A historian and successful author, Rupert evokes the age when Knights were dominant.  William the Marsha, who was a key figure in the age of the Magna Carta (1215), is considered by many to be the greatest knight who ever lived.

Jane Austen's novels depice a genteel world of country houses in which everyone is expected to behave correctly.  But she also spices up her plots by examining what happens when manners and morals break down. 

Timothy Schroder is internationanly renowned expert and historian of gold and silver.  He takes a look at changing dining customs since the Middle Ages and some of the silver, glass and ceramics that have been made for the dining table. 

The story of American art from 1865-1914.  Our study day concentrates on a brief period of about 50 years, but artistically travels a long way.  

Full details available from marialan.webb@googlemail.com

The lecture shows examples of waterolour painting from France, Italy, Mexico, the USA, Australia, China and Japan demonstrating the enduring fascination of the mediu and the ways modern artists have turned its perceived weaknesses into strengths. 

Built in the 12th Century, the temple of Angkor is the biggest religious monument in the world.  Denise's lecture covers the temple's artistic heritage and religious symbolism through its sculptural art and much more.

A freelance theatre critic and feature writer, Mark Fisher's lecture traces the principles of arts criticism and practice from today and into the past, questioning the place of the artist and the role of the critic.

Roger Butler is a landscape architect, writer, photographer with a particular interest in the history, architecture and traditions of our canal network.  His lecture examines buildings and structures associated with the UK's canals, showing distinctive designs, landmark features and unusual artefacts.

This lecture demonstrates how to identify churches with Roman and Saxon origins, the flowering of Romanesque and Gothic architecture following the invasion of the Normans and further developments in the Middle Ages and Reformation.

Please note that this lecture is not taking place on the Fourth Tuesday of May but the last Tuesday in May.

The private diary of Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) covers the English Restoration period with eyewitness accounts of the Plague of London, the Second Dutch War and the Great Fire of London.

Andy Catto is an Official Guide to the City of London.

This lecture covers 5,000 years of the art of mosaics that describe the life and time in which they were created.  Christopher Bradley has written extensively and produced television docmentaries on the istory and custure of the Middle East and North Africa.

Elgar was the son of a piano tuner, rising to great heights of distinction, charted through this lecture with many notable examples of the composer's music. Roger Askew was a choral scholar at Magdalene College, Oxford.

This art historian's lecture is on the eminent cartoonist, Carl Giles, whose creation, Grandma Giles, provides a great insight into the humour found through subversion of news items, and Giles' way of spreading happiness as a genius with the common touch.

 In this lecture Ian looks at the meteoric rise of Thomas Heatherwick, CBE, whose designs for the Olympic Cauldron 2012 and the London Routemaster Bus 2010, brought him and his studio much public acclaim.  His unique vision for the East Beach Cafe at Littlehampton is one of his early designs. 

Booking for the July lecture 'Cake and Summer Punch' £5

From the Industrial Revolution to the 20th Century, Tricha's lectures explores ways in which artists, including Samuel Palmer RWS and J M W Turner RA to Richard Long CBE, RA,  Anna Mendieta and Christo 
addressed new moments that forever changed the landscape of 
the countries in which they were working.

The private diary of Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) covers the English Restoration period with eyewitness accounts of the Plague of London, the Second Dutch War and the Great Fire of London.

Andy Catto is an Official Guide to the City of London.

Boxgrove Arts’ Society: Study Day

Friday 7th October 2022

“Celebrating Women as Artists:  From Artemisia Gentileschi to Laura Knight”

In 1938 the Scottish artist, Ethel Walker, claimed that there was no such thing as a woman artist: only “bad and good” artists.  However, it is also true that the art world has always been male-dominated and this is the story of how many women, through their talent and sheer determination, thrived in that alien environment.

The Arts Society Boxgrove are pleased to announce our third study day which will take place at Arundel Museum on Friday 7th October.  The lecturer is Bernard Allan and the programme will be as follows

9.30 – 10 am     Meet for coffee in The Jubilee Room at Arundel Museum

10 – 11 am      Session 1: Overcoming Obstacles 1600 – 1800

Little is known of the practising female artists prior to the Renaissance.  Generally, they would have been confined to convents and their works have rarely survived.  But, from the late 16th century, there emerged, in Italy, several artists, like Artemisia Gentileschi, who gained national, and even international reputations.  In the 18th century some artists, like Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, gained admittance to the prestigious French Academy, while in England, Angelica Kauffman provoked “Angelica-mania” and became a founding member of the Royal Academy.

11 – 11.15                   Break for coffee

11.15 – 12.15  Session 2  From Realism to Impressionism

During the 19th century women began to benefit from increasing training and exhibiting opportunities. The famous Académie Julian in Paris and the Slade School in London both welcomed female students while the Grosvenor Gallery, in London, provided a showcase for female artists from its inception. Both Rosa Bonheur, in France, and Elizabeth Butler, in England, became celebrities while Berthe Morisot was critically acclaimed as the Impressionist par excellence. 

12.15 – 1.30                Lunch in Arundel. There are several eating places in Arundel, as you probably know, where you can get anything from a cooked lunch to snacks. Pack lunches can be brought and eaten in the lecture room (Jubilee Room) – coffees/teas etc available for purchase

1.30 – 2.30                  Session 3: Breaking Down the Barriers

Europe-wide artists’ colonies played an important role in breaking down some of the barriers; providing opportunities for artists like Laura Knight to work alongside their male counterparts. Uniquely Suzanne Valadon successfully made the transition from artists’ model to acclaimed artist.  In many ways WW1 accelerated women’s progress in society generally and many gained official war artist commissions, while Knight became THE artist at the Nuremburg war crimes trials in 1946.

The day will finish at approximately 3.45 pm

I would like to book for the study day on Friday 7th  October in Arundel Museum

Cost: £25

Payment to be made by BACs where possible or if not available please make cheques payable to: The Arts Society Boxgrove

Bank Details for BACS payments:

The Arts Society Boxgrove

Sort Code: 40-52-40

Account number:  00060154

Reference: Your Surname

.

 Name:                                                              Address:

Telephone No:                                                 Email:

Please return this form by email to Marian marialan.webb@googlemail.com

or post to Marian Webb, 12 Penfolds Place, Arundel BN18 9SA

Extra information:  Car parking is in the adjacent Castle Car Park

From his shark suspended in formaldehyde The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991, to his diamond encrusted skull, For the Love of God 2007 – and more – Hirst’s work poses innumerable questions including – does every society gets the art it deserves?

In 2003, Jennifer Sturdy became involved in the Gold Lyre of Ur Project as a researcher and administrator. The project was to build the Lyre, a magnificent instrument, covered in precious metals and semi-precious stones. She subsequently became a performer reciting the poetry from Sumerian times accompanied by the Lyre. 

Bertie Pearce, who is also a member of the Inner Magic Circle, with Gold Star, is a very popular international lecturer. In We are amused! he explores and celebrates Victorian Leisure, when the ability to amuse and entertain was paramount.

David Stuttard is an author, theatre director and dramaturg. His wealth of knowledge of Greek drama and artefacts ensures an informative insight into Greek Vase Painting. David brings history to life with enthusiasm and flair

Booking for July 'Cake and Summer Punch'   £5

Frederic Leighton's Studio-house, built in the 1860s, was transformed into a palace of art filled with fascinating collections of fine and decorative art.

Dr Tom Flynn is an art historian, writer and art consultant. In his lecture Damnatio Memoriae – Condemnation of Memory – he looks at the Black Lives Matter movement that spread virally across the world recently, and at historical examples of the desecration of statues of controversial public figures.

Mark Hill has worked for Bonham’s and Sotheby’s and since 2007 he has been an adviser on design for The Antiques Road Show. His lecture on Czech glass shows work of influential designers of cut, blown and pressed glass, while considering the economic and political context that affected it

Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) was one of the most influential Pop Artists to emerge in America during the 1960s. 

Dr Kate Aspinall Kate Aspinall was a long-term consultant for the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation. This gave her a particular and deep insight into his paintings, sculptures, tapestries and drawings.

This lecture tells the remarkable story of the fabled Ballets Russes company which Diaghilev established in Paris in 1909. Building on the achievements of Tchaikovsky and Petipa, Diaghilev and his associates brought about nothing less than a revolution in classical dance, which was dazzling to the eye and would have a lasting impact not only on all the arts. The lecture will discuss how artists of the calibre of Bakst, Goncharova, Picasso and Matisse, worked with composers such as Stravinsky, Debussy and Ravel, choreographers such as Fokine and Balanchine, and dancers such as Pavlova, Karsavina and Nijinsky to create ballet stagings of genius.

On coming to the throne George IV instinctively understood the majesty and splendour appropriate to the monarch of the richest and most powerful country in the world.  His coronation in July 1821 was the most magnificent ever.

This lecture traces his developing taste as Prince of Wales, Regent and King and examines connections between his royal residences as well as his spectacular legacy to the Royal Collection – the greatest by any monarch since Charles I.

Former Director of the Church of England’s Cathedral and church buildings division, Janet Gough gives a beautifully illustrated tour of its magnificent 42 cathedrals, jewels in the crown of England’s built heritage and some recognised as World Heritage Sites.

The audience will be treated to an overview of cathedral history and architectural evolution, alongside surprising stories and extraordinary treasures. The changing role of cathedrals in in society both in the past and present day is also discussed. This talk relates to Janet’s book: Directors Choice: Cathedrals of the Church of England, which will be available for sale.

Tony Harris has confirmed that he is able to join us in person for our August meeting in Boxgrove. His Lecture/Performance will be followed by a celebratory tea. Details to follow.

Tony Harris is a professional comedian, raconteur and actor who specialises in historical talks that have hysterical twists. For two years he lived and worked at Hampton Court Palace and played Henry VIII every other day for the benefit of more than half a million tourists.

He learnt his Tudor history trade from major historians and has been bringing his unique blend of history and comedy to the speaker circuit for the past six years. His aim is to trick people into learning by making them laugh. Every point he makes is historically accurate.

For Lee Miller a woman at war was any woman caught up in World War 2. She shot faultless images for Vogue’s haute couture in London’s bombed out streets. She documented the magnificent work of the WRNS, ATS, the Land Girls, the WRVS and the nurses. She shows us the refugees in Europe, girls accused of collaboration and women forced into slave labour or prostitution and concentration camp victims. Their roles range from bravery to stupidity and from enforced involvement to volunteering.

This is a documentation of one of the biggest social changes in British and European history, as three million women left their normal housewife roles and entered industry and the armed forces discovering careers and undreamed of freedom. It is told against the background of Lee Miller’s own life story which takes her from being a fashion supermodel via life as a surrealist artist to a combat photographer and finally a gourmet cook.

The careers of John Piper and Graham Sutherland followed surprisingly similar paths.  Born in the same year, 1903, they both attended Epsom College, then commenced different careers before attending art college.  Along with other English Neo-Romantics, each was influenced by William Blake and Samuel Palmer.  They were also able to embrace European modernism in a way that enabled their work to remain accessible to the general public.

 Piper and Sutherland worked in a variety of media, producing astonishing bodies of work; each was an Official War Artist in the Second World War, and each went on to create moving and inspirational works of religious art.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS LECTURE WILL BE DELIVERED ON ZOOM

Since its foundation in 1925, Faber and Faber has built a reputation as one of London’s most important literary publishing houses. Part of that relates to the editorial team that Geoffrey Faber and his successors built around them - TS Eliot was famously an early recruit - but a large part is also due to the firm’s insistence on good design and illustration. This lecture traces the history of Faber and Faber through its illustrations, covers and designs. Early years brought innovations like the Ariel Poems – single poems, beautifully illustrated, sold in their own envelopes. In the 1950s and 1960s, there was an emphasis on typography, led by the firm’s art director Berthold Wolpe; his Albertus font is still used on City of London road signs. In the 1980s, the firm started its association with Pentagram, responsible for the ff logo. Along the way, it has employed some of our most celebrated artists as cover illustrators – from Rex Whistler and Barnett Freedman to Peter Blake and Damien Hirst. Slides will range from book covers, advertisements and photos of key individuals, to illustrations of the concepts behind the designs. The talk will also be peppered with personal insight and anecdote. Faber and Faber is the last of the great publishing houses to remain independent.

As the grandson of its founder, Toby Faber grew up steeped in its books.He was managing director for four years and remains on the board. Toby is passionate about the firm’s success, and intensely proud of his association with it. 

Steve Herra is a third generation Cunard employee; his father and grandmother both sailed with Cunard.  His last ship was QE2 where he was a Purser. He met his future wife aboard QE2 and also some of the celebrities he introduces to his audiences.  After leaving Cunard he joined the Royal Naval Reserve and served aboard HMS President.  He still has an interest in ships and acts as a visitor escort conducting guided tours of Cunard ships when they are in Southampton.

Steve Herra’s talk, Cunard History and Glamorous Stars, is based upon the history of Cunard from 1840 until the present day and includes some of the more famous liners but not all as there were nearly 250! Also featured are some of the glamorous stars and celebrities who sailed aboard Cunard ships, including some he has met. His revelations include how Charles Dickens described the furnishings in his cabin aboard Britannia; the actress who brought her gleaming white Rolls Royce on board Queen Mary, and her own chickens, as she demanded fresh eggs each day; and, when at a New York function, the reply to the lady who described Elizabeth Taylor’s very large diamond ring as ‘vulgar.’

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS LECTURE WILL BE ON ZOOM AND YOU WILL BE SENT A LINK A FEW DAYS BEFORE.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE ZOOM INSTALLED ON YOUR COMPUTER/IPAD JUST CLICK ON THE LINK

Charles John Huffam Dickens brought into the world a staggering array of wonderful characters with orphans, starving children, misers, murderers and abusive school teachers among them. People such as Mr Micawber, Fagin and Abel Magwitch remain in one’s literary psyche long after the books are put down.

Largely self-educated, Dickens possessed the genius to become the greatest writer of his age with 15 major novels and countless short stories and articles. In his lecture Bertie Pearce looks at the life and places of Dickens through his characters. The talk is interspersed with readings of this works. A truly Dickensian experience. 

This lively presentation tells the story of the French Revolution from the point of view of English women caught up in its dramatic events.In the early days of  the French Revolution, English women, critical of the many injustices of  their own society, cross the Channel with high hopes.   Some will remain observers; others become involved.  The beautiful courtesan Grace Dalrymple Elliott, much painted by Gainsborough, hides the Governor of the recently-sacked Tuileries Palace between two mattresses in her own bed, and then gets into the bed herself – they stay like that for fours hours while the house is searched.  Both could have lost their lives.  Another keen observer of the Revolution is Mary Wollstonecraft.  Back in England the conservative Hannah More, ex-playwright, writes entertaining dialogues aimed at putting the working man off revolution.  The lecture is illustrated by paintings, portraits and caricatures by both French and English artists of the day. Later, as events unfold in Paris, some show great courage as their own lives are imperilled. Paintings featured include works by Gainsborough, Rowlandson, Vigee le Brun, Jean-Baptiste Lesueur and others.

In 1888 Gertrude Jekyll wrote a short but seminal article in The Garden in which she urged the readers to “remember that in a garden we are painting a picture”.  As an accomplished watercolour artist, Miss Jekyll was familiar with the principles of using colours, but she felt that in gardens these principles “had been greatly neglected”.  This talk looks at how to apply these principles in designing a border, but it also looks at the ways in which a border is different from a painting.  However, it goes further than this and looks at how contemporary work of the likes of Turner, Monet, Rothko, Jackson Pollack, and Hockney evolved in parallel with ideas about what a garden or border should look like.

Stella is a regular lecturer in the UK and Europe for The Arts Society, Tour companies, and the National Trust, amongst others. Stella is also a part-time lecturer for the University of South Wales. Her article on Norwegian art was recently featured on the front cover of The Arts Society magazine.

Was Bosch hallucinating from too much ergot-infected wheat when he created his works over 500 years ago?  Monsters and morals, pleasure and sin, heaven and hell; the strange works of Hieronymus Bosch are considered an anomaly in the history of art. They are filled with grotesque images of fantastical creatures surrendering to lust, desire, fantasy and angst. His most famous work, the triptych ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’, illustrates the danger of giving in to temptation. It includes a highly inventive hell scene that is still regularly censored today!
This talk looks at arguably the most enigmatic figure in art history, and the fantastical and strange works he created.

David Wright has been a wine retailer, importer and distributor for 30 years.

􏰒􏰅 􏰔􏰕􏰄􏰐􏰅􏰔Wine has been part of our global society for over 7,000 years, and the story tells of its origin and appearance in all societies across the Mediterranean and through Europe. There is rich evidence of the role wine has played in these societies and how it became an important component of faith, well-being and festivity. From the kwevris of Georgia in 5,000 B.C., the symposia in ancient Greece, the thermopolia of Pompeii, the hospices of Europe, to the dining tables of fine society wine has been ever present. Drawings, paintings, engravings, buildings, pottery and wine labels themselves all contribute to the story. 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰎􏰙􏰙􏰉􏰠􏰘􏰎􏰌􏰊 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰕􏰅􏰙􏰈􏰡􏰃􏰅 􏰢􏰣􏰤􏰥􏰦 􏰔􏰒􏰉􏰗 􏰧􏰡􏰄􏰕􏰐􏰄􏰌􏰑􏰔􏰛 􏰠􏰡􏰃􏰎􏰕􏰔􏰛 􏰘􏰎􏰄􏰌􏰨􏰌􏰑􏰔􏰛 􏰘􏰉􏰩􏰅􏰃􏰊 􏰎􏰌􏰐 􏰅􏰏􏰅􏰌 􏰙􏰎􏰃􏰈􏰉􏰉􏰌􏰔 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰒􏰎􏰏􏰅 􏰎􏰕􏰕 􏰙􏰉􏰕􏰉􏰡􏰃􏰅􏰐 􏰄􏰌 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰔􏰈􏰉􏰃􏰊􏰝 􏰪􏰃􏰉􏰠 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰆􏰉􏰉􏰈􏰒􏰄􏰕􏰕􏰔 􏰉􏰆 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰞􏰎􏰡􏰙􏰎􏰔􏰄􏰎􏰌 􏰠􏰉􏰡􏰌􏰈􏰎􏰄􏰌􏰔 􏰏􏰄􏰎 􏰫􏰑􏰊􏰘􏰈􏰛 􏰬􏰃􏰅􏰅􏰙􏰅􏰛 􏰭􏰈􏰎􏰕􏰊􏰛 􏰪􏰃􏰎􏰌􏰙􏰅 􏰎􏰌􏰐 􏰉􏰈􏰒􏰅􏰃 􏰘􏰕􏰎􏰙􏰅􏰔 􏰗􏰄􏰌􏰅 􏰒􏰎􏰔 􏰈􏰃􏰎􏰏􏰅􏰕􏰕􏰅􏰐 􏰈􏰉 􏰉􏰡􏰃 􏰈􏰎􏰧􏰕􏰅 􏰈􏰉􏰘􏰔􏰝

􏰫􏰏􏰅􏰃􏰊 􏰙􏰅􏰌􏰈􏰡􏰃􏰊 􏰒􏰎􏰔 􏰔􏰉􏰠􏰅􏰈􏰒􏰄􏰌􏰑 􏰈􏰉 􏰔􏰎􏰊 􏰎􏰧􏰉􏰡􏰈 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰮􏰉􏰡􏰃􏰌􏰅􏰊􏰝

􏰒􏰅 􏰔􏰕􏰄􏰐􏰅􏰔 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰎􏰙􏰙􏰉􏰠􏰘􏰎􏰌􏰊 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰕􏰅􏰙􏰈􏰡􏰃􏰅 􏰢􏰣􏰤􏰥􏰦 􏰔􏰒􏰉􏰗 􏰧􏰡􏰄􏰕􏰐􏰄􏰌􏰑􏰔􏰛 􏰠􏰡􏰃􏰎􏰕􏰔􏰛 􏰘􏰎􏰄􏰌􏰨􏰌􏰑􏰔􏰛 􏰘􏰉􏰩􏰅􏰃􏰊 􏰎􏰌􏰐 􏰅􏰏􏰅􏰌 􏰙􏰎􏰃􏰈􏰉􏰉􏰌􏰔 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰒􏰎􏰏􏰅 􏰎􏰕􏰕 􏰙􏰉􏰕􏰉􏰡􏰃􏰅􏰐 􏰄􏰌 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰔􏰈􏰉􏰃􏰊􏰝 􏰪􏰃􏰉􏰠 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰆􏰉􏰉􏰈􏰒􏰄􏰕􏰕􏰔 􏰉􏰆 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰞􏰎􏰡􏰙􏰎􏰔􏰄􏰎􏰌 􏰠􏰉􏰡􏰌􏰈􏰎􏰄􏰌􏰔 􏰏􏰄􏰎 􏰫􏰑􏰊􏰘􏰈􏰛 􏰬􏰃􏰅􏰅􏰙􏰅􏰛 􏰭􏰈􏰎􏰕􏰊􏰛 􏰪􏰃􏰎􏰌􏰙􏰅 􏰎􏰌􏰐 􏰉􏰈􏰒􏰅􏰃 􏰘􏰕􏰎􏰙􏰅􏰔 􏰗􏰄􏰌􏰅 􏰒􏰎􏰔 􏰈􏰃􏰎􏰏􏰅􏰕􏰕􏰅􏰐 􏰈􏰉 􏰉􏰡􏰃 􏰈􏰎􏰧􏰕􏰅 􏰈􏰉􏰘􏰔􏰝

􏰫􏰏􏰅􏰃􏰊 􏰙􏰅􏰌􏰈􏰡􏰃􏰊 􏰒􏰎􏰔 􏰔􏰉􏰠􏰅􏰈􏰒􏰄􏰌􏰑 􏰈􏰉 􏰔􏰎􏰊 􏰎􏰧􏰉􏰡􏰈 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰮􏰉􏰡􏰃􏰌􏰅􏰊􏰝

􏰒􏰅 􏰔􏰕􏰄􏰐􏰅􏰔 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰎􏰙􏰙􏰉􏰠􏰘􏰎􏰌􏰊 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰕􏰅􏰙􏰈􏰡􏰃􏰅 􏰢􏰣􏰤􏰥􏰦 􏰔􏰒􏰉􏰗 􏰧􏰡􏰄􏰕􏰐􏰄􏰌􏰑􏰔􏰛 􏰠􏰡􏰃􏰎􏰕􏰔􏰛 􏰘􏰎􏰄􏰌􏰨􏰌􏰑􏰔􏰛 􏰘􏰉􏰩􏰅􏰃􏰊 􏰎􏰌􏰐 􏰅􏰏􏰅􏰌 􏰙􏰎􏰃􏰈􏰉􏰉􏰌􏰔 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰒􏰎􏰏􏰅 􏰎􏰕􏰕 􏰙􏰉􏰕􏰉􏰡􏰃􏰅􏰐 􏰄􏰌 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰔􏰈􏰉􏰃􏰊􏰝 􏰪􏰃􏰉􏰠 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰆􏰉􏰉􏰈􏰒􏰄􏰕􏰕􏰔 􏰉􏰆 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰞􏰎􏰡􏰙􏰎􏰔􏰄􏰎􏰌 􏰠􏰉􏰡􏰌􏰈􏰎􏰄􏰌􏰔 􏰏􏰄􏰎 􏰫􏰑􏰊􏰘􏰈􏰛 􏰬􏰃􏰅􏰅􏰙􏰅􏰛 􏰭􏰈􏰎􏰕􏰊􏰛 􏰪􏰃􏰎􏰌􏰙􏰅 􏰎􏰌􏰐 􏰉􏰈􏰒􏰅􏰃 􏰘􏰕􏰎􏰙􏰅􏰔 􏰗􏰄􏰌􏰅 􏰒􏰎􏰔 􏰈􏰃􏰎􏰏􏰅􏰕􏰕􏰅􏰐 􏰈􏰉 􏰉􏰡􏰃 􏰈􏰎􏰧􏰕􏰅 􏰈􏰉􏰘􏰔􏰝

􏰫􏰏􏰅􏰃􏰊 􏰙􏰅􏰌􏰈􏰡􏰃􏰊 􏰒􏰎􏰔 􏰔􏰉􏰠􏰅􏰈􏰒􏰄􏰌􏰑 􏰈􏰉 􏰔􏰎􏰊 􏰎􏰧􏰉􏰡􏰈 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰮􏰉􏰡􏰃􏰌􏰅􏰊􏰝

􏰒􏰅 􏰔􏰕􏰄􏰐􏰅􏰔 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰎􏰙􏰙􏰉􏰠􏰘􏰎􏰌􏰊 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰕􏰅􏰙􏰈􏰡􏰃􏰅 􏰢􏰣􏰤􏰥􏰦 􏰔􏰒􏰉􏰗 􏰧􏰡􏰄􏰕􏰐􏰄􏰌􏰑􏰔􏰛 􏰠􏰡􏰃􏰎􏰕􏰔􏰛 􏰘􏰎􏰄􏰌􏰨􏰌􏰑􏰔􏰛 􏰘􏰉􏰩􏰅􏰃􏰊 􏰎􏰌􏰐 􏰅􏰏􏰅􏰌 􏰙􏰎􏰃􏰈􏰉􏰉􏰌􏰔 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰒􏰎􏰏􏰅 􏰎􏰕􏰕 􏰙􏰉􏰕􏰉􏰡􏰃􏰅􏰐 􏰄􏰌 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰔􏰈􏰉􏰃􏰊􏰝 􏰪􏰃􏰉􏰠 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰆􏰉􏰉􏰈􏰒􏰄􏰕􏰕􏰔 􏰉􏰆 􏰈􏰒􏰅 􏰞􏰎􏰡􏰙􏰎􏰔􏰄􏰎􏰌 􏰠􏰉􏰡􏰌􏰈􏰎􏰄􏰌􏰔 􏰏􏰄􏰎 􏰫􏰑􏰊􏰘􏰈􏰛 􏰬􏰃􏰅􏰅􏰙􏰅􏰛 􏰭􏰈􏰎􏰕􏰊􏰛 􏰪􏰃􏰎􏰌􏰙􏰅 􏰎􏰌􏰐 􏰉􏰈􏰒􏰅􏰃 􏰘􏰕􏰎􏰙􏰅􏰔 􏰗􏰄􏰌􏰅 􏰒􏰎􏰔 􏰈􏰃􏰎􏰏􏰅􏰕􏰕􏰅􏰐 􏰈􏰉 􏰉􏰡􏰃 􏰈􏰎􏰧􏰕􏰅 􏰈􏰉􏰘􏰔􏰝

􏰫􏰏􏰅􏰃􏰊 􏰙􏰅􏰌􏰈􏰡􏰃􏰊 􏰒􏰎􏰔 􏰔􏰉􏰠􏰅􏰈􏰒􏰄􏰌􏰑 􏰈􏰉 􏰔􏰎􏰊 􏰎􏰧􏰉􏰡􏰈 􏰈􏰒􏰎􏰈 􏰮

DON'T FORGET THIS WILL NOW BE A ZOOM LECTURE AND THE LINK WILL BE SENT TO YOU A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE DUE DATE.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE ZOOM LOADED ON TO YOUR COMPUTER BUT YOU ONLY NEED TO CLICK ON THE LINK WHICH WILL BE SENT TO YOU BY EMAIL.

If you think of St Pancras International or New York Grand Central you imagine long romantic journeys. There are dozens of other glorious stations in the UK and abroad. This lecture will take a journey around some of the most evocative and splendid stations in the world. Ian Swankie looks at not only at the magnificence of the architecture and the brilliant engineering but also the numerous artworks within stations. He will also examine depictions of stations in art: like Claude Monet's Gare St Lazare or William Frith's Paddington.

Ian Swankie is a Londoner with a passion for art and architecture. As well as giving lectures he is an official guide at Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul's Cathedral. He is also a qualified freelance London Guide.

Occupying a pair of early Georgian townhouses nestled in historic Greenwich, the story of how The Fan Museum came to fruition is interwoven with the fascinating biography of its founder, whose personal collection forms the basis of the Museum’s holdings. From an especially rare Elizabethan-period embroidered folding fan to contemporary examples decorated by street artists, discover some of the key objects within the Museum’s collection of 5,000+ fans dating from the tenth century to the present day. 

Image:  © Lee Miller Archives, England 2019. All rights reserved.

For Lee Miller a woman at war was any woman caught up in World War 2. She shot faultless images for Vogue’s haute couture in London’s bombed out streets. She documented the magnificent work of the WRNS, ATS, the Land Girls, the WRVS and the nurses. She shows us the refugees in Europe, girls accused of collaboration and women forced into slave labour or prostitution and concentration camp victims. Their roles range from bravery to stupidity and from enforced involvement to volunteering.

This is a documentation of one of the biggest social changes in British and European history, as three million women left their normal housewife roles and entered industry and the armed forces discovering careers and undreamed of freedom. It is told against the background of Lee Miller’s own life story which takes her from being a fashion supermodel via life as a surrealist artist to a combat photographer and finally a gourmet cook.

This is to let you know that the lectures that were booked for this year have now been organised for 2021 with the co-operation of the lecturers that we were looking forward to hearing.

On behalf of the Committee we wish you safe and well and look forward to seeing you, hopefully, in July.  As you know we do not have an August lecture but we sincerley hope that we will see you before that break.  In the event that we are not back to normal we look forward to seeing you all in September but we will keep you informed.

 This would seem the perfect opportunity for Head Office to start preparing a collection of their lectures so that members can download them and enjoy them in their homes.  If the number of uses cold be recorded revenue could go to the lecturer concerned and provide them with an income.  Small "lecturettes" would also be a useful advertisement and replace Directory Day.  

LECTURES MAY TO JUNE 2020
Wednesday 01 April 2020

This is to let you know that the lectures that were booked for this year have now been organised for 2021 with the co-operation of the lecturers that we were looking forward to hearing.

On behalf of the Committee we wish you safe and well and look forward to seeing you, hopefully, in July.  As you know we do not have an August lecture but we sincerley hope that we will see you before that break.  In the event that we are not back to normal we look forward to seeing you all in September but we will keep you informed.

Marian

URGENT MESSAGE

Unfortunately we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel this lecture in the light of the Coronavirus outbreak.  We do apologise but Toby Faber has kindly agreed to return next year.

We hope to see you at the April lecture but we will keep everyone informed.  

With best wishes,

Marian and the Team

“Canaletto always admitted that he preferred life at home in his native Italy.  However, in May 1746, economic necessity forced him to travel to London to seek his fortune amongst the wealthy aristocracy, many of whom he had already met in Venice when they ‘dropped by’ on their Grand Tours.

Canaletto arrived at the perfect moment, with London just on the cusp of reinvention into a modern, vibrant, thriving city. Those who had bought his Venetian views soon wanted their splendid town houses captured on canvas in the same manner. Canaletto’s pictures of London provide a magnificent overview of 18th Century architecture and the humdrum life of its inhabitants.”

In the two centuries since they were removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin, the meaning and significance of the ‘Elgin marbles’ has changed dramatically. From architectural decoration to disputed cultural objects this lecture looks at the response to them over their time in Britain, from the original controversy over their purchase to the current debate surrounding the restitution of the marbles to the new Acropolis Museum in Athens. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS LECTURE WILL BE AT BOXGROVE VILLAGE HALL

Originally in art and design publishing (Phaidon and Yale University Press), Sue Jackson now lectures for the National Trust, U3A, City Literary Institute. A qualified Blue Badge Guide, she gives guided walks on various themes and has published work on the lost world of the River Fleet.

The bleak midwinter held little appeal to the artist for many centuries until Bruegel’s Hunters in the Snow in the 16th century. From pristine backdrop to the tempestuous snow storms of Turner to the capturing of ‘snow effect’ by the Impressionists, the ability of artists to convey snow as a symbol of peace but also of grandeur and terror is compelling. 

STUDY DAY AT ARUNDEL MUSEUM

Tuesday 19th November 2019

“Americans Abroad: James McNeill Whistler and John Singer Sargent”

by Bernard Allan

PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY

9.30 am           Coffee and biscuits on arrival

10 am              Session 1: James McNeill Whistler; Art for Art’s Sake

Born in America, trained in Paris, Whistler settled in London where his search for a distinctive style produced some daringly original artworks. His “nocturnes”, evoking atmosphere and mood, created a new art form, while his sophisticated etchings brought Victorian London to life.  But he courted controversy and his court-case against the eminent critic, John Ruskin, bankrupted him. 

11- 11.30 am   Break for Coffee

11.35 am         Session 2: John Singer Sargent in Paris

Also trained in Paris, Sargent enjoyed a spectacular career at the Paris Salon with a series of large and ambitious portraits as well as genre paintings in which he displayed his mastery of light, absorbing lessons from Impressionism.  However, his portrait of the socialite Virginie Amélie Gautreau, entitled Madame X, caused a scandal when exhibited.  Now who would commission a portrait from him if it could lead to such a failure?

12.15 – 1.15 pm          Lunch in Arundel (There are many coffee shops, cafes, restaurants in Arundel or you may bring your own sandwich lunch and eat it in the museum where you can purchase coffee, tea or soft drinks)

1.30 pm           Session 3: Sargent in England

Sargent soon re-established himself in London as a leading portraitist. By the 1890s Sargent, who enjoyed additional income from his prestigious murals in Boston, was seeking relief from the pressures of professional life.  He reduced his portrait practice and embarked on frequent travels abroad resulting in some of the most stunning watercolours ever produced.  We finish with the iconic painting from WW1: Gassed.

Finish time: approx. 2.45 to 3 pm

Suggested Reading

Elaine Kilmurray & Richard Ormond (eds), John Singer Sargent, Tate, 1998

Daniel E. Sutherland, Whistler: A Life for Art’s Sake, Yale University Press, 2014

STUDY DAY AT ARUNDEL MUSEUM

Tuesday 19th November 2019

“Americans Abroad: James McNeill Whistler and John Singer Sargent”

by Bernard Allan

Cost of the study day:    £20 (Please make cheques payable to Walberton DFAS) 

I’m afraid that unless we can find a substitute we are unable to refund your payment.  We always try our best to find a replacement.

Booking will start in July – there are limited spaces so please book early. 

Parking:                There is a public car park opposite the Castle, in the Arundel Lido (slightly cheaper)  or in Crown Yard.  There are free spaces to be found in Mill Road further on from the museum but these are at a premium.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………......................................................

                       Please tear off and return:

                                Please reserve me a place on the Study Day on Tuesday 19th November 2019 at Arundel Museum.

                                Name ………………………………………………………………………….

                                Address: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

                                Telephone No. ……………………………………………………………………….

                                Email ……………………………………………………………………………………..

                                I enclose my cheque/cash for £20 made payable to Walberton DFAS

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS LECTURE WILL BE AT BOXGROVE VILLAGE HALL

Julia Musgrave is a freelance lecturer in the History of Art. After her first degree in Chemical Engineering she decided to switch careers to become an art historian. Julia lectures at the City Literary Institute and is Co-Director of The London Art Salon.

This lecture examines Hogarth’s ‘Marriage à la Mode’ other ‘modern moral subjects’. It looks at how the artist used his work to wage war against London’s sex trade and child poverty as part of his personal crusade to establish modern urban life as an appropriate subject for high art. Insights into the darker side of life in 18th century London are blended with the story of how Hogarth worked his way up from an apprenticed engraver to successful painter and philanthropist.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MEETING WILL NOW BE AT BOXGROVE VILLAGE HALL

Dr Graham Griffiths is a conductor, composer, author and  broadcaster. His guest appearances include St Petersburg International Conservatoires Festival. His research was featured in the BBC Radio 3 celebration Five Forgotten Female Composers on International Women's Day (8March 2018).

For a historian there can be little to match the excitement of discovering a forgotten treasure. Dr Griffiths' eventful research across Russia to unveil the Romantic figure of Leokadiya Kashperova (1872-1940) offers the perfect example. This lecture offers narrative, images and musical performances illustrating what it takes to recover the life and works of a composer whom History has completely forgotten. Until now...

Andrew Prince is a respected jewellery craftsman, historian and lecturer. He has an in depth knowledge of jewellery, fashion history and historical portraits.

For the series Downton Abbey Andrew was commissioned to make jewels for the main characters. Jewellery and fashion are often seen as two distinct fields of design, but this is far from the case. In his talk Andrew guides you through the extraordinary periods and events between 1890 and 1929 where great couturiers collaborated with the finest of jewellers to produce jewels of outstanding quality and opulence. He also discusses the clients and patrons who commissioned the jewels and shows how they were worn with sumptuous gowns.

A DECORATIVE ART: THE HISTORY OF WALLPAPER

Wallpaper is often regarded as the Cinderella of the Decorative Arts – the most ephemeral and least precious of the decorations produced for the home. Yet, the history of wallpaper is a long and fascinating subject that dates back to the 16th century and encompasses a huge range of beautiful patterns created both by anonymous hands and by some of the best-known designers of the 19th and 20th centuries. This lecture explores the history and development of this product from earliest times up to the present day. It includes a discussion of the changing ways in which wallpaper was made and a survey of designs from the first black and white patterns, the creation of elegant flock hangings, the fashion for Chinese hand-painted papers, the introduction of machine-printing, the designs of Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement, and the taste for Modernist and Contemporary designs in the 20th century. It also includes a discussion of the ways that wallpapers were used within grand and more ordinary homes and hopes to justify the claim that they were indeed a truly Decorative Art.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE VENUE WILL BE BOXGROVE VILLAGE HALL FOR THIS LECTURE - REMINDERS WILL BE GIVEN AT MEETINGS PRIOR TO THIS DATE.

Chris was born in Turkey (hence his middle name) and spent his childhood there and in war-torn Beirut. After school, Chris spent two years at sea before studying Media and journalism at Leicester University. He then moved to Khiva, a desert oasis in Uzbekistan, establishing a UNESCO workshop reviving fifteenth century carpet designs and embroideries, creating income for women. After a year in the UK writing A Carpet Ride to Khiva, he moved to the Pamirs in Tajikistan, training yak herders to comb their yaks for their cashmere-like down, spending three years there. Next came two years in Kyrgyzstan living in the world’s largest natural walnut forest and establishing a wood-carving workshop. Chris has recently finished rowing and studying at Oxford and is now a curate at St. Barnabas, North Finchley, and author of Alabaster and Manacle. He returns to Central Asia whenever he can and conducts tours there.

This lecture explores the birth of the Soviet mosaic from its roots in Islamic mosaics and Communist propagandist posters through to the question of preservation in post-Soviet Central Asia. We explore why Soviet thinking was so keen to bring art out of galleries and into public spaces, and how, in an era when Socialist Realism was the only permitted artistic expression, every public artwork came with a message, a value and an agenda. How did Soviet artists deal with the uncomfortable reality that Muslim Central Asia was a Russian colonial conquest? In what ways were gender, race, work, leisure and achievement important when it came to shaping Central Asians’ ideas of their own identity within the wider Soviet family?

Ian Gledhill has had a very varied career, from designing underground railways as an engineer for London Transport, to appearing in pantomime with Julian Clary. In between he has worked in travel and tourism, music publishing, television, and especially the theatre, where he has been an actor, director, set designer, stage manager and opera translator. His main interests include architecture, history, transport and classical music, especially opera and operetta, and these are reflected in the wide ranging list of subjects for his lectures.

The story of stage scenery from Sophocles to Spiderman!  Western style theatre was invented by the Greeks from the 5thcentury BC onwards, and this talk illustrates the way in which theatre has developed over the last two and a half thousand years, and in particular how stage scenery design has advanced in that time. Ian Gledhill has worked, among other things, as a professional stage designer, and the talk will end with a look at some of his work including a practical demonstration of simple trompe-l’oeil scenic painting.

Sarah Cove is an accredited conservator of paintings and a specialist in technical art history. She has a Fine Art and History of Art background. She founded the Constable Research Project in 1986 and as the leading expert on John Constable's materials and techniques appeared in the BBC's Fake or Fortune series involving the authentication of potential Constable works.

In the mid 1820's Constable added the newly fashionable seaside resort of Brighton to his more familiar motifs of the Suffolk countryside and the skies of Hampstead Heath when his family began to take regular holidays there because of his wife's deteriorating health. In response to new subject matter he developed striking techniques  such as slapping paint on with a palette knife and tickling it about with the tip of a brush handle.This lecture is illustrated with recent research and images of oil sketches, studio studies and the full-size The Chain Pier, Brighton, 1827 and A Sea Beach, Brighton examined by Sarah for Fake or Fortune in 2014. 

Soup lunch before the lecture.

"This lecture tells the unusual story of a major figurative art commission that Richard painted for the city of Cosenza, Calabria, where he stayed for two months in 2015, painting five large pictures telling the story of the Normans in Southern Italy.  

After outlining the reasons for the commission, he describes the paintings he executed, the process of designing and painting them, and the historical background to the scenes.  He also talks about the other artists he worked with; the unique Calabrian way of doing things; and the difficulties - including the theft of a painting - that had to be overcome to complete the project."

Booking for the February lunch will be at the January meeting.  Should you not be able to be there, please email me with your order on: marialan.webb@googlemail.com or telephone 01903 884442

Choice of:   Tomato, Carrot and Beetroot soup or Cream of Mushroom and Chicken.  Followed by Apple Crumble and Custart

Price: £7 which includes free tea or coffee.

Doors open for 12.30 pm SHARP

MS CHLOË SAYER

Chloe is a freelance specialist in the art and culture of Latin America and has lectured in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. Has curated exhibitions, and assisted on TV documentaries for BBC and Channel 4. Has made collections in Mexico and Belize for the British Museum, and is Research Associate in the Department of World Cultures at the Royal Ontario Museum. In 2016 she was awarded the prestigious Ohtli medal by the Mexican government for her long-standing commitment to Mexican culture. 

The vitality of Mexican textiles is unsurpassed anywhere in the Americas. Almost five centuries have passed since the Spanish Conquest, yet Mexico is still home to more than fifty Native peoples. Many wear highly distinctive costumes, and use textile skills inherited from the ancient civilisations of the Aztec and the Maya.

Today the arts of spinning, dyeing and weaving are practised in hundreds of rural communities. Cloth may be elaborately brocaded or gauze-woven on the backstrap loom to resemble lace. Colonisation brought new materials such as wool, an increased emphasis on embroidery, and new techniques such as treadle-loom weaving and beadwork. The Mexican sense of design and colour is dazzling.

Award-winning food historian and artist Tasha Marks will describe her sculptural installations, limited edition confectionery and the rituals of eating, explaining why sugar has long been an important artistic medium.

Free coffee and tea and mince pie.

This lecture explores whether the old masters can help us understand modern works such as 'the pile of bricks' and 'the unmade bed.' Aliki will examine whether artists' intentions have really changed across the centuries.

This lecture tells the story of one of the most distinguished architects in the modern world. She developed a new form of architecture using organic shapes to create a seamless fluidity. Her daring and brilliant structures won her international acclaim.

The Northern Renaissance is not very well known, yet the stories of banking, piracy and painting which interweave this period have exciting parallels with our own time.This lecture places artists like Van Eyck and Memling in their turbulent context.

Strawberry Tea after the lecture

Best known for her dramatic, and sometimes controversial, paintings of flowers, Georgia O'Keefe also painted striking images of the New York skyline and the deserts of New Mexico. Throughout her long career she remained faithful to her unique vision of the natural world.

In this lecture we will learn about Marianne North, a remarkable Victorian artist, who travelled the globe in her mission to paint and record exotic flora. 832 of her brightly coloured paintings are now on display in the Marianne North Gallery at Kew. 

James Gillray's cutting and cruel caricatures tore into politicians and the Royal family alike in the 18th century. His wit and vitriol make him the natural forefather of Spitting Image and modern cartoonists such as Gerald Scarfe and Steve Bell. 

This lecture looks at the life and controversial work of Paula Rego, a British artist of Portuguese origin, best known for her depictions of folk tales and strikingly unusual images of women, often in disturbing or ambiguous situations.

In this lecture Simon highlights the treasures of aquatic architectural art that survive and considers how the pools of today compare with the rich decorative  features of Victorian and Edwardian baths and the gems of Art Deco and Modernist lidos of the 1920s and 30s.

This talk will examine Grayson Perry's works, his exciting and thought provoking exhibitions and will look at the character inside the flamboyant frocks.

We are all familiar with the traditional features of Christmas festivities : Christmas trees, crackers, plum pudding and mincepies but when and  how did all these 'traditions' start?

Alan will explore the characters and personalities of the originators of these customs and will trace the story of how they became essential features of Christmas.
 

Please come along for mince pies and tea/coffee which is being served from 1.15 pm. (No charge)

Artists have always used  jokes to make serious statements from  the graffiti of medieval monks scribbling in the margins of manuscripts to the full scale visual puns of Banksy. In her lecture Susie will  trace the history of artistic satire via examples of trompe l'oeil, parody and comic self portraits directing our gaze towards  jokes with a serious purpose.

This lecture will trace the thousand year story of the Byzantine Empire through its mosaics, carving, enamels, silverware, holy relics  and icons not to mention the colourful characters of the period including emperors and empresses, virgins and whores!

In this lecture Leslie will introduce us to a range of artists from overseas who changed the course of British art in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Often regarded as a grand statement about the technological achievements of the Victorian age, the Great Exhibition , in fact, took place against a background of widespread concern about the state of industrial design in Britain. Prasannajit will explore the underlying aims of the Exhibition and the reasons for its overwhelming success and lasting significance.

In this exciting and topical lecture, Doug will explore some of the ways in which street art has inspired social unrest and promoted revolutionary ideals in contexts ranging from the Arab Spring to current conflicts in Palestine and Syria claiming that :

Graffiti is more than mindless vandalism, it's the early stages of revolution.

William Morris may be regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Victorian age : writer, painter, designer and political revolutionary. As a leading exponent of the importance of pride in craftsmanship and good design he had a major influence on the history of the Arts and Crafts movement and is still revered as a pioneering campaigner who aimed to bring art and beauty within the reach of  ordinary working people.
 

Julian will explore the significance of this iconic structure which has enthralled, mystifed and inspired people over many centuries and resulted in responses varying from paintings by Blake and Turner and sculptures by Moore to  images on teatowels and postage stamps and even, more recently,  Jeremy Deller's inflatable Stonehenge!

Best selling author, Sarah Dunant, shares the secrets of her trade. In this lecture she reveals how a combination of  contemporary historical research and decoding the secrets of Renaissance paintings provides inspiration for her novels which recreate the colour, drama and emotional conflicts of those turbulent times.

This lecture will explore the role which Venice has played in inspiring the art of  painters and writers as varied as Turner, Ruskin and the notorious Lord Byron!

Tracing the history of pantomime from its roots in the classical drama of Ancient Greece and Rome, through the medieval mystery plays and the Italian Commedia Dell' Arte to the present day, Jane Tapley will explore its evolution over many centuries. Her talk will consider a variety of artistes and performers including the roles of Harlequinade, Grimaldi, musical hall artistes such as Dan Leno and Marie Lloyd as well as the contribution of soap stars of today

Bernard will explore the underappreciated talents of several female Impressionist painters including Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt and Eva Gonzales. Whilst these artists produced work as innovative and exciting as that of  their male colleagues, they are much less well known. Influenced by Manet, Eva Gonzales favoured strong contrasts and contemporary subject matter.  Marie Bracquemond's promising career was curtailed by her domineering husband.

In her lecture Alex will focus on the career of John Singer Sargent, the leading portrait painter of his age,   tracing  his rise,  fall and rise again  following the scandal of his portrait Madame X to the triumph of his acclaimed painting, Carnation, lily, Lily Rose.

Whatever brought this unlikely couple together? Was it a relationship of convenience or mutual love? What motivated them both and what made them one of the most followed couples in history? Carole Petipher will attempt to answer these questions by exploring their art collections at Chateau de Malmaison, their private country retreat which reveal their private passions.

This lecture introduces Islamic art through its supreme art form, Arabic Calligraphy. It will teach the basic elements of Arabic script and illustrate the many different styles of calligraphy which have developed throughout the Islamic world. It will also focus on the way Sunni (orthodox) Islam and Shi'i Islam have identified themselves through their use of Arabic calligraphy, shedding light on the present conflict in the Near East.

Did you know that there was a time in this country, under Oliver Cromwell, that Christmas was abolished and mince pies were Illegal? Can you imagine! This talk explores the evolution of Christmas customs and folklore, from the 16th Century story of little Jack Horner and his Christmas Pie, to the holly, miseltoe, tinsel and glass baubles of today. Not to mention all the mince pies...! Come and enjoy some pre-Christmas culture and find out why Chrismas is like it is. 

An amusing hour in Royal London.

We may all think we know Buckingham Palace in its magnificent position at the centre of ceremonial London, with its near neighbours of St James's Palace and the Palace of Westminster. We are less aware of how closely all their pasts are interlinked, nor do we usually connect them with the now largely vanished Whitehall Palace. Yet, taken together, these provide a rich tapestry of all our  pasts and a splendid inheritance - a treasury of furniture, art, history, comedy and tragedy.

Did you know that a witch once lived in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace? Or that the vintners of Westminster built a fort in its garden? The Duke of Wellington described the 19th Century building we know and love as "a monstrous insult to the nation" and the diarist Creevy wrote that the vulgarity of its decor made him sick.

This fascinating talk covers all kinds of disreputable history, from stories of fraudulent monks to Pepys describing how much he enjoyed chasing the painted ladies at Buck House....and if you want to hear about 18th Century exploding bosoms, this is the talk to attend! 

Years of working as an artist within the Criminal Justice System in England and Germany have given Angela unique insights into the destructive and costly cycle of crime, prisons and re-offending. In this thought-provoking talk she offers a deeper understanding of the minds, lives and challenges of offenders. And, with extraordinary slides of art projects and prisoner’s art, demonstrates how within the process of creating art of any discipline, there are vital opportunities for offenders to develop key life skills.

A frequent response to this talk has been “I had no idea!” and indeed it casts light onto areas of our society where the Arts are not only visual, decorative, or commercial, but absolutely vital, hugely relevant and potentially life-changing. This talk is moving, informative and very original. Interspersed with personal accounts of humorous or slightly horrifying situations, Angela talks have kept audiences across the country engrossed.