Audrey Wayte


I was given an amazing gift, a large box of oil paints as a leaving present when my husband and I left Biddenden.  Christopher had been Rector of Biddenden for eleven years until we left in 1980 to go to Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone.
 
As a school girl, I had enjoyed art but had no idea how to use oils, so I joined an Adult Education art class at Maidstone.  On my first day, clutching my precious box, entering alone, I felt the trpidation I had felt as a five-year-old starting school.
 
Tony Jones, my tutor for the oil painting course,  used to set up 3 or 4 still life groups that stayed in place for a month, so we had plenty of time to finish one painting or progress onto another.
PictureThe view looking down Hotel Road to St Margaret’s Bay.

Years later, Christopher became Rector of St Margaret-at-Cliffs, Dover which included St Margaret’s Bay.  There I joined classes under David Innis.

It was while we lived here that I was invited to paint several murals for a new museum that was being built in the Pines Garden. I asked a friend, Mary Sutcliffe, to help me, as I had to complete 4 sizeable murals in a fortnight!

I enjoy painting out of doors and had a wonderful opportunity to do this painting, as Christopher used to be on duty as a Chaplain in the Cathedral once a fortnight during a weekday. He had free parking in the precincts while he was on duty. What a good chance to paint the Cathedral.

And here he is, my husband, who didn’t mind posing for me as long as he could have a book in his hand. Many members of Hythe Art Society will remember him, as when he retired, we both joined the society. He asked an awkward question at the AGM, and due to that was asked to become treasurer.  He also was our camera man for the overhead projector and used to make videos of the outdoor painting days to show at subsequent AGM’s.  As a result, he was on the committee before me.
 
When I joined the committee, I helped in various ways, particularly with coach trips, run twice a year to see exhibitions in London.  Sadly these stopped when the travelling took so long due to traffic congestion.  After five years as Chairman I was asked to become President - which is a great honour!
Picture
The square in the village of Monte, high above Funchal from where the sledges are pulled taking passengers down the steep hillside towards Funchal.

Since living in Saltwood, Hythe, I have had many opportunities:
From a mural in Saltwood Primary School, which took a year to do the long picture down a corridor, helped by Joyce King and later with Kay Hygate.
To the art work and calligraphy for the Book of Remembrance in Saltwood Church, which is now kept up to date by Jacqui Botwright.
 
But recently, I take great delight in visiting Madeira.  The square in Monte is inspired by a photo I took when the sun came out after a shower of rain,  capturing a magic moment. The canvas is unframed and hangs in my sitting room over my TV screen so that I don’t have a large black area to look at during the daytime.