Just a quick note on contacting the gallery - there are four methods….

New user poll this month. What artistic style do you prefer - Turner or Constable?

In the previous poll voters favoured acrylic paint over oil paint in a ratio of six to one. (6:1)

Thanks to all who voted.

From a snowy October into a dull November. Some contrasts this month with the November picture featuring snow in my garden in Wokingham Berkshire. By contrast Richard Tasker’s picture features beautiful blue flowers from South Africa, attracting the attention of a bee. Richard has sent me a number of photographs that I will be featuring in the future. I would be interested if any other artists would allow me to exhibit their work. To see the work of people working in my neck of the woods click the ‘Wokingham Arts Society’ on my links page.

In the ‘Sketches Gallery’ three new animal drawings have been added. These are done with carbon pencil and are different poses of a charming donkey in his summer coat. The earlier two charcoal sketches show a different animal with a thicker coats because of winter conditions. The ‘Pot Luck Gallery’ has been moved from the Photography section to the Drawing and Painting section. New in ‘Pot Luck’ is a charcoal sketch of a lamp and candle. This is part of a preparatory series for an oil painting which will be shown later in the year. Don’t forget to have a look at the new photograph from our guest photographer and also the new ‘Picture of the Month‘.

We are very happy to feature another photograph from a skilled photographer located in South Africa. Richard Tasker has spent many years documenting the flora and fauna of that beautiful country and I am sure you will agree has produced some outstanding work. We feature one of his beautiful flower studies this month and look forward to seeing  more photographs in the future.

Into September and still little or no sun. However a bright spot is the addition of a fantsatic painting by Guest Artist Laura Tuson. I have asked Laura to let me show more of her work - so look out for some future treats.

The Guest Book still seems to be causing problems. Those that do try say that it seems to work about 50% of the time. Mr Site the internet host seems to think it is OK.

The result of the poll for camera use was 6 times more people now use digital than film. The new poll asks if people prefer acrylic or oil paintings.

The latest addition to the site is a Guest Page showing the work of talented artists and photographers. This month features photographer Richard Tasker with his picture of a lion taken in South Africa. I aim to change this selection once a month and will be featuring more of Richards work.. Wokingham Arts Group now has a reciprocal link to the site and their gallery also feature a work seen on this site. Currently they are displaying, ‘Café L’ Olympia - Paris. The Guest Book continues to be problematic. I am in contact with Mr Site (mine host) and optimistic that it will be reliable in future. At the moment digital camera users outnumber film camera users six to one in the poll. I will be having a new poll regarding artists mediums. Still raining in August and the feel of autumn in the air!

Still working hard trying to get it together. Contacted Mr Site about GUEST BOOK and the reply was that users have pop-up blockers in placed. Checked around and nobody is using them, so not convinced. Seems like only 50% of attempts get registered. Still quite a few people have had a look and have been kind enough to make some constructive comments. I have quite a few more pages to put up and will be adding some background information and various other items that I hope will be of interest. Did not rain today!!

I have contacted 'minehost' regarding the fact that the gust book is a 'dead parrot'. Hope a techno will rush in and fix said prob.

Its hard to be a guest!

The ‘Guest Book’ seem to be lacking in hospitality! If you are having trouble, ‘reset’ and try the code again. If that does not work both the ‘Blog’ and the ‘Contact Form’ are working. An alternative would be a straight email to mail@oldorchardart.com. After a day of rain on Saturday and a lot of work learning how to manage a web site - we now have sunshine at last on Sunday!

A busy time trying to locate and scan work to put up on site. Interesting comments added from visitors. Working hard to get it all sorted out.

What is the purpose of art in the 21st century? Should it be to entertain or to challenge?