Spring Newsletter 2019
Dear Members
We go into 2019 with a renewed vigour and determination to see our Arts Society continue into its next half century. The preview evening of the Winter Exhibition was a celebration of our 50th Anniversary. The Stevenage Mayor opened the evening and was introduced by Peggy Alderson, one of our founder members and she presented Vivienne Western with the pottery shield which was won with her charming quirky pottery cow. Thank you to all who contributed to make the evening a success and to Alec and Barry who gave their time during the exhibition to keep it open for longer than usual. Eighteen paintings were sold, together with unframed pictures and a good number of pieces of pottery.
Membership Renewals are due in April
Our subscriptions will increase to £30 a year (no concessions) from April 2019. This rise is overdue as we have not raised the subscription cost for several years. However, our new subscription is still one of the lowest in the area. It would be appreciated if subs could be paid in April or by the end of May at the latest please. Please not make us chase you for your sub as the committee are as busy as everyone else, and it takes time and money sending chase emails or posting reminders. It is also unfair on those members who pay their subs promptly. We enclose a new membership form. Please return this with your subscription. We sincerely hope that you will continue to support the Society with your membership, take part in groups and come along to demonstrations and workshops.
Membership cards will be made available for collection from Springfield House where requested, or we will send you a card if you include an SAE with your membership form. By showing the card, some art outlets might give a discount for art society members if you ask.
Society Exhibition Arrangements
As you are all aware by now, we have relinquished our studios to enable OSCA, the Old Stevenage Community Association, to generate income to keep Springfield House financed as Stevenage Borough Council have withdrawn funding to community centres in the town. Our Spring exhibition will be in a condensed form and held downstairs which will enable disabled access. Hand in day will be on 27th April and the exhibition will run from 4th May until 11th May including Sundays. It will include the Jim Watson prize. We will be seeking sponsorship to produce an attractive catalogue.
Remember, in order to exhibit at our Spring exhibition, you will need to be a paid-up member.
Not only will we have differently structured exhibitions, but we will be displaying paintings in Springfield House all year round. If anyone would like their paintings hung on the landing, and be for sale, for a couple of months at a time, please let us know and this can be arranged. Some pieces of pottery can be displayed in the glass cabinets too.
We noticed that some paintings submitted for the exhibition were not properly framed so we need to remind members to ensure that this is correctly done. Paintings should be correctly mounted and framed (no clip frames), strung using eyelet screws and string or picture wire, and sealed with framing tape, NOT masking tape. We will reserve the right to refuse any that are not adequately framed, or we will make a nominal charge of 50p to seal with correct tape. Unframed pictures should be mounted and in a cellophane sleeve. All should be labelled and priced (or marked ‘not for sale’). Box canvasses need to be strung so they hang flush with the wall.
Professional Art Demonstration
On May 28th our own member Shu Li Han will be demonstrating. This will be at the Arts Pavilion on the Roaring Meg, next to Costa Coffee. The demo starts at 7.30pm so please arrive earlier to pay your entrance fee, buy a raffle ticket and choose a seat. We now have a speaker system so that demonstrators can be heard more clearly. Entrance is £3 members and £4 non-members. Family and friends welcome.
We are always pleased to hear suggestions for fresh demonstrators and workshop tutors. We have not yet booked a workshop for the spring and we would like to book artists for the late summer/autumn demonstrations. Let us know if there is anyone you would like to see.
Pottery Groups
Vivienne Western was a founder member of the Society and we said a fond goodbye to her at the 50th Anniversary evening as she has now left for a well-deserved retirement in Eastbourne. Some members, who have been coming to Tuesday and Thursday Pottery groups, are obviously going to miss Vivienne’s help, but Marlene Tanti and Peggy Alderson, and other long term members, could offer support in groups. It is a good idea to exchange telephone numbers and email addresses with others in your regular groups so that you can liaise with each other and confirm whether you are attending. Also please leave messages in the book to ask for help or advice. Please ensure you contact committee members or other pottery members and not Heather, the Springfield Manager, as the pottery is run by the Art Society and not OSCA.
A Raku firing day is being planned for potters or any member who would like to experience something out of the ordinary. It will be at Patrick Joyce’s pottery studio in Hertford so it will be an ‘awayday’. Date proposed is Sunday 19th May. Please email your interest to The Chair (Mary Green) using the email address below.
Art Workshops
The workshop is available for individual members to use at a small charge of £2 a session and is available most days except Wednesday morning, or Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings when there are painting groups. Members are welcome at any of these painting groups or you can start one of your own by getting together with a few other members.
2019 AGM date
The AGM will be held this year on Thursday 16th May at 7.30 in the workshop at the Denington Galleries, Springfield House. This date is a little later than usual, but this is to allow adequate time for the accounts to be audited. Please put this date in your diaries.
We have always been happy to take members unwanted materials or books etc, but as we now have less space, we regret that we can no longer accept these items. Charity shops or places like The Haven will be glad of them.
Please make note that Mary Green’s email address is now tudorrose1540@gmail.com All contact numbers for the committee will be put on the noticeboard in the workshop corridor and in the pottery.
The Stevenage Art Society