AGM 2025
The KDAS 2025 AGM was held on Friday 27th March 2026 at the Counties Community Centre, Hertford Road, Kettering, NN15 6LG. It was extremely well attended and refreshments were enjoyed.
Alfred East Gallery Manager Billie Stevenson gave our opening talk on the re-opening of the Gallery. Hopefully late summer with a ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ opening. Billie explained all the new roofing work that is now nearly finished and the revised internal layout. She also hopes to host an Exhibition from November of works by the KDAS etching artists. This was very helpful to all present and was well appreciated.
Vice President Roger Hatton presented the report on our events during 2025. A good year where we celebrated our successful 120th Annual Exhibition and published a short illustrated history of our Society. We had several Sketching Outings plus a jazz sketching event that was enjoyed by all present. We did manage a visit to the RA Summer Exhibition that had its moments!
Sue Taylor’s Life Classes continue to be well supported as do our Etching Workshops.
President Ian Luck presented the Financial Report and confirmed KDAS is still solvent, we did have a loss during 2025 as we financed the ARTworks new website but generally we are in a good position. ARTworks, the joint gallery venture with KAGAM, continues to be successful and popular with Members and the general public, and has a good selection of Members’ works on view.
The Report was voted on and passed by Members present.
2026 Committee voted in – Janice Ferguson is our Honorary Life Member and Past President, with Ian Luck as President and Roger Hatton as Vice President; we have no Chairman at present; Jane Monk, Membership Secretary; Sue Lydia Taylor, Workshop Co-ordinator; Sam Brockway, Social Media Secretary and Maxine Dodd as Web Co-ordinator, Daniel Kelly as Youth and Workshop Projects. Clare Mycock was voted on as our new member. Ian Luck will also continue as Treasurer for the time being.
The next AGM will be in March 2027. As the Alfred East Gallery is currently still closed for extensive repairs, our 121st Exhibition will be held this year in ARTworks Creative Space in the Newlands Centre, Kettering in June. ARTworks has been running as a venture shared between KDAS and The Friends of Kettering Gallery & Museum for the past 7 years. Over 65 of our Members exhibit their works in this venue.
2026 KDAS 121st Exhibition
In June we will be holding our 121st exhibition at ARTworks Creative Space. More information will be available later in Spring re submissions, etc.
Spring and Summer Sketching Trips
KDAS arrange three or four popular outside painting sessions and sketching trips during the spring and summer months, details to be announced later.
Workshops
Life Drawing
Sue Taylor’s Life Workshops recommenced for 2026 on Saturday 3rd January. Future dates are for the first Saturday of each month, with no workshops during August and September. There will be a changing selection of models throughout. All Workshops are held at the County Community Centre, Hertford Road, Kettering, NN15 6LG and run from 10am-1pm, the cost of £15 includes the model’s fee and refreshments. Please encourage anyone who might be interested to join us in a very successful venture.
For further information, Sue can be contacted on 01536 519885.
Etching
These popular workshops have been held now for the last 7 years in Kettering. The workshops will introduce you to drypoint etching. The medium of drypoint is an expressive printmaking technique which is close to drawing in its immediacy and responsiveness. A sketch made on a perspex plate can then be printed straight away without needing to go through the process of using acid first to see what you have on the plate.
For more information, contact studio@ianluck.co.uk
Sir Alfred East RA
The Incidental Etcher: A lifetime of etching
by Ian Luck
Illustrated throughout, these chapters raise a new interest in Sir Alfred East’s life and artistic career, not only as a very prolific oil painter, but also a very experimental and pioneering etcher. All of East’s known etchings are illustrated and described, ideal guide for the collector. Available in ARTworks and on Ebay.
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