Weald of Kent Art Society
Embracing art in all its forms
Welcome to WOKAS
The Weald of Kent Art Society is a fun, vibrant and friendly group of enthusiasts of all ages and artistic levels.
We embrace art in all its forms and have demonstrations and talks, members' painting sessions,
and painting days out, as well as exhibitions.
This website provides a platform where members can share some of their art and find
information about current and future events.
Non-members are very welcome to browse this website to find out more about the society and its artists.
We hope you like what you see and are tempted to join us via the membership page.
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News
WOKAS newsletter
See the current issue of our new WOKAS newsletter that is now available. Click to download your copy of issue 12.
We do hope you enjoy reading it.
WOKAS programme 2023 - 24
Full details of the demos, talks and workshops planned for the 2023-24 season are now online. Whether you want to be inspired or hone your skills further, there is something for everyone: life drawing, clay modelling, pastels, watercolour, oils, oil & wax resist with acrylic overlays, mixing colours.
We also have a varied and full programme of summer painting en plein air which our members and their guests can enjoy. In early May we enjoyed painting the motifs in Water Lane Garden, Hawkhurst, on a perfect day.
All demos, talks and members’ painting sessions are free to all WOKAS members and we are happy to welcome guests for a fee of £5.
Our Saturday workshops cost £30 (£35 for non-members) and must be booked in advance.
All indoor sessions are held at Highbury Hall, Highbury Lane, Tenterden TN30 6LE.
And more exhibitions...
Exhibitors' works from previous WOKAS exhibitions are archived on this website so you can still browse the wonderfully diverse pieces of art created by WOKAS members.
This includes paintings submitted for the online exhibition ART UNLOCKED that ran throughout May 2021. You can visit the archive of the exhibition online here
And you can still view art created during the Coronavirus lockdown from the summer 2020 exhibition
WOKAS Art Challenges
Since the 2020 lockdown we have been running creative challenges where members have just a few weeks to produce a piece of art to a specific theme.
The results have been amazing across a whole range of media ... pen, pencil, watercolour, oil, acrylic, clay, maplewood, and more.
All folders of the various challenges can be seen together at
Melanie Cambridge oil demo
In February full time professional artist Melanie Cambridge treated WOKAS members to a demo using oils. It was by all accounts a thoroughly informative as well as entertaining session. Melanie, in her engaging manner, set out to create a beach scene with high rocks on a canvas washed with grey. She made a point of the fact that with oils you can change your mind so one need not be afraid to make mistakes. She also showed that you do not have to be beholden to your original motif – the important thing is to make it work for the composition of your painting and to have an area of rest in the overall picture. Our members went away with lots of tips and ideas to try themselves.
Acrylics demo with Hash Akib
In March WOKAS members were treated to an acrylics demo with Hash Akib. Hash always impresses and fascinates our members with his daring interpretations of motifs. He starts very broadly and - working very quickly - then skilfully transforms this into a recognisable image. On the night Hash produced two demos from very different images.
WOKAS 2023 Exhibition
St Mildred's, Tenterden
For our 2023 exhibition we returned at the end of May to the beautiful space of St Mildred's Church in Tenterden.
Thirty-four members of the Weald of Kent Art Society exhibited at the 2023 exhibition with a wide range of mediums and techniques on show - watercolour, ink, oil, acrylic, pastel, pen, mixed media and digital print.
WOKAS Chairman's Prize + NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden and Whitfield Art Prize 2023
At the well-attended Preview on Monday, 29 May, WOKAS Chairman Clive Dand and Tenterden Mayor Cllr. Sue Ferguson announced the winners of this year's art prizes.
The WOKAS Chairman's Prize went to Alex Line for his oil portrait of Sir David Attenborough, while the NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden and Whitfield Art Prize was awarded to Holly Wright for her acrylic piece 'Reflections'.
Adrian Leppenwell watercolour demo
The early February watercolour demo with Adrian Leppenwell unfolded in front of a good turnout of WOKAS members. Adrian has been painting for about 15 years and doesn’t like to take too long over a picture. He says his style is ‘a little bit on the loose side’, just loose enough to enjoy it. He tries to suggest rather than paint every detail. For this demo he had chosen Bodiam Castle as the subject and as he was working the paper (Bockingford 140) he gave a most instructive running commentary. He limited himself to five colours – Burnt Umber, Ultramarine Blue, Light Red, Yellow Ochre and Hookers Green. Hookers Green proved a very versatile colour – by mixing it with Yellow Ochre or Burnt Umber Adrian produced many different hues of green.
Visitors to the exhibition were able to vote for their favourite painting and artist. Alex Line’s oil painting of Sir David Attenborough received the most votes, followed by Andy Butler’s ‘Summer Hedgerow’ and ‘Tentative steps’ by Lynne Slatter. The artists who garnered the greatest number of votes overall were Alex Line, Graham Lock and Giuseppe Bertoli.
Holly Wright with Mayor Ferguson in front her prize winning acrylic 'Reflections' which won the NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden & Whitfield Art Prize 2023
Chairman Clive Dand welcomes artists and vistors
Close scrutiny of works of art
Refreshments were welcomed
WOKAS Chairman's Prize for Alex Line's oil of Sir David Attenborough
WOKAS
Open Day
November 2023
The WOKAS Open Day on 18 November at Highbury Hall in Tenterden provided a good showcase for the varied work that the members of the society are renowned for. From paintings in a variety of mediums to sculpture and beautifully handpainted miniature boxes and cards there was a lot to look at and choose from as some of our artists demonstrated their skills throughout the day.
Despite the very inhospitable weather the attendance was good throughout the day. Visitors expressed interest in the nature of the society and we were able to welcome a number of new members as a result. Thank you to all the members who exhibited and to all the committee and friends for helping to make this a successful event.
WOKAS Committee Members
Graham Lock
Alison Chandler
Clive Dand
John Hamilton
Wendy Phillips
Fani Azikri
Pat Lock
President Graham Lock
Chairman Clive Dand
Vice Chairman John Hamilton
Secretary Alison Chandler
Treasurer Fani Azikri
Website Kate Rundell
Programme Co-ordinators
Alison Chandler, Wendy Phillips
Exhibition Co-ordinators
John Hamilton, Pat Lock,
John Robson
Press, Advertising, Publicity
John Hamilton, Gunda Cannon
Kate Rundell
John Robson
Gunda Cannon
Artist Profiles
We are building up a set of member profiles that will help you get to know us better and, hopefully, encourage you to find out more about our work and possibly even consider becoming a WOKAS member!
The profiles created so far can be seen on our member profile page and include :
