The Club is a friendly mix of amateur artists from a wide range of backgrounds and with a wide range of abilities ... some very good, some not so good, some downright awful ... but we'll not mention them by name!. Members paint in a variety of medium from the humble pencil ( greatly under-appreciated ) to oils and acrylic, taking in watercolour, pastels and inks.

Members meet on Friday mornings between 09.30 and 12.00.
We meet in the bar area of ASHBROOKE CRICKET CLUB (which is closed for the sale of drink until 17.00)
Access for wheelchair users is good and there is plenty car parking on the streets outside.

A small group also meet at the Cricket Club on a Tuesday Evening from 18.00 till 20.30hrs. It is hoped that this will attract new members that may not be able to attend a meeting during normal working hours. It is hoped that this meeting will ultimately achieve a sustainable level of membership .... currently, only a hard-core of 4 are attending. Ho'way chaps!!

You will see by opening the tabs marked 'Friday morning sessions' and 'special events' that the Club tries to meet the requirements and desires of the club's members through a varied programme of events. You will be encouraged to address the theme on Friday mornings, but if it really doesn't appeal to you then you are quite at liberty to progress a piece of work of your own choosing ... I know I often do!.

The committee is always open to new ideas as to what subjects might be included in future programmes. These have in the past included people sitting for portraiture, arrangements of still life, and club outings to local places of interest for sketching.

Having prevailed upon the kind hospitality of Ashbrooke Sports Club since June2021, we have now voted to make it our permanent home ... as long as they'll have us! In January 2022, we reverted to making a small charge for each session to cover room rental and other sundry expenses; or you can pay a nominal sum at the start of a term and that covers all sessions that term. All profits are ploughed back into enhancing the Club's offer to members. The sums to be charged have yet to be set, but may be as little as £1.50 per session; £15 per term ... though this may increase a little after our AGM .

The Club also has a Facebook page onto which members can post finished paintings, work in progress, or ask advice. This is somewhat under-used at present … so get posting Do follow the programme at home if you cannot make the club in person and post the results on Fb .... you know it makes sense!! However, membership of the Fb group is usually dependant on you attending our meetings in person .... unless you are a friend or family of Barry!!.

A small group (ie 2 or 3) like to meet outside in the open ... en plein air, no less! .... to draw and paint on location ... just like the professionals tell us to. This is co-ordinated via the FB page or WhatsApp Group. Mike Lowe has the dubious honour of managing these; so contact him via the Club's Fb page if you wish to participate. This is highly weather dependant, of course ... somewhat ad hoc and increasingly infrequent!! Must try harder in 2023 !!