Members can please themselves what they do in our sessions, whether it be painting in oils, pastels, watercolours, line drawing or whatever. Usually, someone brings in some object or a photograph, or offers themselves as a model. Members can then choose to have a go at this or maybe continue to work on what they were doing the previous week, or indeed, do something else.

Occasionally, we get in someone to guide us for a session.

There are two distinct groups within this workshop:

There is a tutored life drawing class in which clothed models are drawn in a variety of poses. Experience is not necessary but a willingness to experiment with different approaches and materials is encouraged.

The remainder of the workshop members form a self help group using a variety of media: watercolour, acrylic, oils and pastel. Constructive criticism of each others work takes place in a friendly atmosphere over coffee and biscuits.

We mostly use watercolour, acrylic and pastel. About every five weeks or so an experienced artist comes to our session and sets a project for those who wish to do it, and gives us guidance on it. This then occupies us for a couple of weeks. At other times, members do whatever they wish. During the summer we go out to different locations to paint.

We are always interested in new ideas. If someone with experience in some new field of art wished to join us and introduce us to their way of working, we would greatly welcome this.

We are a very friendly and social group and we regularly arrange to go out to lunch together.

Art Group IV is a self help group which commenced some years ago as a beginners art class. The group is a democratic body whose duties are shared between members. Each term a different theme is agreed (e.g. winter landscape, skies) supplemented by three visiting experienced tutors. They provide us with new techniques, challenges, advice and support. There is no obligation to keep to the planned programme and students are free to follow their own inclinations/talents. The group generally uses the following media: water colour, gouache, pastels, charcoal, pencil (but not oils). There are three terms of ten weeks.

We are a group of 20 who mostly paint in watercolour although a few members use acrylics or oils. We have a mixed programme with about half of our sessions being left free for members to paint whatever they want while the rest are organised to some degree so that we all attempt the same subject. Once or twice a term we have a professional artist to lead us. In the summer break we usually arrange to have two afternoons when we paint out of doors.