Geoff Christian came to Felixstowe via Preston as a young man already certified as a Chief Engineer with experience in maritime life. As a child he drew and painted shipping and his painting style typically includes land and seascapes, often with studies of boats still prevalent in his watercolour and ink paintings which are simple, skilful and always popular with patrons of the Group’s Bent Hill Gallery.

Geoff served for many years as Secretary of the Felixstowe Art Group, Manager of the weekly painting meetings that are held at the Conservative Club while he also assisted at the Gallery in setting up the regular exhibitions held there. These days he remains an active Member of the Group with more time to enjoy his art.

The Group is looking forward to an illustrated talk by Diana Grace and Lucy Skellorn on Cedric Morris including an update on the refurbishments at Benton End, a former artists’ colony at Hadleigh. This will take place at Broadway House, 7.30pm on 14 June and will be followed on 28 June with a demonstration on Still Life in Acrylics given by Ed Cooper. Both sessions will be open to members of the public at a nominal charge of £2.

Martello Tower from Bawdsey Beach in watercolour by Geoff Christian

Pauline Maidlow has been a Member of the Felixstowe Art Group for the 20 years she has lived in Suffolk. Pauline’s favourite medium is oil painting and she is a ‘dab hand’ as her Martlesham Heath work shows. She also enjoys the Group’s Thursday painting get-togethers where she paints in watercolour, leaving the larger oil paintings at home. Her favourite subjects are seascapes and flowers.

Pauline exhibits at the Group’s Bent Hill Gallery, the Annual Exhibition and also at the Suffolk Show. Her interests also include knitting, sewing, dressmaking and her family so she is really looking forward to the visit by her daughter and granddaughter from Melbourne in June.

Martlesham Heath – oil painting by Pauline Maidlow

There will be two evening meetings this month. The first, on 14 June, will be an illustrated talk on the work of Cedric Morris including an update on the extensive refurbishments at Benton End. On 28 June, Ed Cooper will demonstrate Still Life in Acrylics. Everyone is welcome: both sessions, starting at 7.30pm, will be at Broadway House.

A nominal charge of £2 applies to non-Members.