President’s Notes about Notes
How quickly summer and outdoor painting becomes a distant memory! I find myself turning to those hastily made (and what at the time seemed perfectly adequate) notes and trying to capture in the studio moments which I was sure at the time would come back to me with absolute clarity. Reality however is always a different kettle of fish.
Last week I was making an appearance at the Cheltenham Literary Festival to promote the Tate ‘How to Paint Like Turner’ book and I made the comparison in working techniques between an author and a painter. I thought that it would be most unlikely that a writer would sit down and expect to compose a novel from start to finish and yet we regularly settle down to make a painting expecting to do exactly that.
We are lucky enough to own a small study by that master draughtsman Rowland Hilder. It is the quickest of studies of a distant view of an estuary with the sails of a couple of yachts catching the light. A large dark bush in the foreground is the perfect foil to these little slashes of opaque white. The darks are made with a felt-tip pen and the whole study (4” x 6”) is on a grey cereal box type cardboard. It is stunning in it’s directness and simplicity.
This makes me think that perhaps I am expecting too much of my notes. Perhaps I am wrong in thinking that they are only a means to an end as I suggested at the beginning. To continue the literary comparison it is perhaps worth making the decision as to whether one is writing a novel, a short story or even just a quick diary entry.
It is true that Turner left over 30,000 works on paper, many of which were the simplest of notes to himself and which I suspect were for him a most important part of his working life.
So don’t underestimate the value of that hastily scribbled note. It might just turn into another Rowland Hilder!

Chairman’s greetings
Welcome to our new Autumn Season at the Society, and an exciting and extended programme. As you may have heard, the new Wednesday Evening Group has got off to a really good start led by Sue Clark. It provides an opportunity for existing and new members to attend an open evening (7.30 to 9.30 pm) each week, with everybody doing their chosen work in a friendly and sociable atmosphere. Very nice cakes and music add to the attraction!
This new venture has given the Society the opportunity to extend a warm welcome to a number of new members, please do your best to make them feel ‘at home’.
The Society’s finances are giving concern. Sussex House is leased from the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for a lease fee of £7,000 p.a. which means that 100 members’ annual subscriptions of £70 is required to cover the cost of the annual lease. The Society has about 133 members, therefore the subscriptions of the remaining 33 members has to cover all the remaining expenses, including heating, lighting, speakers’ costs, etc. Consequently the Committee is keen to obtain your suggestions as to how the Society’s finances can be improved as part of the Members’ Survey 2011, included with this Newsletter.
The Members’ Survey 2011 is your opportunity to make a real contribution to shaping the future of all aspects of our Society. Please help the Committee by considering and completing your reply to the six questions, and placing the form in the box provided at Sussex House, or posting it to Clive. Many thanks for your time and help.

Barry Sillince

Outside Painting
The first two venues were cancelled due to cold, rainy weather. The weather improved for our Chiddingstone venue and we had a lovely hot summer’s day – starting off with a coffee in the local tea room. We went our separate ways to paint/sketch and met up again for lunch by the local pond. By late afternoon we decided to find another tea shop and enjoyed a local ‘cream tea’ and cakes over in Penshurst. The 30th June was a perfect day for meeting up in one of our favourite places – Matfield Green.
Our next venue of 14th July was at Charts Edge, Hosey Hill, Westerham. This was a new venue for our members, and what a treat. The gardens and views were breathtaking, and Penny spoilt us with home made cakes and tea at lunchtime. Many thanks to Barry for helping me out at the last minute with this venue.
We had a perfect day at Knole Park on 28th July. Beautiful views and the deer to keep us company, when the sandwiches came out!
11th August we met Sally (Hill) again at Silcocks Farm, Fordcombe. She makes us so welcome and this year was no exception. The heavens opened! It poured with rain most of the day. When we arrived Sally invited us to paint in the roundel of the Oast House, having ‘set-up’ still life projects on a huge round table, a lovely idea, and we all enjoyed the day very much. Silcocks is always very well supported and Sally has
invited us back next year, let’s hope the weather is fine so we can enjoy the lovely garden.
The weather was overcast and blustery on 25th August when we went to Yalding, where we found a sheltered spot near the old bridge and settled down to painting – luckily the weather improved and in the afternoon it was very pleasant.
NOTE: If you know of any venues that would be of interest to members for outside painting in 2012 do let the committee know. Photos of this year’s venues – see RTWAS website.

Rosalind Excell

Membership Secretary’s Report
There has been a lot of interest in joining the Society recently, via the website, through contact with members and as a result of visiting exhibitions. As some of you will know, we have introduced an opportunity for potential members to try the Society out by visiting one of our activities (for a small fee). Those of our activities which involve a little ‘tuition’ seem to be the ones that appeal to people. Thank you to those of you who have helped to host these visitors.
During the Summer Exhibitions we ran out of both RTWAS leaflets and membership application forms in the back room. I should be very grateful if you can see this is likely to happen, if you could contact either Catherine Redmayne (for the leaflets) or me for the application forms).
In total we have 136 members a the moment, and it is a pleasure to welcome recent new members: Scott Heasmer and Noel Etse who live in Tunbridge Wells; Margaret Thomson from Hurst Green; Elizabeth Madsen from Mayfield and Laura Moss from Wadhurst.

Ros Plumley

Supporting Local Charities
I have just had the results from the fund-raising activities that some of our members have been involved in by generously contributing their art works. The Domus project raised £600 from its brief exhibition on The Pantiles. Hospice in the Weald raised £5,000 from its Secret Art Wall auction. (The whole event raised nearly £12,000). Both organisations have asked me to pass on their thanks. Unsold works from the Domus exhibition can be collected from the Bridge Trust if you want them back.

Ros Plumley

Wednesday Evening Social Painting Group
This group initiated and organised by Sue Clark has had a very encouraging start. The first meeting was on September 7th and they have continued every Wednesday since. Meetings start at 7.30 pm and end between 9.30 and 10 pm. Attendance so
far has varied between 5 and 10 people, and has produced two new members and an expectation of two more.
The atmosphere is very informal and usually includes music and cupcakes!
Our aim is to provide a meeting for members who work during the day and non-members who might wish to try out the Society, but all members are welcome. There is no formal tuition and painters are encouraged to work in any medium with criticism and encouragement from others being the way to learn. We are very keen for the group to continue to thrive and become a regular feature in the Society’s programme. Please come along and give
it a try!

Clive Button

Christmas Party 2011
Our Christmas lunch part this year is on Tuesday, 13th December starting at 12 noon with lunch at 1 pm. This year we are at a new venue, St Phillip’s Church in Birken Road, next to the Robin Hood Pub which is in Sandhurst Road. It is a lovely large and convenient location with ample parking on site and in the surrounding roads.
This year we will provide some of the food for the buffet to ensure there will be plenty to go round. In addition I will put up a list of foods which members can choose to bring. The cost will be £6.50 each, to include food and drinks.
There will be a Bring & Buy stall and a second-hand book stall. There’s a box provided for your donations on the table in the back room. Books, particularly art books, pictures, games, ornaments, jewellery, clocks, any bric-a-brac, and unwanted art materials, almost anything in fact is welcome.
There’ll be a table where you will be able to exchange Christmas cards too, and of course there is the raffle with some very good prizes. Tickets will be on sale at the Art Society before and at the party on the day.

Judy Holloway

November 2011 Exhibition
If you are entering paintings in the November exhibition, you are invited to sell you own greetings cards, which depict your work.
We have limited space on the display racks and therefore restrict the number of styles to THREE (one size for each) and the number of cards of each style to FIFTEEN. (You can submit less than these limits). There cannot be any offers for multiple cards (i.e., five for the price of four). The cards (with envelopes) must be covered and MUST have your name clearly marked on the back together with the price in multiples of £1, £1.50, £2 etc). Cards incorrectly marked will not be accepted.
The cards do not have to relate to the paintings in the exhibition, and as we are approaching Christmas, you could enter Christmas cards.
The fee for submitting cards is £5 and there will be NO commission payable to the Society on the sale proceeds. The cards should be brought in on Receiving Day, and any unsold cards collected on the final day of the exhibition.

Derek Wiles
A commemorative gathering in memory and in appreciation of Derek Wiles will be held on Sunday, 6th November at Groombridge Village Hall at 3 pm. All are welcome.

Clive Button

Congratulations!
Congratulations to Jane Gray who had a painting accepted for the 90th Annual Open Exhibition of the Society of Graphic Fine Art in October at the Menier Gallery near Tate Modern. The show was opened by Fred Cuming RA. Jane’s picture was not only accepted, it also won a prize!

Catherine Redmayne

Final thought...
“The best anti-ageing cream is ice cream. What other food makes you feel like you’re eight years old again?”

Anon

FROM THE EDITOR:
My thanks to all our contributors. All members are welcome to contribute.
Next deadline for items: 27th March 2012