Lechlade Art Society Annual Exhibition August 2024
The exhibition was open to the public from Saturday 24th to Monday 26th August, 10am to 6pm, and Tuesday 27th August, 10am to 3pm, in the Memorial Hall, Oak Street, Lechlade GL7 3AY.
Entry was free with ample parking on site. Refreshments (tea, coffee, juices and cake) were very popular as always - available for a small charge. Visitor numbers were good despite major work on gas pipes which caused some significant delays on the A361.
A big "Thankyou" to all our visitors for supporting the exhibition and the Society!
Preview Evening
The Preview Evening for members and invited guests was on Friday 23rd August, 7pm to 8.30pm. Brian Britton, Chair of the Society, welcomed members and their guests and thanked the Committee for their help and hard work in organising the exhibition this year. He introduced Jeremy Lune, Chief Executive of the Prospect Hospice, Swindon.
Jeremy spoke about his role, the work of the Hospice and the difficult job of keeping the Hospice funded to perform the care which is so valuable and so necessary. He thanked the Society for its contribution to Hospice funds again this year through the sale of "Little Gems" at £25 each, many of which were available for purchase at the Preview Evening. He encouraged everyone to go and buy lots of "Little Gems" and this seemed to work as the display boards were pretty depleted by the end of the Evening!
Brian then introduced our Patron, Lord Faringdon, and his wife Lady Faringdon. Lord Faringdon praised the breadth and quality of members' work on display and declared the exhibition open.
Patron's Award
Lord and Lady Faringdon choose the winner of the Patron's Award each year. The winner of the Patron's Award 2024 is John Sirrelle with his picture of the face of a lion entitled "Pride" in Acrylic and Coloured Pencil. Unfortuately John was not present at the Preview Evening so the presentation was made at the Society's AGM on 8th October 2024 by Brian Britton, Chair of the Society. Congratulations to John!
"Pride" by John Sirrelle, Winner of the Patron's Award 2024
Exhibition Favourite Award
Visitors to the Annual Exhibition in the four public opening days (24th to 27th August) were asked to vote for their favourite work on display. Many "complained" that it was impossible to choose just one favourite work and wanted to vote for three - first, second and third choice. Some even did this anyway (with accompanying comments) even though the voting slip only had space for one favourite. The winner of what became known as "Exhibition Favourite 2024" was very clear - it was Roger Jones. Roger was presented with a "mini Oscart Trophy" in silver, rather than gold, by Chair of the Society, Brian Britton, at the Society's AGM on 8th October 2024. Roger was delighted.
Voted favourite at the Annual Exhibition, August 2024; Polperro, Oil, Roger Jones
Some photographs taken on the Preview Evening (Friday 23rd August, 7.00 to 8.30pm).
Forty three members had work on display screens in the main hall (in random order with the name of the artist as a caption).
"Little Gems" (8 x 8 inches approx, various mediums) on sale at £25 each. All sale proceeds in aid of the Prospect Hospice, Swindon.
Some photographs taken at the "handing in" on the morning of Friday 23rd August in the Memorial Hall. Also photographs of the display in the window of the Lechlade Library, the signage around the town directing visitors to the exhibition and the stands and browsers with cards and unframed work for sale in the Memorial Hall.
A selection of photographs of the exhibition taken with a special 360 degrees camera can be viewed here (courtesy of Roger D Green, Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team).