Welcome to a new year of pals, pastels and painting.

2014 looks like being a very good year. Unlike last year, we start with a decent
bank balance even though our exhibition didn’t manage to attract as many buyers
as we had hoped. This is due to the generosity and fantastic work that all
members did to reduce the expenses. In addition, Rayma has added to our
coffers with her raffles and unframed sales.

The committee is already investigating the possibility of returning to Sorrento for
our next exhibition because the parking and accessibility is so much better. So
we may have some news when we have our AGM. This is on the 24th February,
our third meeting. The next Monday is a public holiday. The first two meetings
we’d like everyone to have paid their subs, preferably by internet banking (all
details in this newsletter) and then we can make up our membership list and keep
in touch with you all.

Please come to the AGM. If you want to keep our society as active, productive
and happy as it has been, you need to be there. We understand that you can’t
always come to our regular meetings – some live a long way away and some
have other commitments – but come when you can and contribute your ideas,
needs and suggestions via email so we can make the new 2014 programme one
that has something for everyone.

Yours in friendship and pastel dust,
Anne Rice, President.

Pastel Society of Western Australia Newsletter January 2014

Presidents Message

THE BUSY BEE was a great success. We had a good number turn up to put the lights together and into the bags which Avis had sewn up for the purpose. A big thank you to Avis for a fantastic job.

The pigeons have been removed and we swept up the ample evidence of their activities. The Mayor of Joondalup tells us that the ceilings have been repaired so we should not have further trouble.

We also got all the screens out and cleaned them up as best we could. The men reckoned we should get a high pressure hose and do the job thoroughly later on nearer the exhibition date. A busy bee to clean the screens will be held on Sunday 20th October at 10am. Volunteers needed.

Yvonne Smith made an inventory of all our gear so we we’re pretty well organised. Thank you, Yvonne.

GOOD NEWS. Our Exhibition and Sale has now got a venue and a date. It will be at the Maureen Grierson Centre in Scarborough from Friday 8 th November to Sunday 10th with, of course, setting up to start on the Thursday 7th. So start painting and thinking about advertising and ideas to make this a good one. All suggestions welcome. Just write them down and give them in when you come to a meeting.

Several of the pastel society’s gifted artists have generously agreed to be at meetings so that you can seek help and advice in preparation for our exhibition. Please get thinking about the exhibition in early November and plan your paintings. Take advantage of this offer from our best people.

See the programmed Calendar of Events and keep it handy to refer to till the end of the year.

A reminder for key holders, please arrive by 7.20pm at the latest. In winter it is not nice to be out in the cold.

We’ve received confirmation that our application for new lights has been granted. Thanks especially to Celestine and Caroline who helped to fill in all the forms. It means we can order them now and won’t have to have an electrician in November. That will save money and we can sell the old ones.

HAPPY PAINTING
Anne

Pastel Society of Western Australia Newsletter June 2013

The Christmas party on December 3 rd was the best yet. Yvonne and her helpers provided a lot of challenges and fun. First we helped her to write the president’s speech by providing all the adjectives, adverbs and some of the verbs – the result was hilarious. Then we each had to make a flower for our table centre from the bits and pieces that Yvonne had provided. These were judged by Gerry who made us laugh. Lastly, we had to find the forgeries by discovering the mistakes in three pictures and guess the artists too.

The food was varied and delicious as always, beautifully presented and with a minimum of fuss as we had disposable plates and our own cutlery. Rayma had prepared three raffle prizes gorgeously decorated in baskets. The goodies had been donated over the last few weeks by members. Mike drew the winning tickets and Rayma presented the prizes. Then Celestine became Santa for the handing out of the Kris Kringle presents. Finally we had the judging of all the members’ pictures according to the three categories that Yvonne had prepared.

It was a wonderful wind-up to a fairly difficult year. I know I felt glad to belong to such a happy, friendly and creative bunch of people.

I was told that the gavel I need to bang every so often was turned by Max and is therefore especially valuable to us. We toasted him with much love and happy memories. Thank you cards were given to Karyn, for her work on the newsletters, and to Mike as secretary.

However, there are many members who haven’t been mentioned individually who have generously given time, effort, ideas and quiet service to us all in the society and to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude. The Pastel Society provides much in the way of artistic and social richness and makes an important contribution to the cultural life of our community. I particularly wish to thank the committee members for their contributions.

I look forward to next year. In responding to the survey, we all chose some activities which will enliven our meetings and, I hope, motivate us to paint more and better. We’ll be looking for lots of members to volunteer to run one or two of these events. The committee will be meeting in January to outline our calendar of events and plan the year ahead. I have the feeling that it’s going to be a good one. We’ll meet again on 4 th February 2013.Till then, have a good holiday. Happy painting, Anne Rice, President.

Pastel Society of Western Australia Newsletter January 2013