Dear Members,

As we are nearing the beginning of September, can I remind everyone that the annual subscription is now due? If you wish to pay by standing order, please submit a form to our Membership Secretary, Mr Stuart Houghton, 9 Ashlar Drive, Union Mills, Isle of Man, IM4 4LJ. I have included a standing order form at the end of this newsletter and they are also available at Thie Ellyn and can be downloaded from our website (http://www.isleofmanartsociety.com/).

The 2011-2012 Thursday evening winter programme starts on 15th September with ‘Character Drawing’ and I have included the programme in this newsletter. Anthea has once again done a brilliant job organising a range of different activities for us all to enjoy during the winter months and I hope that many of you will take advantage of this.

Where has the year gone?! Our Autumn Exhibition is fast approaching and will be held again at Mylchreests Motors (Millmount, New Castletown Road, Douglas).

Handing in day will be on Wednesday 19th October, between 1pm and 3pm. The preview evening, to which all members are invited, will be held on Thursday 20th October, at 7pm. The exhibition will then run from Friday 21st until Sunday 23rd October, when any unsold exhibits must be collected between 3.30pm and 5.30pm. The Rules for the Exhibition are enclosed along with an entry form. Labels will be available at handing in. Please ensure that you read the exhibition rules as they have been slightly amended this year.

Posters advertising the Autumn Exhibition can be collected from Thie Ellyn for distribution throughout the island. We shall once again need volunteers to help in hanging the exhibits and manning the Exhibition over the period when we are open. Please put your name down on the rota at Thie Ellyn. It would be good to see some different faces helping out this year.

Another important date for your diaries is Thursday 10th November. This will be our Annual General Meeting. We again plan to hold it in the morning, finishing with a lunch. Full details will be issued at the end of September. If you would like to help the society by becoming a member of the committee, please let me know.

A final date for your diaries is Saturday 3rd December when we will hold our Christmas Party. Details of the theme for the evening will be confirmed nearer to the time.

So get those paintings finished, we look forward to seeing you all at the Exhibition, if not before.

Kind regards, Jackie Kelly (Hon Sec) Tel: 407402 / 612176 (answer phone)