“DON’T pressurise yourself, just enjoy painting” was the best advice given to Keighley Art Club members by Pres Jack Mitchell at our critique evening.

The second most interesting comment came from our treasurer, to follow your own ideas and not change path as a result of other people’s remarks.

This was an interesting way of facing up to suggestions from those who have different viewpoints to your own and who may not appreciate what you aim to achieve.

We hope that some of the selected points which follow give food for thought to Keighley Art Club members and any person interested in art. They were all discussed at our evening meeting.

A mountain scene, as with other traditional works, could have a sense of scale by adding two figures. A notebook sketch of Spanish oranges would have benefited from being transposed onto a larger image to display to best advantage.

Undergrowth and a stream in dark greens had been nicely framed and was well executed. There was no mount frame surrounding the painting, which in a light green might pick out the highlights on display to another level. The picture deserved this.

Other pictures lacked direction of light, with corresponding shadows on and below the fruit trees and so on, in appropriate colours. This would also add depth. Two paintings would be described as vignettes and were by our newest member. The two items were described as the outside edges fading away, leaving an outer colour-free area which is an alternative way to display the picture.

The main subject of a painting is better off-set from the centre so the focal point is more evident. This applies horizontally and vertically because horizons are better placed two-thirds along the page.

An unusual presentation was that of a picture within a picture, which had impact. Surrealism was another approach, which the person had dismissed, but the potential to develop this idea was there.

One painting including eight birds afloat. Former art teacher and artist Arthur Craven always stressed that an odd, not even, number of birds should appear, and this was open to discussion.

Perspective is not easy to achieve but buildings by Bryan Taylor display this well.Comments were invited the early stages of a collage of a greyhound, which will hopefully of use to the artist.

Quite a variety – and it made an interesting evening with suggestions that members may or may not adopt in their work.

Our open evening was a great success with many people visiting. Our exhibition at the Picture House cinema has been updated and is ready for visits, with one painting already sold. Our 2020 programme has been completed and is on display in the Keighley Library and on Facebook.