Monday 27 July 2015

Aquarelle - Tuesdays from 2 - 4.30 with Marina


 Harp by Brenda Moorhouse

In preparation for the Aquarellista 'Eye Candy' exhibition, everyone is going 'beautiful'.
Which is a challenge in a way - yet gives such pleasing results...


Both violins by Edith Alborni





Poppies by Sandra

'Blood red cherries' by Sandra

 Both 'Marbles' by Liz

Linda worked hard and smart on the 'spheres' exercise

'Syphon' a delicate transparent by Patience

an intriguing play with shadows in the desert, by Costanza

Avril is almost done with her icon, painted with self made tempera - and she is now an expert in adding gold leaf! Final tweaking next week...


Monday 20 July 2015

About Life Drawing...


Below is an article from BBC News (thanks to Cathie for sending) about the benefits of life drawing for the brain and the memory... "Trust Me I'm A Doctor" with Michael Mosley, Gabriel Weston and Dr Chris van Tulleken, was broadcast on BBC Two at 20:00 BST on Wednesday 15 July. A real advertisement for our class... With illustrations of today's life class with Irina

 Ask anyone over the age of 40 what worries them most about growing older and the answer that comes back is almost always the fear of losing your memory. I worry about the fact that I find it harder than ever to remember names and that without my phone to remind me, I would forget many of my daily appointments.

There are some fairly obvious things to avoid if you want to maintain good brain health. These include smoking, becoming overweight and developing Type 2 diabetes. But what can you positively do to enhance your brain?
Find out more
With the help of Newcastle University we recruited 30 volunteers. Before we began our experiment all our volunteers were subjected to a barrage of tests that measured things like memory, ability to problem solve and general psychomotor speed (reaction times).
Everyone was then fitted with an activity monitor to measure how much and when they were moving.
The volunteers were then randomly allocated to three groups and asked to do a particular activity for the next eight weeks.
One group we simply asked to walk briskly, so that they were just out of breath, for three hours a week. The idea is that walking - in fact any form of vigorous exercise - will keep your brain fed with lots of oxygen-rich blood. This was not a popular choice with some: "Walking is my least favourite activity," sighs Ann. (Newcastle does have punishingly steep hills.)


The second group were asked to do puzzles, such as crosswords or Sudoku. Again they had to do it for three hours each week. The reasoning behind this approach is that your brain, like a muscle, benefits from being challenged. Use it or lose it.
The final group were asked to stare at a naked man for three hours a week.
Or, to be more accurate, they were asked to take part in a live class, drawing a naked man, Steve.
The results

By the end of our eight-week trial almost everyone in the walking group noticed a big improvement in their general health - how much easier they found managing a particular hill.
Some of the puzzler group had found the puzzles hard at first, but by the end of the eight weeks many were hooked and swapping Sudoku tips.
The most enthusiastic group, however, was undoubtedly the art class.
Although a few found attending a class once a week daunting, all of them commented on how much they enjoyed it. "I have become a compulsive drawer of everything," says Simone. "I have been out to buy myself some pastel pencils and even a book on 'How to'."

So, art equals pleasure, but which group enjoyed the greatest improvements in brain power?

Our scientists redid their battery of cognitive tests and the results were clear-cut.
All the groups had got a bit better, but the stand-out group was those who had attended the live class.
It seems that Steve the naked man had made a big impression.

But why should going to an art class make a difference to things like memory?
Clinical Psychologist Daniel Collerton, one of our experts from Newcastle University, says that part of the benefit came from learning a new skill. "Learning something new," he says, "engages the brain in ways that seem to be key. Your brain changes in response, no matter how many years you have behind you."
Learning how to draw was not only a fresh challenge to our group but, unlike the puzzlers, it also involved developing psychomotor skills.
Capturing an image on paper is not just intellectually demanding.
It involves learning how to make the muscles in your hand guide the pencil or paintbrush in the right directions. An additional benefit was that going to the art class meant that for three hours a week they had to stand while drawing or painting.
As we've shown before on Trust Me I'm a Doctor, standing for longer periods is a good way of burning calories and keeping your heart in good shape.

The art class was also the most socially active, another important thing to bear in mind if you want to keep your brain sharp. This group met regularly outside class, were keen to exchange emails and there was a definite social aspect to this intervention.


All of which meant that this group enjoyed a triple benefit when it came to boosting brain health.
One of our volunteers, Lynn, says that learning to draw had produced other, unexpected benefits.

"Part of my job involves writing and pitching bids, which is a difficult and lengthy process," she explains. "I am dyslexic which is an added hurdle. But having done the art class I found that my writing now flows and my ability to concentrate has improved. It seems to have opened my mind. I'm not sure I can explain it properly, I just know it made a difference."

Sunday 12 July 2015

Aquarelle - Tuesdays 2 - 4.30 with Marina

Patience's aquarelle of Xinarca with his 200 year old Cetera
FYI Patience let us know: Xinarca is giving a concert with instruments including his 200 year old Cetera in Valbonne church on Sunday 19 July at 21h.
He has played in Carnegie Hall New York,Westminister Abbey amongst other prestigious venues.
Try not to miss this amazing event.I heard his previous concert and have never forgotten the impact. He is fantastically good looking en plus!

Agnes created this jazzy watercolour - we used it to announce our booklaunch, it swings doesn't it!!
 
Avril's Icon, SO well done - in egg tempera, finished in homemade aquarelle with pigment & gomme arabique.
After her impressive international commission (more later!) Cathie now works on a commission at least as important: a serie of 3 perfume bottles for her daughter...  Two down, one to go!!

Double Bass - Edith's fab painting almost finished! She still has to write some music with a one-hair brush and then it will be done...

Liz starting an (well actually two) exciting transparent still lives with marbles and glasses...


The Book Launch

...A long post with a LOT of pictures!...
On Friday 10 July, the official launch of 'the Hangar Book' took place, in the open space in front of our beloved Hangar.

Visitors brought fantastic dishes and the Hangar took care of the drinks. The weather was great... and Peter Lea's Cezaire Jazz band made sure we had fabulous music all evening! For their new fans - and for people who missed the booklaunch but would love to hear them play, first opportunity is next Thursday in Saint-Cezaire from 7.30. After that see http://festi-jazz.org for more gigs...



At least 100 books were sold within an hour - and most of us now have a copy - but there will be a new order somewhere in the near future, so if you want one or a couple of Hangar books make sure let us know. A big Thank You to Lucia Gualtieri and Charmian Murley who spent an enormous amount of time and energy to get this fantastic project off the ground!!

 The Hangar Book - recommended!!


 The Cezaire Jazz Band...
 The Hangar Audience




 The Pesident thanks Peter Lea with a really good bottle...
 ...also a bottle for the other band members...
 

 Charmian receives well-deserved praise from our President Ton van Schijndel

It was a memorable evening! For your order of books contact the teachers or board members!!

Next Activity: The Hangar Open Day on 6 September...

Saturday 11 July 2015

EXHIBITION Pierre Vignon


From 14 - 20 July Abstract class member Pierre Vignon exhibits in the old Mairie, Rue Grande in Valbonne. The Vernissage is on Tuesday 14 July from 6pm.
The exhibition is open every day from 11am-1pm and from 3pm-8pm.
Check out his website for more: www.pierrevignon.com

Exposition de Pierre Vignon, membre du classe Abstrait, du 14 au 20 juillet 2015
Vernissage mardi 14 juillet à 18h dans l'ancienne mairie, rue Grande.
Horaires d’ouverture tous les jours de 11h à 13h et 15h à 20h. Entrée libre.
Site artiste : www.pierrevignon.com

Wednesday 8 July 2015

Exposition Karin Vasseur à Vallauris



A little REMINDER !!!!


EXPOSITION de Karin Fellinger sur l'abstraction lyrique à
 l'atelier de Irene Hamilton....... en cours.... et encore pendant deux semaines

 
à Vallauris, 53, avenue Clemenceau (rue principale) 
A ne pas manquer !!




Karin Fellinger a découvert les couleurs, le plaisir du geste, l'élan spontané et l'enthousiasme pictural lorsqu'elle son chemin a croisé celui des artistes du Hangar travaillant sur le thème de l'expressionnisme abstraits. Les sensations et les idées n'attendent pas. Il faut projeter sur la toile, sans aucune concession, sans aucune volonté esthétique. Elle aime cette intensité, c'est anarchique, chaotique, sensuel et désordonné. "A un moment la toile me lâche, elle me rend à moi-même, je ne me lève plus la nuit pour aller la voir. Et je passe à une autre".

Tuesday 7 July 2015

Book Launch Party on 10 July

This Friday, 10 July from 6.30 the ‘Hangar Book’ launch party takes place!
It celebrates the presentation of a beautiful book which embodies the talent and creativity of the Hangar.

From 20:00 – 22:00 the Cezaire Jazz Band will be playing.

This band plays Swing, Blues and Bossa.
They are: Fred Rouquier - Contrabasse, Guillaume Lebouteiller - Keyboard, Jean-Paul Bobineau - Batterie, Gerard Wisniewski - Flute, Patricia Friedelance - sax alto, sax soprane and last but not least our own Hangar member Peter Lea on sax alto, sax tenor!!


More info on the book:

It costs 22 € - exact money would be appreciated!
Try to car pool as parking space is limited.
Bring a dish - the Hangar will provide drinks and nibbles.
 
This is going to be wonderful summer party event...Don't miss it!!

Monday 6 July 2015

Aquarelle - Tuesdays 2 - 4.30pm - with Marina

 Agnès started an aquarelle with two trompettists - here still masking fluid-only...
Can't wait to see the progress

 Last Tuesday - a regular watercolour session, with tea, Adèle songs and a theme: 'Music'

Avril started a painting of an antique 'Bandoleon''

Brenda finished her 'overgrown house' and started with this harp-front, that looks promising...


Edith was really inspired by the subject and started this one - doesn't she make the colours sing!!

Costanza used to play the violin and still has one at home. You can see from this excellent painting that she understands the instrument!

And then on top of all that there were projects that were finished:


Agnès's Princess
Brenda's Overgrown House

Cathie started a new watercolour in her 'Jewelry' series - this is a bracelet in a birds' nest, so delicate

Edith finished her painting and I recommend you to click on it so you can see all of it, because there is so much in there! 
We saw the shape of a girl sleeping, a dreamy cloud (in the shape of a man, or a child, or something else), an egg that is pushed out, and towards a hole, a landscape, a close-up on the beach, an abstract and more...


Liz wasn't happy with this painting for some time but I think she's nailed it!! 

Eyecandy by Sandra!! What more can I say - Festin pour les yeux!!


And the very last dots and strokes complete this strong 'n stunning seascape, also by Sandra