In 1997 the Women’s Institute building at Emery Down was converted into a village hall. Peter Frost saw the hall as a potential venue for an art exhibition and presented the idea to his circle of artist friends. The enthusiastic response saw the founding of the New Forest Painters Group. 

The first exhibition took place the following year 1998, and the annual event became a part of the New Forest calendar and was well attended by a growing number of forest art lovers. 

As the years progressed parking became a problem at Emery Down, so the painters moved to the larger hall and car park at Brockenhurst Hall in 2014. At this time there were only seven members of the group, Barry Peckham, Alan and Janet Langford, Richard Tratt, Hilary Tratt, Peter Frost and Barry Miles. 

Then the group moved to Lyndhurst Community Hall in 2021. By that time the group had gained a few more members and it now has ten enthusiastic artists passionate about the New Forest.