On Thursday 6th December members of the Group attended the funeral of Ronald Maddox, who died on the 14th November. Ronald will be remembered as a long-serving President of the RI and for his many years of committee work for the FBA and the AGBI, but less well known is the fact that he was a member of the Wapping Group for over fifty years, having been elected in 1966. Ronald had a very recognisable style, a delicate, almost miniaturist sense of line and watercolour work, and will be much missed.

Thames contrast (Wapping Group annual exhibitiion, 2014)

Ronald Maddox

This is the time of year when we look back over the year’s work and think about what’s going in to next year’s annual exhibition (open to the public 25th February 2019).

2018 was a very interesting painting season during which we got to some locations unusual even for the Wapping Group – Harwich, Margate, Trinity Buoy Wharf, HQS Wellington (courtesy of the Worshipful Company of Master Mariners)  and Cadogan Pier (courtesy of Cadogan Pier Limited

We are very sorry to report the death, at the age of 89, of John Powley on 29 April 2018.

During and after his long career as a surgeon, John pursued a parallel  life as a successful painter, teaching courses at Phillips House and Dedham, and having work hung in the RS Summer Exhibition three times. He was elected to the Wapping Group in 2000.

John brought a quirky, amusing and highly individual character to the Group, and he will be much missed.

John Powley (right) in typical Wapping company with Trevor Chamberlain and John Shave after a day’s painting. Photo: Rick Holmes

Chris Burdett, who has been a particularly determined Candidate with the Group over the last two years, was unanimously elected to full Membership at the recent AGM. A very warm welcome to Chris. Last year’s new member, John Walsom, was elected to the committee as second Exhibitions Organiser, so Chris can probably already see the fate that awaits him.

If you have been struggling with the snowy weather this week and haven’t been able to get to the annual show, there’s now another chance. The Mall Galleries will be closed on Sunday 4th March but will open as usual on Monday 5th at 10am – the Wapping Group show will be partly re-hung with some fresh work (to replace that sold in the first week) and will then run through the week until Saturday 10th March, closing at 1pm.

Please note: the second week will not be manned by Wapping Group members and the sought-after artists’ greetings cards will not be on sale, but if you want to meet some of the members and buy some of the cards you still have until 4pm tomorrow, Saturday 3rd March. However you will be able to buy paintings during next week as usual via the Mall Gallery desk.

The ‘Art Evening’ event was a great success last night at the Mall Galleries. Geoff Hunt, Roger Dellar and Rick Holmes all produced some wonderful paintings. The exhibition ‘London and its River’ continues till Saturday 3rd March 10am – 5pm. Admission free.

Join us for an Open Evening on Monday 26th February between 5.30 and 8pm. We’ve called it the ‘Wapping Challenge’. Though this will take place indoors, it’s actually the same thing we do all the time outdoors: some artists taking on the same subject in their own styles and using different media. And just like when we work outdoors, we’re doing it live, real-time, in front of spectators and passers-by, and it can all go horribly wrong! The brave up-front artists this time will be Roger Dellar, working in oils, Rick Holmes (pastels), and Geoff Hunt (watercolour).

If you can’t usually get here during the day, this evening opening is also an ideal opportunity to see the rest of the annual exhibition which goes on as usual around the Gallery. There will be a bar open.  Admission free.