News updates spring 2021

 News updates copied from our website March - April 2021:

Image: "Early Spring" Jan Milsom, acrylic, 2021

Next Online Demonstration - Thursday 8th April 6.30pm for 7.00pm

Ronnie Ireland - The Humble Pencil

Ronnie says, “ I’ve only got a pencil -  Never overlook the humble pencil - it’s our best friend! Different types of pencil, different techniques for different reasons from quick sketches to larger scale finished works, the pencil can do them all!”

A Zoom invite went out to our Members by email on 31st March, and again after Easter on 6th April. Ronnie will be hosting the meeting and will begin his demonstration at 7.00pm. People will be able to join from 6.30pm onwards meaning there'll be a good half hour to welcome everyone, pass on any messages and to sort out any technical glitches. During the demo, we ask everyone to mute their mics and also turn off their videos and ask any questions via Chat (text only)This is to conserve bandwidth and avoid connectivity issues. Ronnie will record the demo' for those unable to watch live and / or would like to watch it again. To enable WAG to waive subscriptions this year to everyone who joined in 2020, we need to charge a small joining fee to cover Ronnie’s £150 fee for the evening. Details about how to pay were included in the emails. Ronnie's booking is thanks to Clair Clark, our current organiser of artist demonstrations and talks. Her predecessor Jane Moody booked him to give this demonstration at St. Mary’s Church a year ago, but then the first Covid-19 lockdown happened. Visit Ronnie’s website to see his artwork - https://www.ronnieirelandart.com

Image above: Phil Rogers - Beyond Parody - watercolour (2021)

Members' Questionnaire 

On 19th March a short questionnaire went out to members, about how and when we might be able to return to our normal face-to-face events assuming the Government’s timetable is still on track come the summer. Thank you to everyone who replied with their responses. They indicate support for a virtual AGM / EGM. The Committee will see if they can organise this as electing a new Committee is overdue and we still need people to come forward and continue to keep this Group running. It seems our members generally feel more confident about resuming physically distanced face-to-face activities (evening meetings and classes) now most of them have had at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. It remains difficult to plan amid the continuing uncertainty about how things will pan out as the year goes on. For now, we've pencilled in dates for resuming classes in late June and / or September. The Committee will need to agree when they next meet in May but whether the classes run or not, will depend on enough people signing up to them to cover all the expenses involved.

There seems to be less support for the untutored Wednesday painting sessions in Sarisbury Green now which have until now enabled our members to meet and paint as friendly informal vibe prevails.

St.Mary's Warsash 150th Anniversary 

2021 is the 150th anniversary of its consecration of the Church so the vicars are looking at how to celebrate the building. They plan to hold a flower festival and some services around the actual date in September. In the meantime: a call-out for paintings and sketches to feature on the front cover of Warsash Parish News and possibly an art exhibition at the church in 2022. Revd Nicky-Sue Terry says that our members are welcome to paint and sketch in the churchyard now (early April 2021) and, when Covid-19 restrictions ease further, indoors. Please follow government social distancing guidelines and wear a face mask when inside the building. 

Copies of the Warsash Parish News can be downloaded from the St. Mary's website and paper copies have been back in production since last September. They should be available to buy from the One Stop - Post Office in Warsash Road. The cover of the  January 2021 issue features a line drawing of the church by the late Paul Cope, a former WAG Chairman. February’s issue has a watercolour. Revd Nicky-Sue is also trying to track down three artists whose paintings/ drawings hang in the St. Mary’s Church Hall building, with a view to getting their permission to photograph and reproduce them in the WPN.

• Does anyone here know, and know where to contact: LS Smith (watercolour, no date); M. Robson or Barry Davis (line drawing, 2004)? Please contact Nicky-Sue (see the above website) if you do. 

The vicars and their staff are also looking forward to our eventual return to Thursday evening meetings and Tuesday classes in the hall. 

St. Mary's Warsash https://www.stmarywarsash.org.uk/