UPCOMING EVENTS
Demo - Madhumati Manda
Madhumati is an artist/musician, having graduated from Visva Bharati University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Santiniketan, India, 1998. Madhumati paints in a free impressionistic style and has always been fascinated by the interplay of colour, light and movement...these are the key characteristics of her works.
She loves to bring out the movements, colours and impressions of life around us - the joy of that which is seen and that which is heard!
This is Madhumati’s second demo for us - an evening not to be missed!
Workshop - Madhumati Manda
Following her demo last week, Madhumati returns to the club to lead a workshop.
Demo - Nicole Stevenson
Drawn to coastlines, Nicole spends time in the places she wants to paint, doing water based media paintings and taking photos. Returning to the studio she works on wooden panels with layers of acrylic paint and collage papers that she has either collected or made herself with paint and different block printing methods.
Workshop - Nicole Stevenson
After her demo last week, Nicole retuirns to lead us through a workshop.
Demo - Michelle Ives
Michelle Ives is an artist and illustrator living and working in Glasgow, Scotland. Originally from South Africa, she trained in graphic design and illustration before moving to the UK and gaining further qualifications in the field of animation.
In 2016 she was shortlisted for the “Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year” competition, and in 2017 was awarded the Small Painting Award at the Paisley Art Institute 129th Annual Exhibition for her painting “wet Intersection”.
Her work is strongly influenced by the landscape near to which she lives (on the outskirts of Glasgow) and the ever changing light and atmosphere of the Scottish weather.
In 2018, she was once again shortlisted for Sky Arts, this time as a finalist in the “Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year” competition.
Professional Appraisal with Nicola Carberry (M - Z)
Bring along a piece of your own work (Members with surnames M to Z).
Nicola will give you her professional appraisal with hints and tips.
Demo - Cherylene Dyer
Cherylene works primarily in oils, her paintings combine traditional techniques such as glazing and scumbling, with evocative storytelling, creating works that feel both intimate and enigmatic. Her subjects often appear simple at first glance; a woman in a swimming cap, a man singing among birds, but beneath these surfaces lie deeper narratives of vulnerability, longing, and authenticity.
Graduating with honours from the Glasgow School of Art in 1998, where she was awarded the Benno Schotz Prize for drawing, Cherylene has built an accomplished career spanning over two decades. Her work has been widely exhibited across the UK and Europe.
Deeply influenced by contemporary culture and social media, her recent work reflects on the contrast between outward appearances and inner realities, examining how we present ourselves and what lies beneath.
Cherylene’s work has been featured in Homes & Interiors Scotland, The Glasgow Herald, and Sunday Mail, and she continues to exhibit regularly while working on private commissions and sharing her love of painting through teaching.
Demo - Louise McBride
Louise originally studied Visual Communication and photography at Glasgow School of Art and now uses her eye for photographic composition to capture the reference images which she uses back in her studio to plan, sketch and then paint landscapes, seascapes or any other type of scene which inspires her.
Her medium of choice is soft pastel, supported by pastel pencils and she also enjoys using charcoal and dabbling in graphite drawing.
A constant in her work is the inclusion of nature, no matter how minor. A particular passion is recreating striking cloud formations and using them as an important feature in her compositions.
Louise also undertakes commissioned work which often involves portraiture, in the form of people, pets or even soft toys on occasion!
Demo - Todd Garner
Todd was born and raised in Southern California and has now been living and working as an artist in Glasgow for over 30 years. He began his higher education at Pasadena City College, California, where studied Design & Illustration. He then took a slight change in direction and enrolled to study Entomology at California State Polytechnic University. It was here he perfected his attention to detail and drawing. Todd then went on to do a BA in Painting at California State Polytechnic University in 1983 before finishing his MFA in Ceramics at California State University in 1988.
Originally moving to Scotland in the early 90s to pursue his passion for ceramics, Todd fell in love with Glasgow, its architecture and social surroundings. It was not long until Todd began recording his most loved locations by painting them into narratives. Pulling inspiration from the golden age of cinema and the continually changing narrative of human interactions, his figurative paintings tell a story in his iconic, retro-romantic style.
Working predominantly in acrylic, Todd’s paintings are sleek and embedded with pointers to the 1930s, his love of Art Deco and history. Scenes taken of the present day have a Ciné Noir mood to them that continue the painting style of Todd’s art-inspiration, Edward Hopper. Todd’s work is a wonderful blend of tales that incorporate the sitters' stories with the venue’s history. There is a slight auto-biographical element as he and his wife can be seen painted into scenes that they have both visited, including the RMS Queen Mary where they married. He continues to paint from his studio based in the centre of Glasgow whilst teaching Painting at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
AGM
Please make a point of attending the AGM if at all possible. We need a quorum to pass any resolutions.
Theme Night - “Wha’s like us”
Bring along a piece of work related to the theme ‘Wha’slike us’. It will be displayed and there will be an opportunity to explain why and how it was painted.
This is always a most interesting night - and it isn’t as scary as it sounds!
4 in 1 - With Club Artists
Four Art Club members will set up around the hall with examples of their work. This is always a very sociable evening and is a great opportunity to explore different techniques and expand our own practice.
Tonight’s artists:-
Caroline Boreland
Lesley Herd
Paul Nelis
Kaz Stevenson
Christmas Party / Worknight
Get ready to jingle all the way at this spectacular Christmas Event.
Join us for festive fun, where the holiday spirit comes alive. 🎅🌟
What to expect:
Members in Christmas outfits and plenty of time for chatting and drawing .
A wonderful raffle.
Delicious Christmas Buffet treats - sandwiches, cakes, cheese, wine and juice.
⛸️ Ice skating rink....well, no not this year!
Please dress up for the event with something Chrismassy - jumpers, hats, santa suits etc to create cherished memories at the most wonderful time of the year.
Don't miss out – mark your calendar Wednesday 3 December for a Christmas celebration like no other!
We look forward to seeing you then
Dates for your Diary
here are some dates for your diary.
Keep an eye out for updates over the coming weeks, when I'll be sharing further details and sneak peeks on what goodies I'll have at these fab artisan markets.
#ayrshireart #datesforyourdiary #handmade #artisanmarkets #artmarket #robertburnsbirthplacemuseum #artforsale #ayrshireartist
#supportlocal #lovewhatyoudo #dowhatmakesyouhappy #handmadeayr #ayrshiressmallbusiness #smallbusiness #supportsmallbusiness #craftmarket #ayrshiremarket #ayrshireartisans #scottishartistsandmakers #scottishart #ayrshirecoast
Opening Up with Vanessa Lawrence
Vanessa Lawrence has gone from predominantly painting for many years to creating sculptures based on wildlife and the human figure.
These sculptures have been commissioned both privately as well as for large scale public art commissions. Although sculptures are the starting point these sculptures go on to influence drawings and paintings on to a variety of surfaces. One work can evolve into a whole series of works, which keeps the whole practice exciting and open ended.
In 1993 Vanessa attended a 9-month programme at Lorenzo De Medici, School of Art, Florence, Italy studying figurative drawing and painting, then continued to live, work and paint in Switzerland until January 1998 when she obtained an 18-month sponsorship to attend The New York Studio School of Drawing Painting and Sculpture. Vanessa then won scholarships from the school to complete the three-year program, including a 4-month exchange in autumn 2000 to the Ecole de Beaux Arte, Marseille, France.
After graduating from the Studio School in spring 2001, she was accepted to take part in the Studioscape Residency Program run by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council on the 91st Floor of the North Tower of the Twin Towers. The residency was tragically ended on September 11th, which then forced Vanessa to return to Scotland where she works as a full time artist.
Model Night
This evening there will be live model for you to sketch, paint or draw. A great opportunity to practice life drawing skills.
Bring along your materials of choice!
Professional Appraisal (A - L) - Nicola Carberry
Bring along a piece of your own work (Members with surnames A to L).
Nicola will give you her professional appraisal with hints and tips.
Worknight
Bring along a current piece of work and enjoy a sociable evening sharing chat and ideas over a nice cup of tea!
Donations for tea/coffee/biscuits will be going to this year’s chosen charity.
4 in 1 with Art Club Artists
Four Art Club members will set up around the hall with examples of their work. This is always a very sociable evening and is a great opportunity to explore different techniques and expand our own practice.
Tonight’s artists:-
Jenny Brown
Sandra Innes
Audrey Kaufman
Cally Laidlaw
Demo - Nicola Carberry
Nicola Carberry BA PGCE Fine Art graduate of Glasgow School of Art, post-graduate certificate in Post-School Education from Strathclyde University, lecturer in Art & Design at Glasgow Kelvin College, member of Milngavie Art Club, former committee member of RGI and PAI.
Life drawing has been part of Nicola’s creative practice since the age of 15 at Dollar Summer School with the renowned Scottish artist Lys Hansen. Her drawings evolve through numerous sessions and layers. During lockdown, she also found a way of working with the figure via sessions online and began to recognise the flat screen for what it was, a frame around an image, like a still from a film or play. Being able to view the model as a character within a scene, opened lots of new possibilities.
Worknight
Bring along a current piece of work and enjoy a sociable evening sharing chat and ideas over a nice cup of tea!
Donations for tea/coffee/biscuits will be going to this year’s chosen charity.
Demo - Lewis MacKenzie
Lewis MacKenzie is a contemporary impressionist painter based near Glasgow in Scotland. His work features in numerous private collections and has appeared in exhibitions by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, The Royal Glasgow Institute and the Paisley Art Institute, as well as in several private art galleries in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
A mostly self-taught painter, Lewis trained as a biologist and worked for several years in a cancer laboratory before rekindling his life-long love of drawing and painting in the early 2010s. He draws influences from the masters of past eras, such as Velasquez, Vermeer, Raeburn, Sargent, and the Boston School Impressionists. His interests range from portraiture to still life and landscape, and he is committed to the impressionist way of working – to approach form through the study and interpretation of light, in an effort to draw out the musical and poetic resonances of the visual impression.
Demo - Yvonne Taylor
Yvonne is a graduate of Glasgow School of Art, winning the American Friends of the GSA award. In the same year she was one of 66 artists worldwide awarded Sotheby’s International Artist of the Year status with exhibitions in Tel Aviv and Chicago.
She is an artist member of Paisley Art Institute, Glasgow Art Institute and the Glasgow Society of Women Artists. Yvonne has a wonderful mastery of the palette knife. Her skill in creating textures, gestural marks and detail is exceptional.
Demo - Siobhan McLaughlin
Siobhan McLaughlin is an artist and curator based in Glasgow. She graduated with First Class MA (Hons) in Fine Art at Edinburgh University in 2019 and has since been awarded the SSA Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Award at the Royal Scottish Academy and a film commission from the Tate’s British Art Network. In 2022/23, Siobhan was awarded an RSA Residencies for Scotland at Cromarty Arts Trust, the Black Isle, a Visual Art Scotland Cornwall Exchange Residency and a Stephen Palmer Travel Award.
As well as exhibiting regularly, she has curated a major private collections exhibition at Dovecot Studios for the centenary of Scottish artist Alan Davie.
Her practice combines personal experiences of walking and nature with material experimentation to create non-traditional landscape paintings. Alongside painting she uses drawing, basic weaving, printmaking and installation to explore themes of place, struggle, memory and sustainability.
She is interested in honesty in painting, allowing raw materials, thick brushmarks and exposed frayed edges to lay bare the construction of the painting. This links into her interest in the history of British landscape painting, the romanticisation and valuing of rural landscapes primarily for their aethetic value, which for centuries has led us to risk minimising the land's ecological worth. In the current, continued state of climate crisis, it is more important than ever to re-evaluate our understanding of landscapes, to represent them in paint not only as areas of beauty but as valuable and complex resources to be protected.
Enrolment Evening
Our first night of the 2025/26 Session. Troon Primary School, Sports Hall - Barassie Street, Troon 7pm to 9pm
Come along to enrol.
This is also an informal work night so bring along a piece of work in progress and enjoy sharing ideas, chatting and having a nice cup of tea!
Electric Brae Call for Artists
Open call out for artists! Please contact electricbraegallery@live.co.uk for more information & application. #actionforpulmonaryfibrosis #calloutforartists
SSA Exhibition - Life With Water: A wave of creativity in response to the Ocean
Troon Art Club members Ian Leyden, Euan Tait and Jenny Brown currently have work on display as part of the Society of Scottish Artists’ Life With Water exhibition at An Tobar, Isle of Mull and online!
To accompany the main exhibition, the SSA is presenting a special display of 30 x 30cm artworks created by its members on the theme:
Life With Water: A wave of creativity in response to the Ocean
This inspiring showcase includes over 175 unframed artworks in a wide variety of mediums, created by professional, graduate, student, and emerging artists. All works are available to purchase at affordable prices.
Huge congratulations to Ian, Euan and Jenny—what a fantastic achievement!
https://ssa.viewingrooms.com/.../22-life-with-water-30-x.../
#TroonArtClub #LifeWithWater #SSAExhibition #ScottishArtists #SupportLocalArtists
TAC Summer Plein Air Event - Dunure Harbour
Dunure Harbour - Saturday 30 August 2025 - 11am - 3pm
Join Troon Art Club in Dunure on Saturday 30 August 2025 from 11am - 3pm.
Let us know if you can make it using this link below:
https://forms.gle/qAkm9htvMyuso2687
There are several areas of interest, including the view across the Clyde to Arran, Kintyre and Ailsa Craig; the Castle, The Dovecot, The Labyrinth, Seaview cottages from Kennedy Park or the beach, Yachts and Boats in the Harbour, Harbourview houses, the North Shore, Port Shuchan Beach (accessed by following the path South from Kennedy Park).
Important - Please do not start painting before this time if you wish to be included in the competition.
There is a Toilet block at Kennedy Park, and a single site Toilet on the Harbour.
Food and Drinks are available at The Harbourside Café and The Anchorage Hotel; Aruna Gift Shop is on the same street.
For parking information, see Directions below.
We will have a judge and a number of prizes for the best artworks. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd places and a 4th prize for members from other clubs who want to join us. All prizes will be announced on the day. Not everyone needs to enter the competition, we are happy to have you along and enjoy the beautiful environment.
If the weather is too poor for us to paint, the event will be postponed to a later date. We will keep you up to date with any further details in the lead up to the Event.
Directions
BY ROAD
From the North via Ayr, take the A719 road from Doonfoot at the Co-Op roundabout and head South past Craig Tara and The Farm Park.
When you enter the 30mph/20mph zone, there is a ramp at Fisherton Primary School bus stop; turn RIGHT on Station Road down the hill to Dunure.
Carry on past the Harbour and turn RIGHT to park at Kennedy Park.
From the South via Maybole or Culzean, take the A719 road past Humeston Byre, Croy and The Electric Brae, and turn LEFT at Dunure Mains Farm.
When you enter the 30mph/20mph zone, turn LEFT to park at Kennedy Park.
Currently there are no parking charges at Kennedy Park; the £5/day charge may be reinstated by the Plein Air date.
Parking at the Harbour area is limited to 2 hours with a view to prioritising the small number of spaces for Harbourside Café customers.
Parking at the Anchorage Hotel car park, accessed by a ramp just South of the Harbour road is for Hotel customers only.
There are several areas of interest, including the view across the Clyde to Arran, Kintyre and Ailsa Craig; the Castle, The Dovecot, The Labyrinth, Seaview cottages from Kennedy Park or the beach, Yachts and Boats in the Harbour, Harbourview houses, the North Shore, Port Shuchan Beach (accessed by following the path South from Kennedy Park).
There is a Toilet block at Kennedy Park, and a single site Toilet on the Harbour.
Food and Drinks are available at The Harbourside Café and The Anchorage Hotel; Aruna Gift Shop is on the same street.
For parking information, see Directions below.
We will have a judge and a number of prizes for the best artworks. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd places and a 4th prize for members from other clubs who want to join us. All prizes will be announced on the day. Not everyone needs to enter the competition, we are happy to have you along and enjoy the beautiful environment.
If the weather is too poor for us to paint, the event will be postponed to a later date. We will keep you up to date with any further details in the lead up to the Event.
Directions
BY ROAD
From the North via Ayr, take the A719 road from Doonfoot at the Co-Op roundabout and head South past Craig Tara and The Farm Park.
When you enter the 30mph/20mph zone, there is a ramp at Fisherton Primary School bus stop; turn RIGHT on Station Road down the hill to Dunure.
Carry on past the Harbour and turn RIGHT to park at Kennedy Park.
From the South via Maybole or Culzean, take the A719 road past Humeston Byre, Croy and The Electric Brae, and turn LEFT at Dunure Mains Farm.
When you enter the 30mph/20mph zone, turn LEFT to park at Kennedy Park.
Currently there are no parking charges at Kennedy Park; the £5/day charge may be reinstated by the Plein Air date.
Parking at the Harbour area is limited to 2 hours with a view to prioritising the small number of spaces for Harbourside Café customers.
Parking at the Anchorage Hotel car park, accessed by a ramp just South of the Harbour road is for Hotel customers only.
Troon Art Club Summer Exhibition
Come and See! - Troon Art Club’s Fantastic Exhibition 2025
Troon Art Club’s much-loved Annual Summer Exhibition is back—and it’s bigger and better than ever! Opening its doors on Saturday, 26th July at 12pm – entry is free, this vibrant showcase promises a stunning array of artwork created by talented members from across Ayrshire.
This year’s collection is truly exceptional, bursting with creativity, colour, and craftsmanship. The exhibition has become a highlight of the local calendar, drawing art lovers from near and far—and 2025 is set to be no exception!
The exhibition will be opened by Deputy Provost Mary Kilpatrick and Troon Art Club President Paul Nelis and will have guest judges, prize givings and a buffet. Paul will be urging people to buy original art works and get inspired as much of the work on display is not available anywhere else and everything will be at affordable prices.
There will be over 160 hanging framed artworks available for sale and more than 500 non-framed portfolio pieces available around the Hall.
The Exhibition will be held in the Boys Brigade (BB) Hall, next to the Troon swimming pool from Saturday 26th July to 9th August. Entry is Free and opening times are 11am to 7pm daily following the opening.
A heartfelt thank you to SimpsInns for their continued and generous sponsorship, helping to make this event a lasting success year after year.
Don’t miss it—come and be inspired!
NCAC Open Exhibition at the Barony Centre
Calling all Ayrshire artists! The forms for our NCAC Open Exhibition at the Barony Centre, West Kilbride are being updated at the moment and will be available in April. Hand-in day is Tuesday 22nd July and the exhibition runs from Saturday 26th July to Saturday 16th August (excluding Sundays). We look forward to hearing from you and seeing all your wonderful creations!
Crosshouse Hospital Exhibition
The Troon Art Club Exhibition is now open at Crosshouse Hospital! Come along and enjoy a fantastic display of local talent. The exhibition will be running until the end of August – don’t miss it!
Location: Crosshouse Hospital
On now until 28th August
Support local art and brighten your day with some creativity!
Celebrating John Byrne
MacLaurin Art Gallery are exited to share some of John Byrnes work in a range of media through which he worked.
Born in Paisley in 1940, like many developing artists Byrne was not immediately embraced by the art world. After working as a slab boy in a carpet factory, he enrolled at Glasgow School of Art which he abandoned for the art school in Edinburgh due to what he felt were rigid restrictions - only to find that things were even worse in the capital. He returned to Glasgow and finished his degree. To learn more about the exhibition visit The Maclaurin Art Gallery | Ayr | Scotland
‘Plein Air’ Event - Dunure Harbour
Join Troon Art Club in Dunure on Saturday 14 June 2025 from 11am - 3pm.
Please do not start painting before this time if you wish to be included in the competition.
Let us know if you can make it using this link: https://forms.gle/qAkm9htvMyuso2687
There are several areas of interest, including the view across the Clyde to Arran, Kintyre and Ailsa Craig; the Castle, The Dovecot, The Labyrinth, Seaview cottages from Kennedy Park or the beach, Yachts and Boats in the Harbour, Harbourview houses, the North Shore, Port Shuchan Beach (accessed by following the path South from Kennedy Park).
There is a Toilet block at Kennedy Park, and a single site Toilet on the Harbour.
Food and Drinks are available at The Harbourside Café and The Anchorage Hotel; Aruna Gift Shop is on the same street.
For parking information, see Directions below.
We will have a judge and a number of prizes for the best artworks. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd places and a 4th prize for members from other clubs who want to join us. All prizes will be announced on the day. Not everyone needs to enter the competition, we are happy to have you along and enjoy the beautiful environment.
If the weather is too poor for us to paint, the event will be postponed to a later date. We will keep you up to date with any further details in the lead up to the Event.
Directions
BY ROAD
From the North via Ayr, take the A719 road from Doonfoot at the Co-Op roundabout and head South past Craig Tara and The Farm Park.
When you enter the 30mph/20mph zone, there is a ramp at Fisherton Primary School bus stop; turn RIGHT on Station Road down the hill to Dunure.
Carry on past the Harbour and turn RIGHT to park at Kennedy Park.
From the South via Maybole or Culzean, take the A719 road past Humeston Byre, Croy and The Electric Brae, and turn LEFT at Dunure Mains Farm.
When you enter the 30mph/20mph zone, turn LEFT to park at Kennedy Park.
Currently there are no parking charges at Kennedy Park; the £5/day charge may be reinstated by the Plein Air date.
Parking at the Harbour area is limited to 2 hours with a view to prioritising the small number of spaces for Harbourside Café customers.
Parking at the Anchorage Hotel car park, accessed by a ramp just South of the Harbour road is for Hotel customers only.
Summer Outing
On Saturday 24th May the all-weather venue for our Summer Outing this year is Alloway, birthplace of Robert Burns, and now home to one of the most exciting new art installations in Scotland.
Bring a sketchbook and capture scenes from the mural, or some of the nearby locations such as the auld Brig O’ Doon, Alloway Auld Kirk or the Burns Monument Garden. Scenic Alloway village and Burns’ Cottage is a 15-minute walk away.
Refreshments, lunch and toilets are within a 5-minute walk at the National Trust for Scotland’s Robert Burns Birthplace Museum Café.
Please car-share if you can and plan to arrive around 10:45. There is free street parking on Murdoch’s Lone, and off-street at the Burns Museum. Make your way down the access ramp to the path off Murdoch’s Lone, for a start at 11:00 (we will have a steward on duty to direct you).
Please gather back at the tunnel by 2:30pm to take part in the judging of the sketches (place a penny token on your favourite) and congratulate the winners.
The Three Amigos
We’re thrilled to share that three of our talented members — John MacDonald, Ian Leyden, and Bobby Johnstone — are showcasing their work in a group exhibition titled "The Three Amigos"!
Studio 44 Gallery, 44 Boyd St, Largs KA30 8LE
5 – 25 May (Tuesday to Saturday, 11am–5pm)
Opening Event: Tuesday, 6 May at 11:00am
Come along and support our amigos — it’s a brilliant opportunity to see their creative talents on full display. Don’t miss it!
Acrylic Painting Workshop with Artist Jody Kelly
Create a double/split portrait in the style of Jody Kelly. In this one off unique workshop, Jody will demonstrate his portrait techniques using acrylic paints and source images from magazines
You will create your own unique portrait on an A4 Canvas
Date - Friday 25th April
Time - 10am-2pm
Cost - £50
Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine
Suitable for all abilities
Canvas and paints provided - Participants can bring their own brushes and materials if desired
Follow the link to book this exciting workshop!!!
Emma McLaughlin Solo Exhibition
We’re delighted to announce that one of our members will be holding their first solo exhibition at Gallery North West, 24 Front Street, Brampton, Cumbria, CA8 1NG
OPENING TIMES
Monday to Friday - 9. am to 5 pm.
Saturdays - 9 am to 4 pm.
Sundays - Closed.
Print Room Exhibition
Exhibition! An exhibition of prints by local artists from the Art Studio practice evening course.
#Printmaking #artstudiopractice #screenprinting #reliefprinting #collagraphs #drypoint # rozellehoysemuseum
AGM
Please make a point of attending the AGM if at all possible. We need a quorum to pass any resolutions.
Workshop with Julie Smith
Julie will be on hand to offer help and advice while you produce your own work based on her demo of last week.