U3A U3A U3A ART APPRECIATION NETWORKART ......U3A U3A U3A ART APPRECIATION NETWORKART APPRECIATION...

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U3A U3A U3A U3A ART APPRECIATION NETWORK ART APPRECIATION NETWORK ART APPRECIATION NETWORK ART APPRECIATION NETWORK Subject Adviser: Olwen Hughes 59 Charlton Rise, Ludlow, SY8 1ND e-mail: [email protected] tel: 01584 878418 Our picture for Autumn - The Autumn Harvest by Hokusai Spring - March Summer - June Autumn - September Winter - December Autumn 2013 I have really enjoyed the lovely summer weather recently although the autumn seems to be racing towards us. I hope you have managed to get out and find and enjoy the art of interest to you. Some of our group have been to 2, Temple Place on the Victoria Embankment, now open to the public where works from regional collections in the UK can be seen. The current display shows how William Morris drew inspiration from mediaeval literature and is on show until January next year. Hogarth’s house, his ‘little box in the country’ in Chiswick has undergone a major restoration and is now like the C18th home it was, even displaying some of the artist’s more personal possessions. Entry is free – as it is at 2, Temple Place. Now for a group meeting with a difference. Wendy from Hitchin Art group wrote to tell me of their venture with Janet of Music Appreciation arranging a joint meeting to link the two interests. The early summer weather was not promising and Wendy wondered how to fit everyone into her home. Everyone was asked to help by praying for warm weather or doing a rain dance! It worked and a heat-wave surfaced on the day. The Art members chose four pictures; Music lovers chose four melodies. Much research was undertaken with intriguing results: the White House picture was linked to a Soussa March; ‘The Shamans helping spirit’ had throat music; ‘Spitfire, Prelude & Fugue’ partnered Lichtenstein’s ‘Whaam’. A Mass to Creole rhythms and tunes partnered a Peruvian Crucifix and ‘Saturday night’ by Motley went with ‘Black Bottom Stomp’. The best of all was the Pop Art ‘Watch’ (as in wrist) and ‘Discipline’ exporing beats in a bar. A very enjoyable experience. Wendy - It certainly sounds different and intriguing. Do let us know if you repeat the exercise. It sounds great! One of my favourite artists - William Russell Flint showing a gentle girl. He was quite masterly in his drawings. Newsletter no. 17 Horse écorché A term I had not heard before –nor had I seen a horse without any skin. One lives and learns! From Issue 16: The picture not a guitar player was ‘The Dancer’ by A.Herbin. Did you guess correctly? A U3A member from Morden recently attended a course in Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education and suggested that other U3A members might be interested. Art Appreciation Courses, including meals & accommodation are held in Madingly Hall outside Cambridge, others are studied on-line. Contact [email protected] for more details And something different again…… The Regent’s Park Frieze Art Fair will be held between 17-20 October (entry price tba) and the Affordable Art Fair running from 24-27 October (entry fee £10)can be seen in Battersea Park. Farther north, 15-17 November is the time for the Edinburgh Art Fair, entry charge £6. Another favourite painter – P Breughel, the Younger depicting a village scene. Following my request for local information, I am very grateful for the information and gallery booklets sent to ate. They are much appreciated, my thanks for them and I hope I will hear receive more: with my thanks in advance. Olwen Olwen Olwen Olwen

Transcript of U3A U3A U3A ART APPRECIATION NETWORKART ......U3A U3A U3A ART APPRECIATION NETWORKART APPRECIATION...

Page 1: U3A U3A U3A ART APPRECIATION NETWORKART ......U3A U3A U3A ART APPRECIATION NETWORKART APPRECIATION NETWORK Subject Adviser: Olwen Hughes 59 Charlton Rise, Ludlow, SY8 1ND e-mail: davilwen@talktalk.net

U3A U3A U3A U3A ART APPRECIATION NETWORKART APPRECIATION NETWORKART APPRECIATION NETWORKART APPRECIATION NETWORK Subject Adviser: Olwen Hughes 59 Charlton Rise, Ludlow, SY8 1ND

e-mail: [email protected] tel: 01584 878418

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Our picture for Autumn - The Autumn Harvest by Hokusai Spring - March Summer - June Autumn - September Winter - December

Autumn 2013

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I have really enjoyed the lovely summer weather recently although the autumn seems to be racing towards us. I hope you have managed to get out and find and enjoy the art of interest to you. Some of our group have been to 2, Temple Place on the Victoria Embankment, now open to the public where works from regional collections in the UK can be seen. The current display shows how William Morris drew inspiration from mediaeval literature and is on show until January next year. Hogarth’s house, his ‘little box in the country’ in Chiswick has undergone a major restoration and is now like the C18th home it was, even displaying some of the artist’s more personal possessions. Entry is free – as it is at 2, Temple Place.

Now for a group meeting with a difference. Wendy from Hitchin Art group wrote to tell me of their venture with Janet of Music Appreciation arranging a joint meeting to link the two interests. The early summer weather was not promising and Wendy wondered how to fit everyone into her home. Everyone was asked to help by praying for warm weather or doing a rain dance! It worked and a heat-wave surfaced on the day. The Art members chose four pictures; Music lovers chose four melodies. Much research was undertaken with intriguing results: the White House picture was linked to a Soussa March; ‘The Shamans helping spirit’ had throat music; ‘Spitfire, Prelude & Fugue’ partnered Lichtenstein’s ‘Whaam’. A Mass to Creole rhythms and tunes partnered a Peruvian Crucifix and ‘Saturday night’ by Motley went with ‘Black Bottom Stomp’. The best of all was the Pop Art ‘Watch’ (as in wrist) and ‘Discipline’ exporing beats in a bar. A very enjoyable experience.

Wendy - It certainly sounds different and intriguing. Do

let us know if you repeat the exercise. It sounds great!

One of my favourite artists -

William Russell Flint showing a gentle girl. He was quite masterly in his drawings.

Newsletter no. 17

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Horse écorché

A term I had not heard before –nor had I seen a horse without any skin. One lives and learns!

From Issue 16: The picture not a guitar player was

‘The Dancer’ by A.Herbin. Did you guess correctly?

A U3A member from Morden recently attended a course in Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education and suggested

that other U3A members might be interested. Art Appreciation Courses, including meals & accommodation are held in

Madingly Hall outside Cambridge, others are studied on-line. Contact [email protected] for more details

And something different again……

The Regent’s Park Frieze Art Fair will be held between 17-20 October (entry price tba) and the Affordable Art Fair running from 24-27 October (entry fee £10)can be seen in Battersea

Park. Farther north, 15-17 November is the time for the Edinburgh

Art Fair, entry charge £6.

Another favourite painter – P Breughel, the Younger

depicting a village scene.

Following my request for local information, I am very

grateful for the information and gallery booklets sent to

ate. They are much appreciated, my thanks for them

and I hope I will hear receive more:

with my thanks in advance.

OlwenOlwenOlwenOlwen

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Reports from Members

Jean Taylor took over thirty members from West Lakes to

the Chagall exhibition at Tate, Liverpool. They had studied

his work (with mixed reactions) and some found little to

appreciate in his childlike techniques altho’ some others

liked his style and colour. Recurring themes of a cow, a

clock with wings, a village and flying lovers were puzzling!

But the sheer joy of his young lovers, the symbolism and

reminders of his Jewish origins in his home village, carried

everyone along. There is exuberance overall but inevitably

also some sombre scenes. However, no matter how many

reproductions are seen, there is no comparison with the

real thing–size, colour, even brushstrokes convey emotion.

The only criticism was the absence of later work which for

many is Chagall’s crowning glory. Although the group had

a fair time travelling to see this exhibition, the enjoyment

made it worth while. Recommended!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Corinne Warren viewed the Michael Landy – Saints Alive

at the NG in London and found it refreshingly different. As

resident artist there, Michael depicts the Renaissance Art

seen in the gallery. Impressed by many references to

Saints, he created huge kinetic sculptures, collages and

drawings in the Sunley room. St Apollonia, patron saint of

dentistry, pulls out her own teeth; St Catherine rotates on

her enormous wheel and St. Jerome punishes himself with

a large rock to his chest. Francis, Thomas, Michael, Peter &

Lawrence show their attributes – it’s certainly different.

Life & Death, Pompeii & Herculaneum at the British

Museum really sets out what the title implies. A house

with a bedroom, atrium, living room, kitchen and garden,

each show an object relevant to its use and lovely marble

statues of men and women. Marble portraits and frescoes

show the residents’ activities; a tavern with an

affectionate couple, then a couple of men arguing and

being turned out, a hunt with dogs attacking deer and an

erotic statue of Pan embracing a goat! Food, garden

scenes, religious practices are all shown with glassware,

jewellery in gold and precious stones, furniture, flower

pots and fountain spouts show the sophisticated lifestyles.

There was a wealth of artistry in Pompeii & Herculaneum.

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A scene by Corrodi to complement some of the paintings

seen on these visits.

John Busbridge went to Compton Verney to view 500

Years of Italian Art. On loan from Glasgow’s Kelvingrove

gallery were fifty paintings and a small sculpture. The time

bookends were a Sienese ‘St Lawrence’ and several

unremarkable C19th paintings but there were many very

enjoyable pictures. A Giovanni Bellini of ‘Madonna and

Child’, one of Botticelli’s better ‘Annunciation’s. The long

disputed Giorgione’s (or Titian’s) ‘Christ and the Woman

taken in adultery’ are perhaps the stars of the show.

Other works include two Paris Bordone groups in lovely

colour and skilfully composed, a pair of Salvator Rosa’s

‘Baptism of Christ’ and an excellent typical Venetian scene.

Lesser known artists such as Francesco del Cairo scored

with his ‘Death of Cleopatra’ and a recently restored

‘Adoration of the Magi’ by the anonymous Master of the

Glasgow Adoration, shows the work in progress on video.

The BBC’s Your Paintings maintains this artist was Spanish!

Caulfield, Hulme and Lowry at Tate Britain was

disappointing with lower exhibition galleries sparsely

populated when upstairs Lowry attracted masses of

viewers (at over £16 to view). Regarding the Lowry show,

it would have been better with half the oils on view,

chosen more selectively and better spaced. Dreary lines of

look-alike canvases could have been more telling. It is sad

that paintings from 1972 could have been of the 1920s as

it seems there had been no development. Five big ones

from the ’50s have a different impact: fewer, smaller

figures, emptier landscapes. Some ‘Ruined Landscapes’ in

room 4 offer more and there are appealing drawings with

a refreshing change of orientation – is this the Utrillo

influence? Showing pieces by Seurat and Van Gogh do

Lowry no favours and the most memorable painting on

show is a Manchester street-scape with a Whistler like

mystery by Lowry’s teacher, Adolphe Valette.

Lowry artistically significant? It is questionable.

Vermeer and Music at the National Gallery. Sadly, most of

the pictures are from the NG’s own collection and include

only five by Vermeer. Of these, the least familiar is the

sparse, small ‘Lady at the Virginals’ which contrasts with

the NG’s ‘Interior with a lady at the virginals’, twice the

size and width and lots to view. Other lovely paintings

include Terbruggen’s ‘Man with a lute’ and Terborcher’s

‘Lady playing the lute to two men’. Musical instruments on

display complement the pictures nicely but accompanying

short films were not very helpful – tenuous thoughts on

the symbolism of objects and poses is less than helpful.

Jean, Corinne and John – your reports are very

welcome and very much appreciated! I am always

most interested to read about group visits.

Many thanks.

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Exhibitions

New Order: British Art Today

Saatchi Gallery until 29.09.13

Chagall - Modern Master

Tate, Liverpool until 6.10.13

In Fine Style: Tudor & Stuart Fashion

Queen’s Gallery until 6.10.13

Lowry and the Painting of Modern Life

Tate Britain until 20.10.13

Moore Rodin

Henry Moore Foundation until 27.10.13

Eduardo Paolozzi

Pallant House, Chichester until 13.10.13

Frank Holl

Watts Gallery until 3.11.13

Witches and Wicked Bodies

Nat. Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh until 3.11.13

Leonardo – The Mechanics of Man

Palace of Holyroodhouse until 10. 11.13

Mary, Queen of Scots

National Museum, Edinburgh until 17.11.13

Michael Landy: Saints alive

NG, London until 24.11.13

Jacob Epstein: Portrait Sculptor

National Portrait Gallery until 24.11.13

Channel Crossings: Impressionism

Manchester Art Gallery until 6.12.13

Outside In: British Folk Art from the Midlands

Compton Verney until 15.12.13

On the fringe…..

“Architecture of War” - Imperial War Museum until 4.5.14

“All in a time of austerity” (Lyons tea-shop lithos) until 22.09.13

so hurry if you wish to catch it! Towner Gallery, Eastbourne **

** One of the pictures on

view in Eastbourne with

lovely colour. These views

will certainly strike some

chords of memory!

Sir Robert Walpole had collected many superb paintings over 25 years

by his death in 1745. His ancestors sold them to Catherine the Great in

1779; now for a limited time, the pictures can be seen again in

Houghton Hall. If you see them, do tell us about it, please

Books

Mysterious Wisdom; life & art of Samuel Palmer; (Bloomsbury)

by Rachel Campbell-Johnstone.

The Best Art you’ve never seen; 101 Hidden Treasures from

around the world; (Rough Guides) by Julian Spalding

The Art Museum; (Phaidon) £125.00. I have this, it is available

– cheaper- from Amazon, (it’s very heavy and it’s superb).

Some happy seasonal views of Paris by Leon Cortès

Letters Sue Fox wrote to tell us that her Tonbridge group recently visited the

newly re-opened William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow – the 2013

Museum of the Year and it is well worth a visit. They have been to the

Canterbury Beaney, also re-fitted, with a current exhibition called

‘Home’, selected from the Arts Council of paintings. The Turner

Contemporary in Margate, the Jerwood at Hastings and the Towner**

in Eastbourne are all within easy reach. Another U3A group – GEMS –

short for Galleries, Exhibitions & Museums, makes monthly visits into

London to see current exhibitions. They have seen the Picasso show at

the Courtauld (sadly the Girl with a Dove is shortly leaving the country)

and sought out 2, Temple Place down on the Embankment for a viewing

of Cornish art, voted by the group as the best of the lot. One exhibition

on regional art is mounted at 2, Temple Place annually.

Try Google 2, Temple Place for information.

Sue – many thanks for your letter and kind comments. I hope you

will be able to find time to tell us about your next visit to 2,

Temple Place. I envy you visiting the Towner Gallery to see ‘All in

a time of austerity’ and I hope you will let us have your

comments. My thanks also for the leaflet on the Cornish show.

Penny Ingles e-mailed me to say her North Cotswold group had seen

the ‘500 Years of Italian Art’ at Compton Verney where they were made

very welcome with an exclusive guide for over half an hour to explain

the paintings. Penny also comments that she has had much welcome

help from the U3A Resource Centre. Susan is being extremely helpful

looking out DVDs and videos. It was also good to hear John Busbridge

leads sessions at their group meetings. Penny says he usually has

something to say on the period of art under discussion and is only too

pleased to go and entertain the members.

I was so pleased to have your letter, Penny; you and Sue seem to

have a tremendous time with a variety of topics in this lovely

interest of ours – Art History. I know John will also be a great

help and he does know quite a lot!!

One famous painter had work shown in only three

Impressionist exhibitions. Who?

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Looking for something new?

Maureen Young wrote to tell me of the Farnborough group recent research. They decided to look at 20th century art and try to understand the ideas behind it. Starting with Cubism and then moving on to Post Modernism, it was felt that some artists’ art and ideas were somewhat obscure. Altho’ illuminating and interesting, challenges to comforting set ideas of the more classical art and the fixed ideas about Modernism are important to move on. One question whether art should reflect and challenge society’s ideas is interesting – what do other groups think?

Maureen – many thanks for sharing that

with us. I’ll keep you informed of the replies! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One very popular sequence of study for my groups was ‘Illustrators’ and there are many artists to consider. This

is a good example of the theme.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I read recently that Marcel Duchamp spent quite some time anonymously in Herne Bay to help him through a

difficult time. It seems there are quite a few of his works there and I wonder if anyone has seen them and would

like to tell us about them?

It is said that ‘Art Matters’ Can anyone tell us why?

I must say that I prefer the sculptured elephants below to the mediaeval view on the left. Did the artist ever see an elephant?

Stop Press - Mailing this Newsletter Quite a few on our mailing list asked if it is possible

to have the Newsletter sent by e-mail. I was expecting a rush of e-mail addresses – although

very few have been in touch. Please let me know as soon as you can if you wish to

take up this change of mailing. The office in Bromley is very willing to use the internet but I need to know who would like e-mail delivery so that my

two mailing lists are correct and up-to-date.

Appreciating art (based on John Farman)

Part 11 C 17th: All moves back to Rome

About this time, Guy Fawkes was tiring of our Parliament, Mannerism was losing its appeal but no-one was sure

which way to go. Intellectual arguments began in Rome (yawn). Was painting better than sculpture? (an egg better than a tree?) Was design more important than

colour? (sky more important than sea?) While this was going on, a brilliant young painter named Caravaggio in

Rome rejected Mannerism completely.

Caravaggio did his own thing and did it very well in the art world, although he was no angel. He had to flee Rome after killing a partner. He went to Naples and returned to painting. Two years later in Malta – would you believe it: he became a monk! He had hardly been there for five minutes when he upset the boss of the

monastery and found himself in a cell. Escaping the next year, he took refuge in Sicily. Later, back in Naples, he learned he was still wanted for murder. He got back on

the ship, caught the fever and died.

The artists were not all bad: Poussin in France and Rubens in the Netherlands both became most respected ‘academic’ masters. Poussin excelled at idealized Roman

landscapes and Rubens was unequalled depicting any material from gossamer to steel with uncanny ease and was superb in anything he portrayed – we’ll end this on a

high!

Our example by Rubens

to end on that high note.

Unsurpassed!

Hofman – the pioneer in dribbling and pouring paint.

Looking for ideas for your group studies? Call Susan Radford in the U3A Resource Centre- now open Monday

to Thursday. Her extensive list of artists, schools, sculpture and workshops would be hard to match and it is free to borrow material, just return postage is involved.

[email protected] or call 020 8315 0199

If you are seeking ideas for your planning, I can offer a Syllabus and worksheets. Designed for beginners or advanced members, it covers Western art from the

Byzantines to the present. Beginners start by researching schools of painting, later looking at specialities of

painters’ work, developments, influences, legacies, etc. Easily arranged for small or large groups and adaptable

for all levels of expertise. No cost is involved. [email protected] or call 01584 878418