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MEMBERS' NEWSLETTER : September 2000 51 Years Young The Annual Meeting in October is the Society's 51st. Understandably perhaps Annual General Meetings do not inspire much enthusiasm so this year the committee has decided to send all members a copy of the Annual Report and a Summary of the Accounts. This will allow every member to make their own assessment about how the Society is being managed. Do please make time to read the Report and we hope it will interest you sufficiently to make you decide to attend the Annual Meeting. This year the Committee has agreed to offer the temptation of a complimentary glass of wine to make the occasion more convivial. Now that surely is an offer you can't resist! The Society has enjoyed a remarkably successful 51 years during which it has built up a reputation for mounting quality exhibitions which have enjoyed consistenly good sales. A great deal of hard work goes into providing members with exhibiting opportunities to sell their work and in organising a programme of events which aims to interest and have a broad appeal. All this is made clear in the Annual Report. Over the years the commission which the Society levies on sales, though very modest compared to that charged by galleries with their larger overheads, has given the Society a measure of financial security. Proper management of the Society's assets however is a serious responsibility which the Committee has to address each year and the expenses incurred in mounting exhibitions has risen. So there are compelling reasons why the committee would like more members to take an interest in the way the Society is organised and managed. My recollection of the Society ten or more years ago is that the membership grew largely through personal contact. Members introduced friends and acquaintances or members who ran courses introduced their students. One of the newer trends, arising as a consequence of the Society's widening reputation, is the acquisition of new members who join after seeing our exhibitions. People come into the exhibitions, presumably are impressed by the range and standard of the work on show, and decide they would like to join. Looking at the list of entries for our Summer Exhibition several new names appeared which aroused my curiosity and it was a pleasant surprise to find at the preview that they appeared again on paintings of very high quality. The situation creates a dilemma I now know the work and the names but in many cases I don't know the faces. The Society's membership is now large and widely distributed creating the problem that very often the only contact some members have with the Society is when they bring work to exhibitions. Here at least is one good feature of the tiresome obligation, which we insist on, to steward at the exhibitions. I have been surprised and delighted on occasions to share a period of stewards duty with a member whose work I admired but had never met. The Society ought to be more than just an exhibiting society. I sometimes think that some members are motivated to paint subjects to a perceived saleable formula rather than explore new artistic avenues. The Society in the past has always offered study opportunities aimed at yet in recent years there has been little support for workshops or visits and often these events in the programme have been run at a loss. Members also show less inclination to meet and paint together, than in the past, so that painting days also have been badly attended. There are sociable groups who now meet regularly in village halls or visit one another's gardens to paint in summer so maybe now members interests are diverted to this form of activity. Some years ago the Society held stimulating week end workshops run by established artists such as Leslie Worth RWS, Ian Simpson, and Claire Spencer PS, RBSA.. In spite of the artistic standing of the tutors, the lack of support for these events in recent years is disappointing and hard to explain. The Committee I think senses a change in members' expectations of the Society and now perhaps is the time for the Society to develop in a different direction. The Committee to explore this ides and so, at the suggestion of Juliet Caithness, has decided to conduct a survey of the membership. Enclosed with this newsletter is a questionnaire which we hope the majority of members will complete and return. The aim of the survey is to try to get a more complete knowledge of the interests and aspirations of members and of your expectations of the Society. The Committee have tried not to make the questions intrusive and the information you give will not be passed to any other organisation. This is a new initiative for the Society, the Committee have thought long and hard about its content, do please play your part in the survey by returning your form. Our Summer Exhibition Congratulations to all of our members who submitted work this year; without you, we would not have an exhibition to mount. The exhibition was noteworthy because, for the first time in memory, the Society has an exhibiting President. John Blockley's large pastel was given pride of place on a studio easel. It was a priviledge to have an artist of John Blockley's calibre showing with us and his painting arouse much interest both from members and visitors. The selectors, Claire Spencer and Margaret Layton worked very hard sorting through all of your entries selecting those to be held in reserve. They were impressed by the high standard of work and by the different and interesting painting techniques used in your work. the selection had to be quite rigorous this year, around 280 entries had to be reduced to just over 200 to fit the available hanging space. From comments overheard or elicited, visitors appreciated the high standard of work, and the general impression given was that is was the best members exhibition for some time. One visitor, a regular, said that he was pleased to notice new names amongst the exhibitors and another regular couple commented on the variety of subject matter. The standard of the exhibition maintained the reputation of the Society and made the most of the more spacious venue offered by the newly built Harley Centre.
Desmond Keig-Shevlin, Hon. Secretary. The Winter Programme There are two occasions when we give members the chance to make a contribution to meetings in the monthly programme. The first is in October at the AGM where this year we invite you to show your latest work.; the second is at the meeting in February 2001 which is devoted to members' presentations. Notice of the AGM with the Agenda is enclosed with this newsletter do please come prepared to share your work with us and take part in the secret ballot to find the most admired works. The February date is also an occasion where we hope you will share your ideas, artistic discoveries, tips or theories with other members. There are two meetings in December, Brian Fletcher an RBSA member will be talking on 'Travels with a Sketchbook', this meeting is followed one week later by the Christmas Dinner. A menu and booking form is enclosed for this popular event.
Here's a thought In the Ruskin Centenary Year I make no apology for quoting him again. His advice on colour was perceptive and imaginative; always he stressed the need for acute observation and was dismissive of rules and recipes. Here he demolishes a cherished rule which we have all had given to us as part of 'colour theory' on art courses. 'It is a favourite dogma among modern writers on colour that warm colours (reds and yellows) approach or express nearness and cold colours (blue and grey) retire or express distance. So far is this from being the case, that no expression of distance in the world is so great as that of the gold and orange of the twilight sky. Colours, as such, are absolutely inexpressive respecting distance. It is their quality (as depth, delicacy, etc.) which express distance not their tint. A blue bandbox set on the same shelf with a yellow one will not look an inch further off – Elements of Drawing. Robert Kirk, Chairman. ANNUAL REPORT AND SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTS Annual Report Years ago when I was young enough to have serious career aspirations I was encouraged to attend professional development seminars. These were relaxed affairs conducted by men in well-cut suits with cultured accents who were always enthusiastic and happy. Their polished presentations were intended to be models of effective communication. I regret to say that after many hours of attentive listening only one idea gleaned from these seminars has made any lasting impression. This was the surprising idea that every successful manager should aim to make himself redundant. He must make his enterprise efficient enough to routinely run itself; thereby giving himself the freedom to think creatively and develop the enterprise in new, imaginative and profitable ways. Of course cynical observers will claim that this creative freedom is more likely tobe directed towards limproving his golf handicap or taking the occasional afternoon out to watch county cricket.. More realistically the earnest manager soon discovers that his imaginative powers are finite and he develops the feeling that he has been in the job for too long. What is true for managers also holds for chairmen and so I hope to have been successful enough to make myself redundant in two years time. It is important that members are aware of the work undertaken by the Committee on their behalf. Bill Sneary, our Vice Chairman has organised an interesting monthly programme; and this is a responsibility which involves more than writing letters of invitation to potential speakers. At the Society's meetings Bill is kept busy welcoming the speaker and helping to set up their presentations. There follows the often unnoticed courtesy of helping the speaker pack up when most members have already left. The Society's exhibitions are the chief concern of many members and in the past the organisiation of our exhibitions has been put in the hands of a subcommittee. This year we have arranged things differently. The Society's Hon. Secretary Desmond Keig-Shevlin has undertaken the organisation and arrangement of the exhibitions; booking the Harley Centre, sending invitations to the preview, arranging the all of the required printing, the transport and erection of screens, receiving entries, and inviting selectors. A formidable list indeed. Publicising and hanging the exhibitions of course has involved all members of the Committee and credit must also be given for their support. The names of these dedicated committee members appear below. Unsolicited offers of help are always welcome; so a warm 'thank you' is due to Sue Docrwa and Emma Jane Roberts who helped with hanging the summer exhibition this year having travelled a long distance. There are also those members who regularly offer help with handling screens or in many other small ways at handing in. They help to minimise the stressful responsibiilities faced by the exhibition organisers and the support they give to Society merits thanks and acknowledgement. The quiet efficiency of our Membership Secretary, Barbara Birks, deserves recognition. For new members Barbara is often the first point of contact with the Society—keeping accurate membership records, and making tactful enquiries of those members who are forgetful about paying their dues at the start of each year is a vital service to the Society. The post of Hon. Treasurer is crucial to the sound management of the Society and is a particularly onerous one at exhibition times. John Hawkings, this year, has decided not to seek reelection., John has been a long serving member of the Committee having served two periods when he was largely responsble for organising the exhibitions. Another long-standing member of the Committee, David Milner, has also decided not to seek re-election this year, he has served the Society well both as Hon. Treasurer and as an actrve committee member willing to take on a variety of tasks. So on behalf of members, I must formally thank John and David not just for efficiently managing the Society's accounts in their respective periods as Hon. Treasurer but also for their past work for the Society in all manner of tasks. Their expertise will be greatly missed. Following the death of Hon. Diana Uhlman in November 1999, the committee took the decision to invite a professional artist with an established national reputation to be the Society's President. The committee chose John Blockley and were pleased that he has agreed to serve as President for a three year term. John has been painting professionally for nearly 30 years; I was surprised to discover recently that he was writing articles for 'The Artist' magazine back in 1972. I will be discussing with John ways of using his experience to develop the Presidency in the coming months. The Society has supported the Ludlow Assembly Rooms since the refurbishment scheme began. The Society made a commitment to donate £3000 in stages towards furnishing and lighting for 'The Studio'. The final payment of this donation was made in 1999. The committee would welcome further cooperation with the Assembly Rooms management to develop its future activities. It was agreed to take advantage of the publicity opportunities offered by joining the Assembly Rooms Business Supporters scheme, and in response to the Assembly Rooms appeal for funds, the committee agreed to make a further donation in year 2000. The committee has always recognised the value of 'The Studio' as providing a base for the Society's activities particularly in pursuit of its policy of organising a major exhibition to coincide with the Ludlow Festival. Exhibitions by members of the Quilter's Guild in 1998 and the NEAC in 1999 set national standards of excellence in Ludlow and demonstrated the value of 'The Studio' as an exhibition venue. Regrettably, such is the demand for bookings that this policy may have to be modified in future years. An extended newsletter was introduced in the past year with the aim of keeping members better informed about the Society's affairs. The appearance of the Newsletter owes much to the expertise of our printer Ernest Buckley who corrects my inconsistent grammar and imperfect knowledge of typographic conventions. He is a hard taskmaster who knows immediately when a comma is omitted or a space is wrongly placed, often the Newsletter goes through several revisions. Ernest also handles the rest of the Society's printed materials, exhibition notices, membership cards, invitations, posters, meeting the Hon.Secretary's deadlines with irrepressible cheerfulness, and unflappable expertise. Rare qualities greatly valuedboth by Desmond Keig-Shevlin and myself. The Society was invited to show members' work during the 'Country Matters Literary Festival', an event which was part of the 1999 Ludlow Festival. The venue did not have a good display space and the brief 3-day duration of the event left me wondering if many people took much notice of the paintings. However, recognition of the Society by the Festival Events Committee was welcome and the Committee is grateful for the support of those members who exhibited their work .
Robert Kirk, Chairman. LAS COMMITTEE 1999-2000 Mrs Valerie Alexander Mrs Barbara Birks Membership Secretary Mrs Barbara Bulgin Co-opted Mrs Juliet Caithness Mr John Hawkings Hon. Treasurer – not seeking re-election Mr Desmond Keig-Shevlin Hon. Secretary Mr Robert Kirk Chairman Mr Richard Kite Mr David Milner not seeking re-election Mr William Sneary Vice-Chairman Mrs Jo Stephens Co-opted
Summary of accounts for the year to 31st December 1999. The General Account had a deficit of £62 as compared with a surplus of £79 for 1998. The Exhibition Account surplus was £664 (£1148 for 1998), after paying for the storage of screens at £457 (£160 in 1998). From the combined result of this deficit and surplus and an exhibition by the New English Art Club which was sponsored at a cost of £544, the Society broke even for the year. The Society also donated £1432 from its Reserves to the Ludlow Assembly Rooms. This been agreed some years ago, and this was the final contribution to the furnishing of 'The Studio'. The total donated to Ludlow Assembly Rooms in the past three years is £3097. The committee have agreed to join the Business Sponsorship Scheme and make a further donation in year 2000. The total cost wil be £1050. The General Fund at 31st December 1999 was £12,312 of which £11,870 was held in a National Savings Investment Account. Copies of the full audited accounts will be made available the Annual General Meeting on 5th October.
John Hawkings, Hon. Treasurer.
Membership statistics For the year ending 31st December 1999 there were 2o5 members of which 17 were Associates and 31 were new members. In the current year in August there were 186 members of which again 17 are Associates and 5 are new members. Interestingly in August 1999 there was a comparable 190 members, 15 more people joined between August and December 1999. It will be interesting to see if this is a continuing trend.
Barbara Birks, Membership Secretary. |