G10 Group of Artists - Take 2

Yesterday I commented about the G10 Group of Artists from a relatively uninformed position. Numerous artists whose work I perused have mentioned the G10 on their websites so I wanted to explore their unique discipline of meeting weekly to paint, talk and dine together.

Robert McMurray kindly corresponded to fill in some further details. He organized the group in February 1999 and initially ten artists comprised the group which became known as G10. Over time these full time members were joined by others who came as their schedules permitted. Among the early members were such well known artists as Brent Heighton, Mike Svob, Brent Lynch, Rick McDiarmid, Susan McIvor, Sheila Symington. Bob thinks that possibly Bernie Major and Susan Falk were also with the original number. Occasionally Robert Genn, Alan Wylie, Janice Robertson, Suzanne Northcott and Jeanne Duffey met their colleagues for these delightful days. Space was rented at Beecher Place, lighting and assorted equipment and life models of course were provided and the drawing sessions were followed by a meal at Beecher Street Café. I learned from Bob M, that group members shared several shows at the Firehall Gallery in Delta. As life unfolded for each artist and other priorities arose, it was deemed wise to conclude the G10 group meetings and the group was dissolved in August 2007.

I couldn't properly display The triptych above called From the Water but it is an oil painting by Robert McMurray. It's dimensions are right panel 42" X 30"; centre panel 42 x 60"; right panel 42" X 30" and it is in a private collection. Images are the property of the artist. Seek his permission for use.

Oh, and by the way, my golf game yesterday was hot and cold much like my painting it seems.

The G10 Group of Artists

The G10 Group of Artists

I mentioned earlier the benefits of collegial arts activity and here is a group of artists, nineteen of them, who meet weekly as individual schedules permit. Their gatherings take place at the waterfront at Crescent Beach each Tuesday. During a three hour session the group does sketches of a hired model who does brief poses, some one to two minutes in length, others from five to ten minutes or longer. The value of these sessions for these artists is manifold but certainly it provides a regular invigorating atmosphere for developing or fine-tuning drawing skills. One can imagine how inspiring such meetings are to an artist’s creative imagination and motivation when in the company of friends and peers. This ritual exercise is followed by a lunch at the Beecher Street Café. Christine and I celebrated our forty-second anniversary at this quaint dining facility last Wednesday. Can you imagine the stimulating conversations over lunch when that many artists converge? The G10 holds occasional group shows.

I don’t know the names of the entire group of local artist but among them are Maryanne Kamphuis, Kim Pollard, Robert McMurray, Bette Laughy, Kathy Johnson, and Susan Falk. You can check their web links to their names.

Perhaps you can even write to one of them to inquire what is the derivation of the G10 nomenclature. I can’t – I am off to a Golf game.