news features internationally and the subject of many television programmes, Graham is now considered to be one of the most talented living micro- artists in the world. His achievements include engraving The Lord’s Prayer on the head of a gold pin measuring just 2mm across and the words “Nothing is Impossible” engraved along the cutting edge of a traditional razor blade alongside the Jane Austin & Harry Kane engraved bank notes.
5th October 2018
Critique Evening with Greg D’Souza
Members are invited to bring their art to be critiqued by the delightful Greg.
Greg is a self taught multi-media artist who has dipped his brush into all forms of visual art and bashed his chisel at many a sculptural form from classical to modern. From theatrical makeup to master prop-maker he has covered it all.Born in Wales the seventh child in a family of fourteen, he has explored through imagination and vision both the natural and supernatural worlds, if it is possible to do so. He spent many years in Australia soaking up the rich colours and diversity that country has to offer. Holding many one man and shared shows while there.
His influences are, wide and varied to be classified but include: Surrealism, impressionism, abstract, cubism, portraits of the old masters and super-realism. Styles: Classical,modern,impressionist, abstract, pointillism, collage, realism, surrealism, fantasy, the list goes on.
7th September 2018
Paul Simmons on MC Escher
Paul is an English artist best known for his vibrant watercolour and oil paintings of landscapes, cityscapes, cafe and street scenes inspired by the light and colour of the places in the world that he loves.
He trained at St Martin’s School of Art (The London Institute) and have been a full time professional illustrator and painter all of his life. He am also an elected member of the Guild of Railway Artists.
Over the years he has received many corporate commissions and to had his work published internationally as prints by The Art Group, and as part of the IKEA of Sweden print range.
https://www.paulsimmons.co.uk/
6th July 2018
David Lewry – Botanical art with watercolours & pencils
David Lewry was educated at Sevenoaks School in Kent and, having achieved an A level in Art and Art History, was accepted at St Martins School of Art in London.
As a mature student he completed a First Class Honours degree in Art and Humanities with the Open University and subsequently received a Diploma in Botanical Illustration under the tutelage of renowned Botanical Artist Rosie Martin at the Eden Project in Cornwall.
His Botanical work has been featured in a number of books including the award winning Contemporary Botanical Illustration with the Eden Project by Rosie Martin and Meriel Thurstan and in Illustrating Exotic Plants by the same authors. In 2009 he exhibited a series of twelve paintings at the London Orchid Show in London and was awarded a prestigious silver medal by The Royal Horticultural Society.
In addition to the highly skilled botanical work in watercolour and coloured pencils he also produces a wide range of work in pencil and coloured pencil on a variety of different subjects. He is now a signature member of the United Kingdom Coloured Pencil Society and has featured in several of their annual exhibitions; including winning the prize for best Wildlife Animal Portrait in 2015.
He has contributed instructional articles for The Artist and Leisure Painter magazines and appeared in a live coloured pencil demonstration on the SAA TV channel in 2017.