TWO JOINT presidents were appointed at Keighley Art Club's annual general meeting.

We are grateful to both John Wyatt and Geoffrey Mitchell as we have had this vacancy for18 months.

We now have 19 members, but there is room for more. It doesn’t matter how long it is since you painted. We don’t have a teacher, relying on workalongs by some members, demonstrations from professionals, and photographs from other members.

We only pay £2 a visit each, plus £15 a year membership. Where else can you have a night out for that? You are lucky to buy a drink for that.

The club will not have a summer break this year, instead opting to close in January and February. Keighley Healthy Living has agreed to let us use the room on that basis, so dark nights will not be a reason people can’t come along, and we hope to see a few more.

To add to other firsts this year, Bingley Art Group and Keighley Art Club are to hold two art exhibitions in the upstairs gallery at Cliffe Castle Museum, starting in September for three months.

Our professional demonstrator, Bruce McKay, returned for gouache work based on pictures from his photograph collection. We chose a scene from Staines.

Bruce said you could dilute with water, but it is better not to do so. Gouache is quick-drying and the difference between it and watercolours is that gouache can be removed after applying. Completed paintings, watercolours, need protection under glass from light, air, heat and damp.

Bruce used 200lb/425g paper. He said that white controls the tones when using gouache. His brushes were number eight and number 10 and had soft bristles. The wetness of the brush controls the effect produced.

The painting was not fully completed, as we only meet for two hours.

Bruce showed us pictures of Venice, where he had recently visited, and he circulated his portfolio of work. These looked just like photographs.

We all tried gouache the following week and were even more amazed at the details on his examples, as it is not an easy medium. We will carry on trying.

Before starting, Bruce looks at the shapes, colours and tones needed. He also looks at the slopes. He needs to make, and decides which brushes to use and how to apply, for each of his creations.

Next comes a rough pencil sketch, then Bruce starts with dark areas. He never uses black, mixing his own paints. He then paints all identical areas in each colour. No additives are used, as with acrylic paints.

Bruce showed us how you can blend gouache directly onto the paper and also how to remove paint by wetting and blotting.

Keighley Art Club’s autumn programme will be relatively informal, as it was only recently we decided to open. Contact 01535 669914 during the evenings with enquiries, or just pop along to Keighley Healthy Living on Wednesdays between 6.45pm and 8.45pm.

Any positive suggestions will help is welcome.