ART IN SHOTESHAM
Thursday morning outside the summer months fifteen or sixteen individuals arrive at the Trinity clutching their bags full of drawing and painting materials and carrying all manner of easels to support their work. At the same time the level of security within the hall is much increased, all curtains are tightly drawn to keep out prying eyes and the doors are guarded to deter stray visitors or curious villagers. The main attraction for the artists is to involve themselves in producing life- studies, that is recording by any appropriate means , except photography, the bodily form of an artist’s model. The models are booked for the 2hr session at the going rate for posing in the buff. They may be nubile female or decrepit male and from the artist’s point of view the more corpulent or wrinkled the better!
In the session the artists usually sit to encircle a centrally placed model who adopts a series of poses lasting five to thirty minutes depending on the mood of the model and organiser. High quality coffee and low quality biscuits are served all for the price of £4. The conversation during the class is quite brilliant! This deal in Norwich city would cost £20-30 for a class with a teacher so it is indeed a bargain!
Life-drawing is almost a prerequisite for the serious artist as it refines skills to a remarkable degree. At the request of some members of the group we also invite villagers or friends to pose for portraits and these models are also remunerated to a lesser degree. If you would like to pose for a portrait or even a life study please contact me using the Contact Form below.
As far as membership of the group is concerned space is a considerable limitation on numbers and whilst preference is given to villagers at this time there are only six Shotesham people in the group. Again if you would like to join as places become available please let me know.
Shotesham is a beautiful village and is a frequent venue for artists who are most often seen perched on Church Hill painting the view down the valley or sometimes they place themselves on the Common to record the delightful buildings and countryside around.
Shotesham village is home to several artists both amateur and professional and in the past there were also some extremely good painters and sculptors. These include Doreen Hedges, Joan Durrant and Minnie Albany whose works were displayed as part of an Exhibition of Shotesham artists in May 2011 held in the Trinity.
In 2007 the village organised an Art Concours in which people were invited to spend the day in the village producing pictures which were then shown for a week in the Trinity which allowed visitors to vote for their favourites for a prize award. Lots of children and adults participated. The winner in the Adult category,and was John Patchett who will be giving a talk here in July.
The Trinity is an ideal place for Art groups to meet and if anyone would like to take on the commitment for say Still Life painting I am sure eager participants would appear.
Wally Jackson