Binham Art Group

Summer Collection launched at The Gallery@The Chequers

24/6/2019

The Art Group's new display at The Gallery @ The Chequers was launched on 21st June. Simon and Sarah put on a wonderful BarBQ and Pimms for the Group members to enjoy. It was a very pleasant evening away from the easel. A big thank you to Sarah and Simon. It was a lovely solstice evening and here is a picture of the sun setting over the Priory:

0 Comments

Gareth Jones wows the Group with his pastel masterclass

20/6/2019

0 Comments

21 participants enjoyed a wonderful demonstration on 18th June by Gareth Jones who has lived for many years in North Norfolk. Although he has now moved back to his home ground in North Wales, he has come back to his second home to show us how to execute a sea scape in soft pastel. Step by step he demonstrated the process and gave us many handy tips and information along the way.
Gareth talked about only being able to work from his own photos because he needs to feel the energy of the place he’s seen, actually having the experience of it which sets itself in his memory and adds that crucial edge to the finished painting. Gareth said,

“The coast and countryside provide my main inspiration and i enjoy a growing reputation for my work, with seascapes in particular becoming a specialty. The discovery of soft pastel has been a revelation for me, the intensity of colour coupled with the immediacy it offers mean i now work almost exclusively in this wonderful medium.”

Working from dark to light, Gareth demonstrated wonderful effects of gradations of subtle colour, saving the brightest white highlights till last.

Rolling the white pastel towards the end of the painting process on the highlights of the waves would give differing widths of stroke and great effect realism to the wave. Gareth invited all up to have a go!

Working from the general to the particular, the scene unfolded magically.

Next it was time for some participants to have a go from scratch with the pastels. Despite working from the same photo reference, we discovered that this medium can offer so much wonderful variety and artistic skill. Take a look below. I’m sure we all were pleased and surprised and I am sure many of us will have another dabble. We thank Gareth so much for visiting us again and hopefully once he has got settled into his new studio he will find his way back to our shore again for another demo.