AUSTRALIAN CHINESE PAINTING SOCIETY, INC

NEWSLETTER -- SEPTEMBER 2005

Volume 15, Issue 5

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Dear Member,

I am writing this newsletter sooner than usual as many activities depend on your receiving the information in good time.

The 45th Art Exhibition of the Ryde Art Society will be held from 30 September to 7th October 2005, but as entries should be in on 12th September, I thought you should be given enough notice.

The Chinese Painting section has been included in the Show for a few years now, but unless more of us participate, I fear that the section may be eliminated. I urge you all to make an effort and enter one or more of your paintings. Remember, your work will never be appreciated unless it is given some exposure.

If you want en entry form please let us know by ringing Maggie or myself.

The Liverpool Hospital Art Space Exhibition. So far, Daisy informs me, there has been only one booking for frames. I hope this is not an indication of your lack of interest in the Exhibition. Again, this is a tremendous opportunity to have your work exhibited at little cost and effort to yourselves and we would like to see more of you participate in this effort.

The next YUM CHA will be held on 10th September. As usual it will be held at the North Ryde R.S.L. at 11.30 AM. For bookings and further details please ring Maggie. Should transport be a problem, please don't hesitate to let us know, perhaps we can solve it.

At the last meeting Andrew mentioned the Guangzhou (Canton) International Art Fair. Last year for the first time there was an Australian Pavilion where 12 Australian artists were on show. The public showed great interest and the pavilion was visited by over 45,000 art lovers.

This year the Art Fair will be held at the beginning of December and we would like as many artists as possible(not necessarily Chinese Painting artists) to participate. If you are interested or know someone who might be, please get in touch with Fergus Tam.
His email address is fergustam@iinet.com.au, Tel No 9457 8808 , mobile 0412 168 198 as soon as possible.

It is likely that an Australian Week hosted by Foreign Affairs and Trade and Austrade will be held after the Art Fair and Art Works of participating Australian artists at the Art Fair will be featured.

I hope I have notified most people who regularly attend our YUM CHAS. If not, my apologies, I hope this will reach you in time and you have no previous engagements. The usual arrangement stands, ring Maggie for bookings.

As promised in our previous newsletter, we have gone ahead with Daisy and translated another section of the "tricks" book. This one suggests applying ink or pigments onto a hard surface, such as glass, wooden table or plastic sheet. Then pressing at random cutouts of birds, houses or whatever takes your fancy, and pressing a piece of Xuan paper. However, pigment or ink will never stay put on a smooth surface, it will immediately gather into pools.
There is a solution to this, which I discovered a while back when confronted with the same problem.
Place a drop of detergent on a tissue or cloth and spread it on the table.
Then apply the ink or pigment - you will see that now it will sit smoothly on the table.
Proceed with the steps explained above.
Let us know your results. Better still, bring them to the next meeting.

Many of you expressed an interest in MONOPRINTING. Andrew was kind enough to let us have the notes of the last workshop he gave in March 2005.

1. Arrange 3 layers of paper as follows:
Layer 1 -- Lay a piece of plastic sheet, at least as big as the papers to be worked on, on the table. Newspaper can be used instead of plastic.
Layer 2 -- Place a piece of sized mulberry paper or any Xuan paper on top of layer 1,
Wet the paper thoroughly, using a spray bottle, and apply colourants such as tinters you can get from the paint section of your hardware shop, or water soluble inks such as Art Spectrum pigmented inks. Apply the colourants generously with a wet dripping brush to create desired patterns. Colours should now float and may merge on top of the paper.
Layer 3 -- Place another piece of mulberry paper or other on top of layer 2. Press lightly
But do not attempt to smooth the paper, to let it soak up the colour. Interesting
Patterns should now appear on top of the papers.
Gently separate layers 2 and 3 and dry them on newspaper.

We badly need new members and one way you can help your Society is to try to encourage a friend or fellow student to join only through a wider membership can we keep the Society afloat.

In fact, I have been asked by our Treasurer to ask as many of you as possible to come to the next meeting as there are matters of the utmost importance that she wishes to discuss with you.

As a money saving exercise, we have decided to relinquish the luxury of a postal box, and from now on, all mail to be addressed to

22A Charleroi Road,
Belrose 2085.

You will also find attached a "Renewal Form". If you have already renewed your membership, disregard it. If not, please send it to me together with your cheque or money order to the above address.

We are thinking of organizing a few more workshops. Fergus Tam, an excellent artist, would be prepared to give us one on any subject. He has closely worked with Andrew recently and is also keen on experimentation.

Of course, if you have any suggestions about workshops, we will be happy to oblige.

And now it only remains for me to remind you of the date and time of the next meeting which will be 1st October at 2.30 PM at Will's Quills. Remember to bring your works for the Liverpool Exhibition and any new work you wish to show us. This is our AGM, so make an extra effort to come.

Your Secretary.

Mirra Hainsworth