The heat was on for Swanage Painting Club as artists launched their annual exhibition during carnival week – but cooler days ahead should mean more visitors to the town’s amazing amateur talent.
The scorcher at the start of the week meant that many coming into the town headed straight for the beach or to outdoor events rather than indoors to the Catholic church hall in Rempstone Road.
Julie Hixson with some of her art and the prize in Swanage Painting Club’s exhibition raffle
50 years of art exhibitions
But 50 golden years on from its first exhibition, Swanage Painting Club now has such a dedicated following that organisers are certain that the fair weather crowds won’t forget to drop in before the show ends on Sunday 4th August 2024.
An annual presentation to painters of the best art was held on the first day of the show and the prizewinning pieces can be seen in the exhibition along with scores of other pictures created in the past 12 months.
Many of them are up for sale, while prints and postcards featuring the work of talented club members are also for sale, and an original painting by one of the group’s top artists, Julie Hixson, is being raffled.
Julie, who has recently finished a huge oil on canvas statement painting for a home in exclusive Canford Cliffs, has donated one of her works inspired by Corfe Castle, with the raffle draw being made on the final day of the show.
Club chair Linda Wallis with a selection of her paintings
Linda’s art included the highly commended Coastline, top right
“We paint because we love it!”
Chair of Swanage Painting Club Linda Wallis said:
“We have had a slow start compared to last year, but the weather has been so good and gave the carnival such perfect conditions for a fantastic parade, that I don’t want to complain!
“I know the weather gets cooler from Thursday, so I’m hoping that attendance picks up a bit for the weekend – we had a record year for sales last year, three times more than we had ever done in the past.
“We are not here to make money – this is more about enjoying a hobby and I want our members to meet and join in, whether they are beginners or more experienced, to become more confident, perhaps experiment with different styles and enjoy their art skills.
“We do sell some of our paintings, but we don’t paint to sell – we just do it because we love it! Everyone has different skills and loves different things and that’s what makes our group so special.”
The exhibition is taking place in the Swanage Catholic church hall in Rempstone Road
Perfect Purbeck landscapes on display by Ann Beesley
A learning experience
Swanage Painting Club meets on Thursday mornings from September to May at the Catholic Church Hall, breaking for the summer but always holding an exhibition for Swanage Carnival week – the first show being held all the way back in 1974.
There’s also a second group which meets in the same place on Tuesdays and includes outside workshops, intended to be more of a learning experience for amateur artists.
Membership of the Thursday club is almost at full capacity, although there is still room for a small number of new artists to join, while there is currently more space at the Tuesday club.
A wide range of styles and art mediums are on display
Mixed media winner was Rock and Shoal by Denise Horn
Increased the prizes given out
Linda Wallis added:
“We are not a club specifically for people who retire, but when you do retire you suddenly have more time to devote to things you love, and the club is also a great way to meet new people.
“The big change this year to our annual competition is that we increased the number of prizes we give out, to encourage a wider group of people to enter and give them more chance of winning something.
“We have welcomed a number of new members this year, which is lovely – as soon as people hear what we are doing here, they all want to join in and soon discover that there’s nothing nicer than painting.
“The day goes by and you don’t feel it’s wasted as you’ve produced a very satisfying product at the end of it, there’s a real sense of achievement and this exhibition is the culmination of that.”
Jean Matthews received the Derek Charters Vase from secretary Jane Wilby, with guest judge Monica Hawley pictured left
Abstract qualities from overall winner
The 2024 overall winner of the Derek Charters award was Jean Matthews for her work Flowers in Yellow Vase, with guest judge Monica Hawley, a Swanage artist who exhibits in Purbeck Art Weeks praising the abstract qualities of the entry.
Other winners were Andy Palmer for the best oil painting in show, Denise Horn for mixed media, Alan Beesley with the best watercolour, Mary Gwilliam with the best pastel in show and Kay Coles for the best acrylics painting.
As voted by the club committee, the prize for most improved artist was Barrie Compton, who was praised for his journey towards mastering watercolours, while also gaining the confidence to become quite experimental with his work.
Recent member Kay Coles has started illustrating poems written by her husband
New members always welcome
Entry to the exhibition – which runs from 10 am until 5 pm daily – is free, with a coffee morning being held from 10.30 am until 12 noon on Saturday 3rd August 2024.
Swanage Painting Club was founded in 1968 to give enthusiastic amateur artists a platform, as the only other art group at the time was the Purbeck Group of Artists which was less inclusive.
New members are always welcome, whether beginners or experienced painters and there is always help from established members happy to share their knowledge.
The exhibition runs at the Catholic Church Hall in Swanage until Sunday 4th August 2024
Further information
- See more art from Swanage Painting Club on its Facebook page
