ABOUT US


We are a group of amateur artists  who meet on Thursday mornings (9.30 - 12.30) in Codsall Village Hall.  Roland Twynam is our tutor. 

​Modus operandi:   everyone "does their own thing" with Roland offering constructive criticism, help, and advice.  Occasionally we have a life model and sometimes Roland gives a demo on topics such as perspective, composition, and other elements of creating art that we need to understand.     We also learn from each other by discussion, sharing ideas and experiencing different media.  A wide range of work is produced using charcoal, pencil, coloured pencil,  oil, acrylic, watercolour, oil pastel, chalk pastel, collage, pen and ink.  

Our artistic abilities and interests are diverse - an eclectic mix that makes for a stimulating group with Roland at the helm.

The group has been going for a few years now and this website first took shape in September 2015 - it's a matter of "watch this space" to see if and how it evolves.
Site updated:  10th July 2018
Next Meeting:  13th September 2018




Here's Roland with a collage he completed last year.   He says it's "painted" using tiny scraps of paper torn from the Sunday supplement magazines.  

​This month's  featured artist -  EDWARD BURRA
​1905 - 1976

Edward Burra was born in London on 29 March 1905.  He attended preparatory school at Northaw Place in Potters Bar but in 1917 suffered from pneumonia and had to be withdrawn from school and home-educated.  He too art classes in Rye then went on to study at Chelsea School of Art until 1923 and then the Royal College of Art until 1925.
​
In March 1925, while travelling in Italy, Burra suffered with rheumatic fever. He met Paul Nash in the summer of 1925. Burra travelled round Europe and visited Paris with William Chappell in October 1925. In 1926 he travelled with his family to visit his sister in Florence, Italy, and also visited Siena and Paris. Nash offered to teach Burra wood engraving in February 1928; Burra was commissioned by Crawfords to design vehicle advertising signs, which were rejected, in May 1928.

Burra's first solo show was held at the Leicester Galleries in 1929.  In October 1929 he exhibited with the London Group; woodblock prints were shown at the Society of Wood-Engravers exhibition at the Redfern Gallery in London. In January 1930, he began to make collages with Paul Nash. Later that year, he travelled with Paul and Margaret Nash to Paris and the South of France.  In October 1931, he exhibited in Recent Developments in British Painting, with John Armstrong, Nash, Edward Wadsworth and Ben Nicholson, at Arthur Tooth & Sons in London.  Ashton's ballet A Day in a Southern Port (Rio Grande) opened at the Savoy, London in November 1931 with sets and costumes by Burra.  He also showed with the English Surrealists in the 1930s.
Later life[edit]Burra travelled widely, and many influences are at play in his works, which were usually watercolour on a large scale in strong colours. During World War Two, when it became impossible to travel, he also became involved in designing scenery and costumes for ballet, opera and theatre and became very successful in hat field. He declined associate membership of the Royal Academy in 1963 and was awarded a CBE in 1971.    The Tate Gallery held a  retrospective of his work in 1973. In conjunction with the exhibition at Tate, the  Arts Council of Great Britain  produced a documentary about his life and work.  He broke his hip in 1974 after which his health declined swiftly and he died in Hastings in 1976.  The Tate Gallery Archive holds considerable materials relating to Burra, including his letters.
​

    Only the site editor can see your details and message content.   Your details will NOT be passed to any third party.  Comments you leave about the work in members' galleries will be forwarded to the appropriate member.   
Site editor:  Betty Taylor
You can also find me at:          http://www.codsallwriters.weebly.com   
​                                                            http://www.bettyblogs.weebly.com