HISTORY and OLDER NEWS
The Guildford Art Society was first organised in 1923 and has a very interesting history. If you would like to know more about us then click here.
Demonstration by Brendan Smith RI
at St Catherine's Village Hall, Saturday 19th October at 2pm-4pm.
We are thrilled to welcome Brendan, a fantastic artist who is a master of watercolour, acrylic and oils. His subject is equally varied - the one constant is the enviable beauty and impact of his work. In his own words, Brendan combines 'looseness of execution with sound technique.' The results are stunning. Follow the link below to see his paintings.
https://www.brendanart.com/gallery.html
In demonstrations and workshops, Brendan shares his comprehensive knowledge generously, always ready to discuss techniques. For this demonstration, Brendan will work in acrylics but will be giving guidelines for general principles such as composition, colour and tone and will answer questions relating to other media. The subject will be a marine scene - one of Brendan's specialities.
The cost is £3 for members. Non-members are most welcome to attend at a cost of £5. This includes coffee and refreshments.
We are very much looking forward to this demonstration. We hope that you will be able to join us. It helps us to know numbers for seating and catering. You can register your interest using the following email address:
16th November INSTAGRAM FOR ARTISTS
Location: The Guildford Institute, Ward Street, Guildford, GU1 4LH. Date and Time: Thursday 16 November 2023, 2 pm - 3 pm.
Price: £3 for GAS Members, £6 for GAS Non-members.
Join us at The Guildford Institute for this very practical talk dedicated to helping artists learn and make the most of their Instagram profiles.
Whether you're a painter, sculptor, or any other kind of creative, this in-person event is perfect for you. Discover how to showcase your artwork, gain a following, and connect with fellow artists on this popular social media platform. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn valuable tips and tricks to boost your online presence and promote your art. See you there!
Requirements for the workshop: have a mobile phone and the Instagram app downloaded, with a profile created.
After the 1-hour presentation, the attendees will have time to socialize with other members and practice what they have learned during the talk.
Register your interest in this event, and please pay on the day with a card or cash.
Here is the link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/instagram-for-artists-tickets-741584046847?aff=oddtdtcreator
16th December POP-UP SHOW
Saturday 16 Dec 2023 at St Mary's Church on Quarry Street.
An email will be sent out to members by Therese Ferrero and Laura Ribatallada as we approach the next Pop-Up show.
9th December AIRBRUSH PAINTING and CHRISTMAS NIBBLES AND DRINKS
There is an airbrush painting demonstration from 13.45 to 15.45 by Jamie Sinclair at St Catherine's Village Hall on Saturday 9 December 2023. However, this will be followed by Christmas Nibbles and Drinks until 17.30. You can come to that without attending the demonstration.
Society Members should contact our Programme Secretary if you have any queries. Members can bring guests for a charge of £5 per head.
For our first social gathering, we invited the Chairman of Guildford Art Society, Melanie Cambridge, to talk about how to get "Exhibition Ready"!
As a working professional artist, Melanie guided attendees through key points when preparing work for an exhibition, with Guildford Art Society, your own show, or a stand at an Art Fair.
She covered these areas:
- Preparing your work for the exhibition, framing, hanging, and browser items
- Labelling & Pricing
- Copyright – how to protect yourself
- Certificates of Authenticity
- Do I need an Artist Statement?
- QR Codes
- Using Social Media
- Building your Mailing List
The formal session lasted around 60 minutes, followed by questions, socializing, and getting to know other members of GAS.
This social gathering was hosted at Guildford Institute’s Vegan Café at The Guildford Institute, Ward St, Guildford GU1 4LH. This was a pleasant and accessible venue.
CHRISTMAS FAIR AT WEST HORSLEY PLACE - 25 to 27 Nov 2022
Report by Ingrid Skoglund
This event was a great success, with thousands of visitors and sales of just over £4000. It was a very well run event with numerous interesting stalls of food, drinks and crafts with exhibitors both in the barn and in the house.
The GAS format of showing crafts and folios worked well in the space and showed to our advantage in the Morning Room. We were therefore not in direct competition with other art groups showing very large hanging works nearby in the Great Hall.
The running total for sales organised by the exhibitions team for 2022 is now in excess of £12.000. Congratulations and big thanks to everyone who worked so hard in support of these events.
Exhibition at Shalford, August 2022
2022 AUGUST EXHIBITION at SHALFORD by Ingrid Skoglund
A well-received exhibition with locals who were very supportive and seemed proud to have our show in their village. Visitors exceed an average of 100 per day. The AA roadsigns and the flags were a major draw. Ease of parking, accessibility and generous opening hours helped with footfall.
Sales exceeded £8000 for 49 items including 29 browsers and 13 hanging works. Craftwork sold well - 7 items plus numerous pretty earrings by Hannah Bruce. The reserve painting concept worked. Buyers took their purchases without creating a gap.
We have booked the event again for the same time in 2023 so get creating.
Ingrid and Annmarie thank all the members too numerous to mention who worked so hard and so creatively to make this exhibition such a success.
Social Media News
We have two Facebook services.
The first is an open page available to all who want to publicise their presence and share their interest in Guildford Art Society. You can find it by searching for "Guildford Art Society" in Facebook or clicking here. You can put your news, photos and comments on this Facebook page whether you are a Guildford Art Society member or not, either friend, contact or a business. In Facebook click on "like" and "follow" to stay in touch. When you post your work here do so well described with titles, sizes, prices and any stories. The guidance for the website Gallery images will give you advice. In time we expect this page to have a large number and wide range of users. Feel free to sign up and encourage others to do so.
Our second Facebook group is for Guildford Art Society Members only who have paid their fees and is a closed group. You apply for this on Facebook if you have not already done so and we will admit you if you answer the obvious three questions. If you do not answer the questions then you will not be admitted. This group communicates with members only but you can still post your work here preferably well described with details and any stories. If you are a GAS member then you can join both services and should do so now. To go to this Members' service click on this Facebook link.
2022 Annual General Meeting – Voting Results
Here are the results of the postal and email ballot from those members who have replied by 28 May 2022, the closure date.
The items on the voting slip related to the following:
Item 1: Accepting minutes of 2021 AGM sent out by Jean Ellis on 23/04/2022
Item 2: Accepting 2021 financial statements from Treasurer, Caroline Warren.
Item 3: Confirm the appointment of Melanie Cambridge as next Chairman
As returning officer here are the results:
Item 1: Accepting minutes of 2021 AGM sent out by Jean Ellis on 23/04/2022 - 82 positive votes
Item 2: Accepting 2021 financial statements from Treasurer, Caroline Warren - 82 positive votes
Item 3: Confirm the appointment of Melanie Cambridge as next Chairman. - 80 positive votes; 2 negative votes
We have a vote that well exceeds the quorum requirement and therefore directs Sinclair Webster, current Chairman and the Committee to act upon the results. This puts Melanie Cambridge in the chair.
The voting slips paperwork are archived in a hard file including printed email slips (39) and through the letter box slips, 41 posted and 2 hand delivered, which will all be kept for reference.
Dr David G Jobson, Membership Secretary and Webmaster. d_jobson@me.com
The whole event was spectacular with each room in the house and the barn taken by different arts and local food organisations. The standard and creativity were very professional and eye catching. Visitors were steady throughout the three days. We were able to utilise the Morning Room effectively with numerous browsers displayed around the room allowing visitors to touch and examine artworks. Hanging work was by invitation to some of our artists who helped to steward as part of the arrangement.
Many thanks to all those who helped to make both exhibitions such a success👋👏
West Horsley Place Craft Fair: 26/28 Nov 2021- report from Ingrid Skoglund
Exhibition at West Horsley Place: 5th - 14th November 2021
Exhibition. The standard was very high and many visitors, members and tutors commented favourably on the excellent show and left their written comments in our visitors' book.
AWARDS were made as follows.
The Gerald Kaufman Award: Ron McGill – TOWARDS THE HARBOUR
The Aquarius Open Award: Anne Zoutsos - THE WOLF
Guildford Financial – Best of Guildford Award: Viv Markley - PAVED WITH GOLD
RSM Accountants Best Contemporary Artwork: Fiona Champion – UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
The George Weil Award for best Mixed Media: Ingrid Skoglund – FLIGHT OF THE OPTIMIST
Guildford Arts Open Award: Kim Page - PEONIES
The President’s Award: David Jobson – BORDER SCENE
Images of the artists with their award winning artworks can be seen on Facebook and on Instagram. The links to these can be found at the top left of this page.
Thanks to all who entered and to all those who helped to make this such a successful post-covid show.
2019 Selection Day for New Exhibiting Members
Our Selection Day was on Saturday 27 July 2019 in St Catherine's Village Hall and was well attended.
Congratulations to the following members who are now acclaimed Exhibiting Members of the Society.
David Hardcastle, Janina Klein, Val Thorpe, Stephen Pitchforth, Michael Gallone, Sandra Tingle, Sarah Thien and Therese Ferrero.
We look forward to seeing their work at our Autumn Exhibition at West Horsley Place.
We hope that those who were not successful this time will not be discouraged and will try again next year.
SUCCESSFUL POP-UP ON 14 SEPT 2019
At Trinity Church on Guildford High Street we had a busy day dealing with many visitors. Many were in town because it was Guildford Heritage Day and were pleased to see us opposite Abbott House representing the creative side of the Guildford area.
Sales went well and all visitors were interested and inquisitive. Many thanks to everyone for help and time and support. and to the Church volunteers who provided drinks and cakes to all. Our Exhibition Secretary reports "It was great fun although my feet at the end of the day didn’t agree".
2019 Autumn Exhibition at West Horsley Place
Our exhibition ran from Saturday 2nd to Sunday 10 November 2019 with Exhibiting Members' works on show at West Horsley Place, Epsom Road, West Horsley, KT24 6AN. This is just off the Epsom Road (A25) on the north side after you have gone easterly past the Squires Garden Centre.
This Grade 1 old manor house is where Henry VIII and Elizabeth I dined. It was left in her will by the Countess of Roxburghe to Bamber Gascoigne. He transferred it to the Mary Roxburghe Trust which is now rescuing and restoring the 380 acre estate and the Grade 1 Manor House.
Some of the works shown are also in our on line Gallery on this website, which you can view by clicking here or going to the Gallery page above.
This exhibition was very successful with a great many visitors from the prosperous areas surrounding West Horsley Place. They were pleased to visit works of art in a very well known Manor House that used to be private and secluded but is now being restored.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this exhibition such a success, our best ever and to the exhibition team that worked so hard to make the 2019 exhibiting year a memorable one.
Prize Winners
We would like to thank Giles Reid, Trustee of West Horsley Place @WestHorsleyPlace who opened our exhibition on Saturday 2 Nov 2019. Giles was introduced by our Chairman, Sinclair Webster.
Our President June Allison officiated the awards presentation to the following artists at the opening.
AJS Award to Maggie Butler for "Bird Form"
George Weil Award to Christine Taharian for "The View"
Mary Wilkie Award to Michael Gallone for "Clacton Beach"
The Aquarius Award to Valerie Thorpe for "Maltese Harbour"
The President’s Award to Anne Heat for "Chamomile and Cup"
The Country Club Award to Fiona Champion for "Amur Leopard"
The RSM Contemporary Artwork Prize to Margaret Benton for "Girl Blue"
REPORT UPON THE SPRING EXHIBITION AT THE PAVILION
The 2019 Spring Exhibition was showcased this year at a brand new venue - The Pavilion at Guildford Cricket Club in Woodbridge Road - a big step away from the familiarity and support of Guildford House where we had exhibited for many years.
The new display boards were erected professionally and competently by Bob Milton and a team of helpers and with tables and fresh crisp linen supplied by The Pavilion the Exhibition infrastructure gradually took place.
Thanks to the creative efforts of the stewards it all fell into place very quickly and the results looked just great.
The Spring Exhibition Prize Winners
The visiting public voted to choose the prize winners which are shown below.
First Prize: Feel the Breeze Cornwall by Bara Aylwin
Second Prize: Birds Over The Allotment by Tony Todd
Third Prize: Garden Plants by Margaret Arnold
