This day follows the development of British art from the era of the Pre- Raphaelites right up to the present, taking in the move away from narrative and closely-observed detail towards more expressive techniques, and moving on from there to examine how the British art world reacted to the myriad developments coming out of Europe in the first half of the twentieth century. Post-war movements like Pop Art and Minimalism are explained, taking the discussion right up to the Turner Prize and beyond.

Session One: 1850-1900 The day begins with an account of developments in British art from the days of the Pre-Raphaelites to the turn of the century, when controversial artistic trends like Impressionism, Symbolism and Aestheticism began to have their effect. These ideas contributed to a move away from closely-observed detail, moralising narrative and anecdotal subject matter, towards an art of sweeping brushstrokes, emotional colour, sexual allure and moral ambiguity.

Session Two: 1900-1945  The early part of this period saw a great deal of division in the British art world, as painters and sculptors got to grips with shocking new developments in style and technique, only to have their modernist attitudes seriously challenged by the trauma of the First World War. Between the wars, British art struggled to find its way amid the bewildering radicalism of the European avant-garde, but was beginning to find its feet with such things as Surrealism and Abstraction when war once again changed everything.

Session Three: British Art since 1945  This session tracks key moments in British art decade by decade, through the curious mixture of modernism and pastoralism which is associated with the Festival of Britain; to the explosion of Pop Art and Conceptualism in the 1960s and 70s, through to the 1980s and 90s, which gave us the notorious Sensation exhibition and the Turner Prize, and up to the present day. 

Tickets £35 from Deborah Simister woofandweft@hotmail.com

Image:  Piccadilly Circus by Charles Ginner, 1912. The Tate.

BEDS & HERTS AREA SPECIAL INTEREST DAY

ALL TICKETS SOLD

10.00 am for 10.30 am start until approx 3.15 pm
at Box Moor Trust Centre, London Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 2RE

Tickets £35.00 to include coffee and refreshments on arrival and a delicious 2-course lunch

Ian Swankie is a Londoner with a passion for art and architecture. He is an accredited Arts Society lecturer, an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral, and gives tours at each venue. He is also a qualified and active freelance London guide. 

In three separate sessions Ian will explore the heart of the City of London:-   

The Medieval Guildhall - a London nerve centre for 2,000 years

 In the centre of the City of London stands its ancient headquarters, the medieval Guildhall. The present building dates from 1411 and stands on the site of London’s Roman amphitheatre. This session explores the fascinating history of the Guildhall exterior and interior.

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

 The City of London Corporation has been commissioning and acquiring art for nearly 350 years and now owns a vast and diverse collection. This lecture explores the outstanding display of works in the Guildhall Art Gallery.

 An armchair stroll around the Square Mile

Within a short walk of the Guildhall and St Paul’s Cathedral is a treasure trove of wonderful buildings and public art. This talk starts with a look at the institutions that are the backbone of the City of London – including the Bank of England, Lloyds, the Stock Exchange, and the City Livery Companies. Then we will dive into medieval alleyways to explore hidden churches and gardens and finish with a peek at some of the City’s gleaming new skyscrapers.

Booking form click here – any queries please contact Gill Burn, Area Chair, at gillburn3@gmail.com or phone 01234 765976 / 07831 675534

The audience is taken on a journey beginning in Outer Mongolia in the 5th century BC and follows the 11th century migrations from Turkmenistan, the cradle of weaving, into the Caucasus, Persia and Afghanistan. They will be introduced to the nomadic tribes of these countries and their woven rugs, carpets and dowry bags, with particular emphasis on those of the 19th century and earlier. These tribal weavings illustrate the skill of the women who produced exquisite works of woven art, using vegetable colours and age-old designs whilst living and travelling in primitive conditions and hostile landscapes.  

The tribal weavings of the 19th century and earlier represent the pinnacle of achievement and wonderful free expression of the art of the weaver.

Today, these weavings are highly desirable and collectable works of woven art.

Session 1: The first hour will be a power-point lecture followed by a break. 

Session 2:  A question and discussion period based on the talk. Brian will bring a good selection of pre-1900 rugs and weavings with him related to the talk and they will be available for further discussion and a hands-on experience.

Session 3: Members are encouraged to bring along their own rugs, and in particular tribal rugs,  so that after lunch Brian can tell them what they have, discuss natural v synthetic colours and of course restoration if necessary.

Cost £40 to include a light lunch. Tickets from Jane Morgan. janem@idnet.com

ART IN THE NAVE
Exhibition & Sale

Friday 8th - Sunday 10th June 2018 
11am - 4pm daily
St Mary's Church, High Street, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AF

We are delighted that our favourite artists continue to support this prestigious event in the Borough of Dacorum. We will exhibit the work of over 40 contributors, and welcome art lovers to view a wide selection of excellent paintings, sculpture, textiles, glass, ceramics, silverware and hand made jewellery. We aim to make a significant  donation to local charities from the proceeds of the festival, and look forward to your generous support.  

The event is an opportunity to have a family day out with refreshments offering light lunches, a licenced bar teas, and coffee, and also a raffle with some great prizes.

Come and visit The Arts Society Gade Valley's display stand.

EXHIBITION ON SCREEN
Concert and Film Clips
St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead

Friday 8th June at 8pm

A rare opportunity to see the inspiration behind musical and film collaboration.

Presented by Composer Stephen Baysted & Mezzo-Pianist Susan Legg, performing extracts from their work with award-winning film maker Phil Grabsky to produce musical scores for his ‘Exhibition on Screen Films’ about Impressionists, Matisse, Renoir and Monet.

Susan will perform music from the scores and pieces by Debussy, Ravel, Satie and Poulenc featured in the films. This will be accompanied by Stephen using clips from the film to explain how paintings inspired the music.

Discounted concert ticket price of £14 for Gade Valley members. Contact Brian Doran 01442 268913.

*ALL PLACES NOW SOLD*

Beds and Herts Area Day of Special Interest

This study day is intended to provide a glimpse of the rich cultural heritage of these three distinctive Baltic capitals, Vilnius (Lithuania), Riga (Latvia) and Tallin (Estonia).  Of the three, the distinctly Catholic Vilnius is the least commercial in terms of tourism, whereas Tallin is currently enjoying the tourist boom brought about by cruising in the Baltic. 

Vilnius is a Baroque city, with magnificent churches and monasteries dating to the 17th -early 18th centuries but you will also find remarkable Gothic and Renaissance buildings; the late Gothic brick-built Church of St. Anne is one such masterpiece, which Napoleon wanted to place in the palm of his hand and move to Paris. Found at the top of a winding medieval street, the Gates of Dawn is a Catholic shrine that has achieved international status. Pilgrims from all over the world can be found in Vilnius. Many visit the famous Hill of Crosses, on the border with Latvia, a symbol of resistance during the Soviet occupation.

In contrast Riga, the ‘Little Paris of the North’, has the trappings of a European capital, with its boulevards and Opera House. Here the interest shifts to fantastical Art Nouveau apartment blocks, created at the beginning of the last century by Eisenstein. The rebuilding of the Blackheads Guild building, destroyed in the Second World War, demonstrates Riga’s desire to reclaim its cultural inheritance. 

Tallin is perhaps the prettiest of the three capitals with its romantic fortifications. From Tall Hermann to Fat Margaret the towers dominate the skyline of the city. These towers protect one of the finest medieval European towns, with its web of winding cobblestone streets and charming merchant’s houses from the 11th to the 15th centuries.  Here the power of Russia is visible in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral which dominates the upper town and the palace built by Peter the Great.   

The cost of this study day is £35.00 which includes refreshments and a light lunch. 
Contact Jane Morgan ace@idnet.com for further information. 

Image: Vilnius
 

*ALL PLACES NOW SOLD*

Beds and Herts Area Day of Special Interest

On the basis of sensational new evidence from archaeological fieldwork, Neil Faulkner will contrast the legend of Lawrence of Arabia with the true story of what happened in the famous desert war of 1916 to 1918. Is the legend a myth? Was Lawrence, as some claim, a liar and a charlatan? Or does the legend reflect reality? Was he, in fact, a brilliant military commander and a sincere advocate of the Arab national cause?

The cost of this day is £35.00 which includes coffee/tea and a light lunch. 
Please contact Jane Morgan, ace@idnet.com for further details. 

National Gallery, Sainsbury Wing, Room 2

12.10 for 12.30 start

A lecture by James Heard
and tickets for the exhibition from 2pm

We will learn how Van Eyck's Arnolfini portrait influenced the Pre-Raphaelites' glowing colours, meticulous technique and medieval subject-matter.

Meet at the National Gallery

£20.00  (£16.00 with valid Art Fund card)

To book, please contact Jane Morgan  ace@idnet.com

**WE REGRET THAT THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO PERSONAL REASONS OF LECTURER**

This day incorporates three sessions:
10.30 - 11.30
11.45 - 12.45 followed by a break for lunch
13.50 - 15.15

The first talk covers the progress of jewellery design from Elizabeth I to Victoria and touches on a range of topics including pearls, the Cheapside Hoard, developments in diamond cutting, Neo-Classicism, Victorian Naturalism, Tourist jewels and mass production.

After a 15-minute break we move on to twentieth-century jewellery and examine Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, platinum, Art Deco, Post War and Contemporary, also touching on Fancy Diamonds and their values.

After lunch we restart with the workshop during which members' own jewellery is identified and valued - maximum 2 items per member please.

For further details and to reserve a place email Jean Saunders via 'Contact Us'.
 

** ALL TICKETS SOLD **

BEDS AND HERTS AREA
DAY OF SPECIAL INTEREST

“A once-in-a-lifetime chance to see these unforgettable works together."

This Day is based on an extensive selection of David Hockney’s most famous works celebrating his achievements in painting, drawing, print, photography and video across six decades.  As he approaches his 80th birthday, Hockney continues to change his style and ways of working, embracing new technologies. From his portraits and images of Los Angeles swimming pools, through to his drawings and photography, Yorkshire landscapes and most recent paintings – some of which have never been seen before in public  –  this exhibition shows how the roots of each new direction lay in earlier work.  (Details at  http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/david-hockney

11am         Coffee & tea with biscuits in a private room on arrival at Tate Britain.

11.30am    One hour introductory lecture by Frank Woodgate, Nadfas Lecturer.

12.30pm    Buffet Lunch in a private room.

1.30pm and 2.30 pm    Ticketed entry to the Exhibition in two groups.

Participants should find their own way to Tate Britain.

The nearest tube station is Pimlico on the Victoria line, followed by a short walk. The Victoria line can be accessed from Kings Cross /St Pancras.

Bus routes pass by and stop near Tate Britain.

More details at: 
http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-britain/getting-here

Joining instructions:  On arrival please come to the Clore Entrance at Tate Britain and meet in the Foyer.  The Clore Entrance is located to the right of the building in the newer extension and has its own entrance through a green revolving door (there is also a normal door for anyone with access issues).   We have tea and coffee in the Duffield Room to the right of the entrance.   The lecture will be in the Clore Auditorium.

Please click here for application form and send it with your cheque and S.A.E. 

If you have any queries :   AnnTovey@aol.com

10.15am to 3.15pm at Potten End Village Hall

Tickets £30 including a light lunch. To book a place please contact Gillian Stevenson (her contact details on your membership card) or Contact Us.

The day will be divided into three sessions:

Session 1  Truth and fantasy: Gardens in Portraits of Places and People

Taking a broad sweep across the centuries we will explore the inclusion of gardens in paintings of ‘country house’ before moving on to the rather more problematic inclusion of gardens as settings for portraiture and conversation pieces. where all is not always as it seems.

Session 2  Botanical Art, Flower Paintings and Still Lives 

From early herbals, through Dutch Still Lives, Momenti Mori, the inspiration of Tulipmania, and the fashion for 18th century ‘polite’ accomplishments, this session will focus in on depictions of the plants and flowers through the centuries.

Session 3  Artists Who Gardened and Gardens of Artists 

Not just Giverny! Monet to Manet via Tissot and Fantin Latour but with an English twist focussed on Duncan Grant, Cedric Morris, and lesser known  artists such as Charles Mahoney,  for whom the garden was both inspiration and perspiration!