May2025No.25
WELCOMETOOURNEWSLETTER
HappySpring!
ThankyoutoeveryonewhojoinedinourAGM.This wentwellandthecommi�eehasbeenelectedasper thelistattheendofthisnewsle�er.Ifyouhaveany ques�onsforthecommi�eepleasedogetintouch.
Ihopeyouenjoytheselec�onofmembers’work includedinthisnewsle�er,andthefeaturesaboutthe VisualArtGroups’ac�vi�es.
IliveinGuernseyandtheIslandisbusypreparingfor ourLibera�onDaycelebra�onsonFriday9th May,an extraspecialeventhereasit’s80yearssincetheIsland wasliberated.EachParishwillhaveac�vi�esand celebra�onandmostoftheisland’s66,000residents willjoinintosomeextent.Therewillbelotsoflovely photographicopportuni�esaswellasmee�ngold friends.
Happysnapping
Kindregards
Carol
CarolPaesARPS
UPDATEONYORKRESIDENTIAL WEEKEND
Anotherfunweekend
OurYorkresiden�alweekendjustbeforeEasterwas anothergreatmee�ngofallourfriendsand colleagues.Theseweekendshavereallymorphedinto onebigextendedfamilygatheringoflikeminded peopleandthis�mewewerejoinedbyseveralnew faceswhowerequicklywelcomedintothegroup. They'veallremarkedonhowmuchtheyenjoyedthe weekendandhavepromisedtojoinusatfuture events.
OurvenueonthisoccasionwastheFairfieldManor Hotel.
Setinlovelygardenswithtablesandchairsspreadon thelawnitwasaperfectse�ngforanimpromptu coffeeoraniceG&Tinthesunshinebeforese�ngoff. ItwasashortdistancefromYorktowncentreandwell
servedbybusroutesandparkandride,allofwhich werereasonablypriced(justaswellasthecarparking inYorkwasextremelyexpensive),but.......wecan't haveeverythingIsuppose
Wehadourusuallineupofthreeworkshops,this�me ledrespec�velybyLizzieShepherd,whoseknowledge ofYorkshire,bothcountrysideandcoastal,issecondto none;NatCoalson,agi�edmul�mediaworker,who tookhisteamaroundYorkwithanemphasison details,texturesandshapesandlastbutcertainlynot least,CarolinePreece,anaward-winningLondon basedstreetphotographerwhotaskedherteamwith catchingthemoreunusualaspectsoftheYork environs.
Oneofthejoysoftheseweekendsishowquicklythe workshopleadersassimilateintothegroup,soallofus benefi�edfromcha�nganddiscussingthingswith theminaconvivialse�ng.
Weonceagainhadourmuchan�cipatedshowandtell sessionsandwereshownsomeexcellentwork, includingacoupleofpanelswhichI'msurewillbe des�nedforAssociateorFellowshipdis�nc�ons.We alsohadafirstlookatthreewonderfulprintsthathave beenselectedforthenewRPSTyngCollec�onof photographsinthePictorialisttradi�on:
Therewerethreeselectorsthisyear,VivienHowse, myselfandRobertHerringshawwhoisalsoaTyng trustee.
Vivien'sselec�onwasabeau�fulbucolicsceneofa shepherdherdinghissheepbyJamesRavillious.
Minewasaminimalistviewofagatepostovera commonnearBaldockHertsbyHughMilsom.
Robert'schoicewasasuperbrepresenta�onofa contemporaryviewoftheTwinTowersinNewYorkby JonathanVaines,perfectlydisplayingthedirec�onin whichPictorialismisheadinginthe21stcentury.
Notmanyofyouwillhaveheardof,letaloneseen,any oftheTyngCollec�on(mostofwhichnowrestsinthe vaultsoftheV&AinLondon)butRobertandthe trusteesarehopingtoremedythatinthefutureand therehavebeenseveralar�clesaboutthecollec�on includinganexcellentonewhichappearedina
May2025No.25
previousVAGnewsle�erin2020wri�enbyAndrew Leeming.
Onalessop�mis�cnoteitiswithregretthata�erour nextweekend,inNorwichintheAutumnofthisyear,I willbestandingdown,togetherwithSally,from organisingtheseweekendsa�eradvicefrommy doctortowinddownandtakeiteasy.
Itisveryimportantthattheseweekendswillnotbe lostandweareurgentlyaskingforvolunteerstotake over,individuallyorperhapsinagroup,tocon�nue thetradi�on.TheVAGistheonlyspecialinterest groupthatrou�nelyrunsbi-annualresiden�al weekendsandIknowthatouttherearesomeofyou whoareofalikemind,sodohaveathinkaboutifyou canhelpourgroup.We'llbesendingoutfurther advicesoon.
Thatbeingsaid,wewillbepublishingdetailsofthe NorwichweekendinthenextmonthortwoandI'll reiteratemyusualremindertobookassoonasthe broadcastgoesoutaswefillupveryquickly(withina fewdayslast�me)
Meanwhile,keeppressingthoseshu�erbu�ons.
MikeandSally visualar�rips@rps.org
Gernika1937
Thisisapresenta�onofapersonalprojectthatwas ini�atedbyavisittothetownofGernikainnorthern Spain,anunprepossessingsmalltown,inlandfromthe touristhotspotsofBilbaoandSanSebas�an.Today, GernikaisthecapitaloftheBasqueautonomous regionwithasmallparliamentbuildinginthecentreof thetownvisitedbyamodestnumberoftouristswho mostlycomeonaccountofthetown’sdarkpast.
In1937GernikahadagreatsignificancetotheBasque peopleandwasconsideredakeypartoftheiriden�ty. ThefamousGuenikakoArbola(thetreeofGernika) wasanoaktreethatsymbolisedthetradi�onal freedomsandwasthesiteofregularcommunity mee�ngsanddecisionmaking.Gernikawasalsothe loca�onofamajorweaponsmanufacturerthathad longbeensupplyingarmstotheSpanishmilitaryand
police.
Atthesame�metheSpanishcivilwarwasinfullflow, Republicantroopswereba�lingtheNa�onalistforces ofGeneralFrancowhohadledacoupagainstthe previousgovernment.TheNa�onalistsweresteadily movingacrossthecountry,takingregionsandforcing theRepublicanarmynorth.Gernikawasatownof 7,000peoplethatstoodatakeystrategicloca�on, lyingonacrossroadsneededbytheRepublicansfor
theirretreat.Itwasthefinalpointofresistance preven�ngtheoverthrowofBilbao,thelossofwhich wouldhaveendedthewarinthenorth
On26April1937Franco'sforcessurroundedthetown andwasheavilybombedbyFranco'sallies,the GermanLu�waffeandtheItalianAviazioneLegionaria. Thebombersdroppedmanylarge,incendiarybombs thatdestroyedthemajorityofthetownandthiswas oneofthefirstexamplesofwhatwaslatercalled terrorbombing,intendedtobreakthewillofthe civilianpopula�on.Althoughthenumberofvic�msis
s�lldisputedthetotalisnowes�matedtobeupto 1645outofapopula�onatthe�meof7,000.Theuse ofterrorbombingcon�nuestothisday.
Thea�ackwasthesubjectofafamousan�-war pain�ngGernikabyPabloPicasso.Nowadaysthe centreofthetownisknownforitsicecreamshopsand amuseumdedicatedtocommemoratethebombing. Thereisamuseumandmanysculpturesandar�facts aroundthetownevoca�veofthea�ackincluding worksbyHenryMoore.
Onvisi�ngthetownin2024weweretakenbythe architectureofthestateparliamentbuildingandthe famousoaktreethathadsurvivedthea�ack.The communalmemoryofthe1937destruc�onwass�ll strong.IrealisedIwantedtomakesomeimagesthat portrayedtheeventsatGernikaandsomemonths laterassembledthisgroupofpictures.Theyareall basedondetailedimagesofMoore’ssculpture“Large FigureinaShelter”whichhecompletedin1986and donatedtothetowntocommemoratethea�ack.The surfaceofthesculpturehassincebeendegradedby naturalandhumancausesandthesebecamean integralpartoftheresul�ngimages.Theimagesalso incorporateextractsfromcontemporarynewspapers inEnglishandSpanishandlinesfromthepoemLa VictoiredeGuernicawri�enin1938bytheFrench poetPaulEluardanddenouncingthebarbarityofthe a�ack.
Uptothreeseparatephotographswerecombinedin layerstoproducetheimages,althoughsomejust deployedseveralcopiesofthesamephotograph. Cropping,masking,blendingandcolouradjustments weremadetoachieveapleasingimageandNIKcolour FX(freeedi�on)wasusedtoaddtextureandfinishthe images.Theywerethencolourmatchedfora consistentappearance.Coloursweretakenfromthe Na�onalistflagsandtheuniformsofthesoldiers.At the�meIdidnothaveacamerathatwascapableof mul�pleexposuressoalloftheworkwasdonein Photoshopoveraperiodofaroundthreeweeks. Althoughmore�me-consuming,thisgavemebe�er resultsthanhadtheybeena�emptedincamera.The imageswerecombinedwithsomeexplanatorytextin asmallflipbookwasproducedwhichisavailable
NextRPSSWVisualArtEvent Saturday,21ST JUNE2025
ThenexteventwilltakeplaceonSaturday,21June 2025atWoodburyVillageHall.Iamdelightedto announcethatourspeakerwillbeLeighPrestonFRPS withhispresenta�on‘RoadsLessTravelled’.
ThisishowLeighdescribesthepresenta�on:“Aseries ofimages,mostlyinshortseries,thatrepresentthe styleofphotographythathasevolvedoverallthe yearsI'vetakenimages.There'sali�leaboutthepast -afewdarkroompictures,butinthemainit'sabouta progression,afewsingleimagesketches,butmainly severalshortthemes-includingba�lefields,Urban/ Industrialse�ngslandscapes,portraitsandHebridean landscapesomeofwhichareamongmymostrecent work.Muchofwhat'sinthisselec�onisemo�ve, atmospheric,notalways'pre�y',itleansonnostalgia andonhowIuselightandgeometry.”
LeighiswellknowntomanyofusintheSouthWestso Iknowthatweareinforarealtreat.Heisadouble FellowoftheRPSandholdsFIAPandPAGB dis�nc�ons.HehastaughtphotographyforGloucester andCheltenhamcolleges,forJessops,Permajet,TimeLineeventsandlandscapeworkshops,bothintheUK andabroad.Formoredetailsabouthiswork,please see h�p://www.leighpreston.co.uk/index.htm
Thea�ernoonsessionwillbeanopportunityforour par�cipantstoshowandtalkabouttheirwork.This canbepresentedinbothdigitalandprintformat.
May2025No.25
Onsite,theimagesprojectedontotheground-glass screenarephotographedwithasecondcamera.
Forthispurpose,BeatSuterconstructedacube colouredblackontheinside,whichcanbea�achedto
thebackofthecamera'sfocusingscreen.Theimageof theground-glassscreenisthenphotographedthrough aholeonthebackofthecubeusinganAPSCcamera withashortmacrorangeof10cm.
VisualArtGroup-Circles
Haveyoueverthoughtyou'dliketohavesome friendlyphotographerssharetheirphotosand experienceswithyoueverymonth?Ihavethevery thing!ComeandjoinaCircle.Shareyour knowledgeandviewsonmembers'images,ask ques�ons,offeradviceandgenerallygetevenmore outofyourphotography.Email
Gill@dishart.plus.com withanyques�ons,andI'llbe gladtohelp,andfindyouaCirclewithavacancy.We haveonePrintCircleand5EmailCirclesjustnow,and I'dhopetofindyouaplace.
VAG-EXHIBITIONS
2024 Hesel�ne,ChenderitSchool London/Landmark Newport,SouthWales Solihull,TheCore
Theexhibi�onentrywaswellsupportedbyour membership,althoughthenumberofentrieswas downonthepreviousyear.
May2025No.25
h�ps://www.tomleephoto.com/newport-exhibi�onprints
GetReadytobeInspired
VAG&RTPSAnnualExhibi�ons LandmarkArtsCentre,Teddington,Surrey 27September–5October 10am-4pm£4entry,childrenfree
Richmond&TwickenhamPhotographicSocietyand theVisualArtGroupwillonceagainbejoiningforcesto stagetheirannualexhibi�onsatthemagnificent LandmarkArtsCentreinTeddingtonfrom27 Septemberto5October,inwhatpromisestobeoneof thebiggestandmostpres�giousphotographyshowsin Surrey.
Opendailyfrom10amto4pmwitha£4entrycharge, theeventalsoforthefirst�mefeaturephotographs frommembersofArtsRichmond.
RTPSinvitesitsmemberstothinkbeyondthesingle imageandtosubmitapanelofprints–thesedonotgo throughajudgingprocess,withallmembersableto exhibittheirwork.
Alongsidethese,therewillbedisplaysfromtheclub’s SpecialInterestGroups,whichincludePictorial, Monochrome,Crea�veEyes,InfraredandPost
Processing.With80imagesfromVAGandanew displayfromArtsRichmond,whichpromotesarts ac�vityintheborough,itisexpectedtobeavery diverseselec�onofphotographs.
Emerald2byLisaEdie
Professionalphotographerandexhibi�onorganiser EmmaDurnfordsaid:“Wearedelightedthatthe VisualArtGroupwillbeexhibi�ng;manyRTPS membersarealsomembersofVAG.Theworkon displayisalwaysofsuchahighstandardandvisitors areverykeentoseeit.”
GoingtotheSta�onbyLisaEdie
Oneofthehighlightsoftheexhibi�onwillbetwo drama�cpanelsontheUKandUSelec�onsfrom leadingphotographerandRTPSmemberSimonStreet h�ps://www.simon-street-photos.com whoholdsa recordbreaking10FellowshipswiththeRPS,their highestdis�nc�on.
May2025No.25
OnSaturdayIsetoffwithCarol,JayneandPaulto walkYork’scitywallsandfindthecats.
WestartedonthewallatGillygateandwalked clockwise.No23CatwasoutsidethewallandI thoughtweshouldbeabletospotthecatfromthe wall.Carolspo�editstraightaway.Itwasonthe roo�opofabuilding
Wecon�nuedonthewalls.Therewerelotsof opportuni�esformakingimages.
AtMonkgatewecameoffthewalltolookforcoffee andmorecats.Wefoundtheclimbingcatno21 calledHopeinGoodramgate,comissionedin2020by TheCat’sWhiskersCatCafe.WehadwalkedpastCat
20-thecluewas“it’snotameateater”soofcourse wasabovethevegetariancafe.Thecatswerevery easytomissifyouwerejustwanderingandnot lookingforthem.
Abreakforcoffeesi�ngoutsideinthesunshine. Morecatsfounda�ercoffee.TwowereattheCat GalleryshopinLowPetergate.Number1catabove theshopwascommissionedbytheGallerywhenthey movedherein2010.
May2025No.25
Formoredetailsandtopurchase�ckets,pleaseclick onthelinkbelow:
VandaandIlookforwardtoseeingmanyofyouon 24th May.
h�ps://events.rps.org/en/visual-art-group-londonhome-and-away-may-2025-5a2NN29Lcpt/overview
LindaWevillFRPS
VisualArtLondonOrganiser
e-mail: lindawevill@gmail.com
COMMITTEEMEMBERS
ThefollowingmembersmakeupyourVAG committeefor2025/26:
Chair MarkDeutschLRPS
Secretary&Newsletter CarolPaesARPS
Treasurer BarryBarkerFRPS
Membership ValGlennyARPS
ExhibitionsCoordinator TomLeeFRPS
SocialMediaCoordinator StevenGalvinARPS
ExhibitionsMember MartynPearse
WebEditor MichaelButterworthLRPS
CirclesCoordinator GillDishartARPS
Residentialweekends MikeKitchingmanARPS
CommitteeMember
PaulBullockLRPS
Therearealsothreesub-grouporganisers andoneVisualArtGrouprepresentativefor theTyngCollection.Theyare:
VisualArtRollright(S.Midlands)
CharlesBinns
VisualArtSouthwest MarijaLeesLRPS
VisualArtLondon -NEW
LindaWevillFRPS
TyngCo-ordinator
RobertHerringshawARPS