A chilly start to painting in 2025

 The first meet up today in Chalkwell Park.  It was bitterly cold.   I got to use my Christmas present that my brother in law made for me.  It worked a treat!

The last of 2024

 I have been lax about posting the last of our plein air outings. Hadleigh Castle in October,  I chose possibly the most exposed bit of Essex to sit and paint!  The wellness garden beside Southend Museum in November and a Jazz session at the Royal Hotel in Southend just before Christmas.

Southchurch Hall Gardens with the Plein Air Group

 

A charity fund raiser organised by Andy Downes

 To raise money for cancer research  Andy organised a life drawing session with model in full Ghost Busters regalia. 

More sketches done with the Plein Air group and some accordian sketch books made at a great work shop in Chalkwell Park

 

Trip out to the Mansell Forts

 The lovely Andy Downes organised a boat trip out to the Mansell Forts, (Red Sands)  we also stayed a while at the Mulberry Harbour and SS Montgomery.   I am really glad I went, it was a 4.30 am start and a long day but we were blessed with good weather and a fairly calm sea.The forts, built in the 1940's to protect the entrance of the Thames and route to London are slowly falling into disrepair so I am really pleased that I was able to go on this trip.   Quite hard to paint in cramped conditions,  bobbing up and down!

Priory Park with the Plein Air painting group

 Southend Plein Air Painters meet once a month on a Sunday, a lot of the published sketches have been done with this group.