Contrasts Exhibition, Buckingham Community Centre

 15-17th November 2013  

We’ve had a brilliant exhibition at the Community Centre in Buckingham.  111 exhibits and over 1000 visitors, selling lots of pictures, cards and browser work. We have signed lots of new members and got great feedback from our visitors.

The well attended Preview was opened by Ruth Newell the Mayor of Buckingham and prizes were presented by Right Hon. John Bercow, MP and Speaker of the House. It was a fun evening with everyone discussing and voting for their favourite pictures.  We were entertained with live music from Udo and Marian.

Saturday and Sunday were extremely busy and there was a real buzz to the exhibition!  Live music kindly provided by local musicians and an artisan café by Gyre and Gimble providing refreshments really encouraged visitors to stay, look, and enjoy the artwork.  There was a wonderful atmosphere and energy in the hall.

 The winners…….!

Well you were all winners really with your fantastic artwork!

But special congratulations to the prize winners:

•             Best Novice entry:               Colin Price                           Highly commended: Stella Bell

•             Best Intermediate entry:    Dilys Benjafield                  Highly commended: Pip Hitchin

•             Best Experienced entry:      Alan Chown                       Highly commended: Zoe Day

•             Best in Show:                        Zoe Day                               Highly commended: Alan Chown

•             Best Interpretation of the “Contrast” theme: Dilys Benjafield        Highly commended: Dinah Longland

 

All the main winners will be invited to join the Committee for a Sketching trip to the House of Commons next autumn.

A Special Thank You to;

•             The Rt. Hon. John Bercow MP and the mayor Ruth Newell

•             Our sponsors who donated prizes, especially those who have supported Bafa so generously over the years: Frame Art Display, Prego, Body Matters Beauty, Buckingham Art School, Canvas, Cygnet Interiors, Gyre and Gimble, Nelson Street Restaurant, Phillips Print, Russell and Butler, The Energy Association, The Pampered Chef, The Whale, Village Framers

•             Several members kindly lent us their display boards and browsers.

•             The Musicians

On Friday evening, Udo Dolz and Marion Wedley entertained us.  We were lucky to have Udo playing guitar on Saturday morning followed by Richard Moulding and his fantastic piano playing. In the afternoon Steve Bennett, Tommy Cavanagh and Ibrahim Sheikh kept the many visitors entertained with their music. On Sunday we were treated to a lovely acoustic guitar session from Karol Chrzanowski. Tommy Cavanagh popped in for a second session and Linda Watkins and Emma Thorpe entertained everyone with their beautiful singing. Finally Fraser (ragnroll) had everyone dancing in the aisles as the exhibition came to a close. Many of the musicians who played at the exhibition are members of the Buckingham Acoustic Club which holds an Open Mic night at the Woolpack pub on a Thursday. We were very grateful to Tommy and Daniel Hobden who were both able to help us out with sound equipment.  We look forward to working with them again in the future.

•             And not forgetting, all the artists, their families, the committee, friends and patrons of Bafa who helped to make the show run so smoothly.

Set up and take down...

The exhibition looked great (we might be a little bit biased!) and this was due to the excellent help provided by stewards assisting the Committee with setting up and ensuring a smooth take down.  We do appreciate the help you provide us, and we really couldn’t do it all on our own.

We are already planning the May exhibition, in the Cote at the Woolpack, and would welcome volunteers to help with putting this show on!

 

Written by The Committee!