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With great sadness the Wappers have to announce the loss of our lovely member Louise Diggle WGA, CAS, PS.

In her four years with the Group she bought an infectiously happy spirit, indomitable courage and
beautiful painting. She will be dearly missed.

Lou was a London based plein air painter who trained at the City and Guilds of London Art School
and CCAT (now Anglia Ruskin University).
She was an art teacher for over 20 years before becoming a full time painter 10 years ago.

She joined the Wapping Group in 2022 and remained a member until her death in 2026. She was a
member of The Pastel Society, Chelsea Art Society and The Small Paintings Group.
Louise’s work was all about the transient moment, rapidly changing light, colours and seasons and
how it transforms people, buildings and objects. She always worked en plein air, mainly in pastel
which suited the fragility of time. As well as the Wapping Group and Chelsea Art Society she has
exhibited at the Jerram Gallery, Found Gallery Brecon, Piers Feetham Gallery, Russell Gallery and the
Gallery at Green and Stone amongst others. Her studio was at Wimbledon Art Studios.

She has won numerous awards including
Joint winner of the Sloane Stanley Award (CAS 2024)
Frank Herring Award (PS 2024)
Agnes Reeves Award for a painting of London (CAS 2018)
Rembrandt Talens Award (PS 2019)

We are sorry to report death of Roy Hammond (1934 – 2026).

Roy was born on Christmas Day 1934 in West Ham. He joined the Ford Motor Company in 1955 after completing National Service in the Royal Air Force and qualified as a Design Engineer in 1959. He later became a part time Lecturer in Automobile Design.

He started painting in the early 1970’s and painted full time since early retirement in 1991. Painting in watercolour, favourite subjects were cities, especially London and The Thames in all moods and lights.

He was made a member of The Wapping Group of Artists in 1993 and remained a member of the Group until his death in 2026.

He discovered that painting was an activity that was not relaxing but exhilarating or depressing – depending how the work was evolving. He exhibited in the RWS, the Hunting Group and Singer and Friedlander/Sunday Times Competitions as well as with The Wapping Group.

The WGA committee are delighted to announce the election of Rosie Woods as a new members to the Wapping Group of artists.  We offer a warm welcome Rosie and wish her every success as part of the group for many years to come. 

Rosie Woods, originally from Northern Ireland, graduated in illustration from Central St Martin’s School of Art, London. An award-winning illustrator, she shifted her focus to plein air painting, returning to her preferred medium: oils. 

Rosie used to work from a studio space in a warehouse in Wapping, directly overlooking the Thames, so the group’s history is particularly significant to her. The daily bustle of the Thames, whether it was speeding taxi boats, a tall ship preparing to go through Tower Bridge or the turning of the cruise ships directly outside the window, was all fascinating subject matter to paint or sketch. She now enjoys the commitment of painting the Thames regularly with the Group and discovering new aspects of the river.

The WGA committee are delighted to announce the election of the following new members to the Wapping Group of artists.  We offer a warm welcome to Paul, Patsy and Paula and wish them every success as part of the group for many years to come. 

Paula Mitchell ARSMA

“It is an incredibly proud moment to be elected as a full member of the historic Wapping Group of Artists.  I have already enjoyed some great days with this wonderful group of painters and look forward to many more great days together”

Paula Mitchell is an award-winning artist with the Federation of British Artists and an elected Associate Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists. Her plein air paintings captures light, life, atmosphere and tell stories as she observes her surroundings.

Patsy Moore RSMA

“I’m delighted to become a full member of the Wapping Group. For many years I have been a great admirer of this prestigious and highly talented group of artists.  It is with huge pride and gratitude that I can now call myself a proper Wapper!”

Patsy paints in both oils and watercolour, enjoying the inspiration and challenges of plein air painting.  Boats, harbour scenes and city scenes feature largely in her work.

Patsy is an elected member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists and was a finalist on Landscape Artist of the Year 2019.

Paul Alcock

“I have had a great time over the last few years painting with the Wapping Group, and I am really thrilled to be voted in as a full member.  Our weekly trips out have been a fantastic midweek adventure, travelling up to London discovering all sorts of new painting locations.  This is always finished by a chat with artist friends in the pub”

Paul works as an artist and teacher and has taken part in many exhibitions, including reaching the semi-finals in Landscape Artist of the Year 2018

We are very sorry to report the death of Fred Beckett (1933 – 2025) who was a major figure in the art world, firstly as Finance Director of Winsor & Newton, then in his own career as a painter. Fred served a term as President of the ROI and was a member of the RSMA and Hon. Member of both the RI and the RBA. He was elected to the Wapping Group in 1998 and organised a noted Group exhibition at The Guildhall which was devoted to the Cutty Sark.

An East Anglian, Fred always loved that landscape and his work often featured the spacious
East Coast skies.

We are very sorry to record the passing of Steven Alexander (1951 – 2025), who was elected a Member in 2006, and served as Secretary from 2008 until 2015.  Steve, who comes from a family of artists but who first made his own career as a highly successful head of the Spanish Department at Hampton School, was well known for his absolute dedication to painting and his huge output of work. Steve suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, which he bore with great courage for many years while continuing to paint.

A new art exhibition, ‘Afloat or Ashore’, opens at Exeter Custom House on 12th April 2025. This exhibition showcases the winning and best entries from last year’s art competition of the same name, and celebrates historic vessels from around the UK.

The competition and exhibition are a partnership between the Royal Society of Marine Artists, the Wapping Group of Artists, and National Historic Ships UK. 

The exhibition is showing at Exeter Custom House from 12th April – 11 May 2025, and entry is FREE. 

The Custom House is open every day from 10am-5pm

Afloat and Ashore is a joint venture between National Historic Ships, the RSMA and the Wapping Group. It is open to all artists, with details below.

Congratulations to Max White and Tushar Sabale for being elected full members of the group.

“ Congratulations to Paula Mitchell who has been elected as a candidate of The Wapping Group of Artists. 

We wish her a successful painting year.”