A VIEW FROM A TV ROSTRUM a lecture given by JAMES BRAXTON

October 2024

James gave us a very entertaining insight into the antiques world and stories from behind the scenes and TV rostrum.

TRIP TO MALTA

Autumn 2024

We had a wonderful warm and sunny trip to Malta.  The hotel was great and the staff helpful.  The swimming pool also proved very popular with many members of the group.  
The daily trips were perfectly pitched, my personal favourites being Casa Rocca Piccola, the Caravaggio painting of St Jerome and Hagar Qim Temples.
Our final lunch in Marsaxlokk was a lovely way to enjoy a final moment of sunshine before our flight back.

MARC CHAGALL STAINED GLASS at ALL SAINTS, TUDELEY

September 2024

The popularity of this visit was such that there were two guided tours, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Fortunately the sun shone so that the windows could be seen at their best. The detailed explanation as to the history of the installation and the techniques used in the making of the windows made for a hugely enjoyable visit. Many of those attending, which included someone who had met Marc Chagall, were so impressed by the stained glass that they intended to make a return visit.

RESTORATION HOUSE and GARDENS

April 2024

The wonderful response to our visit to Restoration House meant we were able to run 3 private guided tours prior to the house being open to the general public later in the year. Sadly the rain decided to make a huge statement in the morning which meant one of the groups was forced indoors instead of visiting the beautiful gardens - recently restored and designed by the owners Robert Tucker and Jonathan Wilmot. The upside however was that all three groups enjoyed detailed tours of the interior , taking in the history of the house, its renovation and fascinating art collection. No-one could fail to be impressed by the beauty of both house and garden and for several it was a return visit - which is the ultimate compliment.

FASHION, IDENTITY, PAINTING: EXPLORE THE UNIQUE WORK OF JOHN SINGER SARGENT at Tate Britain

March 2024

A fantastic day out enjoyed both by art lovers and fashion enthusiasts! Comments from some of those who enjoyed the visit;

”Thanks so much for organising the lecture and visit to Tate Britain. Having information beforehand means you can view an exhibition in such a different way and that was certainly the case with John Singer Sargent.”

”Thank you for organising such a brilliant event. The exhibition itself was a revelation, all the more so for having been given some wonderfully enlightening insights beforehand. I remember the Elsie Palmer portrait when she was at Ightham Mote, in situ, a few years ago. Nice to see her again.”

”Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the lecture today. It was enlightening and a great basis for the exhibition.”

THE BANK of ENGLAND MUSEUM

January 2024

‘History of the Bank’ Lecture and Exhibition.

A HISTORY OF JEWELLERY: ELIZABETH I TO ELIZABETH TAYLOR given by JOHN BENJAMIN (OF BBC’S ANTIQUES ROADSHOW)

October 2023

John Benjamin was an excellent speaker who gave a fascinating and enjoyable lecture.

TRIP TO ANDALUCIA

September 2023

A wonderful trip, taking in the three jewels of Andalucia - Seville, Cordoba and Granada - plus the UNESCO World Heritage site at Antequera.

The hotels were comfortable and friendly, the food delicious and the guides knowledgeable and helpful.

BARBARA HEPWORTH at The Towner Gallery, Eastbourne

August 2023

A very enjoyable day which started with a fascinating visit to the Art Store. This was a ‘behind the scenes’ visit to paintings and artefacts not normally on show and we were guided through a wonderful array of art works which began with the initial legacy of the Gallery through to local and more well known artists by a a guide who was extremely knowledgeable.  We were also shown china and books designed by Eric Ravillious, as well as pieces by his contemporaries.  

We then moved on to the Barbara Hepworth exhibition which was well laid out, flowing from the beginning of her career and culminating in a film of her work for the United Nations, NY.   Exhibits were varied through drawings, collage, paintings in various mediums together with statuary and models. A great day out for all those who attended.

PASSPORT TO PIMLICO

June 2023

We had a very successful [if hot] walk with Ian Swankie.  The architecture of Pimlico was brought alive - we learnt who designed and built the many beautiful squares and the famous people who lived there.  Thomas Cubitt [triple great grandfather of Queen Camilla].

VISIT TO FARLEY FARMHOUSE

May 2023

The visit to Farley’s Farmhouse and Galleries was a great success.  A beautiful spring day allowed coffee to be taken in the garden followed by a superb guided tour of the extremely interesting house where nothing had been thrown away by the housekeeper who came for a month and stayed for over 50 years. Paintings and decorative items intermingled with various objects d’art including a mummified rat found by Lee along with a room filled with her recipe books.   The revelation of Lee’s photos found in the attic after she had passed away have continued her fame and a barn exhibiting some of her innovative war time images was awe inspiring.  This was followed through in the new barn showing recent works by a young photographer following in her footsteps which showed some photos from the Middle East in the same powerful medium of black and white photography.  A wander around the peaceful sculpture garden finished off a very informative day.

VISIT TO LULLINGSTONE ROMAN VILLA

April 2023

We were fortunate to be guided in our visit to the villa by Caroline Mackenzie who had given Arts4Kent a talk on the same subject earlier in the year and many who had attended the lecture joined us on 4th April in Eynsford. A beautiful sunny day gave us the opportunity to start our visit with a walk around the grounds of the villa before seeing the remains inside the specially designed building.  Wonderfully preserved, the outline of the various sections of the building, mosaics and artifacts illustrated the degree of luxury and sophistication eventually achieved over many generations by the villas inhabitants.  We saw games, jewellery and even the evidence of pets demonstrating that this was a family home as well as a high status building designed to impress.  A short film helped to bring together all we had learned from Caroline who was a fount of knowledge and information.  A thoroughly enjoyable morning.

FEBRUARY LECTURE by CAROLINE MACKENZIE: CULTURE AND SOCIETY AT LULLINGSTONE ROMAN VILLA

February 2023

On 14th February, writer and lecturer Caroline Mackenzie gave a fascinating insight into life at Lullingstone Roman Villa in Eynsford. One of several major villas along the Darent Valley, Lullingstone was discovered in 1939 and excavated over many years.  Caroline brought the villa to life with clarity, colour and humour and brought several items along with her to demonstrate some of the finds made during the excavations.  Her descriptions and images of the development and expansion of the villa between 75 AD and 420 AD painted a vibrant picture of Roman life in this part of the country. Caroline explained about the particular importance of the magnificent mosaics found in the villa as well as the rare wall paintings of water nymphs for which Arts4Kent had recently given a grant to enable renovation and repair.  The discovery of a house church wasextremely unusual and associated wall paintings are the only known paintings inRoman Britain to depict clear Christian symbolism.  Caroline was happy to take many questions from our audience after her talk which was followed by a delicious afternoon tea.

ZOOM LECTURE with ALEXANDRA SHELDON: THE ACTRESS AND THE ARTIST

January 2023

We started the year with a wonderfully informative Zoom lecture with Alexandra Sheldon, entitled ‘The Actress and the Artist’. She told the story through a series of portraits painted over a period of nearly 20 years by Sir Joshua Reynolds of the most famous comic actress of the late eighteenth century England, Mrs Frances Abington. The first portrait ‘The Comic Muse’ first hung in the ballroom at Knole, but can now be seen at Waddesdon Manor.

“Just to say how much I enjoyed the lecture today. It was quite an eye opener for me and Alexandra gave a brilliant lecturer.”

”I throughly enjoy the lecture yesterday via Zoom. It was so interesting and beautifully presented. Thank you.”The Founder.

Behind every great brand is a team of makers and doers. Let your visitors know who they are.

CEZANNE at TATE MODERN

October 2022

It was wonderful to see so many Arts4Kent members back in London post covid to see the fascinating Cezanne exhibition at Tate Modern. The lecture by Frank Woodgate set the scene for us to fully enjoy the paintings and understand more about the artist’s life.The Maker.

Behind every great brand is a team of makers and doers. Let your visitors know who they are.

TRAVELLERS’ TALES - ITALIAN ART THROUGH THE EYES OF VICTORIAN VISITORS

October 2022

Jo Walton gave us an entertaining and fascinating lecture on how early English travellers to Italy experienced that country and were introduced to it’s art. She explained the motivations that drove, firstly, young aristocrats and then, later, Victorian travellers and intellectuals to undertake the arduous journey to Italy. Jo illustrated her talk with some of the key art that astounded the travellers and which, subsequently, had such a strong impact on taste in Britain. Many of these travellers were great collectors and brought many masterpieces home with them when they returned. Our national collections and galleries are now enriched with the works they collected.

After the lecture we had a fine afternoon tea and the opportunity to meet the lecturer and catch up with friends.

THE HUGUENOT SILK WEAVERS OF OLD SPITALFIELDS - FROM RICHES TO RAGS

September 2022

18 Arts4Kent members, led by the very well informed Sue Jackson, enjoyed a fascinating guided walk around Old Spitalfield, hearing all about the Huguenots who fled France in the late 17th century to live there and make their living as master silk weavers. We saw a number of their houses and heard all about the ups and downs of their lives, how they worshipped and worked. A fascinating walk around a part of London that is often missed.

VISIT TO PROVENDER HOUSE followed by THE ALEXANDER COLLECTION

July 2022

On a very hot day 18 members of Arts4Kents met to enjoy a a wonderful tour around Provender House given by the owner, Princess Olga Romanoff. The Princess is an earthy, funny and very frank person which made our tour a joy.

We also briefly walked around outside, where it was easy to see how the building had evolved over the years and visited the shop where one could buy her personalised merchandise.

The tour was hugely oversubscribed and we will be repeating it in 2023 for those who missed out.

In the afternoon we went to the Alexander Collection in Faversham, where we were given a short talk on what the 19th Century building was used for and how it had evolved over time. We were shown around the current exhibition of modern British art by  the current director Graham Setterfield and patron Pim Baxter. The Alexander Collection is a recent beneficiary of Arts4Kent funds.

SHOREDITCH STREET ART WALKING TOUR

June 2022

This was a very enjoyable walk uncovering the remarkable world of Shoreditch street art. Shoreditch is an area with one of the highest concentrations of street art in the world.

The tour not only highlighted some of the most stunning pieces in the East End but also examined the essence of street art culture.

Ian, our tour guide, did a great two hour tour full of amazing facts and had a lovely presentation style.

CHARLESTON FARMHOUSE and BERWICK CHURCH

June 2022

20 Arts4Kent members enjoyed a fascinating day visiting Charleston and Berwick Church. It started with guided tours of the farmhouse and was followed by a walk round the garden and a visit to the exhibition centre. Each room in the house had its own guide who explained the interior design and the complicated Bloomsbury relationships. In the afternoon, everyone assembled in Berwick Church for a talk from the vicar on the murals lining the walls, painted by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell in the mid 1940s. He showed a short film with an interview given by one of the locals who was one of the models. We were very lucky to have a beautiful but windy day - as well as the very individual church there was time to wander round the churchyard and take in the lovely views. All in all a good day!

PRIVATE VISIT TO CRANBROOK MUSEUM

May 2022

25 members of Arts4Kent assembled in glorious sunshine to visit the museum and in particular to see the F.D.Hardy painting that had been purchased with our grant. 3 guides, one on each floor, explained the history of the themed rooms, these varied from Roman artefacts through the Industrial Revolution to life in Victorian Kent and up to the present day.

The Colony Room was star - where a number of Cranbrook Colony paintings were on display - some painted of the actual room.

It was a very charming visit and we are indebted to Mike Huxley, the Chairman and his team for the time and effort they put in to make us welcome, answer questions and serve us coffee!

TRIP TO LINCOLN

April 2022

Nearly 30 members of Arts4Kent spent a wonderful 4 days exploring 3 stately homes, 2 cathedrals, one stained glass museum and the city of Lincoln with it’s castle.
Despite last minute unavoidable changes to the itinerary, I think we all had a great time.

Burghley House, Doddington Hall and Grimsthorpe Castle were all so different that it is difficult to chose a favourite. The new gardens at Burghley were a delight, and the stories of the owners of Grimsthorpe brought the place alive. [An American marrying into the family installed running hot water as ‘she didn’t like the footmen seeing her in the bath when they added more water!’] and at Doddington Hall there was a totally unexpected Egyptian Tent Room!

FOLKESTONE: THE LAST SIGHT OF HOME

March 2022

We were extremely fortunate to have glorious weather as we gathered on The Leas in Folkestone to learn the story of the important role that the town played in the First World War. We were guided on our walk through the town by Tanya Firth, Blue Badge Guide, who told us about the 10 million troops who left England for the Western Front and the many for whom the small fishing harbour was their last sight of home. We followed the route the soldiers took from their billets in the west of the town, down to the harbour and saw the many memorials along the way to the soldiers from all over the world as well as the civilians who lost their lives in the conflict. We learned that the military intelligence operations that began during the First World War in Folkestone with the large number of refugees from the continent and a growing spy network lead directly to the establishment of both MI5 and MI6. It was a very interesting and poignant morning.

NATIONAL TREASURES - SAVING THE NATION’S ART IN WORLD WAR II

March 2022

Our lecturer for this talk was Caroline Shenton, a historian, archivist and writer. She opened her lecture with the terrifying story of the evacuation of the Doomsday Book from London. On its journey to safety the drivers stopped the van carrying this national treasure to have a beer in a country pub leaving the Doomsday book, and the Lindisfarne Gospels, unlocked, in the back of their van outside the pub.

Despite this unpromising start to the evacuation of treasures what emerged in Caroline’s lecture was a story of remarkable vision, planning and dedication in the effort to save this country’s art and treasures. Caroline introduced us to a cast of characters, curators, academics and civil servants who brought a range of remarkable but unlikely talents to the effort save our heritage. Despite the huge number of artifacts to be preserved, the range of remote locations used to store them and the apparent amateurish nature of the evacuation effort, no works or artifacts were lost during the 5 years of the evacuation.

ART IN THE SHADOW OF ST PAUL’S

January 2022

Our first lecture of 2022 began with our guest speaker, Ian Swankie leading us on an extremely enriching ‘walk’ around the area of St Paul’s Cathedral. Most visitors to this vicinity primarily aim for St Paul’s, and quite rightly so for it is a beautiful building, but as Ian showed us there is so much more to see.

Emily Young’s Angels Heads led the way followed by Heatherwick’s Paternoster Vents. In the gardens of St Vedast we studied Jacob Epstein’s small profile head of Canon Mortlake who we also learnt was probably the inspiration for Christie’s Hercule Poirot. Later we viewed the Minton tiles of G F Watt’s Victorian Loggia which commemorates ordinary people who have saved unknown people’s lives and which is still being added to today. These are examples of the plethora of artworks waiting to be discovered a short stroll from the great Cathedral. All in all, a thoroughly enlightening lecture.

THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE HUGUENOTS

January 2022

Our lecturer for this talk, Sue Jackson, is a London Blue Badge guide and a Fellow of the Huguenot Society, so she was very well placed to tell the story of the Huguenot immigration to England and their impact on English craftsmanship and culture.

Sue described how the revoking of the Edict of Nantes by the French king Louis XIV in 1685, which removed the rights to religious freedom from Protestants, led to emigration of a quarter of a million Huguenots from France to neighbouring countries. Over 50,000 Huguenots came to England of which 25,000 settled in London. In many cases the Huguenot immigrants brought skills and craftsmanship to England that were more developed than those of the native English. The Huguenots arrived at a time when, following the restoration of Charles II, there was a growing interest in French and continental fashions and styles and the skilled immigrant craftsmen were able to take advantage of this new demand. Over the next century Huguenot craftmanship had transformational impact on areas such as gold and silver crafts, silk weaving, wrought ironwork, clockmaking, optics and interior design.

Sue’s fascinating lecture left many of her audience eager to find out more about Huguenots in their family backgrounds.

THE ARTIST AS REPORTER - BRITISH ARTISTS AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR

October 2021

For our first in-person lecture since the COVID lockdowns began Jo Walton gave us a compelling and entertaining overview of the impact of WW1 on a generation of British Artists. Jo started her lecture by describing how 19th century artists treated war as a subject. She showed us how, traditionally, artists focussed on the symbolism and glory of war, such as in Copely’s ‘Death of Major Peirson’ and how Goya treated the subject of war in his painting ‘The Third of May 1808’. Jo then described how British artists and responded to the outbreak of war in 1914 and how the war affected and inspired their art. She illustrated her talk with examples of the magnificent paintings of CRW Nevinson, Edward Warsworth, Paul and John Nash, Percy Wyndham Lewis, Stanley Spencer, John Singer Sargent and many others.

After the lecture attendees had the opportunity to enjoy a fine afternoon tea and to catch up with Arts4Kent friends for the first time in months.

WALK AROUND WOODBURY PARK CEMETERY

September 2021

Both visits to Woodbury Park Cemetery were greatly enjoyed. We walked around a hidden and unknown part of Tunbridge Wells and were given a fascinating introduction to the lives many of the people buried there, and their connections to the area. Another guide highlighted the flora and fauna. We had the added bonus of good weather on both occasions.

INN SIGNIA

May 2021

John Ericson treated us to a most entertaining and illuminating lecture via ZOOM highlighting the history and stories behind a myriad of British Inn and Pub signs, which illustrate so much of our history and heritage. We found out about why there’s a 'Drunken Duck', and what a 'Bucket of Blood’ is all about; which names are the oldest and which are the most common and a great deal of their history and just what a huge part public houses have played in British social history throughout the centuries. John gave us a virtual tour of just about every village in the British Isles, many of which were quite unknown, at least to me. John delivers his lectures with much clarity and humour and illustrated with numerous colourful visuals, we look forward to welcoming him back to Arts4Kent one day.

POTS AND FROCKS THE WORLD OF GRAYSON PERRY

April 2021

Following on from Victoria’s Secrets, this lecture took us on a completely different journey into the extraordinary world of Grayson Perry. Whilst his work is certainly eclectic, Ian Swankey showed us that whether under Grayson’s alter ego, Claire or as himself, lies an artist rooted in the iconography of historical art. We learnt how Grayson combined an historicity with the grittiness of a modernity to break down class barriers. The Adoration of the Shepherds, became the Adoration of the Cage Fighters, The Annuciation of the Virgin became the Adoration of the Virgin Deal. Grayson’s forte is also to align the former with the British flair for craft making. Traditionally seen as second tier his tapestries and pots are combined with an edginess to follow in the steps of Hogarth’s Rake’s Progress to Gainsborough’s Mr & Mrs Andrews etc. with his Lamentation to his home county of Essex with his monument to Julie Cope.

VICTORIA’S SECRETS

March 2021

The hidden theme continued when Lou Cohen took us to Victoria, an area usually passed through. We dipped into the secretive world of espionage of those who met at St Ermin’s Hotel while glamour and politics mingled at Caxton House. Continuing our walk we looked upwards to the modernist sculptures of the Art Deco building, 55 Broadway aka St James’s Underground before continuing through the newly renovated Christchurch Gardens where Purcell is recognised by Glynn William’s sculpture. Our walk continued to the historic Costamonger’s, Stratton Ground now a thriving area of Popup eateries before terminating at the Greycoat and Bluecoat School’s original buildings.

SIGNS & SYMBOLS - THE HIDDEN MESSAGES IN PAINTING

February 2021

On a snowy February day we were delighted to welcome so many of you to this fascinating zoom lecture by Valerie Woodgate. We learnt how random objects in an altarpiece are charged with meaning, a still-life arrangement of fruit and flowers can carry a Christian message, how seemingly unrelated objects on a table can warn us about the brevity of life and the futility of worldly possessions.

THE CHRISTMAS STORY THROUGH MASTERPIECES

December 2020

In December we enjoyed this wonderful zoom talk given by Liz Strang and whatever our beliefs, the Story of the Nativity is just that – a wonderful story. From the birth of a baby to poor parents in a stable: The Annunciation, The Visitation; the Angels appearing to the Shepherds, it is not surprising that this story has inspired so many artists over so many years. Liz dipped into the richness of this vast history of work, many by true masters, each made to venerate and inspire, each filled with beauty, mystery and hope and each telling that same much loved story …