The Drawing Group was started in 2014 and since then has progressed from purely working on pencil drawings to producing a variety of work in all sorts of media.

Some of our recent work has been produced ‘in the style of ‘ various artist and their subject matter.

What we do:

Our aim is to develop skills in drawing and painting in a range of different media, whilst also promoting an appreciation of the work of other artists, past and present. We encourage all members to build their confidence by working from direct observation, and explore their ideas and creative process in an atmosphere of mutual support and convivial endeavour.

Sometimes we work on large group projects in which everyone contributes one, or more, drawings to an overall image (see photographs below). At other times we undertake individual projects, possibly around a central theme, but always encouraging members to develop their own personal visual language. We are all regularly impressed by the range and variety of the work our fellow group members produce, and equally, we are also more than happy to give them the credit they deserve.

We welcome everyone, from absolute beginners to consummate professionals, and already have a broad range of talents and abilities amongst our members. We are not competitive in the Drawing Group. We all want to do our best, but we believe that the group’s strength lies in the sharing of ideas and techniques. This approach is central to our way of working; we all learn from each other.

The Drawing Group has over twenty members and normally meets in the Methodist Church Hall in Ulverston, on the afternoons of the second Monday and fourth Wednesday, of the month.

Recently we looked at the basic elements of composition and moved onto colour theory. Lots of discussion about black and white- are they really colours??

We’re looking forward to getting outside now the weather has improved: to sketch and make marks using a range of materials, exploring landscapes, buildings and cityscapes.

The group enjoys sharing and talking about their pictures during the sessions. Increasingly, people also send their work to Paul Kelly. He then kindly circulates the pictures to everyone under the heading: “Take a Look.”

Group Leaders: Adrian Gough and Paul Kelly

Recent work

As usual, the group have approached the sessions this year with enthusiasm and enjoyment. Here are some of the areas we have focussed on:

Trees in Winter

We wanted to create dramatic pictures of trees with texture and movement. We’ll be looking at trees again in Spring, and then in the full bloom of Summer.

Still Life

A jumble of logs, old rope, pots, branches, dead leaves presented quite a challenge, but was met with courage and ingenuity by all.

Composition and Colour

Contact Paul Kelly for more information.