Abergavenny Art Group is celebrating its 80th year this year, and held its annual exhibition of members’ work at the Scout Hall in the Fairfield car park during the first week of August.

In 1937 Agnes Beverley Burton and a group of friends founded the Abergavenny Art Group. Their aim was to encourage young people who had enjoyed art at school to continue to paint and draw. Agnes was a well known local artist. She was born in 1892 in East Anglia and studied at the Norwich School of Art. She produced many illustrations for books and magazines in her early career. She worked in a number of different media and exhibited widely in South Wales and East Anglia. People who knew her described her as diminutive, but energetic and practical. "The queen bee in a hive of paint daubing activity". Some of the older members of the Art Group remember her with great affection.

The Art Group continued to meet throughout the war in the famous studio over the Old Coach House in Castle Street. The atmosphere was " one of cigarette smoke, oil paint and strong turpentine!" In the early 60s the Group moved to Nevill St and later to other places around the town. It now meets twice a month at the Abergavenny Community Centre in Park Street, where the Art Group continues to have practical sessions, demonstrations by visiting artists and talks on art history.

New members are always welcome to join or attend talks and demonstrations by guest artists. The next illustrated talk, presented by Malcolm Meadows, will be held on Monday 11th September 2017 at 7.30pm at Abergavenny Community Centre and is entitled "Born in ’37 Like the Art Group", discussing the work of David Hockney. If you have an interest in art please do come along.

For more information about the group please contact Sarah Hoddy, Chairperson at [email protected]