Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion : Foldout
The Brighouse Art Circle
This Foldout looks at
The Brighouse Art Circle
Contents:
Brighouse Art Circle was founded in June 1949
by a group of mainly professional Brighouse artists, several of whom
worked in the studios of A. H. Leach & Company.
Founder members included
- Magnus Broadley
- Eric Simpson
- Molly Mason
- Leonard Kersley
Others members have included
Membership was originally limited to 30 members who met regularly in
the newly opened Waring Green Community Centre.
There were no subscriptions at the outset, merely an arrangement
whereby members simply had a whip round amongst
themselves when any funds were required.
Finally, when this ad hoc arrangement was no longer appropriate,
formal subscriptions were introduced and 2/6d per annum was levied
from each member.
In the early years weekly meetings were mainly of a practical nature.
Painting evenings, life drawing and still life formed the greater
part of the Art Circle's activities.
Alwyne Gower has been a member and associated with the
Art Circle since the late 1950s when she posed as a model.
Exhibitions were held once annually from the beginning, with the
exception of 1950 when two were held.
The Smith Art Gallery hosted the exhibitions on each occasion.
The official opening of these exhibitions became quite an event and
the Gallery would be packed with people coming to see and hear the
celebrities invited to perform their official opening duties.
Among them were
-
Marie Hartley, the Dales writer
-
Siedle Gibson, the famous Lady in White who
had entertained our troops on the quayside in Durban during the
Second World war.
Ernest Boughton who has been a member for over 35 years
and was introduced to the Art Circle by his neighbour Peter Shutt,
still remembers seeing Siedle Gibson in Durban
-
Gerald French, the famous portrait painter
-
Frank Armstrong, the Dales artist
-
Raymond Dean QC
The exhibitions display a high standard of competence and the Art
Circle attracted many admirers from surrounding art clubs.
From the mid 1950s, it became more common to invite visiting artists
to meetings to demonstrate their own particular styles and techniques.
It is interesting to recall that, in December 1965, Ashley
Jackson gave members a demonstration, not of painting but of
the art of glass gilding.
Ashley was at that time virtually unknown and only at
the very beginning of his career as a watercolour painter.
He always claims to have a great affection for Brighouse, for it was
Stanley Chapman who first introduced him to watercolours and took
him on to the moors above Nont Sarah's and explained the
intricacies of the medium.
It was also the Smith Art Gallery that offered Ashley
Jackson his first one man exhibition.
After 60 years the Art Circle has grown into a flourishing society
for amateur painters from beginners onwards and is still based at
Waring Green Community Centre every Thursday evening
- Thursday, 21st December 2017:
Christmas Party Time A very Happy Christmas and New Year
- Thursday, 4th January 2018: Life model
- Thursday, 11th January 2018:
Demonstration by David Starley Oil Painting With Knives
- Thursday, 18th January 2018:
Workshop with poster art challenge (picture provided)
- Thursday, 25th January 2018:
Workshop: Preparation for Shibden Exhibition
- Thursday, 1st February 2018:
Life Model
- Thursday, 8th February 2018:
Workshop: Including Bring & Buy Art Items
- Thursday, 15th February 2018:
Demonstration by Bruce Mulcahy in Oils
- Thursday, 22nd February 2018:
Friendly criticism please bring two pictures
- Thursday, 1st March 2018:
Life Model
- Thursday, 8th March 2018:
Annual General Meeting
- Thursday, 15th March 2018:
Demonstration by Martin Priestley Improve Your Photography
- Thursday, 22nd March 2018:
Workshop: Paint Your Version of an Old Master, Picture Supplied
- Thursday, 29th March 2018:
Demonstration by Jane Galvin Flowers
- Thursday, 5th April 2018:
Life Model
- Thursday, 12th April 2018:
Workshop: Newlife Around Us
- Thursday, 19th April 2018:
Demonstration by Jane Lazenby Coloured Pencil Drawing
- Thursday, 26th April 2018:
Discussion on election of officers and ideas for future syllabus
- Thursday, 3rd May 2018:
Life Model
- Thursday, 10th May 2018:
Workshop/Demonstration by Moira Spencer in Watercolour
- Thursday, 17th May 2018:
Demonstration by Anthony Barrow Charcoal/Acrylic portrait
- Thursday, 24th May 2018:
Costume model
- Thursday, 31st May 2018:
Workshop: Self Portrait
- Thursday, 7th June 2018:
Life Model
- Monday, 14th May 2018:
Workshop: Beach Scene & Homework Picture, See 28 June
- Tuesday, 15th May 2018:
Afternoon outdoor meeting, Holmfirth Exhibition 1.15 pm Friday
- Monday, 21st May 2018:
Demonstration
- Sunday, 27th May 2018:
Afternoon outdoor meeting, Brighouse Basin 1.15 pm Wednesday
- Monday, 28th May 2018:
Workshop: Finish Homework Picture from 14 June
- Thursday, 5th July 2018:
Life Model
- Wednesday, 11th July 2018:
Afternoon outdoor meeting, Smith Art Gallery 1.15 pm Wednesday
- Thursday, 12th July 2018:
Workshop: Have a Go at a New Subject
- Thursday, 19th July 2018:
Demonstration by Martin Farrar in Pen and Wash
- Friday, 20th July 2018:
Afternoon outdoor meeting, Heptonstall Church 1.15 pm Friday
- Thursday, 26th July 2018:
Workshop: Portraits in Pairs
- Thursday, 2nd August 2018:
Life Model
- Friday, 3rd August 2018:
Afternoon outdoor meeting, Ripponden Church/bridge 1.15 pm Friday
- Thursday, 9th August 2018:
Demonstration by Paul Talbot-Greaves in Landscape
- Monday, 13th August 2018:
Afternoon outdoor meeting, Halifax Piece Hall 1.15 pm Monday
- Thursday, 16th August 2018:
Workshop: Painting Heat
- Thursday, 23rd August 2018:
Costume Model
- Thursday, 30th August 2018:
Demonstration/Workshop by Suzi Thompson in Dry Point (Bring Line Drawing)
- Thursday, 6th September 2018:
Open evening, exhibition, displays, tombola, stalls, supper
provided. Picture of the night comp. FREE ADMISSION. EVERYONE WELCOME
Brighouse Art Circle meets every Thursday evening at
7:30 pm at
Waring Green Community Centre, Brighouse
HD6 2AX
and welcomes new members of all abilities
It is a friendly society with a varied programme
The programme includes
- Demonstrations
- Workshops
- Life Models
- Exhibitions
During the summer months there are also Tuesday afternoon outdoor
meetings
New members of any age or ability will be warmly welcomed at any time
of the year
For details about the Art Circle or the Programme
©
Malcolm Bull 2017 /
[email protected]
Revised 11:01 on 18th December 2017 / kk_217 / 14