Sharon Lomas - BBC Merseyside interview

MY APOLOGIES - I PUT IN THE WRONG DATE == 2nd JULY (not 2nd June!!) - now amended!

Sharon Lomas, a Liverpool artist and UKCPS member, has been invited to be interviewed on my local BBC station, Radio Merseyside (95.8 fm & DAB), on this coming Saturday (2nd July). Sharon will be helping to promote the use of coloured pencils as a media, and UKCPS nationally and locally.

The programme, hosted by Helen Jones, is 'Local History', and starts at 3pm, but will feature Sharon in a local interest spot at 5pm. Anyone outside the Merseyside receiving area can listen live online via www.bbc.co.uk/merseyside/programmes/schedules or via BBC iplayer.

I wish Sharon the best of luck, and if you wish to view some of Sharon's own work then visit her blog site (S A Lomas Pencil Art) via the Members Blogs links - down and to the right on this page.

Robin Borrett & East Leake group

Readers are referred to my blogpost of 9 June
regarding the work of Robin Borrett's East Leake
group who worked to produce a composite copy
of the "Experiment With an Air Pump", by
Joseph Wright of Derby

The finished picture, comprising 28 seperate A4 pieces is shown on the right. It measures 5 x 4 ft
(1500 x 1200 mm).

The picture helped to raise £280.00 for the Air Ambulance, and for Help For Heroes.

Well done to Robin and his group!

Ken Bromley - Catalogue Competition

Readers might want to visit the Ken Bromley Art Supplies site - www.artsupplies.co.uk/covercomp.php to view the call for entries to their catalogue cover competition. The firm are looking for a winning entry to go on the cover of their Autumn/Winter 2011/12 catalogue. Entries can be of any subject and in any medium (not just CP) so long as it is your own unaided work.
Winsor & Newton will be contributing a prize of £100 worth of art materials to the Winner and to the first Runner-up, plus £50worth to the 2nd runer-up. Closing date for entries is 12 July.

Karen Coulson at the Pencil Museum

UKCPS Signature Member, Karen Coulson, will be running workshops at the Cumberland Pencil Museum in Keswick on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this coming week, and will welcome meeting members even if not attending the workshops.

On Tuesday and Wednesday Karen will be in the room next to the cafe running some FREE 1 hour workshops on "Birds - using Inktense pencils and/or Inktense blocks". On Thursday she will be in the class room running an all-day workshop "Garden Birds using Inktense" the image being two Blue Tits in pink blossom. The Thursday workshop is priced at £40 for the day.

For further details see the Derwent Pencils site- www.pencils.co.uk

Janie Thorogood & Angela Hammond

Janie Thorogood has written to me with the following news, and for which I send her my heartiest congratulations:-

"Just thought I'd share some news with you. My grapes picture - "All is Safely Gathered In" voted Best in Show last year at Stamford - has just won the Flowers & Gardens category for the SAA Artist of the Year competition. I'm ecstatic - because the picture means so much to me. My wonderful, late husband would be so proud. It's because of him I'm carrying on with my artwork - so this is all wonderful. The grapes picture rally is bringing in a very special harvest.

Also, the Paeony used in the front of the latest Talking Point has just been purchased by Kew gardens for their collection!"


Not to be outdone......... congratulations are also due to Angela Hammond who gained the prestigious "SAA Artist of the Year" award outright for one of her paintings -- unfortunately, not a coloured pencil work , but an outstanding achievement anyway!

Victoria Parsons - Award winner

Congratulations to UKCPS member, Victoria Parsons, who has been awarded a Gold Citation by the Wildlife Art Society International (TWASI) at their Annual Exhibition held at Nature in Art, Twiggworth, in Gloucetershire.
The Award was presented by international wildlife artist, Polyanna Pickering, and was for the best artwork showing "Behavior typical of the species". The image was of two wolves sparring, and was worked in a range of coloured pencils on Pastelmat. The title of the work was: "Leader of the Pack"

Waterstones - book illustrator wanted!

Waterstones are looking for an unpublished illustrator to provide the illustrations for a fairy tale book by Michael Morpurgo, one of Britain's best loved (and best selling!) children's authors. To find out how to enter, plus full terms and conditions, go to www.waterstones.com/picturethis

UKCPS Exhibition - Deadline extended!

The deadline for entries to the UKCPS International Exhibition at Westminster Hall, London, has been extended to 2nd July. The exhibition is open to all artists, and the extension has come about to give time for Hobbycraft, who have just come on board as exhibition sponsers, a chance to advertise their involvement throughout their branches in the UK, and allow Hobbycraft shoppers a chance to get an entry into the exhibition.
Full details of the exhibition, and online entry forms, can be obtained via the UKCPS website -www.ukcps.co.uk

Pauline Longley - SAA Finalist

Congratulations to Pauline Longley, who, on her first attempt to enter the SAA Artist of the Year Competition, has got into the top 62 (out 6000 entries!) and was awarded Commended Finalist for her Zebra picture 'Itchy Feet'.
Naturally, Pauline says she is 'pretty chuffed' to get a CP picture into a London exhibtion. The picture (along with all the other finalists) can be seen at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London, from 21st to 23rd July.

Robin Borrett - East Leake Carnival

Readers may be aware that last year UKCPS Silver Member, Robin Borrett, organised his art group in East Leake to produce a local version of 'The Last Supper' using the faces of art group members as the participants.
This year the group are doing their own version of Joseph Wright's 'Experiment with an Air Pump', and the finished drawing, made up from individual A4 sections painted by members of the group, and measuring 5ft x 4ft, will be on display at the East Leake Carnival on 25th June.
Robin's group use the occasion to raise funds for the Air Ambulance, and for Help For Heroes.
The exhibition can be seen at the Methodist Church, Main Street, East Leake, Loughborough, LE12 6PG, from 3pm to 6pm on the day.

Online newsletters

Members of UKCPS (particularly those overseas), who have not been in reciept of the society newsletter this year can now obtain copies in .pdf format by going to the UKCPS website (www.ukcps.co.uk) and clicking on the 'Members Log-in' link. Log-in, or get your log-in password if you have never used the facility before.

Gayle Mason - Patchings Stand

Those of you planning to attend the Patchings Art Festival over the next few days may wish to meet UKCPS member, Gayle Mason, on her 'Gayle Mason Fine Art' stand. (Those who are not attending can visit her website at www.gaylemasonfineart.com or view her blog at www.pencilsbrushesdogsandcats.blogspot.co ). Amongst other things, Gayle has a selection of coloured pencil technique booklets for sale on the stand.

Karen Coulson at Patchings

UKCPS Signature member, Karen Coulson, will be on the Derwent stand at this year's Patchings Farm art event, and will be pleased to meet any fellow members. The event (well worth the visit just for the trade stands alone!) is on from this coming Thursday [9th June] to Sunday [12th June].