The Hop Gallery is hosting the 36th Annual Exhibition of paintings by members of the Sussex Watercolour Society. Founded in 1977 the Society has as its main objective the promotion of professional works in all kinds of water-based media. This Exhibition shows the rich variety and diversity of members work, from traditional watercolour to the exuberant use of inks and acrylics. This is the Society's fifth showing at the Hop Gallery. In recent years they have also held successful exhibitions in The Jointure Studios in Ditchling , at Worthing Art Gallery and most recently at The Henfield Hall. From traditional figurative to experimental abstract, and from the beautifully observed to the richly imagined, there is something in this show for everyone to enjoy. Expect the unexpected from the members of this highly acclaimed Society. Sussex Watercolour Society History Our Society was formed by a group of Sussex artists in 1977 to promote art of a professional standard and to expose the rich variety of water based media. Founder members included Charles Knight RWS - who became the first President - Norman Clark RWS, Francis Russell-Flint RWS, Norman Battershill RBA, and Sam Fenton RI. The moving spirit was Dorris Kirlew ARCA, who acted as Chairman and later succeeded as President. These few were shortly joined by Dorothy Coke RWS, Muriel Pemberton RWS, Ernest Savage VPPS, Matt Bruce RI and Charles Bone PPRI, among others. Other early members were Juliet Pannett, the distinguished portrait painter and well known 'locals' such as Paul Evans and Peter Iden. In the Eighties, some of the founders were joined by other members of two Royal Societies - Susan Pendered RI, Frances Francis RI, Shirley Trevena RI, C.J. Archer RI and Denis Roxby-Bott RWS. Our current President is Sheila Marlborough with Nick Orsborn RI as Chairman and Treasurer. Early exhibitions were held at the Grange Rottingdean, at Rye, Hove Art Gallery and Worthing Art Gallery. From 1983 onwards the Burstow Gallery at Brighton College alternated with Hove as a venue, but the Society ventured over to Chichester and the Crypt at Seaford in the Nineties, and even went as far as Camelford in Cornwall to a gallery owned by one of the members. In recent years we have held successful exhibitions in Ditchling, Lewes, Henfield and Worthing. Opening times: Monday to Saturday 10.30am-5pm; Sunday 12noon-5pm