Activities

Painting

Unlike most art groups, New Road Artists meet weekly to paint along side one another, each towards their own goals and interests. This discipline of working closely but separately, enables members to discuss their work freely with each other, knowing that this is an informed and long term commitment to mutual support. Lunchtime discussions offer an opportunity for information to be shared. The group also has a well stocked library, which includes magazines and exhibition catalogues.

In order to capitalise on the wide range of expertise within the group in-house workshops are held from time to time. Topics have ranged from an exploration of collage to experimental drawing and mono printing. Occasionally an idea for a small piece of common work is proposed to take us out of our normal ways of working.

Visiting Artists

Regular visits from other artists comprise an important and stimulating part of activities. Some artists come to show their work and share their working practice with the group, others to discuss each NRA individual’s work, others to run short workshops. Painters who have given talks and workshops have included Bonnie Brown, Lesley Bellchambers, Jane Bennett, Patricia Crowther, Gerry Dudgeon, Caroline Hall, Frances Hatch, Teresa Lawton, Ursula Leach, Steve Powell and Tony Scrivener . The group also arrange art history lectures from time to time. Topics have included the St Ives painters (David Westhead), Gertrude and Leo Stein’s art collection (Maggie Giraud) and Constructive and Systems Art in Britain (Dr Alan Fowler).

Exhibitions

The group values attending exhibitions together whenever possible. The New Art Centre at Roche
Court has provided much inspiration over the years, with visits to see the work of Sarah Pickstone, Vicken Parsons and Ceri Richards as well as its changing displays of sculpture.

Individual members are encouraged to exhibit their work, and many have done so in regional, national and open exhibitions, as well as showing work in local galleries. Periodically the group holds its own exhibitions, in addition to annually participating in Hampshire Open Studios. New Road Artists work can be found in private collections locally, as well as in London, Cardiff, the Netherlands, Italy, Australia, USA and Canada.