8th July 2010: The Guild at Braunston - a great event !
There was a good turnout of Guild members for Braunston Historic Boat Show over a glorious hot weekend at the end of June. Members exhibiting were Sylvia Hankin, Sarah Pressland, Dusty Miller, Michele Field, David Rogers, Robin Smithett and Helen Harding. Two new members were welcomed and exhibited with us for the first time, David Wright and James Hillier.
Tim Coghlan of Braunston Marina had provided us yet again with an excellent tent, and our member Helen Harding had worked hard producing a good layout for exhibiting members. This worked well with two entrance/exits so that the public could walk in through one and out through the other. The exhibition looked really good and the public were able to get a good view of everyone's work.
We were all a little sad that Dave Rogers was exhibiting his lovely pastels for the last time, but he assures us that he will keep in touch and still produce pictures form time to time, free of the pressure of having to exhibit. Thanks for everything Dave!
Nearly 90 ex working boats packed the marina and the main line: - Boats were moored 4 and 5 abreast from the Toll House to the Ladder Bridge - an amazing sight that brought in good crowds. At least two of the members, Sarah and Dusty, brought their paintings to the show by boat - and Helen's came with Sarah.
The Sunday afternoon was a bit quiet - we couldn't compete with the chance to watch England beat Germany at football..... unfortunately they didn't!!! - but the boats paraded anyway and the sun shone and the Morris Dancers danced - the beer tent was drunk dry and the ice cream sellers had a field day. Sales were a bit slow, it's a difficult year, but we all felt it was well worth doing.
22nd June 2010: Guild Membership - what it’s all about !
The Guild was founded during the 1980’s by a group of artists who were also keen waterway enthusiasts. Notable among these were Garth Allan, Brian Collings, Alan Firth and Harley Crossley. The aim was to truthfully depict rivers and canals, their work, architecture, boats and people and to promote the best in waterway art.
All media are represented in the Guild, from pastel and watercolour to oils and acrylics and including photography and modern media.
Since those early days many of the founder artists have moved on while new artists have joined but our aims still remain true to the original ideals. We continue to believe that to represent aspects of the waterways faithfully in art it is necessary to know and understand what we are depicting. We like our members to be interested and knowledgeable about the skills and history of the waterways.
We are a small, friendly and informal group. What we offer members is an opportunity to exhibit together. It is therefore important that we like each other’s work and are willing to exhibit alongside each other. Currently we have two exhibitions each year:- A month around Easter at Audlem Mill in Cheshire and the two days of the Braunston Historic Boat Show in Northamptonshire. We expect members to exhibit with us at least once each year and to look for opportunities for further exhibitions for The Guild.
The subscription currently is a modest £15 pa to cover administrative costs.
To apply for membership please view the Join Us page, fill in and submit your details and Sarah our membership Secretary will be happy to contact you.
8th December 2009: Guild artist Dusty Miller awarded prestigious commission
Dusty Miller has just been commissioned to produce a painting from a photograph by Harry Arnold which a limited edition and numbered run of prints will be produced.
There has been much made of the last commercial traffic on the Grand Union and the boats that traded in the south but very little about the trade in the northwest region. One such traffic was the coal trade from Sideways Colliery near Stoke on Trent on the Trent and Mersey Canal. Today there is no trace from the canal of the colliery, the loading area or even the numerous railway sidings that served the colliery.
The painting will depict two pairs of boats which include the Roach and Howard and also a “SuperD” locomotive which hauled coal trucks throughout the Midland region.
A very limited number of the prints will be signed by the well known waterway enthusiast Monsieur Hercule Poirot- David Suchet, and by Harry Arnold and Dusty Miller.
All profits of the prints will be donated to the restoration of the “Mendip” which is at the National Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port. The steerer of “Mendip” was of course the renowned boatman, “Chocolate” Charlie Atkins.
The print will be on sale from mid 2010. so for more details watch this space!
7th December 2009: A Christmas Card story
This year the IWA have chosen to use one of Michele Fields paintings for a 2009 Christmas card and is titled "Early Morning Walk with Dougal"
Michele said about the selection “I was so pleased they had used my painting this year as the little dog in my painting was our much missed Dougal who we lost earlier in the year making this a lovely tribute to our little friend, the girl in my painting is my youngest daughter Emily making this doubly special to me.” So look out for the cards sold at your local IWA or on-line shop.