Essex Art Club

The Essex Art Club was founded in 1899 and was originally intended as a sketching club for teachers and students of Walthamstow School of Art. Walthamstow at the time was in the Essex countryside and not a suburb of the metropolis. Within a few years it had separated from the school and gradually became an art club at a more professional level. Its presidents and vice-presidents have included George Clausen, Frank Brangwyn, Alfred Munnings, Frank Dobson, Mark Fisher, Walter Westley Russell and John Nash all members of the RA. In 1950 such was its fame that Winston Churchill exhibited in the annual exhibition at the Guildhall Art Gallery, London. Walter Spradbery was the most energetic and longstanding member for about 65 years, and was chairman and eventually president of the club. In 1989 Ken Howard was appointed president and is a regular exhibitor at their shows. The Guildhall was the principal exhibiting home of the club from 1949-86 and they we invited back in 1999 for a Centenary celebration show. Other venues have included the Whitechapel Art Gallery.