I had a thoroughly enjoyable trip to London with the good mate on Sunday. We had been invited to the official opening of the annual exhibition of the Wapping Group of Artists… It was grand.

The exhibition at the Mall Galleries is open from 1000 to 1700 until Saturday 1st March (last day closes at 1600).

If you have the time and inclination it is well worth the effort. There are a range of fantastic scenes from the banks of the Thames ranging from around Windsor down to the sea. And, as many will know, the group’s works are spread around the estuary’s rivers and creeks too: all are within its bounds.

The Mate caught on camera, in conversation, as I tried to get a general view after being given permission by a Wapping Member: ‘…all publicity is good…’ he said, laughing with a twinkle in his eye. I could visualise the dapper and slight built gentleman, at ease, over his paints translating an evocative esturial scene onto his canvas or paper, with a light breeze stirring the inter-tidal grasses around his feet and cooling his neck…

Pictures by John Powley, which I much admired…

Pictures painted by Anthony Flemming … which we both liked. Me, especially, the one to bottom lhs … a scene I have placed looking across from around Stone Point on East Mersea towards Brightlingsea, called Sea and Sky. The detail is minimal, but the mind’s eye knows of the tower … the ghost of a spritsail barge … the smudge of a smack … the dash of white of a yacht or two against the faint low faintly painted grey/green shore. I admired it greatly…

There were so many good works by artists such as Roy Hammond, Sidney Cardew and Alan Runagall (who’s hero is Vic Ellis) to name just a few more. Most were well beyond my reach – but it is exhibitions such as this that allows a fleeting glimpse of the skills displayed by artists such as these. It was a pleasure and a privilege to be there…

Go along and give yourselves a treat, if you can!