THE ARTS SOCIETY NADDER VALLEY
STUDY DAYS 2023-24
Members are welcome to invite guests for an additional charge. Where demand exceeds places, however, Members will continue to have priority.
Our study days offer a more in depth examination of a particular topic.
Full days begin at 10:00am for a 10:30am start and finish at 3.30pm. Half day sessions run for approximately two and a half hours morning or afternoon.
Refreshments will be provided.
An extra fee is charged to cover the cost of the Study Day.
WILDE ABOUT OSCAR
The Extraordinary Life and Times of Oscar Wilde
with Simon Whitehouse
Friday 24th November 2023
Study Day - 10 am - 3.15 pm
The day is broken down into three lectures:
Oscar Wilde: Famous For Being Famous
In this introductory lecture, we look at Oscar's early years, including his artistic circle & his rising celebrity.
A Handbaaag! The Importance of Being Oscar (and Earnest!)
In this lecture we look at Oscar at the height of his success including the publication of his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, as well as his theatrical successes (with a special focus on his final and most brilliant play, the Importance of Being Earnest).
The Trials of Oscar Wilde: Famous for Being Infamous
In the final lecture, we discover how, at the peak of his success, disaster struck, leading to the criminal trial of the century, prison & exile. We conclude the day with an appreciation of Oscar's enduring legacy and how he continues to inspire and entertain us today.
THE ART OF CORNWALL
with Sarah Burles
Thursday 1st February 2024
Half Day - 10 am - 12.30 pm
Throughout the history of art particular places at particular times have inspired intense periods of creativity. From the late 19th century, Cornwall became a focus for a number of artists who challenged conventions, beginning with the artists colony at Newlyn and then around the coast at Lamorna. In the 20th century, St Ives was home to British modernists such as Bernard Leach, Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson who in turn inspired and were challenged by a younger generation of avant-garde artists that included Peter Lanyon, Roger Hilton, Patrick Heron and Wilhelmina Barns - and others who lived and worked in Cornwall from the 1880s to the 1970s and explore their artistic influences, relationships and legacy.
Lecture 1 - Newlyn and Lamorna
Lecture 2 - St Ives and Modernism
STUDY DAYS 2022 - 23
WE HOPE THAT YOU ENJOYED...FROM MONOCHROME TO POLYCHROME - HOW COLOUR TRANSFORMED THE ART OF GARDEN DESIGN.
Thursday 23rd June 2022
Study Morning: 10.00 am - 12.30 pm
Timothy Walker is a well-known and highly thought of figure in the gardening world. He currently teaches Biology at Somerville College in Oxford and was formerly Director at the Oxford Botanical Gardens and Harcourt Arboretum. He is an excellent presenter and we are looking forward to a very interesting Study Day.
Botanic gardens are often described as living museums. Garden curators lecture about them in the same way as museum curators talk about their collections. Gardens are often thought of as a place where science and art meet on equal terms. During this Study Day, Timothy investigated this relationship.
The lens through which the study day focused was the 400-year-old Oxford Botanic Gardens as well as gardens created by Timothy and his wife. Included in his talk were examples of gardens from around Britain and other parts of the world.
WE HOPED THAT YOU ENJOYED...BUDDHISM AND BUDDHIST ART
Tuesday 22nd November 2022
This study day focused on how to appreciate the Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist art of the Himalayas and Tibet. The lecture acted as an introduction to Buddhism and the transmission of Buddhist art and architecture into the Himalayas. It also focussed on the rich symbolism of Tibetan art and explained how to interpret the common images, themes and motifs. The final part of the day explored the vibrant culture of this fascinating part of the world.
Zara Fleming is an independent art consultant, lecturer, tour guide and exhibition curator with specialist knowledge of Buddhist art; focusing on the art and culture of Tibet and the Himalayas.
AND WHAT ABOUT...PASSIONS, PERSONALITIES AND PATRONAGE - CHATSWORTH AND THE STORY OF THE DEVONSHIRE FAMILY COLLECTION?
Tuesday 7th February 2023
Study Day - 10.00 am - 3.15 pm
The lecture is a chronological history of the Devonshire collections through the interests of the family through the generations. Each generation left their mark on the collections which led to one of the finest collections in Europe. Artists include Rembrandt, Reynolds, Canova and Freud and items include drawings, fine books, silver, jewels, portraits and modern sculpture.
Simon Seligman studied art and architecture at the University of Warwick and worked at Chatsworth from 1991 to 2010 including being Director of Communications. He has lectured throughout the United Kingdom and the United States on the Devonshire Collections and gave presentations and interviews with Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire. Simon works for the Guild of St George (John Ruskin’s Charity) and is a trustee of three arts festivals and a life coach in private practice.