The day comprises three sessions:

Doctoring: A Very Fine Art

Artists have depicted multiple aspects of medicine and its practice for centuries. Often their perceptions are tempered by personal experience of sickness or chronic ill health. This talk looks at how artists as diverse as Jan Steen, Rene Magritte and L. S. Lowry have depicted the various steps in the development of modern doctoring. It is a profession that grew out of superstition and quackery before the birth of modern scientific medicine in the 19th century. The various stages in a doctor’s life from student to senior clinician are explored with insight and humour. The talk highlights the importance of the doctor patient relationship in the life of a successful doctor.

The Art of the Plague 

This lecture covers seven hundred years of art history related to the plague from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. It illustrates how artists such as Tintoretto, Raphael and Titian, amongst many others, reflected in their art the wide range of human response to the devastating affect that plague had on individuals and communities. It also illustrates in many works of art the triumph of the human spirit in the face of such adversity.

Final Session

An exhibition and talk on a selection of antique medical instruments and artefacts from Dr Grant's own collection.

Dr James Grant is retired country doctor with a lifetime of working in the NHS both in hospital and in rural practice He is passionate about all aspects of medicine, its history and its relationship to art and artists. 

The day will cost £44 per person including lunch or £27 without lunch.

Payment:

• By BACS to THE ARTS SOCIETY WREKIN – number two Account, sort code 20-97-90, A/C number 03857654. Please put MEDICINE in the reference.
• Or cheques made payable to 'The Arts Society Wrekin' posted to Helen Hibbs, 57 Showell Lane, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 4TZ

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED WITH A WAITING LIST. IF YOU FIND YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND, PLEASE CONTACT HELEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

How did the British view themselves and their subjects in the era of imperialism? How did imperial subjects view the British? This study day considers these questions by exploring a range of images, buildings, objects and art forms from across the British Empire. Beginning with a broad view of the empire and imperial art in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, we will go on to focus more closely on imperial India. We will consider the arts and architecture of the vibrant capital city of Calcutta, the ‘second city’ of the British Empire throughout the nineteenth century.

Dr John Stevens gained his PhD in History from UCL, before going on to teach British Imperial History, Indian History and Bengali Language at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS, University of London). His biography of the Indian guru Keshab Chandra Sen – Keshab: Bengal’s Forgotten Prophet - was published by Hurst and Oxford University Press in 2018. He is a regular visitor to India and Bangladesh and has lectured at numerous Indian universities. He also works as a consultant on Indian affairs and teaches the Bengali language to private students. He has appeared many times in the Indian media, and was a guest on BBC Radio Four’s In Our Time, discussing the poet and artist Rabindranath Tagore. 

3 PLACES REMAIN FOR THIS EVENT

Please contact Helen Hibbs: helen.hibbs@btinternet .com

At the Red House, Albrighton WV7 3LU

10.00 for 10.30 start, finish at 3.00pm approx.

From the late 19th century Cornwall became a focus for a number of artists who challenged conventions, beginning with the artists’ colonies at Newlyn and Lamorna.

Lecture 1) Newlyn and Lamorna 

This lecture looks at the arrival of artists in the 1880s including Stanhope Forbes, Walter Langley, Edwin Harris and Henry Scott Tuke. Then a younger generation followed- Harold and Laura Knight, Dod and Ernest Procter and Alfred Munnings. 

Lecture 2) St Ives and the arrival of the Modernists

Self taught Alfred Wallis’s work was championed by Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood. As war threatened in 1939 Nicholson and his 2nd wife Barbara Hepworth moved to St Ives along with Naum Gabo.

Lecture 3) The Triumph of St Ives

This lecture charts the rise of St Ives as a centre for modern art after the war with artists such as Peter Lanyon, Patrick Heron, Terry Frost and Wilhelmina Barnes Graham. 

Sarah Burles studied History of Art at Cambridge University before doing her Masters degree at University College London. She went on to have a career in museum and gallery education and worked at the Fitzwilliam Museum for many years. 
She is the founder of Cambridge Arts Tours which runs tours and courses in and around East Anglia. Sarah is also Tour Director of a travel company, and has led tours to Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, and America. 

The day will cost £25 for members and £28 for non-members (though priority given to members).

An optional 2 course lunch is available at a cost of £15 per person. It will include a chicken and mushroom pie, vegetables, and a Vegetarian option with a choice of desserts.

There will be 40 places including lunch and 24 without lunch. 
Dietary requirements: Please advise when booking of any dietary preferences (eg vegetarian), food intolerances or true allergies which could cause anaphylaxis. This is important for the caterers in the light of Natasha’s Law.
 
To book contact Liz Allan, email: lizallan@talktalk.net  stating number of places required, if you require lunch (and any dietary preferences if you do plan to join us for lunch) and amount due.  Email booking preferred but if this is not possible by telephone to 01902 259501. Your place will be confirmed by email. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY DIRECTLY TO THIS NEWSLETTER AS THE MAILBOX IS NOT MONITORED.

Payments:

PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR PAYMENT UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN CONTACTED TO SAY YOUR PLACE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED

• By BACS to THE ARTS SOCIETY WREKIN – number two Account, sort code 20-97-90, A/C number 03857654. Please put CORNWALL in the reference.
• Or cheques made payable to 'The Arts Society Wrekin' posted to Liz Allan, 18 Danescourt Road, Tettenhall, WV6 9BG

Free parking is available on the car park behind The Crown on High St.

Queries regarding the day should be addressed to Liz Allan, Days of Special Interest Co-ordinator, email: lizallan@talktalk.net or tel: 01902 259501

Wednesday 30th October 2024
at the Red House, Albrighton WV7 3LU
10.00 for 10.30 start, finish at 3.00pm approx.

 There will be 3 lectures: 

1) SHE LOVES YOU 1960-63
As interest in rock’n’roll began to fade, a new generation of teenagers were seeking something different and it came in the form of the Beatles, who broke all the rules and all the records.

2) LIKE A ROLLING STONE 1964-66
In the mid sixties the Beatles conquered America and were followed by a stream of acts from the UK. And then one of the most influential bands of the era launched a new genre.

3) THOSE WERE THE DAYS 1967-69
The final years of the Sixties brought The summer of Love, the world’s first boy band and the return of the King.

Steve King has spent 35 years working in the radio industry. He is a popular music historian, broadcaster, programmer and events manager. He has operated at the highest level in the commercial radio industry and worked as a radio presenter and Events Director.
 

The day will cost £25 for members and £28 for non-members (though priority given to members).
  An optional 2 course lunch is available at a cost of £13 per person. It will include a lasagne, salads, and a Vegetarian option with a choice of desserts.  

There will be 40 places including lunch and 24 without lunch. 

Dietary requirements: Please advise when booking of any dietary preferences (eg vegetarian), food intolerances or true allergies which could cause anaphylaxis. This is important for the caterers in the light of Natasha’s Law.

 
To book contact Liz Allan, email: lizallan@talktalk.net  stating number of places required and any dietary preferences if you plan to join us for lunch and amount due.  Email booking preferred but if this is not possible by telephone to 01902 259501. Your place will be confirmed by email. PLEASE DON'T REPLY DIRECTLY TO THIS NEWSLETTER AS THE MAILBOX IS NOT MONITORED.

Payments:
PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR PAYMENT UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN CONTACTED TO SAY YOUR PLACE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED

• By BACS to THE ARTS SOCIETY WREKIN – number two Account, sort code 20-97-90, A/C number 03857654. Please put SIXTIES in the reference.
• Or cheques made payable to 'The Arts Society Wrekin' posted to Liz Allan, 18 Danescourt Road, Tettenhall, WV6 9BG

 
Queries regarding the day should be addressed to Liz Allan, Days of Special Interest Co-ordinator, email: lizallan@talktalk.net or tel: 01902 259501

Wednesday 28th February 2024
at the Red House, Albrighton WV7 3LU
10.00 for 10.30 start, finish at 3.00pm approx.

There will be 3 lectures -

     1)  The Wool Road
     2)  The Silk Road
     3) The Cotton Road
 

Each lecture explores a textile and a road and examines how textiles have changed the course of Central Asian history, politics and way of life.

Chris Aslan is returning at our request following a very popular lecture on the Silk Road in 2022. He was born in Turkey and spent his childhood there and in Beirut. He studied Media and Journalism at Leicester University and then moved to Khiva, a desert oasis in Uzbekistan, establishing a UNESCO workshop reviving 15th century carpet designs and embroideries. He has since lived in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Oxford, and Cambridge. Chris also takes tours to central Asia, returning whenever he can, having left a large chunk of his heart out there. 

 The day will cost £25 for members and £28 for non-members (though priority given to members).
  An optional 2 course lunch is available at a cost of £13 per person. It will include a lasagne, salads, and a Vegetarian option with a choice of desserts.  

There will be 40 places including lunch and 24 without lunch. 
 

Dietary requirements: Please advise when booking of any dietary preferences (eg vegetarian), food intolerances or true allergies which could cause anaphylaxis. This is important for the caterers in the light of Natasha’s Law.

 
To book contact Liz Allan, email: lizallan@talktalk.net  stating number of places required and any dietary preferences if you plan to join us for lunch and amount due.  Email booking preferred but if this is not possible by telephone to 01902 259501. Your place will be confirmed by email. PLEASE DON'T REPLY DIRECTLY TO THIS NEWSLETTER AS THE MAILBOX IS NOT MONITORED.

Payments:
PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR PAYMENT UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN CONTACTED TO SAY YOUR PLACE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED
· By BACS to THE ARTS SOCIETY WREKIN – number two Account, sort code 20-97-90, A/C number 03857654. Please put SILKROAD in the reference.
· Or cheques made payable to 'The Arts Society Wrekin' posted to Liz Allan, 18 Danescourt Road, Tettenhall, WV6 9BG
 
Queries regarding the day should be addressed to Liz Allan, Days of Special Interest Co-ordinator, email: lizallan@talktalk.net or tel: 01902 259501

Please be aware that parking charges now apply on The Crown car park. Payments can be made by cash or card at the machines in the car park or alternatively using the RingGo app. Up to 8 hours is £4

Please read Protocol for additional events including Day Visits and Days of Special Interest when booking.

Find out, in this very light-hearted lecture, about the various ceremonial events that take place around Christmas time. Carol services, concerts and even Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace and Windsor all play their part. How do the Chelsea Pensioners prepare and celebrate the festive season? All will be revealed so, come along and feel wrapped in a blanket of Christmas loveliness.

Dr Graham Jones started his professional life as a musician in the British Army and over a glittering career spanning nearly forty years he retired as the Senior Director of Music, Household Division and Director of Music, Coldstream Guards a position unequaled throughout military music in Great Britain. During his illustrious career he has recorded over 40 albums and been responsible for the largest commissioning programme of wind band music in recent history commissioning over 30 new works for wind band. He pioneered a music education programme with the University of Salford for military musicians resulting in a new Master of Music in performance degree. Graham was made a Member of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace for outstanding service to military music in 1993.

Having retired, at the start of 2012, from military service Graham is enjoying a second career as a guest conductor, adjudicator, guest speaker, lecturer, clinician, recording consultant and educator. He is also the Artist Director of London International Band Week, music consultant to Henley Music Festival, resident conductor of the British Imperial Orchestra, visiting conductor in residence at Troy University, Alabama, USA and guest lecturer on cruise ships. 

Graham’s charitable work includes event planning in support of the Royal British Legion and sitting on the London fundraising committee of the Army Benevolent Fund - the Soldiers Charity. 

 Events will be advertised to the membership by Newsletter

• MailChimp newsletter to those with internet access
• By post to members without

Bookings will be taken by email (preferably) or phone if no email access. Priority will usually be given to members for a fixed time.

Places will not be pre-booked or reserved except for the Chairman, organiser and essential helpers.

The date of an Event may be advised in advance - TASW programme, PP, website or 'Events' board at lectures.

Places will be allocated in order of application with a few held for a brief time for those not on email. If necessary, a waiting list will be started.

Payment by BACS (preferred) or cheque will be acceptable but not until  the place is confirmed

If a place is cancelled after payment is made, £5 will be retained for TASW to cover the cost of issuing refund cheques/ postage/setting up a BACS, phone calls etc and only if the place is filled except in exceptional circumstances.

Cancellations will be filled from the waiting list and offered in order.

If there is additional capacity, non members will be welcome.

Information can be found on the Website http://www.theartssocietywrekin.org.uk if you wish to check details of the timing, venue etc prior to the event.

Venue: The Red House, Albrighton WV7 3LU
10.00 for 10.30 start, finish at 3.00pm approx.

Birmingham: More Canals Than Venice!

It’s often said Birmingham has more canals than Venice and today the city’s waterways are a fascinating mixture of traditional and contemporary design, architecture and engineering. The lectures look at the distinctive features of Birmingham’s canals and, with archival maps and images, also tells the 250-year old story of their unique industrial heritage – wharves, warehouses, locks, bridges, tunnels and, of course, boats.

Roger Butler is a landscape architect and an experienced writer, photographer and lecturer. He has a particular interest in the unique history, architecture and traditions of our canal network and worked on some of the UK’s major canal restoration projects. He has also acted as a consultant to bodies such as Waterways Ireland, Natural England and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

He regularly contributes to waterway and heritage magazines and writes and provides images for a range of countryside and outdoor titles. Roger is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society and a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute. He lives near Stratford upon Avon and lectures to groups such as the National Trust, RSPB, U3A, history societies, etc. across the Midlands and further afield.

 There will be 3 lectures -

     1)  Canal History. The story of our inland waterways - construction, commercial success, navvies and boating families, boats, arts and crafts, decline and restoration.

      2)  The Hidden world of Canal Architecture. Exploring some of the fascinating buildings and quirky landmarks along our waterway network.

     3) More Canals than Venice. The afternoon session looks at Birmingham's canals with archive photos to show how the cities waterways have changed and improved. It includes a chance to learn about unusual buildings and locations - such as the Banana warehouse and the Typhoo canal basin. 

       

The day will cost £25 for members and £28 for non-members
  An optional 2 course lunch is available at a cost of £13 per person. It will include a chicken pie and Vegetarian option with a choice of desserts. 
  
Dietary requirements: Please advise when booking of any dietary preferences (eg vegetarian), food intolerances or true allergies which could cause anaphylaxis. This is important for the caterers in the light of Natasha’s Law.
 

To book contact John Dimmock, email: jandjcd@gmail.com or tel: 01902 700418 stating number of places required and any dietary preferences if you plan to join us for lunch.

Payments:

• By BACS to THE ARTS SOCIETY WREKIN – number two Account, sort code 20-97-90, A/C number 03857654. Please put CANALS in the reference.
• Or cheques made payable to 'The Arts Society Wrekin' posted to John Dimmock. Chergordon, The Drive, High Street, Pattingham, Wolverhampton WV6 7BQ
   

Queries regarding the day should be addressed to Liz Allan, Days of Special Interest Co-ordinator, email: lizallan@talktalk.net or tel: 07973618179
 

Please be aware that parking charges now apply on The Crown car park. Payments can be made by cash or card at the machines in the car park or alternatively using the RingGo app. Up to 8 hours is £4.

A stimulating and enjoyable Special Interest Day exploring how and why the city of Paris has acted as both a magnet and cauldron of talent for aspiring artists and designers. Discover more about the key events and personalities shaping the 'City of Light' during the first half of the twentieth century. Looking beyond  the mainstream, we will identify the creative individuals, including newly emerging female talents, who shaped the Parisian concept of 'modernity' in art, design, interiors, fashion, and photography.

Whether strolling along Haussmann's new boulevards, ascending the magnificent staircase of Garnier's Opéra House, calling into an artist's studio, cafe, nightclub, or couture fitting, we will recreate the sense of 'being there'. Literary descriptions by Zola, Stein, Cocteau, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald will accompany the sumptuous visual details photographed especially for this purpose. Comparisons between the international Paris exhibitions of 1900, 1925 and 1937 will shed light on changing social/cultural issues, rapid technological change, and the key role of couture and fashion in French identity, especially during the German  Occupation, and immediately after the Liberation.

This new Special Interest Day 'Why Paris?' has evolved by popular request from many societies who have enjoyed my 'New York New York'  SID. A similar inclusive and exploratory approach is used with location maps, using both contemporary and old photographs of the city, various art and design media, to share many of the questions which have fascinated me over the years. Whether you know the city well or not at all, there will be new and exciting discoveries for everyone.

Session One : La Belle Époque - city of pleasure and reinvention 1890s - 1914

Session Two: Partying into the Future 1920s and 30s

Session Three: Paris Exposition 1937, Occupation and Defiance

I will bring a selection from my personal vintage postcard collection, advertisements, fashion plates, and historic exhibition catalogues for your enjoyment.

Mary Alexander has thirty years' experience as a lecturer, with a BA in History and History of Art and a MA with distinction in History of Art from University College London. Her experience includes public lectures in museums, tutoring for the Open University, visiting lecturer at Christie's Education in London, museum curator at Platt Hall, and the Gallery of Costume, Manchester. She is now a freelance lecturer to various arts, heritage and antiquarian societies. She also worked in Pentagram design consultancy in London and New York, organising conferences and special events. She is the author of various articles on design and visual awareness issues, her background combines an unusual blend of academic and visual communications skills.

We are fortunate indeed to have so many parish churches (c.17,000), all different and each with their own unique story to tell. We will explore their development both inside and out, glorying in our wool churches, commanding towers and spires and regional diversity. Churchyards, stained glass, Doom paintings  and errant clergymen all feature in this fully illustrated talk.

Andrew Davies is Extra-Mural Tutor for London, Essex and The Open University, He is the author of nine books and is a frequent contributor to radio and television. He has lectured all over the world and organises walks to complement his lectures.

Session 1 - 'Hot Stuff' 

Looking at the 1960's revolution in glass making and at 6 key artists including Dale Chihuly and Sam Herman.

Session 2 - 'Cracking Glass'

An overview of Britain’s ‘Big Four’ postwar glass companies, comprising Whitefriars, King’s Lynn (Wedgwood), Caithness and Dartington. As well as company and designer histories, special slides examine, compare and contrast ‘Good, Better, Best’ examples from each company. The emergence of these factories is put into context and major influences behind them are discussed. The current glut of Whitefriars fakes are covered, including tips on how to spot them.

Session 3 - Antiques Road Show mini session

Bring your 20th century glass and ceramics for identification and valuation.

Mark Hill studied History of Art & Architecture (BA Hons), and began his career as a porter and Junior Cataloguer at Bonhams, before moving to Sotheby's where he was a Specialist in the Collectors' Department. He was co-author of the internationally published Collectables Price Guide with Judith Miller from 2002-17. He founded his own publishing company in 2005 and has since published over 12 books on specialist subjects in 20th century design and decorative arts. He has appeared as a Miscellaneous expert on the Antiques Roadshow since 2007, and has co-presented three primetime factual TV series on antiques and collecting for BBC2. he is a  Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars and a Freeman of the City of London.

 Venue: The Red House, Albrighton

10.30

These three talks explore the heart of the City of London

1. The Medieval Guildhall - a London nerve centre for 2,000 years - sculpture, monuments and art in this gothic treasure trove.

2. Romans and Romantics – the Guildhall Art Gallery, one of the country’s real hidden gems.

3. An armchair stroll around the Square Mile

Ian Swankie is an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral. He is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, one of the City Livery companies.

Dr Annie Gray will be joining us by Zoom to deliver her advertised talk on Christmas dinner from Edward I to Edward VII. We hope it will be possible for members to meet up safely in very small groups in the safety of their own homes to enjoy Annie’s talk with a glass of Prosecco or afternoon tea.

Annie is a food historian and very polished and entertaining performer – you may have seen her on TV if not on a previous visit to Cosford. I am sure she will give us a much needed boost before Christmas. At least there will be no restriction on numbers for this virtual event. If you are able to share with a member(s) who do not have internet, I am sure they will be delighted. Non member friends are welcome to join us too.

Suggested Donation Minimum £10 per observer

Payment

This event is in addition to the lecture programme which your membership fee covers so we hope you will be willing to pay a small amount as suggested to cover the lecturer’s fee.

This can be paid by BACS to:

THE ARTS SOCIETY WREKIN – No 2 Account, sort code 20-97-90, A/C number 03857654 - don’t forget to put your surname and initial as the reference, or:

by cheque to The Arts Society Wrekin and sent to Nicky Lipscombe at Sawmill Cottage, Badger, Shropshire WV6 7JP. You can pay for more than one event at a time if that is easier. Please email Nicky or Liz to let them know that you are making a BACS payment and for which event(s).

The links for Zoom will be sent to all members by MailChimp a day or two before each event as for the monthly lectures.

If these events are well supported (ie lecturer’s costs are covered) we will be pleased to arrange more in the new year up until the time we can safely meet again. If you have queries about any of these events please contact Nicky re: Pepe Martinez or Annie Gray, and Liz for Peter Medhurst’s Day of Special Interest.

Any surplus generated from these events will help to replenish our charity funds for Young Arts/Arts Volunteering/Heritage Volunteering following our donation to The Albrighton Trust and prizes for the Cosford Poster competition. Despite Lockdown and the aftermath there is still a lot going on in the Society.

Nicky Lipscombe – 01746 783591 or tlipscombe@aol.com

Liz Allan – 01902 259501 or lizallan@talktalk.net

Peter Medhurst, who visited us in 2018 for the festive talk and tea on The Twelve Days of Christmas and gave a Zoom presentation on Beethoven earlier this year, will be giving a Zoom presentation titled The Musical Lure of 18th Century Italy – Italian Music in the Time of the Grand Tour. There will be two one hour sessions with a break in between.

 Peter will tell the story with images and recorded music of what drew British travellers to musical Italy and what they would have expected to listen to in the various cities of the country – Florence, Naples Venice and Rome. The last 30 minutes of the second session will be live music performed by Peter in his music room in London on period instruments including his 18th century harpsichord and 18th century organ.

 This promises to be a fascinating talk and performance for all who enjoy music, history and travel. Peter studied singing and early keyboard instruments at the Royal College of Music and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.

Non-members are very welcome to join us.

Suggested donation – Minimum £10 per observer – all welcome

Payment

This event is in addition to the lecture programme which your membership fee covers so we hope you will be willing to pay a small amount as suggested to cover the lecturer’s fee.

This can be paid by BACS to:

THE ARTS SOCIETY WREKIN – No 2 Account, sort code 20-97-90, A/C number 03857654 - don’t forget to put your surname and initial as the reference, or:

by cheque to The Arts Society Wrekin and sent to Nicky Lipscombe at Sawmill Cottage, Badger, Shropshire WV6 7JP. You can pay for more than one event at a time if that is easier. Please email Nicky or Liz to let them know that you are making a BACS payment and for which event(s).

The links for Zoom will be sent to all members by MailChimp a day or two before each event as for the monthly lectures.

If these events are well supported (ie lecturer’s costs are covered) we will be pleased to arrange more in the new year up until the time we can safely meet again. If you have queries about any of these events please contact Nicky re: Pepe Martinez or Annie Gray, and Liz for Peter Medhurst’s Day of Special Interest.

Any surplus generated from these events will help to replenish our charity funds for Young Arts/Arts Volunteering/Heritage Volunteering following our donation to The Albrighton Trust and prizes for the Cosford Poster competition. Despite Lockdown and the aftermath there is still a lot going on in the Society.

Keep safe and well,

Best wishes

Nicky Lipscombe – 01746 783591 or tlipscombe@aol.com

Liz Allan – 01902 259501 or lizallan@talktalk.net

DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC,THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED.

IT IS HOPED TO RE-BOOK IT AT A LATER DATE

We are fortunate indeed to have so many parish churches (aproximately17,000), all different and each with their own unique story to tell. We will explore their development both inside and out, glorying in our wool churches, commanding towers and spires and regional diversity. Churchyards, stained glass, doom paintings and errant clergymen all feature in this fully illustrated talk.

Andrew Davies is Extra-Mural Tutor for London, Essex and The Open University. He is the author of 9 books, including The East End Nobody Knows. He is a frequent contributor to radio and television and has lectured all over the world. He organises walks to complement his lectures.

The Red House, Albrighton WV7 3LU

10.10 for 10.30am start, finish at 3.00pm approx.

 The day will follow the course of Modern Art from Paris in 1850 to New York in 1960, looking at the lives of the avant-garde society of each period, and the art styles that arose. We start with Can-Can girls and the bohemians of Montmartre, and see how Impressionism challenged the classical art of the academies. This leads us to the Jazz Age in Paris after World War 1, with colourful characters such as Josephine Baker. Post-war artists rejected the destructive nature of Cubism and developed styles such as Futurism and Surrealism. Finally we look at New York in 1960, where the turmoil after World War 2 gave us Abstract Impressionism. Finally the consumer society produced Pop Art and Andy Warhol’s soup cans.

Linda Collins was employed by the Historic Royal Palaces for more than twenty years. She is now independent, lecturing at the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and Tate Modern, and to many groups and societies in the UK and world-wide,

Read a member's review of this day on the News page.      

The London Coliseum is now the home of English National Opera.

It was the theatre that hosted Les Ballets Russes, Annie Get Your Gun, Music Hall and Cinerama.

Everything about the Coliseum is enormous – the stage, the auditorium, the number of its ghosts, the size of its problems.

Sarah regards the Coliseum as ‘her’ theatre, having worked there since 1979. She knows how many tons of sand can be tipped on the stage, why there is a knife hanging from the flys and how they got away with Don Giovanni inadvertently bursting into flames.

She even knew some of the ghosts (while they were still alive….)

 Sarah Lenton has spent her working life in the theatre, principally at the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne and English National Opera. She writes programme articles and websites, she gives lectures on the operas and ballets in the rep. and does live opera broadcasts and podcasts for BBC Radios 3 and 4. She has written and directed many shows, including more than 20 for the Royal Opera House Linbury Studio Theatre and for Glyndebourne Touring Opera. She is also a cartoonist.

Wednesday 10th October 2018
at The Red House, Albrighton WV7 3LU
10.00 for 10.30am start, finish at 3.00pm approx.

The day will cost £20 to members and £23 to non-members. A buffet lunch will be available at a cost of £12.50 per person (dependent on at least 30 people requiring lunch).

Liverpool and Merseyside are celebrated these days for their great cultural explosion in the 1960s and their
rising from the ashes of the 1970s. But they also have a long history of arts patronage and collecting, the
result being collections of international standing, and a wealth of architecture in styles from Neo-Classical
via Arts and Crafts to Art Deco and beyond. We will look at the Walker and Tate Galleries, featuring
painting and sculpture from a surprising range of great masters, stately homes in Merseyside and Wirral,
plus such hidden gems as the Lady Lever Art Gallery and the surrounding Port Sunlight Village.
Featured artists will include Burne-Jones, Millais, Rossetti and many Pre-Raphaelite favourites. Featured
buildings will include the ‘Three Graces’ on the waterfront, Art Deco masterpieces such as the Philharmonic
Hall and Giles Gilbert Scott’s Anglican Cathedral, and Alfred Waterhouse’s Gothic revival Victoria Building.
----------
Adrian Sumner is Arts Development Officer for Cheshire West and Chester Council. He has lectured on the
History of Art for universities, higher education institutions and a variety of groups and societies. He runs
tours and study weekends in UK and Europe, and organises exhibitions for Chester City Council. He is
also a professional painter and illustrator.
 

 Please send the form, with a cheque payable to:      

The Arts Society Wrekin, to:-
John Dimmock, Chergordon, The Drive, High Street, Pattingham, Wolverhampton WV6 7BQ
Enquiries: jandjcd@gmail.com or 01902 700418

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, IT IS WORTH PUTTING YOUR NAME ON THE WAITING LIST AND SAVING THE DATE AS THERE ARE SOMETIMES LAST- MINUTE CANCELLATIONS.

 10.00am – 4.30pm

Cost: £45pp, includes coffee/tea on arrival, two course lunch at Tong, admission and Cream Tea at Weston Park

Tobias Capwell - Armour in Alabaster: Knightly Church Monuments of the late Middle Ages
Tong Church is said to have the finest collection of monuments and memorials in Shropshire. A fitting venue for Toby’s talk
on one of the most important of all medieval art-forms. Monumental effigies were not just elaborate tomb markers, they were
above all motivators of intercessionary prayer. This was an art-form on which the soul of the artist’s patron literally depended.
The effectiveness of the intercessions depended on the realistic, true-to-life qualities of the sculpted effigy - the more life-like
the image, the more effective the prayer. Effigies not only bring us face-to-face with the real inhabitants of the medieval world,
they also provide a unique way for us to understand the art of the medieval English armourer.
Following the talk there will be time to look around the church and at the monuments in particular with Toby, before a twocourse lunch in Tong Parish Hall. The Arts Society Wrekin has recently produced a Church Trail for Tong.
Toby is Curator of Arms and Armour at the Wallace Collection in London, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and an
internationally acknowledged expert on Medieval and Renaissance weapons.

Gareth Williams – Chippendale’s Workshop at Weston Park
Thomas Chippendale was arguably the greatest cabinet maker that Britain produced in the eighteenth century and his name
became a by-word for excellence in design and construction. Following Gareth’s illustrated talk there will be a guided tour of
the house. Discover the collection items ascribed to Thomas Chippendale and to other contemporary makers and artists
including Josiah Wedgwood, Matthew Boulton, Gobelins, George Stubbs, John Constable, Sir Joshua Reynolds, James Paine and
Lancelot Brown. Enjoy a Cream Tea before a self-guided visit to the Granary Gallery exhibition, formal gardens and parkland.
Gareth Williams is Curator and Head of Learning to the Weston Park Foundation. He was previously a furniture and works of
art specialist for Phillips and Sotheby’s.

There is plenty of free parking at both venues.

They are both close to Junction 3 of the M54 and easily accessible.
Application forms can also be downloaded from www.westmidlandsarea.theartssociety.org or  www.theartssocietywrekin.org.uk 

Please apply early as numbers are limited; at the latest, by 18th June 2018. After this date there will be no refunds unless there is a waiting list.

If you have to cancel, please contact: 
 Nicky Lipscombe, Sawmill Cottage, Badger, Shropshire WV6 7JP

Email tlipscombe@aol.com

Tel: 01746 783591
 

Venue: The Red House, Albrighton

10.30am 

Coffee/tea and biscuits served from 10.00am

We look at houses built in the 20th century like Manderston, Blackwell, Castle Drogo, Rodmarton and Eltham Palace but also at the fascinating story of how the Country House coped with the challenges of the 20th century – agricultural depression, high taxation, two World Wars, the National Trust and much else. We move from the dark days of the 1950s when so many great houses were destroyed to the more optimistic outlook at the start of a new millennium. Over the last forty years old houses have been restored and new ones like Meols Hall and Henbury Hall have been built. Some members may well have their own stories to tell about country houses in the 20th century, such as memories of evacuation or schooldays, or as volunteers for house opening.

Roger Mitchell tudied History at Oxford and Fine Art at Leeds. He was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to travel and study in USA. He is a former College Vice-Principal and now lectures for University of Liverpool and for Adult Residential Colleges. He organises and leads country house study tours, and tries to find time to do research on British and American Country Houses.

Venue: The Red House, Albrighton

10.30am 

Coffee/tea and biscuits served from 10.00am

Tudor palaces were extravagant, symbolic, elegant and powerful, providing a useful propaganda tool for an upstart dynasty. They combined the tradition and continuity of the Gothic style with the up-to-date gloss of the Renaissance. This study day examines the architecture, interiors and furnishings of buildings such as Hampton Court, Whitehall, Richmond and Nonsuch, and reveals the exuberant surroundings of the Tudor court and the role played by the visual arts in creating the image of monarchy. 

Dr Gillian White specialises in the visual arts of late medieval and sixteenth-centurysEngland. She formerly worked for the National Trust as Curator and Collections Manager at Hardwick Hall, about which she then wrote her PhD at Warwick University. She now teaches part-time at Leicester University, predominantly in The Centre for the Study of the Country House, and is involved with the Continuing Education Department at Oxford University, as well as freelance lecturing.

Jewellery from Elizabeth I to the 20th Century

The Red House, Albrighton 10.30am Coffee and biscuits will be served from 10.00am The first lecture will cover jewellery from the Elizabethan period to the Victorian era. The second session continues with jewellery from Victorian times to the 20th century. In the afternoon John Benjamin will host our own 'Antiques Roadshow', when members are invited to bring along their own jewellery to be identified and appraised. John Benjamin was with Phillips Auctioneers for 23 years, latterly as International Director of Jewellery. Since 1999 he has been an independent Jewellery Consultant. He lectures, writes and broadcasts (including BBC Antiques Roadshow). He was admitted to Goldsmiths' Company in 2000. He is the author of 'Starting to collect Antique Jewellery' and co-author with Paul Atterbury of 'The Jewellery and Silver of H.G. Murphy'.

Venue: The Red House, Albrighton

Time: !0.30 - coffee and biscuits will be served from 10.00

Pre-Raphaelite Design Connections will discuss the lives and work of the designers and artists of the 19th century Arts and Crafts Movement such as William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Charles Robert Ashbee, William de Morgan, Sir Edward Burne- Jones, Arthur and Georgina Gaskin and Florence Camm. It reveals their development as artists and designers, from their early affiliations and connections in and around the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in the 1850s and 1860s to their lasting contributions to the national and international Arts and Crafts Movement at the turn of the century. It includes examples of stained glass, jewellery, book illustration, painting and ceramics.

There will be a focus on the Midlands and examples of the work of regional designers and places to visit.

Dr Sally Hoban is an Honorary Research Fellow at The University of Birmingham and has lectured extensively on art, design and antiques throughout the UK. Sally has broadcast on BBC Two, BBC Four and BBC Radio 4 and her publications include Miller’s Collecting Modern Design. She has an Honours certificate in public speaking from The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and is a freelance arts journalist for local, national and international media.

AN AUTUMN SPECIAL INTEREST DAY NOT TO BE MISSED!
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF THE LUNAR SOCIETY
Tuesday 18 October 2016 (10.30 am – 3.45 pm)
Venue: The Guildhall, Lichfield WS13 6LU
and Erasmus Darwin’s House
Cost - £30.00 - to include coffee on arrival and sandwich lunch.

The members of the Lunar Society were both artists and scientists, whose legacy of experimentation in the late 18th & early 19th centuries helped to shape the modern industrial world. Dr Hoban will discuss the relationship between art and science in the Lunar Circle, including some of the women connected with it, ending the afternoon in Erasmus Darwin’s house and the Cathedral Close .

Organiser: Mrs Margaret Locke – West Midlands ACE
t: 01939 210639 e: margaret@mlocke.co.uk
Application forms are available from www.westmidlands.nadfas.net or from www.wrekindfas.org.uk

It'll Be Alright on the Night: The development of theatre in Georgian times.

This talk examines the atmosphere and behaviour in and around the Georgian theatre - the irresponsibility of the actors, the impotence of the managers, the tears and tyranny of the audiences. The lack of discipline both on stage and front of house is astonishing to modern audiences. Plays were under rehearsed, had very short runs and the audiences went to the theatre to be seen as much as to see the play but nevertheless the play generally went all right on the night… Taking The Waters- Social Life in the Spa towns from Roman times to the present day. The origins of Britain's Spas go back to pre- Roman times when they developed from mineral springs or holy wells associated with local myths. From Soup to Syllabub- Peep into the dining room of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century society to discover the elegant and amusing world of Regency Dinner.

Jane Tapley is Special Events Organiser at the Theatre Royal, Bath. She is a Blue Badge Tour Guide and also a freelance author and researcher, a home economist and, at times, a theatrical landlady!

10.30 - 3.30

Venue: The Wedgwood Museum, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, ST12 9ER

Cost: £37.00, including coffee on arrival and lunch.

In 2014 the Wedgwood Collection was saved from disintegration by an extraordinary Art Fund appeal. The site has since undergone major redevelopment, with a new museum gallery added. The day examines the involvement of influential artists with Wedgwood, looks at the contributions made by NADFAS Heritage Volunteers to three major conservation projects and concludes with guided visits to the refurbished museum.

Organiser: Mrs Margaret Locke – West Midlands ACE

Tel: 01939 210639

Email: margaret@mlocke.co.uk

Application forms available from westmidlands.nadfas.net