Welcome to your Group Members bi-monthly newsletter – first and foremost ……
Annual Exhibition of Group members work
Membership renewal forms all printed and delivered to Agnes, Membership Secretary, who is now busy filling envelopes to distribute to members by volunteer delivery team the last week in March.
At the foot of renewal form is a section regarding if you wish to exhibit at Annual Exhibition (5th-8th August at Trinity Methodist Church, Orwell Road, Felixstowe)
With no firm offer of an Exhibition Administration Secretary and Exhibition Manager it was not looking good for this important event in the Group’s calendar to proceed. It is with huge thanks this situation has been rescued due to Gillian Lait stepping forward to carry out, for this year only, administration work with the role of Exhibition Manager covered by Jim Lait, which again will be for this year only. Liz D’arville and myself have been in discussions with them and will continue to support along the way.
And on the subject of exhibiting
Suffolk Living gallery space
Our thanks again go to Gillian and Jim Lait for volunteering to lead this particular exhibiting opportunity which was originally for March but now it has been extended to also include the month of April. All members who are exhibiting have been informed of new date to collect unsold work at the end of April.
142 Gallery, Hamilton Road, 5th-11th March
By the time you read this the Group’s exhibition will be well underway and we extend our thanks to Tracy Laudat for leading on this. Do take the opportunity to call in and view members work and generally spread the word.
When Group’s own exhibition closes 1.00pm on 11th March, Tracy Laudat will be busy setting up her own work at 142 Gallery and opening on 12th until 18th March
She will be closely followed by – Jim and Gillian Lait exhibiting their own work from 19th-25th March ….. and there is more !! Thursday 30th April until Wednesday 6th May ….Suffolk Artist Ken Cuthbert 1929-2024- Retrospective exhibition at 142 Gallery
Article by Mavis Cuthbert –
Ken was a member of Felixstowe Art Group for a great many years, serving as Exhibition Secretary. He also held art classes in Felixstowe and in many villages surrounding Ipswich.
Ken began painting seriously in the 1950s after joining Dutch artist, Cor Visser’s painting classes at Ipswich Dock. He had his first one man exhibition in 1959 at the Colman Street Gallery in Ipswich. In 1972 he left his job at Weights and Measures to become a full time professional artist and tutor and exhibited widely. He was also a long serving member of the Ipswich Art Society, where, in his later years, he became President.
The exhibition at 142 Gallery will have a variety of work on show, Landscapes, Still Life and Abstracts, something for everyone to enjoy!
Refreshments to mark the opening on Thursday 30th April will be served from 12 noon until 2.00pm. Mavis will be at the gallery every day and would welcome volunteers to keep her company. Gillian Lait has volunteered to do a session on Friday 1st May and Yvonne Smart have volunteered to help on Tuesday 5th May
Social painting afternoons at Memorial Hall, Trimley St Martin, 1.30-4.00pm
Please note no meeting on 3rd April as it is Good Friday. Normal activity of painting, cups of tea and coffee plus catching up on news resumes the following week.
Broadway House Tuesday evening meetings, 7.30-9.30pm
Results of Drawing challenge meeting which was held on 24th February….
Group President, Carole Massey, and a very keen promoter of the benefits of drawing, gave a brief history of how the challenge evening came about and was pleased to announce results of the various entries voted as members favourite.
A Quiet Moment – Trophy and prize awarded to Belinda Newland with prize awarded to Fran Hicks as runner up
Jar of coffee and spoon – Trophy and prize awarded to Alan Mayes with prize awarded to Gillian Richie as runner up
Easter eggs – Trophy and prize awarded to Jo Jacobs with prize awarded to Yvonne Smart as runner up.
Congratulations to all the above members and a huge thanks to members who came along to ensure evening was a success. May we all continue to enjoy such social evenings.
Tuesday, 10th March: Anne Plummer, Local Ipswich artist and tutor will be demonstrating ‘A coastal scene in acrylic with dramatic, unusual skies’
Tuesday 24th March: Jim Lait, member of Group and tutor will be demonstrating ‘Landscapes in acrylics’
Tuesday 14th April (Members only): Life drawing/painting. Male model, short and longer poses
Regarding Tuesday evening meetings, our thanks to Gillian Lait for taking the time to familiarize herself with technical matters as Graham was not sure how he would be after his cataract operation for setting up on 10th February. However, this was a one off offer by Gillian, who already does a great deal for the Group so request remains for a volunteer to step forward for this (non committee) role to assist as and when required to set up camera and projector if Graham not available.
Returning to roles of Annual Exhibition Administration Secretary and Exhibition Manager, if you would like to volunteer but bit wobbly to do so then perhaps consider shadowing Jim and Gillian this year with possibility of taking on next year then please let us know. Be assured, as with anyone taking on a role, as well as information sheets Liz and myself have produced, help and advice is never too far away.
Tuesday, 28th April –
Annual General Meeting plus Poster Competition
At this meeting Carole Massey, after 3 years stands down as Group President, will welcome Teresa Seals as new Group President. During her term of office Teresa will be continuing Group President’s Challenge which was introduced when Carole commenced role and delighted entries have grown each year. – It has certainly been a case of ‘little acorns …..’!
Poster competition – Unlike drawing challenge, poster for Annual Exhibition may be produced in colour and medium (not computer generated)
A4 in portrait format rather than landscape. No wording as this will be done by printers.
Sign your name on the back of poster. Winner and runner up chosen by members at the AGM
Minutes of 2025 meeting plus 2026 Agenda will be sent out toward end of March. In the meantime the Committee sincerely hope you will renew your membership and continue to enjoy being a member of Felixstowe Art Group for another year. If you are not renewing it would be greatly appreciated (and helpful) to let Agnes. Membership Secretary, know.
And now leaving you with a little nugget of trivia information – 1868 was when the first heart-shaped box of chocolates was released by Richard Cadbury !
See you soon
Yvonne
(Chairman)