On Tuesday Febraury 7th thirty-six members of Stowmarket’s Art Club had a go at producing a large scale painting in the same vein as Rolf Harris’ ‘Big Event’ series. The idea had first been suggested by Dave Goldsmith, the Club’s treasurer, in September last year when he wondered if it would be possible for the town to create something on the Big Event’s lines and involve other clubs, societies and schools etc. The original idea was to help promote the Art Club and the annual art exhibition that is held the last week in May at the United Reformed Church in Ipswich Street. However, it was later suggested that the Club should have its own smaller scale ‘test run’ to work out the logistics of putting on such an event. The picture chosen for this attempt was Franz Hal’s ‘Laughing Cavalier’. A copy of the picture was obtained and disected into thirty-six pieces and at a previous meeting everyone was invited to pick a number from a bowl where each number represented an individual section. On the night there was an excited buzz as people were given their 8” X 10” artist’s boards and a selection of acrylic paints to reproduce their given panel. Some had very detailed parts such as lacework to achieve whilst others had to reproduce the likeness for the face etc. A few had minimalistic background sections to do, but everyone set to it in a happy mood. After just over one and half hours the time came to assemble the separate panels together on a board and when the final piece was put into place a spontaneous round of applause filled the air as everyone congatulated themselves for this excellent achievement.

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Our thanks to Steve Williams from Stowmarket who sent this article in to us. If you have anything which you would like to send in then please email your articles to kerry.burn@onesuffolk.co.uk .