Southend City Day

 Saturday, 1st of March 2025 marked the third anniversary of Southend been given city status.   The high street was packed with various events, music, dance and a group of us who painted.  The day started out really cold with a frost but the sun came out so we warmed up a bit. I made a concertina sketch book and managed to fill it quite quickly.  I landed up staying on the Royal Terrace and doing a panoramic view though my original intention had been to draw some of the lovely buildings on the high street.

Another chilly session

 We met up in St Johns Church yard on  what had started out as a bright sunny morning.  The sun disappeared, the wind picked up and the day just got colder and colder.    

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