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DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

The Hertford Art Society 60th Annual Open Exhibition will take place at Cowbridge Halls, Cowbridge Hertford SG14 1PG - handing-in will be on Saturday 28th April 2012 from 08.30 – 10.00am. The Exhibition will run from 6th to 19th May 2012.

Running for two weeks each year, the Annual Open Exhibition is a highlight of Hertford’s artistic life and attracts hundreds of visitors. Over 300 artworks are exhibited having been selected by a panel of judges from the work submitted. The 2011 Exhibition featured paintings, collage, digital images, prints, sculpture and fused glass and visitors praised the high quality and great variety of exhibits.

Entry Form giving full details.

Israel in Egypt – Concert by the Hertford Choral Society – All Saints Church, Hertford – 31st March 2012

Once a year for the last 3 years the Art Society has been invited to illustrate the Easter Concert performed by the Hertford Choral Society at All Saints Church in Hertford. This year the concert was Handel’s Oratorio ‘Israel in Egypt’. As previously the subject and venue gave Members an opportunity to paint some exciting scenes on big canvases.

For full report, click here for more details.

The Olympics – An Exhibition of Paintings by Members of the Hertford Art Society – Hertford Theatre Gallery – 22nd July to 12th August 2012

Commemoration Year – This year the Hertford Art Society celebrates its 60th anniversary.

To recognise this landmark the Art Society will hold a one-off exhibition; and since our anniversary falls in the year of the Olympic Games the exhibition will take this as its inspiration. The exhibition will be held in the Gallery of the Hertford Theatre and run for 3 weeks starting Sunday July 22nd, 2012, a period that neatly overlaps the Games.

For full report, click here for more details.

Demonstration by James Willis – Landscape/Figures in Oils – 21st February 2012

James Willis gave us a fine demonstration of landscape painting with figures. His subject was Hitchin High Street and his medium was oils. He had earlier made a detailed tonal sketch of the street, busy with shoppers.

James arrived with a canvas already prepared with two coats of gesso tinted with a yellow ochre wash which he had left to dry overnight. The broad areas of the buildings and street had been blocked in with umber and blue tones.

For full report, click here for more details.

Demonstration in Acrylics by Martin Ireland – 7th February 2012

Martin offered a choice of subject and, by popular vote, members opted for a Landscape. He used a photograph of a Cezanne landscape (The Avenue at the Jas de Bouffan) and it was fascinating to see the painting emerge from seemingly random strokes into an accomplished copy of the photograph. Throughout the demonstration Martin gave a running commentary, highlighting various techniques, mixtures of paints and the use of various types of brush to show different effects.

For full report, click here for more details.

Colour - Mood and Atmosphere Workshop 17th January 2012 with Davida MacDonald

The purpose of the evening was to explore some of the ways a subject can be transformed by use of colour and tone. Using gouache or watercolour, our aim was to create a sensation by thinking specifically about colour and shape to create an impression rather than an exact likeness. As inspiration, Davida MacDonald cited the work of Hockney (in particular his I-pad paintings), Kandinsky and Derain of the Fauve Movement and Monet. She stressed the importance of keeping a sketchbook and to annotate sketches with colour notes so that they are useful working drawings for later development in the studio.

For full report, click here for more details.

Mark Making ‘2’ – Workshop with Nick Harrison Jones 29th November 2011

This was an evening of surprises when about 30 members sat down and were confronted with a giant toothpick, blunt pencils, slips of cardboard, a photo of a house and some sheets of paper. Our guide, Nick Harrison Jones, proceeded to demonstrate how shapes, lines and shading could be obtained by dragging paint with the tools to hand at various angles across the paper. Soon members were dunking bits of card and the skewer into paint along with their fingers resulting in interesting patterns, lines and shapes. We were encouraged to break the pencil in half and use the broken ends to further enhance our efforts.

For full report, click here for more details.

14th Members’ Show 2011

VISITORS' CHOICE AWARD
won by Paul Swinge for 'Early Start'.

Once again Hertfordshire visitors enjoyed an excellent display of our very high standard of talent at the Millbridge Rooms, Millbridge, Hertford. From a tentative experiment last year our 3D work is now an integral and valuable addition. Likewise from a previous experiment, our professional greetings card display is now a definite success with our patrons. Many of our visitors commented enthusiastically on our standard and presentation, including praise for the music from John Moss on keyboard, adding to the warm welcome.

JOHN GODDEN AWARD - for Members' Choice
won by Sharon Wright for 'Boats at Wells'.

Awards

• Visitors’ Choice: ‘Early Start’ (Oils) by Paul Swinge. He receives a voucher from Hertfordshire Graphics for art materials.
• May Bennett award (Best Still Life): ‘Tulips at Marian’s’ (Oils) by Sandra Edney-Lynch.
• John Godden award (Members’ Choice): ‘Boats at Wells’ (Oils) by Sharon Wright.
• Mark Ely Award (most Innovative Work): ‘Fiery Ravine’, a 3D piece by Nigel Earle who receives website design time and support from Mark Ely, of SG7.biz, designer of the Hertford Art Society website.

Congratulations from all of us to the winners and my thanks to Members past and present for the funding.

MAY BENNETT AWARD - for the Best Still Life
won by Sandra Edney-Lynch for ‘Tulips at Marian’s’.

Two further special thanks: firstly to Rod Lewis of Hertfordshire Graphics. For 14 years he has generously sponsored our show with a generous prize of art materials and even in these hard times has continued do so. Members and visitors to Hertford are encouraged to frequent his shop at 6 St Andrew Street.

Secondly to our two young people who for the third year running have valiantly carried our banners around town for 4 hours on the Saturday. Many people tell us that the sight of them prompted their visit.

Lastly very many thanks to all those who gave time and effort to get the show on the road.

Enid Fairhead,
Manager of the Members’ show

MARK ELY AWARD - for the most innovative/intriguing work.
won by Nigel Earle for 'Fiery Ravine'.

Click here for report of the 2011 Members' Show

Life Drawing Workshop with Paul Curtis – 27th September 2011

Our first Life-Drawing Workshop of the Winter Programme Season welcomed a very popular Tutor, Paul Curtis. For the first half of the session, Members moved around the room, drawing the 2 models from different angles as they maintained the same poses.

For full report, click here for more details.

Summer Sketching Evenings 2011

Although the weather hasn’t been too kind to us this year, we have managed to get out and about for a few very enjoyable Tuesday evening painting sessions.

For full report, click here for more details.

HERTFORD TOWN COMMUNITY DAY – 17th July 2011

Hertford Art Society was invited to take part in this event which took place in the grounds of Hertford Castle on the afternoon of Sunday 17th July.

For full report, click here for more details.

Still Life Workshop with Paul Curtis – 9th July 2011

This day was far from still. We were greeted by a long hilly lane of ceramics, statues, vegetation and other knick-knacks, and everybody setting up on tables around. Paul Curtis began the session talking about the importance of finding a spot that grabs your attention and how the organic and inorganic creates an interesting composition.

For full report, click here for more details.

Review of 59th Open Exhibition - 1st-14th May 2011 - The Hertford Art Society puts on another outstanding Exhibition

From left to right: Diana Dale: sponsor/donor of the Bill Dale Award; Glanfyll Lewis: Award winner for best Abstract; Jean Noble: Award winner, John Goss award for Best in Exhibition; Geoff Bennett: Chairman of HAS; Janet Benge: Award winner, best Member's submission; Lord Salisbury: President of HAS; Ronald Maddox: Award winner, best Watercolour; Craig Morton: Manager of Edward Mason Ltd, sponsor/donor of award for best Watercolour; Emanuel Pitsiladis: Award winner, Mayor of Hertford Award for best 3D work

The Hertford Art Society Open Exhibition is widely considered to be one of the best showcases for both amateur and professional artists outside London. This year, the 59th year of the exhibition, was no exception.

For full report, click here for more details.

59th Open Exhibition prizewinners, 2011.

The Edward Mason Award – Best Watercolour Ronald Maddox ‘Landforms, Barton Hills’	Lady Laming Award for Abstract Art Glanfyll Lewis ‘Dividing Space’
The Bill Dale Award Janet Benge ‘A Frenzy of Flowers’	The John Goss Prize for Best in Show Jean Noble ‘Dockside’
The Mayor’s Award – best 3D work Emmanuel Pitsiladis ‘Aphrodite de Mylo’	Visitors' Choice Award Heather Fitz ‘Bliss’

Winter Programme 2011-2012

From September each year Society Members and visitors enjoy a Programme of talks, critiques, demonstrations and workshops. These sessions are on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Cowbridge Hall, Cowbridge, Hertford SG14 1PG.

Programmes

• Winter Programme 2011-2012 (pdf) - click here for more details.
• Visitors’ Programme 2011-2012 (pdf) - click here for more details.
• Summer Programme 2012 (pdf) - click here for more details.

Saturday Life Workshops

Hertford Art Society runs 9 life workshops per year on the last Saturday of each month. These are essentially run for Members but we do welcome a few enthusiastic visitors at a slightly increased fee of £13.50 per session. The sessions last all day from 10.00am – 4.00pm with a 1hr break at lunchtime and are untutored.

Dates for the coming season:

2011 – 24th September, 29th October and 26th November
2012 – 28th January, 25th February, 31st March, 26th May, 30th June and 28th July
Enquiries to: workshops@hertfordartsociety.co.uk

Click here for more details.

Society's aim

The Society's aim is to encourage interest in the visual arts and to provide opportunities to practice, study and exhibit art in Hertford and the surrounding area.

It is well regarded for the high standard of artworks on display at the annual Open Exhibition. Submissions are received from across Hertfordshire as well as other parts of the country.

Members work in a range of media and styles from traditional painting in oils, pastel, watercolours and acrylics to printmaking, collage, multi-media and digital – computer based imagery. Three dimensional work in wood, clay, stone and metal is also well represented.

This diversity and an approach to art which values traditional skills alongside contemporary art forms combine to make Hertford Art Society a leading light in the local art world.