Art society’s Rolf inspired big picture

Last updated 19:39, Thursday, 08 May 2008

MEMBERS of Keswick Art Society took part in recreating a famous impressionist painting.

BIG PICTURE: Alan Gordon with the Keswick Society of Art’s version of Renoir’s ‘The Luncheon of the Boating Party’ which will be on show at the society’s art exhibition

The society used Renoir’s Luncheon of The Boating Party as their inspiration.

And they took just a few hours to come up with a replica.

Alan Gordon, treasurer of the society, said: “It was Rolf Harris who inspired us. He had 150 people working on his pictures of Henry VIII by Holbein and the Mona Lisa.

“We decided that we would do something similar for our next work day.

“I saw a print of the picture while I was at the Louvre in Paris – the original Renoir is in Washington – so I bought one of the posters.

“We divided it into 16 and each worked on a section.

“Some people used watercolours and some acrylics. One lady used pastels.

“It has the same proportions as the original.

“We are holding an exhibition in Keswick this month and hopefully this picture will form part of it.

“There will be hundreds of pictures on display because all of our members have been invited to show their work.”

The exhibition will run from today (Friday, May 9) to May 20 at the Congregational Hall, Lake Road, Keswick.