To read October News click HERE

To read the September News click HERE

Coming soon

You can read the monthly news from Woodbridge HERE

You can read the monthly news from Woodbridge HERE

You can read the monthly news from Woodbridge HERE

You can read the monthly news from Woodbridge HERE

January Newsbytes

Lecture programme
Our first lecture of 2026 was given by David Haycock who spoke on the First World War artists C.R.W. Nevinson and Paul Nash. Both of these would have seen and studied the ‘isms’ of early modern British art from which they developed their own styles. Although it had been claimed that ‘war was a subject that defied description’ in the visual arts, David demonstrated how these two painters, in their roles as official war artists, did capture the human experience of conflict and how it impacted on the natural world. The audience score for the lecture was ….please complete

Next lecture
The next event in our regular lecture programme is on 23rd February which is a temporary change to our regular third Monday of the month. We will be joined by Anna Moszynska who will speak on ‘Fresh Encounters: contemporary sculptures and the public space’. Anna is an internationally renowned speaker and writer on contemporary art. Her books include ‘Abstract Art’ (1990, enlarged ed. 2020) and ‘Sculpture Now’ (2013), both published by Thames & Hudson, and two books on the drawings of Antony Gormley. We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

Special Interest Day
Please note the tickets for our next Special Interest Day on 10th March, when Chris Aslan Alexander will be speaking on ‘Unravelling the Silk Road’, are now all sold. We are sorry to disappoint those who had hoped to attend but were not able to book in time. Do look out for our next Special Interest Day on 3rd November when the topic will be Japanese Art and Culture, focussing on Japanese gardens and on the Art of the Japanese kimono.

With our best wishes,

Alexandra Carter 

The Management Team
The Arts Society Woodbridge

Dear members,

Lecture programme

Last lecture

In our December meeting, art historian, lecturer and broadcaster, Leslie Primo spoke about slavery and its depiction in Venetian art from 14th-17th centuries. He displayed many images in paintings and sculptures showing black people in subservient roles and treated as possessions by their owners. This was a sobering lecture, presented with energy, authority, insight and also a lightness of touch in covering a disturbing subject. The audience response to the lecture was excellent.

Next lecture

On 19th January we will welcome David Boyd Haycock who will share his expertise on ‘War artists: Paul Nash, Christopher Levinson and the Great War’. David is a freelance art historian, author, curator and lecturer. He read Modern History at St John’s College, Oxford and has an MA in Art History from the University of Sussex and a PhD in History from the University of London.

He specialises in British art and culture from the 1890s to the 1960s.

Special Interest Day

A reminder that our next Special Interest Day will be on 10th March when Chris Aslan Alexander will lead a day on ‘Unravelling the Silk Road’. He will explore how textiles had a radical effect on the history and culture of Asia. Booking for this event will be available in January.

Anna Airy Awards

Another very successful exhibition was held at the University of Suffolk in November, demonstrating the skill and artistic imagination of our young local artists. The work of a student from Farlingaye school, which was a fashion item constructed artistically with a diverse range of textiles, was chosen for the Woodbridge award. Images of this creation can be seen on the Volunteering section of our website.

Other news

In November, a quiz team drawn from our Management Team competed in a fund raising event on behalf of St Elizabeth’s Hospice. They performed moderately well and were pleased to be able to support, on your behalf, such a worthwhile cause.

We look forward to welcoming members to our exciting programme of lectures, visits and Special Interest Days in 2026. In the meantime, we send you the greetings of the season and wish everyone a happy, healthy and artistically invigorating New Year.

Alexandra Carter with thanks to Nigel Gibbons for his review of the last lecture.

November Newsbytes

Lecture programme

Last lecture
Whilst the British post-war sculptor Barbara Hepworth and, to a lesser extent, Elizabeth Frink, are noted names in 20th century art history, our speaker Raymond Warburton gave a refreshingly new perspective on their work. Richly illustrated with a wide range of images, Raymond noted the ways in which Hepworth struggled to balance relationships, domesticity and creativity within the context of the gender discrimination of her times. In a revealing analysis, he claimed that much of the early work of Frink was seen as dealing metaphorically with the duality of men’s nature, exemplified in both their violent dispositions and their heroic actions. Members’ response to the lecture was ‘Excellent’.

Next lecture
On 15 December, we welcome Viv Lawes who will help us to understand the mysteries of NFTs - the non-fungible tokens that are a digital record of ownership of unique items such as works of art. Using a secure database, they prevent such items being faked or re-produced. Viv herself is an experienced lecturer, curator and writer who leads courses in a wide range of topics.

Just before the above lecture, on your arrival at the Riverside we will be offering all our members mince pies to celebrate the season. If you usually partake of coffee in Marlowe’s, we have been advised that the new coffee machine takes a little more time to produce your drink. So, please allow for this and come a little early, from 10.00 a.m. onwards or explore other opportunities for a drink in the locality. We also ask that members be respectful to Marlowe’s catering staff as it is a busy time for them and they are at the mercy of the machines. 

Please also note that, as always, the introduction to the lecture will start at 10.45 promptly so please be seated before then to avoid disruption to others. Thank you.

Visits 
Anne Gartley reports that the recent visit to Glyndebourne on 27th - 29th October was a great success. There were 35 members on the trip and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the performance of ‘La Boheme’ as well as a wonderful meal afterwards in the Middle & Over Wallop restaurant.  Over the 3 days they also visited Bateman’s, Brighton Pavilion, Tudeley Church and Ightham Mote. Lots of laughs were had along the way and they are looking forward to future trips.

Special Interest Day
Claire Harrington, organiser of our Special Interest Days, reports that for our latest event on 11 November, we welcomed Patrick Craig to talk about the history of choral music at St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Patrick was an engaging and enthusiastic speaker and his detailed historical knowledge, illustrated with choral music excerpts, was shared with infectious enthusiasm. He even treated our members to some ‘live' singing of his own. Overall this was a very successful day, backed up by reviews from attendees who responded with a grade of ‘Excellent'.

Anna Airy Awards
As you may know, The Arts Society Woodbridge co-funds awards for local artists aged 16 - 20. Their work includes paintings and artefacts which address a wide range of subject matter using  both traditional and more innovative media. These will be shown in the main foyer at the University of Suffolk from 22 - 30 November. The exhibition is of an extremely high quality so if you can, do pop along and engage with the artistic creativity of our young generation.

Alexandra Carter

Management Team,
The Arts Society Woodbridge

OCTOBER NEWSBYTES

Lecture programme
The last lecture of our 2024-25 season finished on an inspiring note as John Snelson not only informed but also entertained us with an account of the British musical from the 1920s to the 1960s. John described how these works have been historically eclipsed by American stagings. He set them within their contemporary backgrounds and pointed out changes in style throughout the period. We heard brief extracts from some of the iconic songs from the past, still memorable today (for some of us!) through continuing revivals and reinterpretations.
Audience response: lecture - excellent; slides - good.

Next Lecture
On 17 November we look forward to hearing about the life and work of renowned mid-20th century British sculptors, Barbara Hepworth and Elizabeth Frink. Our presenter, Raymond Warburton, changed his career in health and social care to one which allowed him to explore his lifelong love of the arts. He engaged with academic study in the field and became an Arts Society lecturer in 2017.

AGM
Our Annual General Meeting preceded John Snelson’s lecture on 20th October. After the formal business, warm thanks were given to Nigel Barratt who, for the last two years, has acted as both Chair and Treasurer of our Society. He is stepping down from the former  but continuing his valuable work as Treasurer. The Chair’s  role will now be shared by Anne Barratt and Carolyn Dicken. Carolyn will also continue to work as Joint Programme Organiser with Sandy Greenard. A full list of the Management Team can be found in your programme card for 2025 - 26. If you were not able to collect this at the recent lecture it will be mailed to you very soon.

Technical Support
As the technical support for our lectures has now been taken over by the Riverside theatre staff, this is an appropriate opportunity to thank our team of volunteers, led by David Findley, who have provided excellent service over the years. Without David, Neil, Alan and Chris we would not have been able to support our speakers with the aural and visual aspects of their presentations. Technology has not always behaved itself but the team have dealt with all situations with knowledge, patience and enthusiasm. We are indebted to them.

We are pleased that David Findley and Phil Hall will continue to provide tech support at the Special Interest Days in Waldringfield.

Special Interest Day
There are still a few places left for the event on 11th November when we will welcome the Vicar Choral of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Patrick Craig, who will offer three lectures, in words and music, on ‘The Music of Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral’. There will a light buffet lunch included. More information and booking forms are available on our website.

We look forward to welcoming you to the above events.
 

Dear members

We wish you a warm welcome back to your Arts Society’s activities. The Riverside lectures and Special Interest Days’ programme for 2025/26 will be available to collect at our October AGM (see below) but in the meantime you can see all events on our website www.theartssocietywoodbridge.org.uk

Lecture programme
The new term started with a lecture which explored the historical but anecdotal claim that ‘Painting is dead - long live photography’. Aliki Braine traced the history of photography from centuries’ old practices of image replication, focussing on the mid-19th century experiments which produced ‘photography’ as we know it today. The belief that photography ‘tells the truth’ by its true-to-life capture of the external image - its scientific verisimilitude - is contested by the many ways it was manipulated by an artistic vision. Audience response to the lecture and the visual images was Very Good.

Next lecture
Our meeting on 20 October will be preceded by the AGM at 10.00am so we look forward to seeing you then. The lecture will commence promptly as usual at 10.45 when John Snelson will treat us to an account of ‘The rise of the British musical from Noel Coward to Lionel Bart’. John is a published writer, musician and cultural historian.

Special Interest Day
The second of our Special Interest Days this year will be on Tuesday 11 November at our usual Waldringfield venue. The theme of the day is ‘The music of Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral’. The three lectures will be given by Patrick Craig, who is a Vicar Choral at St. Paul’s. It  is rumoured that Patrick may provide some accompanying extra vocal entertainment. Registration and coffee is from 10.00am and the first lecture starts at 10.30am.

Arts Volunteering (Community Projects)
We are pleased to report that under the aegis of the Society’s Arts Volunteering (Community Projects) programme, we have been able to support financially various local organisations with their recent activities. We were the main sponsor for Morabe Rural Music’s summer recital at the Seckford Theatre. We also co-funded the Walnut Works Butley Studios’ school and community workshops wherein participants of all ages learned how to create small models from wax which were then cast into bronze. We enabled Melton Primary School to purchase a stage and performance piano for teaching and performance work in the school and for the local community and we will be fully funding Wickham Market Primary School’s participation in the national Art Bytes competition.

The Arts Volunteering scheme is a most rewarding initiative provided by your Society so if you might be interested in helping with research, co-ordination and administration of our funding, please contact me via info@theartssocietywoodbridge.org - thank you.

Help needed
Our local Church Recorders  https://www.churchrecordingsociety.org.uk/ are looking for a photographer to help with their recording process. Please contact Nuala Simpson ecnsret@btinternet.com

Subscription reminder
Thank you to all those who have renewed their subscription; we appreciate your timely action.

For 2025-26, we have held the annual subscription at £40 per person. 

If you have not yet paid your subscription, please arrange to do so as soon as possible.

Payment by BACS /Bank Transfer:-
Account Name: The Arts Society Woodbridge  
Account Number: 10325597
Sort Code: 20-98-07 
Reference: YOUR NAME - SUB

Payment by cheque: made payable to The Arts Society Woodbridge and sent to:-
Anne Gartley, Membership Secretary, 58 New Street, Woodbridge, IP12 1DX.

Payment by Standing Order: please check with your bank that the payment is for £40.

Thank you

With best wishes
Alexandra Carter
Management Team
The Arts Society Woodbridge

Dear members
Welcome to the final Newsbytes before we take a break from our regular events over the summer.

A programme card for 2025/26 will be available in due course but if you would like to plan ahead the lectures can be seen on our website theartssocietywoodbridge.org.uk

Lecture programme
As advised, sadly Simon Inglis was unable to join us but we welcomed back Dr. Sarah Pearson who presented a talk on 'Amazing Architecture'. We thank Sarah for her willingness to step in at such short notice and to provide us with an informative and visually inspiring talk. She suggested that criteria for ‘amazing’ buildings might include size/scale; cost; prominence; age and singularity. Most importantly, they are structures which make us pause, think and appreciate their presence on our landscape.
Audience response was Excellent for both lecture and visual images.

Our lectures recommence on 15th September when Aliki Braine will explore the historical contention that ‘Painting is Dead: long live photography’. Aliki is an Associate Lecturer at Camberwell College of Art and a lecturer for the National Gallery, the Wallace Collection, Christie’s Education and the Arts Society. She is also a practising artist and exhibits her photographic work internationally.

Art Bytes competition 2024-25
Thank you to all members who voted for the winners from our two sponsored schools, Kyson Primary and Melton Primary. We are proud to have supported the creativity of our local young student artists and thank their teachers for their work on this national project. You can see the results for these schools on the following links; they are marked in the corner 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

https://artbytes.co.uk/schools/kyson-primary-school-405/

https://artbytes.co.uk/schools/melton-primary-school-384/

Your contact details
As you know, we like to keep in touch with events, membership news and our current and future programmes. To keep communication effective, it is important that we ensure our database is up to date. If you have changed your address, your email or any other contact details please advise our Membership Secretary, Anne Gartley
Email:  annegartley@btinternet.com 

Please also let Anne know if you are not receiving directly the national Arts Society magazine which is published 3 times a year.

With our best wishes for an enjoyable summer. We will be in touch again in September.

Lecture programme

At our most recent lecture, we enjoyed a presentation by Mariska Beekenkamp on The Start of Landscape Painting. ‘Landscape’, as a recognised genre, developed in the Low Countries in the 16th C as an alternative to the mythological/biblical subject matter of the dominant Italian tradition. It arose out of a scientific interest in the natural world and, from the mid 17th C, from a sense of pride and a more secular/Protestant national identity after Dutch independence from Spain. The subject matter of paintings developed from the anecdotal to the atmospheric, then on to more dramatic contrasts in colour and scenes idealised by the artistic imagination rather than the actuality of the landscape. Audience response to both lecture and slides was Very Good.

Please note a change of speaker and topic for our last lecture of the season on 16th June. Sadly, Simon Inglis is unable to join us but we welcome back Dr Sarah Pearson who will present a talk on Amazing Architecture: from the sublime to the ridiculed. Sarah is an architectural historian who works as a freelance lecturer and teaches at Madingley Hall (University of Cambridge) in person and for online courses. She has published work on the architect Francesco di Giorgio and maintains active research interests in the subject of architecture and ideology. 

See our web site for further details of her talk CLICK HERE

Visits

On 21st May, our members visited the Red House in Aldeburgh, the former home of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. We enjoyed a guided tour of the house, the library, the composition studio and the archive. Especially captivating were the homely atmosphere of the house, the wonderful paintings on display and the stories of the life and times of Britten, Pears and their many friends and contacts in the world of art and music. In the composition studio we heard recordings of Britten’s work. The huge art collection, acquired by Peter Pears, includes paintings by both lesser known and famous 20th century artists. Much of the collection is held in storage, with rehanging taking place in the winter months. We would recommend a visit and if you have not been for a while, you are sure to see something new.     Tricia Findley, Visits Organiser

With best wishes,

Alexandra Carter, on behalf of the Management Team of The Arts Society, Woodbridge

Lecture report

The Victorian painter Richard Dadd (1817-1886) is arguably as much known for the fact that he murdered his father as for his artistic output. At our April lecture, Nicole Mezey offered a more complex account of Dadd’s life and work. He continued to paint whilst incarcerated in Bethlem and later Broadmoor, working with images from memory and with varied subject matter including the ‘fairy’ paintings with which he is commonly identified.
Members’ response to lecture and slides: Very good.

Next lecture

On 19th May we will welcome Mariska Beekenkamp who will speak on the beginning of landscape painting, with special emphasis on Dutch artists. Mariska completed degrees in Art History and now lectures in a range of contexts including the Dulwich Picture Gallery.  She runs her own company, Art Historical London, and leads museum visits, courses, tours and travel. 

The meeting will start promptly so to avoid disruption, please be in your seat by 10.45am at the latest.

Thank you.

Art Bytes - vote please!

We are pleased to have sponsored two of our local primary schools, Kyson and Melton, to take part in the national Art Bytes scheme. Both schools have submitted a range of art work created by level 5 (aged 9 - 10) students. From these a panel of independent judges have shortlisted 3 pieces from each school. The vote for the winner of each school, who will have their work exhibited in the Art Bytes virtual gallery, is now open to the public. 

Please support our schools, Melton and Kyson, by voting.

Click HERE and follow the instructions on https://artbytes.co.uk/browse-schools

If you click on each of the finalists you can see the larger image; this will help you select your chosen work(s). A prize is also given to the school with most votes nationally so let’s try and get the Woodbridge area up there with the best!

Art Exhibition: Alderton

‘Peninsula: Hidden Delights’ is two-day exhibition to be held at St. Andrew's Church, Alderton on 26/27 April, 10.00 - 4.00. This event will showcase the work of local artists, together with that of the residents of HMP Warren Hill. The exhibition presents paintings, sculptures, photography and more. All are welcome to attend.

With our best wishes,

Alexandra and Tricia, on behalf of the Management Team of the Arts Society, Woodbridge

MARCH NEWSBYTES

Lecture programme
In our March lecture we learned how the history of the City of London could be interpreted through its stained glass which surprisingly is situated in a wide variety of locations. Anna Warrillow explained how not just religious iconography but also social narratives, buildings, people and key events of the City and the nation were depicted in this fascinating - and still very much living - art form. For those who would like more detail of the images shown by Anna, she has prepared a very informative list which you can find on our website in Documents

Members’ response to lecture and slides: Excellent 

Next lecture 14th April 
Nicole Mezey will talk on The life and work of Richard Dadd - the now famedVictorian artist. Nicole studied Art History at the Universities of Sussex, York and Paris and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and of the Higher Education Academy. She was a Senior Lecturer at Queen’s University, Belfast. Nicole now lives in central London and is a freelance lecturer, working for organisations such as national museums, universities and the National Trust.

The meeting will start promptly so to avoid disruption, please be in your seat by 10.45am at the latest. Thank you.

Special Interest Days
At our recent event based in Waldringfield, Vicky Bailey spoke on Life and death in Ancient Egypt, from the Rosetta Stone to Tutankhamen’s tomb. Vicky was an extremely knowledgeable lecturer on the subject of Ancient Egypt and Tutankhamen, and delivered three clear and detailed lectures on the subject.  We were treated to an in-depth exploration of Ancient Egypt, including the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb, how the Rosetta Stone was interpreted and how it impacted on our understanding of Egyptian history.  Members’ response: Excellent

Our next Special Interest Day is on 11 November when Patrick Craig will be sharing his knowledge of The music of Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. We will be hearing some of this wonderful music so save the date in your diary!

VISITS
1. The Red House. Aldeburgh Wednesday 21st May
This is a morning visit by car to see the splendid collection of art at the former home of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears.
Booking is OPEN with booking form and flyer on the website in Documents

2. Glyndebourne 27-29th October 2025
Enjoy some time away, staying in Eastbourne, with a visit to Glyndebourne opera house for a performance of Puccini's La Bohème, also Brighton Pavilion, Ightham Mote, Batemans and Tudeley Church. A full description can be found on the LEAFLET which includes a BOOKING FORM.

Contact the organiser Tricia Findley or Anne Gartley with your questions.

With our best wishes
Alexandra, Tricia and Claire
The Arts Society Woodbridge

Dear members

Lecture programme

For our February lecture at the Riverside, Pepe Martinez gave an illuminating (in every sense!) account of the history of graffiti and ‘street art’. He then situated the work of Banksy against this background, exploring the many ways in which this British artist challenges the conventional subject matter of ‘art’. Furthermore, by displaying it in radically non-traditional contexts, Banksy expands the diversity of the viewing public.

Despite a somewhat negative reception from professional critics over the years, Banksy has become part of our cultural consciousness and is now one of our most popular and newsworthy practising artists.
 

Members’ response Lecture: Excellent, Slides: Excellent

Our special guest for the lecture on 17th March is Anna Warrillow who will be sharing her expertise on The History of the City of London as told through its stained glass. Anna’s academic background and continuing passion is for art and history. She is also a Blue Badge guide who offers bespoke tours of London and training courses for tour guide students.

We would like to remind members that, in order to avoid disruption, you need to be settled in your seats by 10.45 am at the latest. At this point, we share important information and this is followed on immediately by an introduction to the speaker and then their lecture presentation.

Please note

The Riverside restaurant will be closing for a short period for refurbishment by the new owners. This will include the day of our next lecture - 17th March. Therefore, it will not be possible to obtain coffee/lunch on this day so please make alternative arrangements. The theatre will be open as normal and the new restaurant owners have said they will continue the custom of opening early for us at our Monday lecture times so all should be back to normal for our event on 14th April.

Special Interest Day

We have some places left for our Special Interest Day on Tuesday 11th March at our usual Waldringfield venue. There will be three lectures on the general theme of From the Rosetta Stone to Tutankhamen’s Tomb - life and death in Ancient Egypt. More details can be found in your Programme and on our website. If you are interested but please book promptly as numbers are limited.

Further news

Our President, Jill Bradshaw, has recently chosen to step down from her role for personal reasons. Many of you will know Jill and be aware of her warmth and conviviality. She has given long service to our Arts Society in several capacities including that of Chair of the Management Team. She helped to guide the Society through difficult times such as the Covid pandemic, ensuring that we survived and then thrived. We are sincerely grateful for all she has done over past years and are delighted that she will continue to join us for lectures and other events.

JANUARY NEWS

Lecture programme
Do we have, in the UK, the world’s greatest paintings in one collection? Emphatically 'yes', says Simon Whitehouse, who illustrated his claim for the National Gallery at our recent lecture on 20th January. Starting from its inception in 1824, Simon presented key events in the history of the Gallery; an illustrative account of the development of its architecture and an overview of its content up to the present day. His talk was enhanced by a wide selection of images and associated stories.
Members’ response 
Lecture 'Outstanding'   -   Slides 'Excellent' 

Please note that the next lecture will be held on Monday, 24th February, a week later than usual. Pepe Martinez will guide us through the complex question of Banksy - fraud or genius? Mr Martinez is a specialist in the graffiti and street art of East London. He is also a London blue badge tourist guide.

As regular attendees to our lectures will have noticed, they are continuing to be very popular and late-comers sometimes struggle to access a seat. We respectfully request again that to avoid too much disruption, members who are in good time move to the centre of the auditorium where possible. Thank you.

Future visits
Many thanks to those who responded to our questionnaire on a potential weekend away to Eastbourne and the Glyndebourne opera. The survey is now over but we will be pursuing the possibility of a visit and will let you have further information after the announcement of the Autumn Season, probably in March.

Hearing loops
Following queries, we have asked the Manager of the Riverside if hearing loops could be used by those with hearing aids. Unfortunately, the technology only operates with cinema programming, not with ‘live’ performances, talks etc. 

Special Interest Day - booking now open
Our first of two Special Interest Days this year will be on Tuesday 11th March at Waldringfield village hall. There will be three lectures and a light buffet lunch. Life and Death in Ancient Egypt - from Rosetta Stone to Tutankhamun’s Tomb.   
To make a booking  Contact the organiser

Presentation to Jane Lynam, former President of The Arts Society, Woodbridge
Preceding our recent lecture, a presentation of flowers and a gift voucher was made to Jane Lynam who is now moving home and out of our area. Many of you will have known Jane from her long service to our Society. She undertook diverse roles, including that of Programme Secretary, Arts Volunteering Co-ordinator, Co-chair and latterly President of the Society. We are saddened to lose her services and her accumulated experience but wish her the very best of good fortune in this new stage of her life.

December News

Lecture programme
'Royal Jewels and the American heiress' by Andrew Prince
At our final lecture of the year Andrew Prince presented a visually glittering account of spectacular jewels and jewellery. He traced their lineage as they were passed from the royal courts of Europe and Russia to American women who wore their own/their husbands’ wealth on their bodies and by association, acquired a quasi-regal status. Andrew demonstrated how jewels have many lives as they pass through history; dispersed, reset and recirculated. Members’ response to his presentation was 'Excellent' for both the lecture and the visual images.

Our programme resumes on 20th January, when Simon Whitehouse will be joining us at the Riverside to share the story of The world’s greatest paintings - 200 years of the National Gallery. Simon is a former actor, lecturer, presenter, Alexander Technique and voice teacher, and award winning London Blue Badge guide. He has worked as a guide lecturer at Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Opera House, the BBC and the National Gallery, leading both public and private tours.

Special Interest Day
Our first of two Special Interest Days this year will be on Tuesday 11th March at our usual Waldringfield venue. There will be three lectures on Life and Death in Ancient Egypt - from Rosetta Stone to Tutankhamen’s Tomb.  More details can be found on our website.

Please be aware that booking begins on-line on Thursday 16th January and will be available at the January and February lectures.

The Management Team of The Arts Society - Nigel B, Anne B, Alexandra, Anne G, Carolyn, Julia, Nigel G, Sandy and Tricia - send you the warmest of Season’s greetings and our sincere thanks for your support and enthusiasm for our events over the past year. 

NEWSBYTES

Lecture programme
At our last lecture on 18 November, David Worthington spoke to a nearly full house at the Riverside on Auguste Rodin and 19th century sculpture. David began with some fascinating slides of his own work as a sculptor. He then offered an account of Rodin’s life (1840 - 1917) and the evolution of his radical approach to subject matter, materials and treatment of the human body. Our members’ response to both the lecture and the visual images was Excellent.

One of Rodin’s creative  (and personal) relationships was with Camille Claudel who has more recently gained recognition for her own figurative sculpture. For those who would like to know more about this artist, the Riverside cinema is showing a film about her on Thursday 12 December at 7.30pm.

We welcome you to our next lecture on 16th December on the enticing topic of Royal jewels and the American heiress. This will be given by Andrew Prince who is a well known speaker on the history of jewellery and its social context. He also collects, designs and creates his own pieces for celebrities, film and television.

Before this lecture, to celebrate the season we will be offering mince pies to all our members and guests. If you are planning to purchase a coffee from the Riverside restaurant, please arrive in good time so you can have a relaxed sojourn before the lecture and still be in your seats by 10.45a.m. 

We are most grateful to the Riverside restaurant, and their staff, who come in early to provide our morning coffee. If there is a queue, please understand that they are doing their very best to serve you as quickly as possible. 

Special interest Day
On Tuesday 5 November we welcomed a return from Sarah Burles who presented a Special Interest Day on The Art and Artists of Kettle’s Yard. Over three lectures, she gave a most informative background to the life, work and ideas of Jim Ede, the founder and curator of the venue from 1956 - 1973. She emphasised his belief that ‘art’ should evolve from and embrace ‘life’ and shared images such as ‘tablescapes’ with carefully arranged pebbles juxtaposed with small sculptures. Not only was the work of Henri Gaudier Brzeska and Winifred Nicolson looked at in more detail but Sarah also explained how their carefully considered aesthetic principles made an important contribution to Ede’s endeavour. Sarah’s talk was a motivation to visit Kettle’s Yard from a refreshingly new perspective.

Your Arts Society Magazine
Take a look on p.45 of the recent/up-coming Winter edition and you will see a brief mention and lovely picture of our sponsorship for Morabe Rural Music at Snape Maltings earlier this summer. If you are not receiving this thrice-yearly Magazine which all members should do, please contact our Membership Secretary Anne Gartley on annegartley@btinternet.com and she will ensure that you are on the mailing list.

Recent new resource for Arts Society member
Cultur.art is an on-line web site produced by the national Arts Society. It presents bite-sized items to read and watch on many aspects of the arts and culture. Aimed at a broad readership, it provides new insights into familiar fields and tests the boundaries of what we think of as ‘art’. There is also a fascinating on-line bookshop which may draw your attention to recent publications.  If you are particularly interested in contemporary events and debates in the art world, we recommend you give it a try on https://www.cultur.art (NB the ‘e’ is deliberately missing!)

Alexandra Carter

NEWSBYTES

Lecture programme
Members had a real treat on 21 October when Mark Hill, antiques and collectables specialist, presented a spirited and hugely informative talk on 20th century glass: new markets.

Focussing primarily on the period 1960s - 1980s, Mark explored the techniques of glass making and demonstrated the stylistic features of some of the predominant glass manufacturers of both factory and studio work. It was fascinating to discern the ‘fashions’ in glass and how they encapsulated general trends in decorative design. Members’ grade for the lecture was Outstanding.

We commence our new programme of lectures on 18 November with a talk by David Worthington on Auguste Rodin and 19th century sculpture. David is a practising sculptor, curator and writer. He studied fine art internationally and was short-listed for the Jerwood Sculpture Prize in 2009. He is currently a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors.

Special Interest Day
There are just a few places left for our day on The Art and Artists of Kettle’s Yard, presented by Sarah Burles on Tuesday 5 November at Waldringfield Village Hall, IP12 4QP. Please see our web site for further information.

Coffee morning for new members
A reminder that on Monday 28 October a convivial coffee morning will be held at the Golf Club, Heath Road, IP12 2PF, Woodbridge to welcome new members who joined the Society either last year or more recently. Do come along to meet the Management Team who will be happy to chat informally about their work and answer any questions you may have about the Society. The event will start at 10.00am; we look forward to welcoming you then.

Arts Volunteering sponsorship
As part of our Arts Volunteering initiatives, we were pleased to fund the musical and dramatic tuition for a young cast member who performed the role of Cherubino in the Opera for Woodbridge’s production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. This was presented to a full house at the Woodbridge Community Centre in October. This young artist, who is taking a gap year between school and applying for further musical training, gave a splendid, mature performance. We are proud to have been able to help her with financial support and encouragement.

On behalf of the Management Team, The Arts Society, Woodbridge October 2024

NEWSBYTES

Dear members,
We trust you have had an enjoyable summer break and warmly welcome you back to a continuation of our Arts Society activities.

Lecture programme
Our programme resumed on 23 September at our usual Riverside venue with a talk on ‘Portraits of 20th century British artists’ through the lens of the little known but prolific photographer Jorge Lewinski. Pamela Campbell-Johnston gave us a well exemplified overview of his specialist work as a portrait photographer through his project of capturing artists in their home/studios over a period of 30 years. Pamela helped us to see how these artists’ personalities could be read visually through the considered arrangement of body posture, props, surroundings and inter- textual references to their own oeuvre. Our members’ response to the lecture was Excellent.
For those who would like to know more about Lewinski’s work, see https:// www.jorgelewinski.com/index.html

On 21 October we are hosting Mark Hill who is an expert in a range of contemporary art and cultural forms and a regular contributor to the BBC's ‘Antiques Roadshow’. He will be speaking on ‘20th century glass: new markets’ and exploring the work of some specialist manufacturers.

Programme 2024/25
The new printed Programme for our coming year will be available for members to collect at the above lecture. If you cannot attend, it will be mailed to you. Please do let our current Membership Secretary, Anne Barratt, know if you have recently changed your address. Contact Anne on: anne@barratt1.myzen.co.uk

21 October: Annual General Meeting
This will take place just before Mark’s lecture above so please note that the morning will start at the earlier time of 10.00 a.m. Please do join us; the business will be brief but pertinent to all our interests and you will be able to meet current and new members of the Society’s Management Team. Annual Reports on our various activities will be sent to you by email next week. This will give you an opportunity to assimilate the information and we will welcome any questions or comments you may have at the meeting.

Visit to Fitzwilliam Museum, 30 October
Please note that this event is now fully booked. We look forward to our next visit which will be to the Red House, Aldeburgh on 21 May. Booking will open in March.

Special Interest Day, Tuesday 5 November
It is a pleasure to welcome back Sarah Burles, who spoke on the Annunciation and Art in our lecture programme last December. On this occasion, Sarah will be offering three presentations on aspects of The Art and Artists of Kettle’s Yard. This will be a popular event so please book your place as soon as possible on CLICK HERE. Coffee will be provided at 10.00am and the first lecture starts at 10.30.

On behalf of the Management Team of The Arts Society, Woodbridge September 2024

NEWSBYTES June
The Arts Society proposals for changes to Governance: a message from our Acting Chair

"You will remember I wrote to you a while back concerning the reforms the Arts Society wanted to make to its governance procedures. The Extraordinary General Meeting has now taken place with an 80% voting turnout.
The result was 86 Societies voting for the proposals, with 206 voting against the changes, and 5 abstentions. So, the proposed changes have not been approved by the members.
Five of the member appointed Trustees of the Arts Society have resigned, while there have been seven nominations for vacancies that would anyway be taking place at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.
This leaves The Arts Society in the realm of status quo, although unfortunately some of the issues concerning the future direction of the Society remain unanswered, and until there is a new Trustee Board they cannot be addressed. Whether the new Board will do so, remains to be seen.
I am disappointed at this ‘head in the sand’ approach by most of the member societies, and nothing more can be said other than, ‘watch this space’."
Nigel Barrett, Acting Chair of the Arts Society, Woodbridge

Lecture programme
For our last lecture of the season before our summer break, Ian Swankie gave a truly fascinating account of the art and design elements of the London Underground. Prefaced by a brief history of its early development, he illustrated how the architecture of the buildings embraced dominant aesthetic trends such as Arts and Crafts and Art Deco. We were then treated to a rich account of its calligraphy, signage, maps, posters and the art work in and of the Underground system. Members’ appreciation of the lecture was evident in their grading of Outstanding for the lecture and Excellent for the visual images.

As you will be aware, we have no lectures over the summer but continue on Monday 23 September with ‘Portraits of 20th century British artists through the lens of Jorge Lewinsky’ given by Pamela Campbell-Johnston.

We now have an exciting lecture programme planned for 2024/2025 all the details of which are on our web site www.theartssocietywoodbridge.org.uk

Save the dates
Visit - Wednesday 30th October - Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
One day coach travel, details to follow, booking in September.

Special Interest Day: Tuesday 5th November at Waldringfield Village Hall, booking in September 'The Art and Artists of Kettle's Yard' by Sarah Burles

Our next Newsbytes will be in September. We wish you all a contented summer, safe travels and if you are not venturing afar we hope you can enjoy some the wonderful artistic and creative initiatives in and around our lovely county of Suffolk.

On behalf of the Management Team of The Arts Society, Woodbridge

May Newsbytes

Dear members

We hope you have been able to enjoy some of the pleasing warmer (if wet!) weather at last.

May lecture
On May 20th we hosted Daniel Snowman, who offered an historic account of the production and consumption of the multi-media phenomenon we know as ‘opera’. Focussing mainly on the Victorian period, he gave an overview of trends, places and key people during this most popular period of the art form. What kind of events count as ‘opera’, though, remained an unanswered question!

Future events
Our final lecture of this year’s programme is on 24th June. Ian Swankie will explore ‘The world- class art, architecture and design of the London Underground’. He will consider the early history of the Underground and bring us up to date with the most recent Jubilee and Elizabeth Lines. Please take your seat by 10.45 at the latest. Thank you.

Half Day Visit to Munnings Art Museum, Dedham: 26th June
Please note that this visit is now fully booked. If you would like to be placed on a waiting list, please contact the visit organiser Gina Dixie on ginadixie@gmail.com

Small grants
As you may know, under our Arts Volunteering scheme we are able to offer funding to local charitable and voluntary organisations to help them deliver arts-based projects that they might not otherwise be able to present.

1. We are pleased to say that we are again supporting the Anna Airy Awards for young student artists which we co-fund with The Arts Society, South East Suffolk. The students’ work will be presented at the University of Suffolk from 16 November; further details to follow.

2. We are also sponsoring the Summer Recital in the Britten Studio at Snape Maltings of Morabe Rural Music who are based at Eyke Primary School. They offer extra-curricula music tuition, workshops etc. to the students and the local community. This year, they have also been exploring the skills of African drumming.

3. A further award has been given to Grove Court Residential Care Home, Woodbridge, to enable a local ceramic artist to work with the residents in order to create a commemorative mosaic for the Home’s 25th anniversary.

With best wishes
Alexandra Carter
On behalf of the Management Team of The Arts Society, Woodbridge

April Newsbytes

Dear Members

April lecture
We will certainly tend to experience gardens and open public, verdant spaces with a fresh perspective after our April lecture when Timothy Walker gave a wide-ranging but seamless account of the relationship between the fine arts and garden design. To highlight parallels between these two fields of creativity, he drew upon disciplines such as aesthetics, molecular science, biology and, fundamentally, how we as humans perceive colour. The audience expressed their response to the lecture with a grade of Outstanding.

Future events

Next lecture: 29th May
Spanning the Renaissance to the 20th century, Daniel Snowman will explore the history of opera from a social and cultural perspective. Please be seated by 10.45 and where possible take your seats near to the centre of the auditorium.

Please note that the following June lecture will be on 24th June, a week later than usual.

Half Day Visit to Munnings Art Museum, Dedham: 26th June 
Booking for the above event is now open. Participants will have a curator’s tour of the Special Exhibition on ‘Munnings: Making a Picture’ followed by a pre-booked lunch. After these, visitors will be able to re-enter the house and galleries free of charge. Costs are £22 plus £9 for an optional light lunch. Travel to the museum will be by car or car-share.

With best wishes,
Alexandra Carter
On behalf of the Management Team of The Arts Society, Woodbridge 

March Newsbytes

Dear Members

Special Interest Day 12th March
Andrew Davies gave a lively account of the history of English fairs, markets and shops. Spanning the period from the 1100s to the 21st century, Andrew’s talk was peppered with entertaining anecdotes about places, people, produce and the public entertainment that so often accompanied these popular events.

March lecture
Chloe Sayer spanned the art and artefacts of Mexico from ancient times to the 20th century. Her visual images emphasised the rich decorative detail in materials such as stone, mosaics, feathers and fabric. We also saw briefly how the artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera reclaimed and celebrated the older, indigenous societies. Members’ response to the lecture was Excellent.

Future events
Lecture April 15th 
We welcome you to ‘Why gardening can rank as fine art’ in which Timothy Walker will consider how gardening can be seen as synonymous with ‘painting a picture’.
Visit April 17th
There are still a few places left for our visit to Gainsborough's House, Sudbury. Please CLICK HERE for the flyer and either CLICK HERE for the booking form or contact Tricia Findley by email on info@theartssociety.org.uk  Please note that the closing date for booking is next Monday, 25th March.

June 26th - Half Day Visit to Munnings Art Museum, Dedham
Booking will open in April. You can find out more on our website.
CLICK HERE then select 26th June visit.

Exhibition in The Thoroughfare
‘Glimsen’, meaning to find beauty in nature or the unexpected, is the theme of an exhibition by four contemporary printmakers who live and work in Suffolk. The exhibition is from 20th -26th March at The Craft House in The Thoroughfare, Woodbridge. Their work centres around nature, geology and landscape. Printmaking techniques on show include collagraph, etching, linocut and mezzotint. All our members are warmly welcome to attend.

With best wishes
Alexandra Carter
On behalf of the Management Team of The Arts Society, Woodbridge 

Lectures
On 12th February, Valerie Woodgate explored the not uncommon but complex question of how we can make sense of modern art in the 20th / 21st centuries. The appreciation of our audience was demonstrated in their response of ‘Excellent’ to her presentation.

On 18th March we travel to Mexico in the company of Chloe Sayer who will explore examples of diverse cultural artefacts as produced by folk-artists of recent times.

Special Interest Day
Please note that our event on 12th March on ‘The history of English fairs, markets and shops’ is now fully booked.

Visit
There is a lot of interest in our visit to Gainsborough’s House, Sudbury on Wednesday 17 April but there are some places left. If you are interested, do look at the flyer on CLICK HERE or download the booking form CLICK HERE

Membership
We are pleased to report that thanks to all your support and to the work of your Management Team, we are now back to full membership of The Arts Society Woodbridge (TASW). Although this is a very positive situation, it does mean that we cannot automatically accept new members and will have to reinstate our waiting list. If you know of anyone who might be interested in joining us, please ask them to get in touch with our Membership Secretary, Anne (anne@barratt1.myzen.co.uk) who will keep their details on record and contact them as soon as opportunities for membership arise.

Similarly, because spare seats at lectures are limited, while we are still happy to welcome guests it is important that members notify Anne beforehand.

Church Recorders
The following information has been received from Julia Legh Smith of Church Recorders: ‘We are really pleased to invite you to the presentation of our latest Church Record for St Mary's Church, Woodbridge. It will take place during the 10.00am Church service on Sunday, 17th March. There will be an opportunity to look at the Record afterwards and I also hope to bring a copy to the next TASW lecture’.

Funding for arts/heritage-based projects
As you will know, the work of TASW mainly comprises the presentation of lectures, visits and special interest days but we also have a small amount of funds which we can offer to local arts or heritage-based projects.
We prefer not to help with projects which are already in existence but we can assist with initiatives which would not be able to run without funding. Our Grants are small - £250 - £600 from our own funds or occasionally up to £2000 if we can obtain financial support from the main Arts Society. Recent projects we have supported have been for acrylic craft/ art workshops; an intergenerational dance project with primary school children and care home residents and the Anna Airy art awards for young people.
 
 If you are aware of any local organisations from Woodbridge or the surrounding area which might benefit from either potential funding or help and advice, please do let us know. You can contact me, Alexandra Carter, on info@theartssocietywoodbridge.org.uk

With very best wishes,
Alexandra Carter
On behalf of The Arts Society Woodbridge, Management Team. February 2024

Dear members

Monthly lectures

We started the new year in January with an appropriately bright and colour-full presentation by Susan Kay-Williams on ‘Colour Explosion’, a fascinating account of the development of synthetic dyes in the 19th century. Members voted for a grade of ‘Excellent’ for this lecture.

We continue our programme with another enticing lecture at the Riverside on February 12th (please note that this is the second Monday of the month, not our usual third week.) In ‘Making sense of modern art’ Valerie Woodgate will be guiding us through the ways in which the nature and language of art have changed in response to the social and political contexts of recent times.

Seating at the Riverside
We are delighted to see continuing good attendance at our monthly lectures. Whilst most members are seated in the auditorium by the start time of 10.45, a small number are inadvertently late. This can cause disruption as they struggle to find seats. We respectfully request, therefore, that when possible and in accordance with your own preferences, you occupy the centre seats. If you prefer to sit at the sides, please allow access for people who need to pass by you. We thank you for this.

Special Interest Day
On Tuesday, March 12th, the first of our two Special Interest Days will be on ‘The history of English fairs, markets and shops’, presented by Andrew Davies. This will be held at our usual venue of Waldringfield Hall, with coffee served from 10.00 and the lecture(s) starting at 10.30am. Details and an application form were mailed recently to all members and they were available for you to pick up at our monthly lecture above but if you missed these opportunities and would like to attend, please book on  our website ……CLICK HERE Tickets are selling well so don’t leave it too late!

The Arts Society magazine

A hard copy of the Winter 2023 magazine from the national Arts Society was mailed to members in November. However, if you did not receive your copy please let our Membership Secretary, Anne Barratt, know and she will chase up the matter for you. Please contact her directly on  anne@barratt1.myzen.co.uk

Church Recorders
The Church Recording Group need an interested photographer to help with the next record at Old Melton church. Phone cameras are unfortunately not sufficient but a variety of digital cameras are suitable. If this is for you please contact Nuala Simpson through the committee or direct on 01394 411293 or ecnsret@btinternet.com 

With warmest wishes on these chilly days,
Alexandra Carter, on behalf of the Management Team, The Arts Society, Woodbridge

Dear members

Welcome to the final Newsbytes of this calendar year.  As you will see from the details sent on your subscription renewal, we have an exciting programme of lectures, Special Interest Days and visits organised for 2024.

Our December lecture was a truly seasonal one as Sarah Burles presented ‘Fear Not: the Annunciation in Art’. This pivotal moment in the Christian story, as described in Luke’s gospel, has been inspirational for artists. Sarah focussed on their works primarily from the 14/15th century in Italy, moving on to later depictions in the art of northern Europe. She also shared some fascinating contemporary interpretations. We heard about the mainly religious context which informed the design of the paintings and learned about the meanings of their recurrent symbolism. The members who attended voted the lecture, on average, as ‘Excellent’. We look forward to welcoming Sarah back to present our Special Interest Day in November next year.

On 15th January we anticipate a visual treat as Susan Kay-Williams explores the Colour Explosion from the mid-19th century onwards. We tend to take the colours around us for granted but this lecture will help us see - and sense - them afresh. Do join us at the Riverside, as usual, for a 10.45am start.

Our Special Interest Day on 12th March is on the History of English Fairs, Markets and Shops, given by Andrew Davies.  Pop the date into your new diary; further details and booking will be available in January.

Until then, we offer you our very warmest wishes for the up-coming season and for a creatively enriching 2024.

Alexandra Carter
On behalf of the Management Team of The Arts Society, Woodbridge

Dear members

Reflections
Our Special Interest Day on 14 November was especially successful not only in terms of numbers attending but also for the content and presentation of the lectures. Dr John Stevens treated us to three diverse perspectives on the British Empire, mainly during the 19th and into the mid-20th century. Initially using a broad geographic approach, he then focussed on the culture of India, interpreting the images of so-called liberal imperialism which obscured the actuality of Indian life and nationalist politics. Some of our members/guests had connections with India but even for those who did not this was a truly engaging day throughout, as shown in members' feedback score of 'Outstanding' for the lecture.

The regular monthly lecture on 'Gemstones, crystals and a bushel of pearls', given by Anne Haworth, was an intriguingly unusual topic and a visual treat. Anne focussed on Richard II and Elizabeth I, paying close attention to their bejewelled bodies in state portraits. She stressed these monarchs' love of splendour, traced the origins of the gemstones and shared their fascinating symbolism. We were reminded that 'jewellery' comprises not only what is worn but also how objects are created using precious stones and minerals. Audience members produced an overall feedback score of 'Excellent'.

Arts Volunteering
In November, on behalf of the Management Team, I attended the exhibition of work from the Anna Airy prize winners which was held at the University of Suffolk. The standard of technical expertise and creativity produced by the young students was admirable; we are proud to be able to co-sponsor these awards. For further information please see the Arts Volunteering page on our web site https://theartssocietywoodbridge.org.uk/YA/YA.aspx We are planning to show you some of the work on screen at the Riverside just before our December lecture below, or it is all on display in the University foyer up until 3 December.

Next lecture
We do hope you will be able to join us on the 11 December at the Riverside when Sarah Burles will be exploring the Annunciation in Art. (Please note that this lecture takes place on the 2nd Monday of the month rather than our normal 3rd week.) As a prelude to this seasonal theme, we will be pleased to offer some mince pies to accompany your morning coffee when purchased at A Listers from 10.00am.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Alexandra Carter
on behalf of the Management Team, The Arts Society Woodbridge.

Dear Members,

We are pleased to report that a successful AGM was held on Monday 16th October. The Chair, Jill Bradshaw, presented her annual report; accounts were approved and the new Management Team was elected. Warm and grateful thanks were extended to Jill, as outgoing Chair and to Steph Luke, the Honorary Secretary, for their excellent and deeply appreciated service to the Society over several years.

Programme 2023/24
The new programme card is currently being mailed to members; if you have not received your copy by the end of October, please contact Anne Barrett, Membership Secretary - email  anne@barratt1.myzen.co.uk
The full lecture programme for 2023/24 can also be viewed on the Society’s web site. Click here for the lecture programme.  We look forward to a varied and exciting year of lectures and visits.

Arts Society Magazine
We understand that there maybe some members who are not receiving the regular Arts Society Magazine. The magazine is sent to all  members directly from the Arts Society. If you have not been receiving the magazine please let Anne Barrett know by contacting her using this email address anne@barratt1.myzen.co.uk. When Anne has this information from members she will compile a list and  notify  the Arts Society.

Lectures
Following the AGM, we were transported by Aaron Hunter to the Jurassic Coast and the world of fossil hunting. We heard about the work of Mary Anning, who in the early 19th century was ‘a persevering female’ who started her career in Lyme Regis seeking fossils to sell to help her impoverished family. Palaeontology became a lifetime occupation for her and she communicated with the scientists of her day who were slowly beginning to realise that it was perfectly possible for creatures to become extinct and that their remains were valuable evidence of past lives and the natural world. This was an unusual topic for the Arts Society but one that was greatly appreciated.

Our next lecture is by Anne Haworth who will present “Gemstones, Crystals and a ‘Bushel of Pearls’ on Monday 20th November. Here Anne will trace the journey of precious gemstones from their source to the merchants of Europe where they became symbolic items of power and status. Please take your seats by 10.45.

Special Interest Day
Please note that booking has now closed for the Special Interest Day on 14 November.

With warmest wishes,

Alexandra Carter
On behalf of the Woodbridge Arts Society Committee

Dear Members

The AGM will take place at 10:00 am on Monday October 16th prior to the lecture (see below). The agenda for the AGM meeting has already been sent to you. All the reports pertinent to the AGM can be accessed from our website by clicking the links in the agenda email. Please take time to read these; your attendance at the meeting itself would be appreciated by your Committee. This year due to the greatly reduced Committee there will be changes to the structure of the team. Jill Bradshaw as Chair will verbally update the meeting on the decisions made by the Committee. The meeting is never long and there will be time between the AGM and the lecture to have a coffee or alternatively please bring your take away coffee in to the meeting. We look forward to seeing you there.
 
Lectures
For the opening lecture of the Arts Society’s Autumn season, Brian Stater offered some fascinating insights into the Stirling Prize. The Prize is awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architecture for the project which has made ‘the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture’ in the UK. We heard about its establishment in 1966, the judging panel and the famous (or less so) key architects and their companies. It was illuminating to see the range of projects such as a bridge, a restored historical building and, more recently, a social housing estate. In addition to helping us appreciate British architecture, Brian’s talk also raised some important underlying issues such as the relationship between the form of a ‘building’ and its practical purpose and, fundamentally, what constitutes ‘architecture’? The 2023 Prize will be announced on 19th October; we look forward to the result with renewed curiosity!
 
After the AGM on 16 October, Aaron Hunter will present a talk on ‘The Jurassic world of Mary Anning’. We will hear about the work of the palaeontologist Anning and the related context of 19th century science. We will find out whether she really did find sea dragons and if not, what did she find?
 
Special Interest Day: British Empire and Imperial India
Tickets are selling quickly for the above event on Tuesday 14 November at our usual venue of Waldringfield Village Hall. The presenter, Dr John Stevens, will look at Images of British Empire, the art and architecture of Imperial Calcutta and the work of writer and Nobel Prize winner, Rabindranath Tagore. Book your place in good time by clicking the link below.

Click here to download and print the booking form
 
With best wishes to you all,
Alexandra Carter
On behalf of the Woodbridge Arts Society Committee

NEWSBYTES

Dear Members,

Welcome back. I hope that you all have all enjoyed the summer and are looking forward to our autumn term of Lectures at the Riverside.

Our programme starts on Monday September 18th when Brian Stater will be speaking on  “The Sterling Prize for Architecture”. The Sterling Prize originated in 1996 to celebrate modern contemporary buildings. Brian will explore the hits, misses, and some which arguably should have won the prize! It promises to be an interesting morning so look forward to seeing you at the Riverside for its usual 10:50 start, coffee being served from 10:00 in A Listers.

Shortly booking will open for our November 14th  Special Interest Day at Waldringfield Village Hall. This is being presented by Dr John Stevens, titled “British Empire and Imperial India”. Information re: booking will be sent out via Mailchimp, with flyers and booking forms available at the September Meeting or via our website.

The AGM this year will take place before the October Lecture on Monday 16th October at 10:00 am. The papers for the AGM will be sent out via Mailchimp at the end of September and I urge you to read all of the reports and to attend this very important meeting. Following the AGM both myself as Chair, and Steph Luke as Honorary Secretary will be stepping down from the Committee and at present those positions remain unfilled. There will be 6 members seeking re election and  we have several members who have voiced an initial interest in finding out information about becoming a new Committee member. We urgently need further members to come forward. So please be an active member, read the AGM reports, and attend the meeting.

Author Event: Victoria Hislop. Riverside Theatre Wednesday October 18th. 12 noon.

The best selling author will be in conversation with Catherine Larner, introducing her new book, “The Figurine”. The novel set in Suffolk and Greece, features archaeology, artefacts and antiquities. Tickets are available from the Riverside, or from Catherine Larner on catherinelarner.com. £25, including a signed copy of “The Figurine”, (RRP £25) presented on the day. Early bird tickets may be purchased before 20th September for £20. Tel: 01394382174.

Usually following the AGM, members receive the annual Newsletter and Programme Card for 2023/2024. This year it was decided to refresh the usual practice and instead members will be given a larger Programme Card and receive the annual reports by Mailchimp as part of the AGM papers. These will also be available on our website. As well as providing a new format this will save on the costs of printing and distribution. As always we welcome feedback from you.

I am looking forward to seeing you all again on September 18th.

Jill Bradshaw

Chair























 

Dear Members,

Although we have two more exciting lectures before the summer break, this will be our last Newsbytes until September. In the meantime, please do check our website if you need further information.
 click here for the Arts Society Woodbridge Website 

Subscription renewal

In order to continue enjoying Society events, we urge you to rejoin by renewing your subscription. To help you do this and to keep down our postage costs, we will have your personal renewal pack available for collection preceding the Riverside lectures on 19 June and 3 July. Please arrive a little early in order to pick up your pack and be settled ready for the lecture(s) which will commence as usual at 10.45.

Do not worry if you are not able to attend the lectures; we will note your pack has not been collected and will send it to you by post.

Lecture programme

On May 15th, artist and writer Michael Howard presented 'L.S.Lowry: a visionary artist'. Focussing on Lowry's work depicting the industrial streets of the North West, we saw how the formality of architectural design was juxtaposed with the busy, moving humanity who occupied those streets. Lowry used only a limited number of basic colours but by mixing these on his palette he achieved the broader tonal spectrum which characterises his popular works. These were some of the fascinating observations which encouraged us to engage afresh with an artist we thought we knew well but who will now repay renewed attention.

Give us your feedback by visiting our website and clicking on the feedback button, the  password is woodbridge.
click here  to give feedback
 

19th June will see a visit from Tony Rawlins who will speak on 'Mad Men and Artists: the exploitation of fine art'. He will be looking at how the arts have been utilised for brand imagery in advertising so this will certainly be a fascinating way of exploring different but connected facets of our cultural heritage.

The Society has an extended programme this year as the lecture on 'From Biscuits to Blouses: Garibaldi and the British' by Christopher Garibaldi, which was previously postponed, will now take place on Monday 3 July. We are sure it will be worth the wait!

We look forward to seeing you at these final events of the season and/or at the visit (now sold out) to Columbine Hall in June. We wish you all an enjoyable and artistically enriching summer.

With very best wishes,

Alexandra Carter

on behalf of the Committee of the Arts Society, Woodbridge

Dear Members

April Lecture - The Trees Wave, The Clouds Pass

What a fascinating and informative morning! Karin Fernald gave an excellent insight into the life and the inspiration for the works of both Virginia Woolf and her sister Vanessa Bell. The informal feedback we received as members were leaving the lecture was very positive and testament to Karin's knowledge of her subject and her excellent delivery style. 
If you attended the lecture and have not yet shared your views we would be very grateful if you would take a few minutes to complete the feedback form on our website.
 

Give us your feedback by visiting our website and clicking on the feedback button, the password is woodbridge.
click here to give feedback

Future Lectures Dates  

May Lecture - Monday May 15th  (please note the date of the 15th -  this seems early in the month but it is the third Monday of the month as usual)

In May we will be visited by Michael Howard who will give a lecture on L.S. Lowry: A Visionary Artist. L.S. Lowry is one of Britain's most popular artists and is best known for his paintings of the industrial mill towns in the north west of England. This lecture takes us beyond these familiar paintings, exploring his more soulful landscapes and seascapes. 

The June lecture will be held on Monday 19th June - Mad Men and Artists given by Tony Rawlins
Tony describes how fine art has provided advertisers and their agencies with great a deal of material to use in their creative campaigns.
 

Reminder of an "extra" lecture - Monday July 3rd 

On Monday July 3rd we will hold a rescheduled lecture. From Biscuits to Blouses- Garibaldi and the British. This lecture was cancelled last September as it fell on the same date as the funeral of her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The lecturer will given by Christopher Garibaldi who will talk about Giuseppe Garibaldi, who captured the imagination of the British (as well as the Italians) and promoted a fashion for Staffordshire figurines, blouses and biscuits!
  
Please continue to arrive at the Riverside from 10:00am for coffee in A listers and be seated in the auditorium by 10:45.

And finally  - a local exhibition this summer at  Helmingham Hall - Art for Cure Exhibition
We thought this local event maybe of interest to our members. Art For Cure is a national breast cancer charity based in Suffolk.

From April 29th, running throughout the summer until September 17th, there will be an exhibition of the work of 50 sculptors in the gardens at Helmingham Hall.
Special opening events will be held this weekend and tickets for these are on sale on the Helmingham Hall website.
The exhibition will then be open to the general public on the four days of the week that the gardens are usually open. Tickets can be purchased on the day at the gatehouse entrance. Please use the link below for more details.

Please click here for details - Helmingham Hall
 

Warm wishes
Jill Bradshaw, Chair

Dear members,

The month of March has seen a rich and fulsome programme for our Arts Society. We reflect below on recent events and look forward to future activities.

On Tuesday 14th March, in the first of this year's Special Interest Days, Elizabeth Gowing presented three lectures with Kosovo and Montenegro as their background. We heard about the work of two early 20th century women: anthropologist and collector Edith Durham and the royal Princess, Ksenia Petrovic Njegos, whose photographic images captured not only her family but also the working life of the Montenagrin people. We were then treated to an account of the place of silver in the Kosovan economy and its transformation into beautiful filigree artefacts. This was a most rewarding day which enhanced our understanding of the history, politics and culture of the Balkans.

Our regular lecture series continued on 20th March with a talk by local historian Tobias Capwell on the 15th century king, Richard III. Toby discussed the disconnection between popular, stereotypical images of Richard and what primary source material might tell us about him. We also learned how recent, practice-based research has demonstrated that Richard's advanced scoliosis did not necessarily disadvantage him on the battlefield, as he would have been able to negotiate the wearing of armour - that signifier of power - with his personal physicality. As such, he was able to maintain his royal status and military authority where, arguably, it mattered most.

As always, we would appreciate your feedback on this lecture to help us and other Societies plan future ones. You can do this on our website just click on the link below, the  password is woodbridge.
click here  to give feedback

Our next lecture on 24th April has the intriguing topic of 'The Trees Wave, the Clouds Pass: Virginia Woolf on art, life, London and buying suspenders'. The writer and artist Karin Fernald explores how Woolf and visual artists of her day were mutually influential. Her presentation is supported by images of work from Woolf's contemporaries who comprised what came to be known as the Camden Town Group of artists.

Regarding the facilities at our lecture venue the Riverside cinema, please note that we have been advised that although there is a hearing loop, this is linked only to film soundtracks and cannot be utilised at other events. If you have hearing difficulties, therefore, please arrive in time to obtain a seat near the front of the auditorium for your full comfort and enjoyment.

We are very pleased to be able to resume our Visits programme. On 22nd March, a group of members travelled by coach to the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich. Here, they were able to enjoy guided tours of both the permanent collection and the special exhibition on the indigenous creativity of the people of North America's north-west coast. Overall, this was a most informative and rewarding day.

The visit to Columbine Hall in June is now sold out.

A final event to bring to your attention is a performance of Brahms' 'A German Requiem' on Saturday 1st April, 7.30pm at St. Mary's Church, Woodbridge. The choir, with soprano Lynsey Docherty and bass Philip Smith, will sing in the original German. The Arts Society is pleased to have part-sponsored the choir for this event. You can book tickets on-line at: https://woodbridgechoralsociety.org/0-frame.php?page=next

With best wishes,
Alexandra Carter

on behalf of the Committee of the Arts Society, Woodbridge

Dear members,

Lecture Monday 20th February, Lydia Bauman - Looking For Georgia

It was lovely to see so many of you at Monday’s lecture which adds to our disappointment that the planned lecture was not delivered by Lydia Bauman. The lecturer graciously accepted responsibility for this situation as she arrived with an old iPad with incorrect leads. Despite the best efforts of our volunteer projectionists and staff from the Riverside we were unable to connect her to the visual screen. I appreciate that Miss Bauman delivered part of her lecture verbally but the visuals were so intrinsic to her presentation the morning fell well short of our usual standards and for this I repeat my apologies. For your information your Programme Secretary always contacts the lecturer  at least a month in advance of the lecture to check their technical needs and passes this onto the Projectionists.

Lydia has offered to send the Society a film of her lecture. When we receive this we will need to assess what is the best way for members to access this. We will keep you informed of developments.

Continuing our lecture season, on Monday 20 March Tobias Capwell will be examining how armour can be seen not only as protection but as an art form and a maker of meaning. He will specifically draw upon the case of Richard III and explore the inter-relationship between Richard's physicality, his armour and his skilled practice as a knight in the field. Dr. Capwell acted as historical adviser on the recent film 'The Lost King' (2022).

Many of you have booked for the Special Interest Day on 'Balkan Women: photography, textiles, filigree' to be presented by Elizabeth Gowing on Tuesday 14 March. Elizabeth is especially well-qualified in this field; in addition to her humanitarian work in the region she was appointed to the Kosovan Prime Minister's cabinet as adviser on community affairs. There are still some places left for this event so do come and join us to find out about women's achievements in this fascinating Republic which lies at the heart of the Balkans - and also enjoy coffee and a convivial buffet lunch at our venue for the day, Waldringfield Village Hall.
Click here for the booking form 
The closing date for booking is next Tuesday 28 February.

With very best wishes,
Jill Bradshaw/Alexandra Carter

on behalf of the Committee, Arts Society, Woodbridge

Dear members,

Lecture Monday 20th February, Lydia Bauman - Looking For Georgia

It was lovely to see so many of you at Monday’s lecture which adds to our disappointment that the planned lecture was not delivered by Lydia Bauman. The lecturer graciously accepted responsibility for this situation as she arrived with an old iPad with incorrect leads. Despite the best efforts of our volunteer projectionists and staff from the Riverside we were unable to connect her to the visual screen. I appreciate that Miss Bauman delivered part of her lecture verbally but the visuals were so intrinsic to her presentation the morning fell well short of our usual standards and for this I repeat my apologies. For your information your Programme Secretary always contacts the lecturer  at least a month in advance of the lecture to check their technical needs and passes this onto the Projectionists.

Lydia has offered to send the Society a film of her lecture. When we receive this we will need to assess what is the best way for members to access this. We will keep you informed of developments.

Continuing our lecture season, on Monday 20 March Tobias Capwell will be examining how armour can be seen not only as protection but as an art form and a maker of meaning. He will specifically draw upon the case of Richard III and explore the inter-relationship between Richard's physicality, his armour and his skilled practice as a knight in the field. Dr. Capwell acted as historical adviser on the recent film 'The Lost King' (2022).

Many of you have booked for the Special Interest Day on 'Balkan Women: photography, textiles, filigree' to be presented by Elizabeth Gowing on Tuesday 14 March. Elizabeth is especially well-qualified in this field; in addition to her humanitarian work in the region she was appointed to the Kosovan Prime Minister's cabinet as adviser on community affairs. There are still some places left for this event so do come and join us to find out about women's achievements in this fascinating Republic which lies at the heart of the Balkans - and also enjoy coffee and a convivial buffet lunch at our venue for the day, Waldringfield Village Hall.
Click here for the booking form 
The closing date for booking is next Tuesday 28 February.

With very best wishes,
Jill Bradshaw/Alexandra Carter

on behalf of the Committee, Arts Society, Woodbridge

Welcome to our first Newsbytes of 2023.
We started the year with a lecture on 'Adventures and Misadventures in Museums' by David Phillips. David presented a rich and often humorous account of 'behind the scenes' in these institutions. He considered the creativity of the curators' role and its importance in how we encounter exhibits; changing approaches to display as the visual becomes the experiential; gallery acquisitions and losses, discoveries and deceits. Don't forget to post your response to this lecture on the Society's website:
https://theartssocietywoodbridge.org.uk/  

Recently, we have received an increasing number of responses which has been most rewarding so do please continue to share your views 

We look forward to seeing you at the Riverside on 20 February for a personal account by the landscape painter and art historian Lydia Bauman on 'Looking for Georgia O'Keefe: travels through New Mexico'. O'Keefe was an important 20th century American artist whose work was significantly informed by her time in New Mexico where she eventually settled. Please be seated by 10.45 to avoid disturbing other members. Thank you.

We are pleased to advise that the lecture on 'From biscuits to blouses: Garibaldi and the British' by Christopher Garibaldi, postponed from September '22, will now be presented at the end of our current lecture programme on Monday 3 July 2023.

Special Interest Day, 14th March

Booking for the 14 March Special Interest Day at Waldringfield on 'Balkan Women' closes on 28 February. Information has been emailed to all members or see our website as above.

[The visit to the Sainsbury Centre on 22 March is now fully booked.]

General matters

If the weather is inclement over the coming months and you are unsure if this might impact on a lecturer's availability, please check our website on the morning of the event. Any last-minute news of a cancellation or a replacement activity will be posted on the Home Page. Otherwise, all events will go ahead as planned.

We are pleased to pass on information sent to us by the organiser of the exhibition 'Tide is in' which takes place at The Craft House, 1B The Thoroughfare, Woodbridge from 25 - 31 January, 10.00 - 5.00pm. The exhibition includes plein air and studio work with the river Deben as subject. Arts Society members are also invited to the opening evening on 25th, 4.00 - 8.00pm.

With best wishes,

Alexandra Carter

on behalf of the Committee of the Arts Society, Woodbridge

Dear members,

In this final Newsbytes of 2022, we reflect upon recent events and look forward to some up-coming ones.
 
On reflection
Those of you who attended the November lecture on Music in Art by Sophie Matthews will recall its fascinating content and Sophie's accomplished playing of her own instruments, including her ingeniously made bagpipes. We are pleased that our collation of members' feedback allowed us to submit a grade of 'Outstanding' to the National Arts Society.
 
Members' feedback is always analysed and passed on to the National Arts Society for their resource database. This helps us and other regional Societies to plan future lecture programmes so please do submit your responses on the Lectures page of our website (https://theartssocietywoodbridge.org.uk/password 'woodbridge'). Attention is paid not only to gradings but also to any comments that members may wish to share. All feedback is anonymous.
 
We welcomed many of you on 12 December to coffee, mince pies and, given the chilly and icy morning, a most appropriate lecture by Sue Jackson on The Art of Snow and Ice. In a seamless presentation, Sue offered her analysis of how these features of weather have been represented in the visual arts. From the romantic to the realistically raw; from the descriptive to metaphorical, we were treated to some wonderful images which helped us to see the white days of winter afresh.
 
Looking forward
The next event on our regular lecture programme is on Monday 16 January when we will hear David Phillips with his enticing 'Adventures and Misadventures in Museums'. As usual, coffee will be available to purchase from A Listers from 10.00a.m. and the lecture will commence at 10.45. It would be appreciated if everyone is seated by this time to avoid disruption for the speaker and other audience members. Thank you.
 
Spring is an eventful time for the Society. In addition to the regular monthly lectures, the Special Interest Day at Waldringfield Village Hall on Tuesday 14 March is on Balkan Women. The presenter, Elizabeth Gowing, will explore the photography, textiles and silver filigree work produced by women of the region. Look out for the booking form in the New Year.
 
As notified in our November Newsbytes, we confirm the Society's visit to the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich on Weds. 22 March. In addition to coach transport, lunch and a guided tour of the main exhibits, the visit includes entrance to the up-coming exhibition 'Empowering Art: Indigenous Creativity and Activism from North America's Northwest Coast'. In due course we will contact you specifically about this visit so you can submit your booking request.
 
Arts Volunteering
Your local Society is also 'empowering art'. We are pleased to announce that the National Arts Society has responded positively to our application for a small community grant which we have offered to the charity Just42. This will allow them to work on a technically skilled, creative arts/craft project with their four youth groups which are based in Woodbridge and on the peninsula. We are very pleased to be able to support this work.
 
We look forward to welcoming you to our exciting activities in 2023. In the meantime, we extend our greetings of the Season and wish you a happy, healthy and artistically enriching 2023.
 
With warm wishes,
Jill Bradshaw, Chair
 

Dear Members

Exciting News

I am delighted to announce that we plan to resume a programme of Visits in 2023.

Save the Date

Our first visit this season, to the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich, will take place on Wednesday 22nd March 2023. This will be a whole day visit leaving Woodbridge at 8.30am and arriving back at approximately 5pm.

“The Sainsbury Centre is a genre-defying art museum with world-class collections ranging from Jomon ceramics to Giacometti bronzes with bold acquisitions continually being made to intrigue, inform and inspire new audiences.”

There will be a guided tour of the permanent exhibition of the Sainsbury Family Collection and tickets to the temporary exhibition Empowering Art: Indigenous Art of NW America. 

Further details are coming soon: in the mean time if you are interested, please save the date.

Arts Volunteering

Anna Airy Awards 2022

On the 19th November our President, Jane Lynam, attended a special viewing of the annual exhibition of work by students from local 6th form schools and colleges at The Hold in Ipswich. Recently The Arts Society Woodbridge has joined The Arts Society South East Suffolk, a long time supporter and sponsor of the competition, in sponsoring the awards to the winners, through our Arts Volunteering Fund. As well as the standard being extremely high, the content was very thought provoking. Prizes were presented and Jane very much enjoyed talking to students, parents and teachers and sharing in such a celebration of talent.

November Lecture

What an entertaining morning! Sophie Matthews lectured not only on the symbolism of musical instruments in Art but brought along some of her collection of bagpipes and replicas of historical wood wind instruments and played them to our audience.
We really appreciate your feedback on our lectures. If you attended the lecture last Monday- we would be very grateful if you would take a few minutes to complete the feedback form on our website.
Give us your feedback by visiting our website and clicking on the feedback button,, the  password is woodbridge.
 

December Lecture- December 12th

In December we will be visited by Sue Jackson who will lecture on The Art of Snow and Ice. Coffee will be served by A-Listers from 10:00 when your Committee will hope that you will join us to partake of  seasonal mince pies.

Feedback

Thank you to all of our members who gave us feedback on the October lecture. We received a record of 42 responses. Lisa Railton Jones, Programme Secretary was able to feedback to the National database a very comprehensive report which will be invaluable to other societies who are considering booking Nicola Moorby. The quality of the lecture received the following ratings :  23 outstanding, 15, excellent and 4 very good.
 

Special Interest Day- November 8th

David Rosier delivered an excellent series of lectures  on the topic “Imperial Court Life and Exceptional Rulers. Qing Dynasty 1644-1911.” David was very generous with his time throughout the day , commenting on textiles brought along   by members but also exhibiting replicas of some of the collection previously owned by himself and his wife: the originals now in Shanghai museum. My thanks to Gill Elvin who organised this day and her team of helpers who made this event run seamlessly but with great efficiency.

Please continue to arrive at the Riverside from 10:00 am for coffee in A listers and be seated in the auditorium by 10:45.

Warm Wishes
Jill Bradshaw Chair.

Dear Members

Lecture Programme

Welcome Back
After our postponement last month due to the late Queen's funeral it was good to welcome so many of you back to The Riverside for our AGM and first lecture of the season: “AS IF BY MAGIC The Secret of Turner’s Watercolour Techniques presented by Nicola Moorby. This was an excellent confident speaker, an expert in her field, who opened our eyes to the complexities and techniques of an artist that we all think that we know so well.  It was heartening to see the increase in our attendance numbers and we welcome any new members that joined us for the first time.

We welcome your valuable feedback which can be given on our website- password woodbridge.

click here  to give feedback
 
November lecture - Monday 21st
This month, a change in direction, as we explore with Sophie Matthews, Music in Art. We will not only explore how music and different instruments play a strong role within the symbolism of Art but the lecture will be enlivened by live demonstrations of the instruments depicted .

Special Interest Day - November 8th
I am very much looking forward to this day when we welcome David Rosier to lecture on the topic “Imperial Court Life and Exceptional Rulers. QingDynasty 1644-1911.”  David has requested permission to sell his 60 page illustrated booklet titled Chinese Imperial Court Costume. This costs £5, with all profits being donated to the British Heart Foundation.  He can however only accept Cash, so in our increasingly cashless society we suggest that you bring some money if you think that this may interest you.

New Microphones
We informed you last month that we had purchased new microphones for the Society as we had experienced  audio problems last year. The new system arrived in September, but as it was faulty it had to be returned. After several failed dates we now have no date as to when the fresh equipment will arrive. The team are committed to getting this sorted so fingers crossed for next month.

Projectionists Needed
Earlier this year we appealed for volunteers to join the rota of  our Projection Team. Sadly we received no response. We only have three volunteers, two are needed for each lecture and with winter approaching we will need more members to provide cover going forward. Alan, David and Neil are all members like you and there will be times in the months ahead when either due to holidays/ sickness/ other commitments they will not be available. Please read the following piece written in April. Don’t wait for someone else to volunteer and contact the team for an informal chat.

We currently have 3 projectionists who operate the lights and sound for the monthly lectures at The Riverside, and also the twice yearly Special Interest Day.

We have a flexible rota, and we normally have 2 people on at a time to deal with any hiccups, and also because it is more sociable! However, for even greater flexibility, covering for holidays etc. we would welcome a 4 th member to join our team.

Whilst a reasonable knowledge of how to operate a laptop, play around with switches etc is needed, this is NOT a highly technical task. Full training will be given, and there is also a very non technical set of instructions which should be easy to follow for anyone but a total technophobe! What is required is a reasonable level of mobility, because going up to the control room requires climbing up and down a steep fixed ladder, and it is also necessary to get from the control room to the front of the stage quickly on occasions.

This is a very enjoyable way of helping out the Society, whilst only having to commit to very little time, and on a flexible basis. It also enables you to have one of the best views of the lecture- like being in your own private box.

Please continue to arrive at the Riverside from 10:00 am for coffee in A listers and be seated in the auditorium by 10:45.

Warm Wishes
Jill Bradshaw 
Chair 

Dear members
 
Not having been able to meet in September, we are very much looking forward to welcoming you at The Riverside on the 17th October. Please remember that the AGM precedes the lecture, at 10am. 
 
LECTURES
We are delighted that Nicola Moorby will be delivering a lecture on the 17th October entitled “As if by Magic” - the secret of Turner’s watercolour techniques. We are conscious of the audio problems experienced at recent lectures so over the summer we have purchased a new microphone system which we hope will improve your experience. Coffee will be available at A Listers from 10am. And finally, we would very much appreciate it if you could be in your seats by 10.45am so that we can make a prompt start.
 
We are pleased to inform you that the postponed September lecture will now take place next summer. However, to ensure that we avoid a clash with the Coronation, we won’t be announcing the date until after that date has been released.
 
SPECIAL INTEREST DAY - 8th NOVEMBER
Places are going quickly so please book yours by completing the form sent last on the 20th September. Details and forms will also be available from Gill Elvin at The Riverside before the next lecture on the 17th October.
 
SPECIAL EVENT AT THE RIVERSIDE FEATURING DR TOBIAS CAPWELL
We have booked Dr Capwell to deliver a lecture on Richard III in March next year and some of you may recall his fascinating lecture on armour a few years ago. We were therefore thrilled to discover that he had worked as the historical adviser on the forthcoming film, The Lost King. At a special showing of the film at 6pm on the 30th October, Dr Capwell will introduce the film and discuss his work on it. For more information, please click on this link or visit The Riverside’s website.

With best wishes from
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co-Chairmen.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2022
Monday October 17th at 10.00am 
The Riverside Theatre, Woodbridge 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2022
Monday 17th October 2022
10.00am
AGENDA 
 

            (1)      The President’s Welcome
            (2)       Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 18th November 2021

                        Click here for the 2021 AGM minutes

             (3)      Chairmen’s Report
             (4)      Treasurer’s Report and the Audited Accounts
                        Any member with queries about the Audited Accounts please contact
                        the Treasurer Nigel Barrett before the AGM on the 17th October 2022.
                        Nigel's email address is nigel@barratt1.myzen.co.uk
                        or phone 07873 387008

                        Click here for the audited accounts

            (5)       Appointment of Auditor for 2022/23
                        Mike Cullington is put forward for appointment. Mike is currently
                        the treasurer at Woodbridge Museum and auditor of the Woodbridge
                        Choral Society’s accounts. 
 
            (6)       Church Recorders and Trails of Discovery Report

            (7)       Election of Committee Members for 2022/23
                       The following committee members have agreed to continue for another
                        year
                        Jill Bradshaw, Lisa Railton-Jones, 
                        Steph Luke, Carolyn Dicken
                        The following members are put forward for election to the committee:   
                        Nigel Barrett, Anne Barrett, Tricia Findley and Alexandria Carter

            (8)       Election of Officers for 2022/23
                        The following committee members have been nominated by the
                         committee to be Officers
                         Chairman: Jill Bradshaw
                         Vice Chairman: Lisa Railton Jones
                         Treasurer: Nigel Barrett 
                         Secretary: Steph Luke

               (9)      AOB 
                         Please send any items of any other business to the Secretary
                         at least 14 days before the AGM meeting on the 17th October 2222
                         email s.luke440@btinternet.com or phone 01394 382200
                  

It is with great sadness that we learnt last Thursday of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second. Following the confirmation that her funeral will be held next Monday 19th September, the Arts Society lecture for that morning has been postponed.

We are hoping to reschedule this lecture for later in the season and will of course inform you as soon as a date is confirmed.

Dear members,
 
We hope you’ve enjoyed the summer, even though at times it was perhaps too hot! We are now looking forward to welcoming you back to The Riverside on Monday, the 19th September, for the following lecture:-
 
FROM BISCUITS TO BLOUSES - Garibaldi and the British
Christopher Garibaldi will be talking about Giuseppe Garibaldi, a romantic and heroic figure, who captured the imagination of not only Italians but the British and prompted a fashion for Staffordshire figurines, biscuits and blouses!
 
Coffee will be available at A Listers from 10am. Please be in your seats for the lecture by 10.45am so that we can start promptly at 10.50am. 
 
VISITS
A big thank you to all those who completed the survey and, as a result, we are delighted to announce that visits will be arranged for the Spring and Summer of next year. Please watch out for further details in the coming months.
 
SPECIAL INTEREST DAY - 8th NOVEMBER
David Rosier will be talking about IMPERIAL COURT LIFE and exceptional Rulers, Qing Dynasty 1644 -1911. 
Full details and the booking form were sent to you on the 17th June so please reserve a place if you haven’t already done so as this will undoubtedly prove to be a popular event. 
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHURCH RECORDERS!
We are delighted that our local group will be presented with the Marsh Group Award in September. Nationally eighty groups were eligible for this award so this is a tremendous achievement and reflects their hard work, commitment and enthusiasm.
 
We look forward to seeing you on the 19th September.
With best wishes from
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co-Chairmen

Dear members,
 
There are just a few matters to draw to your attention this month.

Lectures
We hope you enjoyed this month’s lecture by Stella Grace Lyons, entitled “Sorolla: Setting the Mediterranean Alight”, which gave us the opportunity to learn about a little known Spanish artist. As always, feedback is very welcome; please go to our website and use the password ‘woodbridge’.

click here  to give feedback
 
Next month we move on to the exceptional light of the North with a lecture delivered by Caroline Levisse about Scandinavian landscape painting between 1840 and 1910. Please join us at The Riverside on Monday, 20th June, at 10.50am, to enjoy the vastness, remoteness and wilderness of Nordic nature. Coffee will be available at ‘A Listers’ beforehand and we would be grateful if you could be in your seats by 10.45am. 

Joining the Team
We are delighted that Anne Barratt has been co-opted onto the committee and will take over as membership secretary in the Autumn when Myra Evans steps down. However, given the size of the membership, we have been disappointed by the limited response to our appeal for more members to join us in running the society. Only four members attended the coffee morning at the end of March! Also, no interest has been expressed in joining our team of projectionists, despite our appeal in last month’s Newsbytes. Please think about whether you could be more involved; we are always happy to chat to members about the areas where we need help.
 
Visits Survey
As you know, we have had to cancel visits this year as there has not been anyone available to organise them. Before we consider planning any future visits, we want to know whether you still want them and, if so, in what format. You will therefore shortly receive a questionnaire seeking your views; we should be very grateful if you would complete it as your input is invaluable in informing the committee’s decisions about any future visits. It will only take a few minutes so thank you in advance.
 
And finally ….
Do you know about Smartify?
This is a free app which you can download onto your phone and enables you to access 
Information about works of art when you visit galleries. It uses image recognition to identify scanned paintings or other artworks. No more peering at small information boards next to paintings! This was discovered by one of our members on a recent visit to the National Gallery.

With our best wishes

Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam

Co-Chairmen

 

Dear members
Lectures
We hope you enjoyed Paul Bahn’s fascinating lecture: “What Really Happened on Easter Island”. Please go to our website to give feedback; the password is “woodbridge”. As always, this is much appreciated.
click here to give feedback
 
May Lecture - please note the change of topic
At the request of the lecturer, Stella Lyons, we have changed next month’s lecture and chosen “Sorolla: Setting the Mediterranean Alight”.  We hope this doesn’t cause too much disappointment and that you will enjoy the replacement which has received great reviews from other societies.

In his lifetime, Sorolla was considered the most famous artist to come from Spain. This talk will explore the so-called Spanish ‘Master of Light’; from his paintings of sunlit beaches and gardens to scenes of fishermen and rural life, as well as portraits of the love of his life, his wife Clotilde.
 
Special Interest Day - November 8th
David Rosier will be talking about “Imperial Court Life and Exceptional Rulers Qing Dynasty 1644 - 1911. Booking opens next month so please look out for details!
 
Your Society Needs An Additional Projectionist - A Plea from the Team
We currently have 3 projectionists who operate the lights and sound for the monthly lectures at The Riverside, and also the twice yearly Special Interest Day.
We have a flexible rota, and we normally have 2 people on at a time to deal with any hiccups, and also because it is more sociable! However, for even greater flexibility, covering for holidays etc. we would welcome a 4th member to join our team.
Whilst a reasonable knowledge of how to operate a laptop, play around with switches etc is needed, this is NOT a highly technical task. Full training will be given, and there is also a very non technical set of instructions which should be easy to follow for anyone but a total technophobe! What is required is a reasonable level of mobility, because going up to the control room requires climbing up and down a steep fixed ladder, and it is also necessary to get from the control room to the front of the stage quickly on occasions.
This is a very enjoyable way of helping out the Society, whilst only having to commit to very little time, and on a flexible basis. It also enables you to have one of the best views of the lecture - like being in your own private box!
Please contact one of the team if interested -
alanmitchell918@gmail.com
david.findley1@btinternet.com
neilbrads@gmail.com
 
Gainsborough and the Modern Woman: A play by Peppy Barlow and Sally Wilden
In 1760 Gainsborough painted a portrait of Ann Ford which took the world by storm. This play tells the story and next month is touring venues throughout Suffolk, including Woodbridge Library. To find out full details of the play and how to book tickets go to www.woventheatre.co.uk.
 
 A Plea for stewards, from Woodbridge Museum 
Woodbridge Museum is now open seven days per week and needs more stewards to cover three-hour shifts once or twice a month. If you are interested, please contact the stewarding manager, Caroline Peeke, at caroline.peeke@gmail.com

and finally...  
FROM ORWELL DECORATIVE AND FINE ARTS SOCIETY  
There are places available on the visit to SOUTH ELMHAM HALL on THURSDAY 28TH APRIL 2022. Below are the details and cost of the visit. If you are interested in joining this visit please contact Rosemary Grayston - Email rosemary.grayston@sky.com referencing Woodbridge Arts Society in the subject/title of your email. Rosemary will be happy to provide more information about the visit including payment and joining details 

South Elmham Hall is a C13 former bishop’s palace standing within a 4 acre moated site.  The C16 exterior of the Grade 1 listed house hides a medieval hall and traces of the bishop’s private chambers.  Many features survive including probably the earliest domestic wall paintings in Suffolk.
The Hall was at the centre of an ancient episcopal estate with the Bishops See of Elmham dating from the C7.  The Manor was gifted to the Priory of Norwich on the foundation of Norwich Cathedral in 1100 by the then Bishop Herbert de Losinga. Bishop Walter de Suffield is said to have “lived at South Elmham in great splendour” and Bishop Henry de Spencer had a licence to crenulate in 1387. 
After the Dissolution, the Manor was acquired from King Henry V111 by Edward, later to become Lord North. The Norths remodelled the medieval palace into a hunting lodge, later selling it, in 1617 when it became part of the Flixton Estate.  Recent work has revealed more of the original bishop’s palace.

We plan to arrive at the Manor around 11am when we shall have a tour, followed by a 2 course lunch, with a bar available.  After lunch we shall visit the ruins of the Minster, once described as “one of the most romantic and enigmatic ruins in England”. There will also be tea and cake before we leave around 4pm

The cost is £58 and includes coach travel, driver remuneration, a tour of South Elmham Hall & Minster, a 2 course lunch and tea & cake before we leave.  DEPARTING FELIXSTOWE AT 9.30AM & IPSWICH AT 10.00AM

With best wishes for a happy Easter,
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co-Chairmen

Dear Members

Ufford Church Trail
After many months delay due to the pandemic, two of the Church Recorders, Nuala Simpson and Christine Bull, were able to hand over their completed Church Trail to Ufford Church. This is an informative but also entertaining trail for children and the young at heart to explore the history and culture of this beautiful medieval building and I encourage you to pop in there and follow the trail. Our thanks are extended to all our members who worked on this trail and I know that they hope to start another one soon if there are any new members who are interested in joining the team.

March Lecture
Entitled 'A History of London’s Royal Parks', this was delivered by Paul Rabbitts on a warm spring morning. It was good to see so many of you there and to welcome back members that we have not had the pleasure of seeing for some time. Paul gave us an entertaining, informative and humorous talk on a topic new to our society. We were delighted that A Listers was open to offer coffee to our members prior to the lecture. Unfortunately we cannot yet confirm that this will be a regular occurrence but keep an eye on your emails when in April we hope to have more news.

Our next lecture is a week earlier than usual, due to the falling of Easter this year. Paul Bahn will visit us on April 11th with his lecture 'What really happened on Easter Island'.

Treasurer
We offer a warm welcome to Nigel Barrett who has joined the committee in March as our acting Treasurer. It is always beneficial to have a male perspective in our discussions and we would be delighted to see other male members join us. Nigel brings much experience from his previous involvement with the Tide Mill and the Committee looks forward to working with him in the future.

We offer our thanks and appreciation to Linda Grover who has acted as our treasurer during the previous year.

March SID.
On March 8th over 55 members attended the Special Interest Day, held for the first time in Wickham Market Village Hall. Gillian Hovell, the muddy archaeologist, gave a very interesting series of lectures on 'Classical stories growing in your Garden'. Our members enjoyed the opportunity to mix and socialise again, listen to stimulating lectures and share lunch with a glass of wine. We extend our thanks to Gill Elvin who organised the day and whose work behind the scenes helped to ensure that the day progressed smoothly.   

With our best wishes
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam.

Co-Chairmen

We look forward to seeing many of you at our March lecture, next Monday the 21st March 2022 being delivered by Paul Rabbitts.
  
A-Listers will open this month for the purchase of coffee prior to the lecture. We are talking to them about providing this service for our members for all of the summer lectures. We will keep you posted.  

Due to the rise of Covid cases nationally we suggest that you might like to consider taking a Lateral  Flow Test before attending.
We request that you do not attend if you are feeling unwell.

Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co Chairmen

Lectures
It was lovely to see so many of you again at The Riverside for Nigel Bates’ fascinating and entertaining lecture on life at the Royal Opera Opera, “Tantrums and Tiaras”. There must be a great deal more which he could not share with us! As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated so please go to our website and give us your views. 

click here to give feedback

In March, we welcome Paul Rabbitts who is going to talk to us about “A History of London’s Royal Parks” which will give us an insight into the story of all eight parks. The date is Monday, the 21st March, at 10.50am. We understand that A Listers will be open on Mondays from March so we hope to negotiate the availability of coffee from 10am. We know many members very much appreciate the opportunity to socialise before lectures and hope this will again be possible. We will let you know if we are successful in achieving this; otherwise please attend from 10.30am as previously. 
 
Special Interest Day
Continuing the outdoor theme, Gillian Hovell, “the muddy archaeologist”, will be delivering three lectures on “Ancient Roots - Classical Stories Growing in Your Garden” on Tuesday, the 8th March, at Wickham Market Village Hall (please note the change of venue). Coffee, lunch and wine are included for a very reasonable £25. There are still a few places left and the last booking day is the 28th February so please hurry if you are interested and have not already booked. Details were despatched last on the 28th January but you can also contact Gill Elvin at gillelv515@gmail.com. 
 

With Our Best Wishes,

Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam.

Co-Chairmen. 

Dear Members,

Lecture Programme.

It was great to see so many of you back in the Riverside for the first lecture of this year presented by Leslie Primo. This was one of our postponed lectures from the first Lockdown in 2020 and Leslie’s informative and stimulating lecture on “Foreign Artists who changed the course of British Art “, was I am sure that you agree, well worth waiting for. It was very pleasing to see that our numbers are slowly increasing as confidence returns. There were over 100 attendees. We welcome your feedback which can be given on our website, password woodbridge.

click here to give feedback
 

The first casualty of our Programme in 2020 was Nigel Bates. I  remember contacting him in early March to cancel his lecture for the following week and luckily at that time none of us fully realised what was to enfold in the months ahead. Nigel is the Musical Administrator at the Royal Opera House and his  lecture is titled “ Tantrums and Tiaras”. 

Please continue to arrive at the Riverside after 10:30, with the notices and lecture beginning at 10:50.

Special Interest Day.

Tuesday 8th March: Gillian Hovell.

Ancient Roots: Classical Stories Growing in your Garden.

We have now opened bookings for the above event and members should have received a Flyer by email. The Society received excellent feedback from you following last November’s SID and we expect places to go quickly. Therefore don’t delay and book your place now.

Please Note that this event is taking place at Wickham Market Village Hall IP13 0HE. The hall is accessed via an unnamed road beside the COOP store in the High Street, and parking is available there. A small map can be found on the Village Hall website page.

If further information is required than please contact Gill Elvin on gillelv515@gmail.com

Visits Programme for 2022.

It is with a heavy heart that your Committee have taken the decision to cancel the Visits Programme for this year. We are aware that this is a very disappointing decision for us all, especially when we have a Programme planned and appear to be making progress with the pandemic.  However since last November we have been unable to fill the post of Visits Organiser. Your Committee is already running with 2/3 vacancies,  and we need to focus our energies on delivering what we can and in recruiting new Committee Members.  We continue to appeal for new Committee Members.
 

 With Our Best Wishes,

Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam.

Co-Chairmen. 

Dear Members,

 
Season’s Greetings
It was lovely to see so many of you at the December lecture and to be able to offer the opportunity for coffee and mince pies beforehand. On behalf of the whole committee, we wish you all a very happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year. Let’s hope for better times in 2022.
 
The Longshed Tapestries
There is currently another opportunity to view the tapestries (now seven!) in the John Gibbins Gallery at The Longshed. You will recall that we have supported this project by funding some of the beautiful oak frames. The gallery is open at weekends and during Christmas week from 11am until 3pm. It is a very well ventilated space. 
 
Lectures
On the 13th December we enjoyed a comprehensive lecture entitled “St Edmund - History and Legend” delivered by local lecturer, Dr Sam Newton. We very much appreciate your feedback so please share your thoughts with us by following the link below:-
 
Click here to give feedback
 
In the New Year, we look forward to welcoming Leslie Primo who will talk to us on the topic, “Foreign Artists who Changed the Course of British Art (1520 - 1677). This is a lecture which was postponed at the beginning of the pandemic. Leslie is very experienced, having lectured at both the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery for eighteen years. Currently he lectures at the City Literary Institute, Imperial College London. We hope to see you at The Riverside on Monday, the 17th January, at 11.50am, for what should prove to be a fascinating lecture.
 
Best wishes,
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam,
Co-Chairmen. 
 

Banner image of 'Woodbridge & Kyson' courtesy of Gill Moon: www.gillmoon.com

This email originates from Stephanie Luke, Hon. Secretary, Woodbridge Arts Society.

The information in this e-mail and any attachments transmitted with it is confidential and intended for the person to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient you must not use, disseminate, forward, print, or copy this e-mail or any information contained in it. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify me by e-mail or telephone on the number above. Please then delete the e-mail. Whilst all efforts are made to safeguard emails, the Woodbridge Arts Society cannot guarantee that attachments are virus free or compatible with your systems and does not accept liability in respect of viruses or computer problems experienced. The Woodbridge Arts Society reserves the right to monitor all email communications through our network. The views expressed in this e-mail are those of the sender and may not be those of the Woodbridge Arts Society

November Lecture 
It was a great pleasure to see so many of you at this month’s lecture and we received extremely positive comments about Chris Alexander’s fascinating talk on “Unravelling the Silk Road” which also covered wool and cotton! His personal experience of life in that part of the world very much enhanced the lecture. Please don’t forget to give us your feedback on our local website using the link below and password “Woodbridge”. 
Click here to give feedback.
 
December Lecture - PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF TOPIC AND LECTURER 
Unfortunately Neil Faulkner who was due to deliver the lecture on “David Lean’s Art of Cinema” is unwell and cannot be with us. We wish him well and hope that he may be able to join us at a future date.
However we are delighted to announce that, at short notice, we have managed to book Dr Sam Newton to present the following lecture -
 
                                                                      St Edmund: History and Legend 

 
Dr Newton is an experienced lecturer who has contributed much to television and radio. He is a director of the study centre at Sutton Hoo and a Time Team historian. He will explore the history and legend of Edmund, king and martyr, using the “The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle” as his primary source but also enlivening his lecture with the later legend of St Edmund. 
 
Coffee Available at “A Listers” in December!
 
Please note that you will be able to buy coffee from 10am on the 13th December as “A Listers” will be open on Mondays in December, so please take the opportunity to  join your friends (or meet new ones!) before the lecture and enjoy a coffee together with complimentary mince pies provided by The Society. 
 
Guests at Lectures
 
Non-members are very welcome to attend lectures either as guests of individual members or the committee but, as places are limited, please remember to email or telephone Myra Evans beforehand to book. There is a suggested donation of £5 for attendance. Myra’s email is woodyb.arts@gmail.com and her phone number 07789 080945.
 
We look forward to seeing you on the 13th December,
Best wishes from Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam,
Co-Chairmen.

I inadvertently missed this item from the main November Newsbytes - apologies to all    
 
In the studio with ANGELA HARDING
Sunday, 28th November, 3pm ONLINE
Catherine Larner (Browsers Bookshop) will be in conversation with this much loved artist and printmaker. Tickets are £20 and include a signed copy of Angela’s book, “A Year Unfolding”. 
For more information and to book tickets please click on the link below
 
https://www.moreaboutbooks.com/event/1480
 
Best Wishes Stephanie Luke (Secretary) 

Monday November 15th -10.00am 
The Riverside Theatre, Woodbridge 

AGENDA
 

            (1)       The President’s Welcome
            (2)       Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 11th October 2020
                    Owing to Covid 19 restrictions in October 2020, the AGM was held virtually.
                       In the absence of a majority of the membership objecting, the following
                       were appointed or elected  for 2020/2021 -
                       Auditor Chris Woods
                       Committee Members Jill Bradshaw, Anne Deane, Colin Edgar, Gill Elvin,
                       Myra Evans, Sandy Greenard, Steph Luke, Jane Lynam and
                       Lisa Railton Jones.
                       Officers
                       Co-chairmen - Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
                       Honorary Secretary - Steph Luke
                       Honorary Treasurer - Colin Edgar.
             (3)      Chairmen’s Report
             (4)      Treasurer’s Report and the Audited Accounts
                        Any member with queries about the Audited Accounts please contact
                        the Treasurer Linda Grover before the AGM on the 15th November 2021.
                        Linda's email address is l.p.grover@icloud

                        Click here for the audited accounts

            (5)       Appointment of Auditor for 2021/22
                        Mike Cullington is put forward for appointment. Mike is currently
                        the treasurer at Woodbridge Museum and auditor of the Woodbridge
                        Choral Society’s accounts.
            (6)       Church Recorders and Trails of Discovery Report
            (7)       Election of Committee Members for 2021/22
                       The following committee members have agreed to continue for another
                        year
                        Gill Elvin, Myra Evans, Lisa Railton-Jones, Jane Lynam,
                        Jill Bradshaw, Steph Luke, Linda Grover  
                        Carolyn Dicken had agreed to joint the committee
            (8)       Election of Officers for 2021/22
                        The following committee members have been nominated by the
                         committee to be Officers
                         Co-Chairs: Jane Lynam and Jill Bradshaw
                         Treasurer: Linda Grover 
                         Secretary: Steph Luke
            (9)        To Agree Amendments to the current Constitution (2017)
                      The current constitution has been updated to bring it into line with the  
                         good  practice national template wherever possible and to cover
                         particular situations.
                         However it has not been changed where local circumstances dictate
                         retaining the existing provisions.
                         The main changes allow explicitly for the holding of online AGMs
                         and job-sharing of committee roles and also some alterations to terms of
                         office of committee members and officers. In addition some wording has
                         been updated to make it current, eg Young NADFAS changed to Arts
                         Volunteering.
                         Both the current 2017 constitution and new new constitution 2021
                         documents an be viewed on our local Arts Society Website by using the
                         links below. This enables you to view the draft and compare with the
                         current version.  

Dear Members,

We were delighted to greet so many of you at The Riverside for our first “live” lecture which proved to be a fascinating insight into “A Day in the Life of a Picture Restorer” as experienced by Sarah Cove. We hope that more of you will feel able to join us over the coming months. We no longer have the support of a technician supplied by The Riverside so please bear with us and the new team of projectionists as we all get used to the new arrangements.
Please don’t forget we want your feedback. We send a summary of your ratings and comments to  Arts Society National Office after every lecture. This information is very useful in helping all local Arts Societies choose lecturers rated highly by the members  themselves for their future lecture programmes 
After the lecture you can go to our local website using the link below and give us feedback about the lecture (password Woodbridge).
Click here to give feedback on the lecture
 
We now look forward to October’s lecture, entitled “British Studio Pottery - A Concise History”, which will be delivered by Helen Ritchie. Helen is Curator of Modern Applied Arts at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

 Important Notice - AGM Change of Date
Please note that the committee has decided to move the AGM from October to 10am on Monday, the 15th November, 2021, before that month’s lecture at The Riverside. The reason for this is that our auditor suffered a very close family bereavement and had to stand down. His replacement has been asked to audit the accounts at very short notice and we wanted to allow sufficient time for him to complete the audit so that we can present you with the audited accounts at the AGM.
 
Membership Cards
Please note that membership cards will no longer be issued as a decision was taken nationally by The Arts Society that they were no longer necessary.
 
Arts Volunteering and The Tide Mill
We were very pleased to sponsor the Under 16 prize for the recent Tide Mill photographic competition and be involved in the judging. We therefore thought you might like to see the winning entries and hope you share with us the view that the standard of entries was very high.
 
Click here for Woodbridge Tide Mill Photo Competition
 

Urgent Appeal for a Treasurer
Our current treasurer, Linda Grover, has indicated that she wishes to step down as soon as we have found a replacement and a handover has been completed. We are therefore urgently in need of someone to take on this role and hope that there is a member who can do so. In the first instance, expressions of interest should be addressed to us, Jill Bradshaw (jillbrads@gmail.com, 01394 386167) and Jane Lynam (j.lynam@btinternet.com, 01394 384460). Further information and the opportunity to discuss the role will be provided.
 
With our best wishes,
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co-chairmen

Return to the Riverside. Monday September 20th at 10:30.

A day in the Life of a Picture Restorer.

Sarah Cove.

Dear Members,

Your Committee are  excited and  looking forward to welcoming you back to Live lectures at the Riverside on Monday 20th September at 10:30. It has been a long 19 months!!

This is a short mail to remind you of the arrangements for the day.  This will be our first live meeting since February 2019 and we ask you to be patient with us as we try to recollect where everything is and  what it does. We apologise if there seem to be lots of requests and advice : It will not be “business as usual” but we hope to make it an enjoyable experience for us all and be able to return to our “normal”  Lecture sessions as soon as possible.

Unfortunately  as A listers will not be open on Monday mornings we can no longer provide a coffee before the meeting. The Riverside is happy however  for you to take coffee into the theatre. We therefore  request that you do not arrive before 10:30:  the lecture will start at 10:50 as before. Please go straight to a seat in the auditorium where we ask that you remain for the course of your stay: For obvious reasons we wish to avoid congestion in the foyer and aisles. We request that you continue to wear a face mask while inside.

We have no idea how many members will choose to attend but we are confident that you will be considerate to others in terms of socially distancing while inside the auditorium.

We have a very interesting lecture to look forward to and excited at seeing you all again and also meeting for the first time our new members from 2020. We welcome your feedback regarding the lecture, which can be left on the website  but also your observations on  our return to the Riverside. For members who do not feel confident yet to return to live lectures , we look forward to welcoming you back when the time is right.

Woodbridge Riverside Trust

Saturday 25th September 2-5 pm

The Longshed, Whittstocks Place

This year The Arts Society Woodbridge  through our Arts Volunteering Fund gave a donation of £850 to the above organisation to put towards the costs of framing a series of Tapestries created by local people which will  be hung in The Longshed. The Riverside Trust is holding a fund raising event on the 25th September when members of the public will be able to view some of the finished tapestries and others in an earlier stage and purchase cakes, savouries and drinks. Please go along and see first hand one of several local projects we are supporting.

With our best wishes,
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co-Chairmen.

We hope you are enjoying the summer break and the greater freedom which we now have, even if the weather hasn’t always been kind. It was such a pleasure to join a number of members on our first visit since 2019 when a group of us enjoyed a visit to the Henry Moore Foundation on the 15th July.

As a greater degree of “normality” returned, we arranged a meeting with The Riverside’s managers to discuss our return to the theatre for live lectures. As a result we are delighted and excited to announce that future lectures, commencing on the 20th September, will take place live at The Riverside Theatre at 10.50am. The theatre is working towards full capacity by the end of September so there will not be any seating restrictions on the 20th. However, we strongly encourage members to wear face coverings to protect themselves and others.

We expect that most of you are aware that the restaurant (now called “A Listers”) is under separate management and we regret that we have not been able to persuade them to open for coffee before the lecture. However, you are very welcome to bring your own refreshments and take them into the auditorium.

 As the restaurant will not be open and, for the time being, bookings for visits and special interest days will be taken online or on the telephone rather than at The Riverside, we should be very grateful if you would not arrive before 10.30am and, on arrival, please go straight into the auditorium to find your seats and remain seated until the end of the lecture. For obvious reasons we wish to avoid congestion in the foyer and in the aisles.

We appreciate and fully understand that some members may not feel ready to return to the theatre environment but expect that others are looking forward to it. We shall be very pleased to see you whenever you feel is the right time for you. We know that we cannot satisfy everyone but feel that the time is right for us to make this decision. We have also explained previously why we cannot stream live lectures.

We are looking forward to a fascinating lecture on the 20th September entitled “A Day in the Life of a Picture Restorer” to be delivered by Sarah Cove, an experienced conservator-restorer, so we do hope that you will join us at The Riverside for this. Like us, you have probably missed the personal contact with other members and we cannot wait to welcome you back.

With our warmest wishes,
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co-chairmen

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Dear Members,

We have now reached the summer break and what a 10 months we have experienced. When we took the decision last summer to zoom the lecture programme we had no idea that this would be for the whole series. We have been heartened by the support of our members in tackling a new medium which saw our regular numbers of attendees very quickly grow to over a hundred a month. While we are optimistic that by the autumn we will be able to return to live lectures at the Riverside, if necessary we have plans in place to continue to zoom our lectures until December. By August the situation should be clearer when we hope to inform you by Newsbytes of our plans for September.

June Lecture.

Another excellent attendance this month, again in excess of 100 members, for a very professional and humouress lecture by Alexandra Epps on the fascinating Peggy Guggenheim. Following the lecture we were contacted again by several members asking if were planning to stream or show a recording of this lecture for future viewing. Unfortunately as we have pointed out in previous Newsbytes that although some societies may be doing this , the National Arts Society has strongly recommended that we do not go down this line as there are many issues concerning copyright and intellectual property .

We return in September to a lecture by Sarah Cove, titled A day in the life of a Picture Restorer and look forward to a new season of lectures in 2021/2022.

Visit to Henry Moore Studio and Gardens.

We are delighted that our delayed visit to Henry Moore’s Studio and Gardens  is now going ahead on July 15th. We thank Anne Deane for all of her hard work in very difficult times to enable this visit to proceed.

Thursday 23rd September.  Visit to Ely Cathedral and the Stained Glass Museum.

It is very much hoped that the planned visit to Ely will go ahead as planned. We shall circulate to members details of the trip as well as how to book places later in the summer. In the meantime if you are interested then remember to put the date into your diary.

Tuesday 23rd November. Special Interest Day. Giles Ramsay: Shakespeare and Elephants, the Trinity and Pantomime.

Usually at the June meeting we begin to publicise and take bookings for our Special Interest Day in the autumn. We hope that by our return in September it will be clearer as to whether this event can proceed. It promises to be a very interesting day with an excellent speaker so please remember the date and keep a look out for further information.

We thank you for your continued support in this challenging year and look forward to seeing you, hopefully in person, in September. When we have firm information about the Autumn Programme we will be in touch via Newsbytes. In the meantime we wish you an enjoyable and entertaining summer.
 
With our best wishes,
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co-Chairmen.

Below we have included an article from our local church recorders which gives an interesting overview of how they categorise items and an example for you to discover when visiting St Mary's Woodbridge.  


Church Recording Society
 
In the last Newsbyte I gave you list of the Churches we have already recorded and currently, St Mary’s, Woodbridge.  To give you an idea of what we actually record I thought I would show you an item from each of the eight sections of a Record.  These are Memorials, Metalwork, Stonework, Woodwork, Textiles, Paintings, Library, Windows and Miscellaneous.  To start with Memorials:-

George Walpole Winthrop Denman-Dean             d.1917                                                                                                               
 
This is a small memorial in the SE corner of the Nave of St Mary’s.  Unusual in that it includes a photograph of the young Royal Marine Lieutenant inside an oval locket. You may like to open it next time you visit the Church.  The following is a summary of some of the information we record:-
 
Firstly, the team of Church Recorders describe the ‘Decorative wood and metal tablet mounted centrally on a rectanglar brown and cream veined, bevel edged marble ground, fixed flush to the wall’  with details of its shape and decoration, paying particular attention to the inscriptions.  On the locket is:-  PRO / PATRIA / MORI //  [Trans: To die for one’s country].  “dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” is a line from the Roman lyrical poet Horace’s Odes (III.2.3) which is usually translated as “it is sweet and glorious to die for one’s country”.  Patria [fatherland] - patriot.
 
Next come details of the materials used, the date made and by whom, followed by a biography:-
 
“Lieutenant George Walpole Winthrop Denman-Dean, Date of birth 1st September 1896 at Wickham Market Suffolk, the only son of the Reverend Richard Denman-Dean and Emma Elizabeth (née Wray Cook ) of Woodbridge Rectory, Suffolk.  Educated at Lancing College, he was appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion Royal Marines Light Infantry on the 22nd August 1914 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 27th March 1915.  Died of wounds in France aged 21, 7th November 1917.  Buried at St Sever Cemetery Rouen Officers Section.”  A brother officer wrote:  “He was a fine young officer, attentive to duty and extremely popular, and we feel that the service is poorer for his loss”".
 
Finally, a list of references, many of which are now on the internet, such as the Lives of the First World War and, The Commowealth War Graves.  You can find a lot more about his service there.
 
You will understand how researching the many memorials can be very interesting but quite moving.  
 
Julia Legh-Smith      Lynda Aldred                Woodbridge, SE Suffolk and Orwell Church Recorders
julialeghsmith@hotmail.com                                                                                                22.06.2021

Dear Members

May and June Lectures
 
We hope you all enjoyed Paul Roberts’ fascinating lecture on “Rome in Africa, Africa in Rome - Africa’s Impact on Roman Culture and Society” which transported us to the wonderful archaeological sites of North Africa. Some members have been lucky enough to visit them in the past so let us hope that more of us may be able to do so in the future.
 
Next month, on Monday, the 21st June, at 11am, we shall be delighted to welcome Alexandra Epps who is an official guide and lecturer at Tate Modern, Tate Britain and the Guildhall Art Gallery. She will speak to us about Peggy Guggenheim; be prepared to enjoy her story and the delights of her collection in Venice.
 
The Riverside
 
We expect that most of you are aware of the difficulties currently faced by The Riverside. The cinema needs substantial funding to finance a new boiler and to carry out remedial work on damage caused by damp. To this end they have embarked upon a crowdfunding venture and are looking for support from the local community. The cinema will close shortly for work to be carried out and hopes to reopen in the Autumn. We obviously want to return there as soon as possible for our lectures so we are keeping in touch with them and have the situation under review. In the event of a delay to their reopening, we have secured Zoom slots until the end of the year to ensure the delivery of our exciting Autumn programme. This is a very flexible arrangement so we can cancel the slots as soon as we know that we can go ahead with live lectures. We will of course keep you updated.
 
Visit to the Henry Moore Studio and Gardens

After many disappointing cancellations this past  year we are delighted that our Visits Secretary Anne Deane, has managed to rearrange, (fingers crossed), our postponed visit to Henry Moore’s Studio and Gardens.
The visit to Henry Moore’s studio and sculpture garden at Perry Green is now due to take place on July !5th, currently his home is not open due to COVID restrictions but if those are lifted in time there will be guided tours around the house in small groups.

At present the visit will include -

Moore’s studios, which are preserved as they were when he was using them;
the Aisled Barn, which features the stunning tapestries that Moore commissioned, based on drawings from throughout his career;
The new exhibition This Living Hand, which has been curated by acclaimed artist and author Edmund de Waal. The Sculpture Garden. 
 
With only 36 seats available on the coach we expect there will be a high demand, when the booking form arrives by email please be prepared to act quickly.  We expect the cost to be approximately £45 including lunch but this is only an estimate and a visit to the house, if available, will cost extra.

If you would like to be on the waiting list please send your name to Anne at anneedeane@icloud.com  or 07471 474156 but do not send any money at this time, we will circulate more details and a booking form to all members  in the near future. 

    An Update from the Church Recorders and Trails of Discovery

While we wait to return to St Mary’s Woodbridge and to hand over the Ufford Trail, you may not all know of our previously completed Records and Trails. The Woodbridge Group first completed Hasketon, Bredfield and Ufford Churches and then, as a larger group combining Woodbridge, Ipswich and Orwell, a further ten have been completed. Barham, Rushmere, Martlesham, Burgh, Great Bealings, Westerfield, Grundisburgh, Witnesham and Tuddenham.
Church Trails have been completed for: St Mary’s Woodbridge, St Mary’s Martlesham, St Andrew’s Melton and St Mary’s Ufford.
 
Records are available at the Ipswich Record Office for your perusal. Actually, they are kept in the safe because of the silver descriptions, but can be seen in situ. Alternatively, they should be available at the Church, on request. Copies are also held at the V&A and Church House (Church Care). Again, because of the obvious risks involved, the records are not available on-line. They are valuable documents, not only for historical purposes but have been known to be of great use for insurance claims.
 
The Trails on the other hand are available at the Church entrance and are great for occupying children during the holidays.
Church Recorders    Julia Legh-Smith  julialeghsmith@hotmail.com
Trails of Discovery    Nuala Simpson   ecnsret@btinternet.com 

 
With our best wishes,
Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam
Co-Chairmen.

Dear Members

April and May Lectures.

Another excellent attendance this month, again in excess of 100 members, for the very wide ranging lecture from Joanna Banham titled A Decorative Art: The history of Wallpaper. Joanna took us on a fascinating journey through the ages on this lesser known decorative art. In answer to a question as to where to increase our knowledge and  view Wallpaper designs she was able to recommend  Christchurch Mansions in Ipswich.  We look forward to you joining us at the next lecture on  Monday 17th May 2021 at 11am. when Paul Roberts will present Rome in Africa, Africa in Rome-Africa’s impact on Roman Culture and Society.

Visit to Henry Moore Studio and Gardens.

After many disappointing cancellations this past  year we are delighted that our Visits Secretary Anne Deane, has managed to rearrange, (fingers crossed), our postponed visit to Henry Moore’s Studio and Gardens.

The visit to Henry Moore’s studio and sculpture garden at Perry Green is now due to take place on July !5th, currently his home is not open due to COVID restrictions but if those are lifted in time there will be guided tours around the house in small groups.

At present the visit will include -

Moore’s studios, which are preserved as they were when he was using them;
the Aisled Barn, which features the stunning tapestries that Moore commissioned, based on drawings from throughout his career;
The new exhibition This Living Hand, which has been curated by acclaimed artist and author Edmund de Waal. The Sculpture Garden. 
 
With only 36 seats available on the coach we expect there will be a high demand, when the booking form arrives by email please be prepared to act quickly.  We expect the cost to be approximately £45 including lunch but this is only an estimate and a visit to the house, if available, will cost extra.

If you would like to be on the waiting list please send your name to Anne at anneedeane@icloud.com but do not send any money at this time. 
 

Arts Society Sudbury.

On Tuesday May 11th The Arts Society Sudbury are holding a Special Interest Day via zoom webinar, titled Cultural Revolution in the Heart Of Europe by Gavin Plumley. It is a morning event, comprising of two lectures and costs £10 per household. Visitors are welcome so if you are interested please visit their website or email Jenny Antill jenny@antillantill.com for further information.

Church Recorders.

We understand that Church Recorders are hoping to restart soon and we hope to have further information for members in our next bulletin.

With Our Best Wishes,

Jill Bradshaw and Jane Lynam.

Co-Chairmen.

Dear Members

Lectures
Thank you very much to all members who sent us feedback on Tim Stimson’s lecture, “How Pleasant to Know Edward Lear”. Whilst we know that many of you enjoyed the lecture and Tim’s enthusiasm for his subject, we are aware that a number of people experienced difficulties with the sound quality at times. Like all of us, lecturers are still getting used to Zoom so we’re sure Tim will appreciate our Society’s feedback which we hope will be of assistance.
 
We are pleased to let you know that we have booked Zoom slots for our lecture programme until the end of June so that you can continue to enjoy lectures in the comfort of your own homes but, of course, we will notify you as soon as circumstances allow us to go back to live lectures.
 
We look forward to your joining us on Monday, 19th April, at 11am, for our next lecture, “A Decorative Art - The History of Wallpaper” which will be delivered by Joanna Banham. For ten years until 2016, Joanna was Head of Adult Learning at the Victoria and Albert Museum and she has a wealth of experience working in the museum sector.
 
The Visit to the Henry Moore Studio and Gardens
At present this is scheduled for the 3rd June but it is not feasible under the regulations which are likely to be current at that time. We have therefore taken the decision to postpone it for a few weeks. We very much hope that we will be able to undertake this visit later in the summer and will keep you informed.
 
Arts Volunteering (formerly Young Arts)
The remit under this head is now wider so that it includes supporting appropriate community activities whether involving young people or adults. Historically, amongst other things,  we have funded activities at local schools but, for obvious reasons, it is difficult to engage with schools at the moment. However we are delighted to say that we have recently contributed to the design and printing of welcome packs for the soon to be launched Friends of Jetty Lane scheme and also we are funding the framing of the first six tapestries at The Longshed. (For further details about these projects please visit their websites - the links are below).

Click here for The Jetty Lane Project

Click here for The Longship Tapestry Project

 
And Finally Calling All Prospective Committee Members .....
We are looking for volunteers to help run our thriving society. Several committee members will shortly be coming to the end of their tenure and we are looking to replace them. We need a strong committee to continue to thrive and provide exceptional lectures, study days, visits and holidays. We are a friendly group and membership is both rewarding and invaluable to the society. 
If you are interested and would like to discuss membership of the committee please ring one of us (numbers below).
 
Best wishes,
Jane Lynam (01394 384460)
Jill Bradshaw (01394 386167)

Dear Members

We were delighted to see so many of you join us in February for our lecture by Aliki Braine. We are used to keeping a close eye on the weather in the days before our monthly lecture, particularly at this time of year, and there is no doubt if we were at The Riverside we would have had to cancel, due to the snow conditions. Instead, we were able to see Aliki’s stimulating lecture on Still Life - a History. One advantage of Zoom which we can be thankful for. Our numbers of members logging in continues to rise every month and we are also delighted that so many people went onto the website after the lecture to give feedback. Thank you.

We look forward to you joining us at the next lecture on Monday 15th March 2021 at 11am. It will be given by Tim Stimson, and entitled “How pleasant to know Edward Lear”.
 

Treasurer

Colin Edgar stood down this month as our Treasurer after nearly 9 years in that role. He has been a dedicated and valued member of our committee, rarely missing a meeting and has managed our finances with competence and efficiency.  As we are unable to thank Colin in person at an AGM or monthly lecture meeting, we would like to express on your behalf, our thanks for all of his valuable support and guidance.

Colin agreed to stay in role until a suitable replacement was found and we are delighted to say that Linda Grover has now joined the Committee as Treasurer. She has held this position in another local association and we very much look forward to working with her in the future. Welcome Linda.
 

The Dig

In case you have missed the recent publicity The Dig, a feature film starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan and telling the story of the discoveries at Sutton Hoo is now available to view on Netflix. Sadly, the film was due to be screened at the Riverside in January but due to lockdown had to be cancelled. Let’s hope it will be available to view there soon.
 

Virtual Tour of Shakespeare’s London

In December Newsbytes we printed details of the above Virtual Tour that we had purchased on behalf of the members. This is still free and available to view online.
Please click on the following link and when prompted insert this password Tour20virtual20 

Click here for the Shakespeare Tour

Arts Society Sudbury
Sudbury are holding a Special Interest Morning via Zoom on Tuesday 2nd March, given by James Russell and titled
Edward Seago: From the Circus to Sandringham. It runs from 10:30 -1.00 pm costing £10. If you would like to access this then click the link below to go to their website for more details and booking information.

Click here for the Arts Society Sudbury

Best wishes,
Jane Lynam and Jill Bradshaw, Co-Chairmen.


 

Banner image of 'Woodbridge & Kyson' courtesy of Gill Moon: www.gillmoon.com

Dear Members,
 
Lectures
We were delighted that so many of you joined us on a cold winter’s day for the ray of sunshine provided by Twigs Way talking about “The Sunflower in Art and Culture”. If you haven’t already done so, please click on the link below to give us feedback.This is greatly valued, particularly at a time when we don’t see you in person to receive your comments. Every month we send feedback to the London office of The Arts Society and this helps to maintain the high standard of lecturers in the Directory.  Also it is available to societies across the country to assist them in deciding which lecturers to book. Likewise, we take account of feedback from other societies when we book our lectures and find the information invaluable in identifying high quality lecturers.

click here to give feedback

We look forward to your joining us at the next lecture on Monday, 8th February, at 11am. Aliki Braine’s lecture is entitled “Still Life - A History”.
 
Why We Cannot Provide Recordings of Lectures
We believe that a live Zoom lecture with the ability to talk to you in “real time” and the facility to ask questions is the closest and best  experience to a live lecture at The Riverside that we can provide. However a number of members have asked whether we could provide recordings. This is not possible because to provide access to a recorded version of the lecture, for playback at anytime, we would need to agree with each individual lecturer  issues around their permission, the copyright and reimbursement.   Our experience is that for these reasons, lecturers are not willing for their lectures to be recorded.
There are however some very interesting recorded lectures available on the national Arts Society website found under  'The Arts Society Connected' if you haven not already enjoyed them. 
 
Cancelled - the March Special Interest Day and Visit
It is with great regret that the committee has made the decision to cancel the events scheduled for March. In the current circumstances we feel it is impossible for them to go ahead. However, we are pleased to inform you that we have rebooked David Rosier’s Special Interest Day on “Imperial Court Life and Exceptional Rulers: Qing Dynasty 1644 -1911” for Tuesday, 8th November, 2022. A date for your diary! 
 
In relation to the visit to The Sainsbury Centre for the Grayson Perry exhibition, we hope that it may be possible to reschedule this later in the year.
 
And Finally .....  the Answers to the Christmas Quiz
Abigail; lemonade (but tea is also an answer); pharaoh; basil and sporran.
 
Best wishes,
Jane Lynam and Jill Bradshaw
Co-Chairmen

Dear Members,
 
Season’s Greetings
 
At the end of an extraordinary year, we would like to wish you a very happy Christmas even though it may be very different from those you have celebrated previously. Let us hope for a better New Year and a return to a more normal life.
 
Lectures
 
We are delighted that so many of you have enjoyed our Autumn programme of lectures on Zoom, culminating in the entertaining lecture, “Beer and Skittles - Fun and Games Down at the Local”, on the 14th December. We discovered how many Suffolk pubs have facilities for ancient and more modern games!

Click here to give feedback  
 
Please note that our next lecture on the 18th January, Twiggs Way’s “The Sunflower in Art and Culture”, will start at the usual time of 11am. We look forward to your joining us then.
 
A Virtual Tour of Shakespeare’s London
 
In this year of Covid we have had to reluctantly cancel all our usual Arts Society visits, but the committee has purchased on your behalf access to a virtual tour of Shakespeare’s London. The virtual  tour is the brainchild of Lance Pierson who is an actor and also leads “live” tours around Shakespeare’s London. As he points out in this 55 minute walkabout although we associate Stratford -upon-Avon with Shakespeare, most of his working life was spent in London. Lance walks us through the places where Shakespeare lived and worked, referring to old maps, documents and of course his work.
 
This is a relaxing and enjoyable short film. Just click on the link below and type in the password -  Tour20virtual20 

Click here for the tour

You can watch it several times or take a break and return to it. Enjoy
 
Festive Fun - A Lighthearted Quiz
 
The one word answers to the following clues will be found by using some of the letters in the specified artist’s name.
 
MAGGI HAMBLING
Who held a party in the 1970s?
 
CLAUDE MONET
Liquid refreshment?
 
BARBARA HEPWORTH
An ancient Egyptian?
 
PABLO PICASSO
Adds flavour?
 
GRAYSON PERRY
A Scottish accessory?
 
No prizes but enjoy! Answers next month.
  
 
Best wishes,
Jane Lynam and Jill Bradshaw, Co-Chairmen.
 

TO BE HELD VIRTUALLY DUE TO COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2020
AGENDA
 

            (1)       The President’s Welcome
            (2)       Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 21st October 2019
            (3)       Chairmen’s Report
            (4)       Treasurer’s Report
            (5)       Appointment of Auditor for 2020
                        Chris Woods has kindly agreed to continue to act as Auditor for another
                         year.*
            (6)       Church Recorders and Trails of Discovery Report
            (7)       Election of Committee Members for 2020
                       The following committee members have agreed to continue for another
                        year*
                         Gill Elvin, Myra Evans, Anne Deane, Lisa Railton-Jones, Jane Lynam,
                         Jill Bradshaw, Colin Edgar, Steph Luke  
                         *Sandy Greenard has agreed to join the committee
            (8)       Election of Officers for 2020
                        The following committee members have been nominated by the
                         committee to be Officers*
                          Co-Chairs: Jane Lynam and Jill Bradshaw
                          Treasurer: Colin Edgar
                          Secretary: Steph Luke
            (9)       Any Other Business
           
 
Anyone with any queries about any of the above agenda items or would like to raise items under AOB please contact the secretary by  Monday 12th October 2020 

* In this year’s unprecedented circumstances, in the absence of a majority of the membership objecting, the auditor will be deemed to be appointed and the committee and officers elected. Any objections should be submitted to the secretary by Monday 12th October.
 
Contact Details: Stephanie Luke 12 Grant Rise, Woodbridge, IP12 1FG or
email s.luke440@btinternet.com
 

THE PRESIDENTS WELCOME 

We never expected that we would be holding the 34th Annual General Meeting of The Arts Society Woodbridge on-line.  We must be grateful that we have access to this facility to be able to maintain contact. Our committee have been doing valiant work keeping members informed of changing developments locally and nationally that affect our ability to deliver the planned programme of lectures and events.  I congratulate and thank them on behalf of us all and in particular, our Co-Chairman Clare Richardson who comes to the end of her term of office today and I am delighted that she takes over from me as our President.
 

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON THE 21st OCTOBER 2019 
 

The 33rd Annual General Meeting of the Arts Society Woodbridge was held at the Riverside Theatre on Monday 21st October 2019.
There were present:
Kathy Vaughan President Colin Edgar Hon. Treasurer
Jane Lynam Programme Sec Jennifer Caney Membership Sec
Christine Bull Secretary Myra Evans Committee
Anne Deane Committee Gill Elvin SIDs
Steph Luke Committee Lisa Railton Jones Committee
And approximately sixty other members

The President’s Welcome:

President, Kathy Vaughan, welcomed all members present to the 33rd Annual General Meeting of the Arts Society Woodbridge and thanked them for attending the AGM. She said that as Clare Richardson was not able to attend the AGM Jane Lynam had agreed to take her place as Chairman in her absence. This was agreed by all.
She said “Good morning and welcome to this the 33rd Annual General Meeting of The Woodbridge Arts Society and thank you for your attendance and support.
The Arts Society nationally continues to improve arts education and appreciation, while also helping to conserve artistic heritage sites through its network of over 90,000 members. Our own society contributes to this through offering monthly lectures, trips and tours and funding grants for young people.
I congratulate our Acting Chairman, Clare Richardson and her dedicated team for their hard work this past year in ensuring the delivery of a most interesting programme based on forming interconnections between different artistic disciplines, which we have all enjoyed. Due to unforeseen circumstances Clare is unable to be here today and I ask for your agreement for Jane Lynam to chair the meeting in Clare’s absence. May I have a show of hands please. Thank you.
I now declare the meeting open and hand over the business to Jane.”
Apologies: Apologies had been received from the following members: Clare Richardson, Anne Day, Sarah Evelegh, Karen Bowe, Fiona Burnham, Jill Bradshaw, Helen Bishop and Judy Riggs.
Minutes of the last Meeting: The Chairman said that the minutes of the last meeting held on Monday 15th October 2018 had been circulated prior to the meeting. Acceptance was proposed by Lynda Aldred and seconded by Caroline Cowper, carried by the meeting and signed by the Chairman.
The Chairman’s Report
Jane Lynam read the Chairman’s report as follows: “Jane Lynam and Jill Bradshaw took over the role of programme secretary last October and have produced an exciting and wide ranging programme of lectures over the year with topics ranging from Shirley Smith’s fascinating lecture on the illuminated manuscript of the Duke de Berry to Mark Cottle’s excellent lecture last month on medieval cathedrals. We look forward to an equally stimulating and varied programme in the year to come.
In April we visited the Van Gogh exhibition at the Tate Britain, then in June we had a fascinating tour of Palace House, Newmarket and just recently another very popular walk with Andrew Davies around Wapping and St Catharine’s Dock. These proved very enjoyable days out In spite of the rather inclement weather conditions for the last two visits! We say goodbye and thank you to Karen Bowe for all her hard work in organising our visits over the last four years and welcome Anne Deane who takes over and has an excellent programme planned for the coming year.
We started our year with a Special Interest Day with a difference last November. We combined our celebration of the Arts Society’s Golden Jubilee with a stunning virtual tour of New York by Mary Alexander and we are fortunate to have Mary with us again today. In February we had an excellent day looking at Art Nouveau Architecture and Design with Anthea Streeter. Both days were very well attended with around 70 members joining our November celebrations. Thank you to Gill Elvin and Anne Deane for all the organisation required. Gill Elvin will take on the role this year and we look forward to another stimulating programme.
Supporting Young Arts is a very important part of the ethos of our society and we have continued our relationship with Melton Primary School and Farlingaye High School as well as contributing to to the Riverside Trust’s work with young people. We made a rather special donation to Farlingaye in memory of our past Chair, Diana Madden. This went to the music department to add to their percussion instruments for their bigger ensembles, a donation which we and her family felt would have appealed to Diana. Thanks again to Karen Bowe for all her time and effort in identifying projects and following them up.
Thank you to everyone on the committee for working together as a great team and I am so grateful for the tremendous support you provide. I would like to thank Colin Edgar for his dedicated work as our Treasurer and Christine Bull for taking the minutes at our monthly meetings. Christine is standing down as Minutes Secretary after 6 years and we welcome Steph Luke who has agreed to take on the role. We are delighted that Christine will be staying on the Committee in a new role.
Our membership secretary, Jenny Caney is taking a well earned retirement from today and Myra Evans will take over as Membership Secretary. Thank you, Jenny, for all your hard work and dedication over the years.
We also have a number of unseen people, not on the committee, who provide vital help and support. Thank you to Margaret Dawkins who designs, edits and produces the newsletter and programme card, and to John Allen who manages the website and produces the e- notices on the screen each month.
Thank you also to Nuala Simpson and Christine Bull our projectionists who make sure the lecturers’ visual and sound projection runs smoothly both for lectures and Special Interest Days.
We are so lucky to have the Riverside venue and we really appreciate the help and support the staff give us. A special thank you to John and Katy who have helped us this year. Katy now has a new job and we are delighted that John has kindly come back to help us with the projection of our lectures.
Thank you also to the Church Recording and Church Trails Team for the important work you do recording the heritage of our local churches and creating church trails. More details on this will follow in Nuala Simpson’s report.
Today we are delighted to welcome 2 new members to our committee, Steph Luke and Lisa Railton Jones. We hope they will enjoy being part of our team. We also welcome 30 new members who are joining the society from our waiting list.
Most importantly can I end in saying a big thank you from the committee to all our members. Your support and attendance is what makes our work worthwhile. We hope you have enjoyed our programme last year and that you will find the coming year’s to be stimulating and entertaining.”
Hon. Treasurer’s Report
Colin Edgar said, “Another successful year with a continuing high quality of lectures, visits and study days. This is matched with excellent financial results.
Our income and expenditure for the year was broadly similar to last year with one exception. Normally I report a loss on expenditure for visits and study days etc. Thanks to two very well attended study days, instead of a loss of £488 we had a surplus of £427. It is probable that in this coming year we will revert to making a loss and this has been budgeted for.
This year we again made substantial donations to Young Art projects, amounting to over £2,000, resulting in our making an overall loss of £619 for the year. This loss was planned and helps reduce our large cash reserve which has been built up over the years.
Looking to the future, costs continue to rise and in particular we are expecting a substantial increase next year to hire the Riverside Theatre for our monthly lectures. However, we still remain financially very stable. Gift Aid contributes almost £3,000 to our funds each year and if you don’t already pay your annual subscription in this way, I urge you to do so.
John Moorby audited our accounts and contributed to the society for many years. The committee were saddened to hear of his death in the summer, followed just a few weeks later by his wife Penny. I will always remember him for his cheery smile and sense of humour.
I would like to thank Chris Woods who carried out the audit for us again this year and he has agreed to do it for us again at the end of this financial year.”
The Chairman asked for questions and there being none asked for the adoption of the Treasurer’s account. Sue Key Burr proposed adoption of the account and Richard Bull seconded it. The motion was carried by the meeting.
Jane Lynam then asked that Chris Woods be re-elected as Auditor for the coming year and this was proposed by Colin Edgar and seconded by Alan Vaughan. The motion was carried by the meeting.
Church Recorders’ Report
We had a successful Handover of the Barham Church Record at the Eucharist Service on September 8th 2019.
It had taken 3 years and resulted in 3 volumes, when we normally have 1, to hand over. This is largely because when St Peter’s in Claydon was made redundant many of the contents were transferred to Barham which also incorporated the name so is now St Mary and St Peter.
A Henry Moore Virgin and Child was included in the transfer.
On an historical note you will see from the Newsletter that Deben NADFAS handed over our first Record in 1997 at Ufford. Bredfield. Hasketon, Tuddenham, Witnesham, Grundisburgh, Burgh, Westerfield, Great Bealings, Martlesham, Rushmere, and Barham have followed.
We had combined in 2001 with Ipswich and Orwell Societies, and a team of about 20, currently 23, resulted.
Work on our next venture St Mary’s Woodbridge started in March this year with a number of new faces joining the team. We meet on the second and fourth Monday of the month usually during the warmer months, researching and writing up in the colder ones. However we may even continue through this winter as the church is heated!
The task is to provide a record of the contents of a church, recording the past and present for the future. Small groups work in each of the sections which are memorials, metalwork, stonework, woodwork, textiles, paintings, library, windows and miscellaneous with an introduction by the compiler.
Prior knowledge on any of these subjects is welcome but not necessary as it is ‘a learn on the job’ situation and fascinating it can turn out to be. If you feel you would like to join us then do make contact either through the committee or the contact information in the Notices.
Church Trails of Discovery Report
We are now working on producing a Trail of Discovery for St Mary of the Assumption, Ufford. This was the site of this Society’s first Church Record so consolidates our connection with the church. As many of you will know the mediaeval font cover is thought to be unique in this country and is an amazing testament to the skill of the carvers and engineers. The benches also have famous carving from the same period with one ladies butterfly headdress portraying the fashion current between 1450 and 1485 – a dating aid - and not to be outdone one bearded gentleman has an amazing rounded top hat.
All members of the team are our own society members. There is room for a second team in this society and no dearth of material in our churches so if anyone is interested in doing a trail please get in touch.
Church Trails are designed for 8 – 12 yr olds but appeal to all ages. A doublesided A4 questionnaire is supplied with a double sided answers document for accompanying adults. A team size of 4 seems average but more or less have worked.
Trails of Discovery have extended from the original brief of churches, to other places of worship, to town trails, to interesting building trails and Memory Trails for those living with dementia. The latter are proving popular and are the quickest to do as the text is provided, having been constructed by experts in the field to stimulate discussions. Individual adjustments for the venue are usually short and simple.
Perhaps I can finish with a plug for the 3 church trails already completed locally, St Mary’s Woodbridge, St Mary’s Martlesham and St Andrew’s Melton, as a source of activity for grandchildren on a rainy day.
The Chairman thanked Nuala Simpson and the Church Recorders on behalf of members for their achievements.
Election of Officers and Committee
The Chairman asked for the election of two co-opted committee members: Steph Luke and Lisa Railton-Jones and this was proposed by Jenny Caney and seconded by Anne Deane. The motion was carried by the meeting.
The Chairman asked that all the committee members who have volunteered to stand again:
Clare Richardson, Colin Edgar, Christine Bull, Jill Bradshaw, Jane Lynam, Gill Elvin, Anne Deane and Myra Evans be re-elected en bloc. This was proposed by Michael Coulter and seconded by Jaqui Pearcy
The Chairman asked that the following members, who had been nominated by the committee, be elected as officers. Jane Lynam and Clare Richardson as Joint Chairmen, Colin Edgar as Treasurer and Steph Luke as Secretary. This was proposed by Sarah Royle and seconded by Jane Stafford. The motion was carried by the meeting.
There being no further business the President, Kathy Vaughan, thanked everyone who attended and closed the meeting.
The Chairman asked everyone to be back in their seats by 10.50 for the lecture.
The meeting closed at 10.20 am.

CHAIRMEN'S REPORT

This has been a very strange year for us all.  We have had to adapt and rethink so many of the things we have taken for granted.  After much thought we decided to go ahead with our AGM but adapt to a virtual format. Hence you are receiving our report by email rather than in person this year but we very much hope that we will soon be able to get together again.

Our Autumn programme started well with a lively and well attended Special Interest Day in November on the Age of the Grand Tourist by Martin Heard. In January, Doug Gillen,  gave a memorable lecture on Street Art and at the beginning of March we welcomed Linda Smith back with an excellent Special Interest Day on British Art from the Pre Raphaelites to the Turner Prize.  Then lockdown hit our summer programme and we had to cancel our 4 lectures and 3 visits.  All is not lost though, as we have now rebooked the lectures for 2022 and as you will see from our programme we have rearranged our visits for 2021.

We started our Autumn programme with our first webinar which was well received. In the current situation we will be continuing to use webinars to deliver our lectures until we can return to the Riverside.  
During lockdown although we couldn’t run our lectures and visits we have still been busy.  We used Zoom to keep in touch and got to grips with Mail Chimp to produce a monthly newsletter to keep you up to date.  We have been in regular touch with the Arts Society to work out the best way to start our programme this Autumn. 

We would like to thank everyone on the Committee for their support and hard work during this difficult time.

We say goodbye and thank you to Christine Bull who is stepping down after a number of years of very valuable service in various roles.

And a  very special thank you must go to Kathy Vaughan, who has come to the end of her term as President, for her invaluable support and guidance over the last 3 years. 

We also have a number of unseen people, not on the committee, who provide vital help and support. Thank you to Margaret Dawkins who designs, edits and produces the newsletter and programme card, and to John Allen who manages the website and produces the e- notices on the screen each month. Thank you also to Nuala Simpson, Christine Bull and Alan Mitchell our projectionists, who make sure the lecturers’ visual and sound projection runs smoothly both for lectures and Special Interest Days.

Jane Lynam and Jill Bradshaw have produced an exciting and wide ranging programme of lectures for the the coming year and we are very pleased that Lisa Railton Jones will join Jill as Joint Programme Secretary . We welcome a new member, Sandy Greenard, to the committee who will be taking on the role of Young Arts

Supporting Young Arts is a very important part of the ethos of our society.  We have been developing two new areas of work; with South East Suffolk to introduce and sponsor a new prize for textiles for their Anna Airy Annual Art Exhibition and with the Riverside to sponsor a number of local students to attend art and music screenings at the Cinema.  Although this year it has not been possible to put our ideas into practice we have carried the funds over so as soon as possible we can start work on them again.

Thank you also to the Church Recording and Church Trails Team for the important work you do recording the heritage of our local churches and creating church trails. More details on this will follow in Nuala Simpson’s report.

Finally, thank you all for your continued support during these unprecedented times.
 

HONARARY  TREASURER'S REPORT
 

The committee had planned for a normal year and the budget looked like we were scheduled to make a loss for the year.  This was planned to help reduce the surplus which has recently built up in our reserves.
However the coronavirus pandemic upset out plans causing the last four lectures of the season to be cancelled.  While we had to pay cancellation charges to our lecturers for the cancelled lectures, we were fortunate not to have to pay cancellation charges to the Riverside Theatre.
While we made a large payment to Church Recorders we did not make any donations to Young Arts; the proposed expenditure being carried forward to next year.
The net result of all these changes is that instead of returning a net loss for the year, we actually ended with a surplus of £3,140, although £2,000 of this is reserved for Young Arts next year.
We are still very financially secure with £5,465 in our current account and a further £18,000 in our reserves.
I would like to thank Chris Woods who carried out the audit for us again this year and he has agreed to do it for us again at the end of this financial year.

CHURCH RECORDERS AND TRAILS OF DISCOVERY REPORT
 

We were doing so well recording St Mary's, Woodbridge.  A huge amount had been achieved before coming to an unavoidable halt at the beginning of the year.  It is extremely frustrating and I am afraid we may lose a year's work.
 
It has given a breathing space, however, for Church Recorders nationally to reorganise after being being dropped by TAS.  The newly formed Church Recording Society has applied to become an unincorporated charitable organisation;  is developing a new independent website;   is forming a group of Trustees to develop and ensure our future;  and, is seeking liaisons with other organisations having a common interest such as the National Churches Trust, the Churches Conservation Trust etc.  There will, of course, still be close links with local Arts Societies and, as members, we will still be covered for insurance for our activities.  This is all exciting as we are now free to reassess recording methods, while maintaining our high standards. 
The number of completed records tops 2,000 and we shall continue to 'record the past for the benefit of the future!’  
The team finished the Children’s trail for Ufford Church just as the Lockdown overtook us all. We have yet to arrange a handover to the church but will do so as soon as it is feasible. If you would like to join us please contact Julia Legh-Smith, email  julialeghsmith@hotmail.com    tel.no  01473 280339.

Dear Members
Welcome to the September edition of NewsBytes. We hope that you have managed to enjoy the Summer and the lifting of some restrictions.  As we said in our last Newsbytes we have been planning over the summer the best way of delivering our programme this Autumn within the government’s guidelines.  After much thought and discussions with the Riverside and the Arts Society, we have decided that the only way we can do this is by Zoom webinar.  So you will be able to view the programmed lectures for September, October, November and December at home on your computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone. More details on this below.

We understand that this won’t be easy for some of our members and we would like to reassure you that we are very much hoping to be able to get back to physical meetings in the Riverside just as soon as Government restrictions and the Riverside itself allows us.
We know that a small number of members haven’t got email addresses so please  will you pass on the information to any friends you know who don’t use email.
 
HOW TO ACCESS THE SEPTEMBER LECTURE
 
Further to the announcement in the last Newsbytes about delivering the Autumn lectures by webinar using Zoom, we are delighted to say that arrangements are well in hand. You may already have experience of Zoom but, in preparation for accessing the lectures, you will need to ensure that you have downloaded the Zoom program/app to the device (computer, laptop, tablet) on which you will be watching them. If using a tablet you should be able to download the app from the App Store and those using computers can download the program from the Zoom website.
The link to the lecture will be emailed to you about 72 hours beforehand so please watch out for it. Also, please ensure you give access to video and microphone if prompted.
This is an exciting new venture for us and we are being supported by The Arts Society nationally but, as with all new initiatives, things can sometimes go awry so please bear with us if there are any small glitches!

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

As you know we usually hold our AGM just before our October lecture.  This year, as we cannot physically attend the lecture, we needed to decide on another way to hold our AGM.  We have decided the best way is to do this is by email.  So, at the end of
September you will receive an email with the agenda and all the reports which are usually read out at the meeting.  You will have 3 weeks to send any comments or queries on the Agenda or items you would like to raise under AOB to our Secretary, Steph Luke. Because of the extraordinary circumstances we find ourselves in this year, in the absence of a majority of the membership objecting, the auditor will be deemed to be appointed and the committee and officers elected. The email will explain this further and give Steph’s contact details.

CANCELLATION OF NOVEMBER SPECIAL INTEREST DAY 

We are sorry but the SID on 17th November, titled Jewellery and Fashion has now been cancelled. As a committee we really wanted to be able to put this event on, hoping that the smaller numbers involved could make this a possibility. Consideration was given to limiting the event to two morning lectures with no lunch, and moving it to another venue when our usual home at Waldringfield Village Hall could not accommodate us. However, despite our efforts we were unable to identify a safe setting for us to proceed. Most importantly despite strenuous efforts to discuss our booking with the lecturer during the summer, he has not returned any of our contacts. [We understand that he was ill at the beginning of lockdown so there may be extenuating circumstances.]

This is very disappointing for us all but we will continue to try and identify a suitable venue for next year’s SID in March in case the present difficult conditions continue. The Riverside has intimated that they may be in a position to review their availability in the New Year but as we all know the situation is still very fluid. Any suggestions from members of possible venues are most welcome. 

NEWS BYTES

Dear Members

Welcome to the June edition of News Bytes.  We hope you are keeping well and positive.  Although we won’t be producing a News Bytes in July and August we will continue to use Mail Chimp to let you know of our plans for September as lockdown continues to lift.

We know that a small number of members haven’t got email addresses so please  will you pass on the information to any friends you know who don’t use email.
 

YOUR COMMITTEE IS STILL WORKING:

Click here to see us all hard at work:

The committee has been meeting monthly since lockdown via Zoom video link to discuss and plan our programme for next year. 

It is impossible at present to be able to tell you exactly how we will run the Autumn lectures but we can say we are working hard to find a way to provide the published programme safely.  

These have been such hard times for local businesses and we were delighted to hear that the Riverside plans to open the Cinema again in August.  We obviously don’t know at this stage what capacity the cinema will be able to offer.  The Arts Society have just produced guidelines and training sessions for providing lectures on line which we will be pouring over! 

We will let you know as soon as we know more.

WHAT IS AVAILABLE ON LINE THIS MONTH

Meanwhile, as we we have mentioned before, The Arts Society website, Connected, is available to keep members in touch with the Arts during the lockdown.  Members should have received details of this and a link in the Arts Society emailed monthly newsletter.  Through this, you can enjoy the Arts at home with a series of films by Arts Society Accredited Lecturers, published every fortnight.

The current film features Arts Society Accredited Lecturer, Rebecca Hossack, on Aboriginal Art - recording the Dreamtime. It tells the histories and stories of three aboriginal paintings, hanging in her home. Works by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, and John Mawurndjul. They are three of the great painters of the Aboriginal tradition. Each painter comes from a different language group and culture and has a remarkably different approach and iconography. 

Rebecca Hossack is the Director of three internationally-renowned galleries, two in central London and one in New York. Now in its twenty-eighth year, the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery champions originality in contemporary Western and non-Western art. Celebrating and promoting inclusiveness and innovation, Hossack is credited with introducing Aboriginal art to Europe. To view the lecture Click here.....

Future lectures are:
7 July: Sandy Burnett,  Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fit of Rage: when his Third Symphony became the Eroica

Previous Lectures
If you haven’t managed to watch some of the previous lectures on British Glass, Click here......, The Anatomy of Collecting Art, Click here..... and Turner and the new £20, Click here......

Other Articles of Interest
If you would like to widen your knowledge on a wide range of arts subjects, make sure you read the Arts Society Instant Expert articles, the latest one on the Borgias is fascinating.  Paul Rabbitts who was due to visit us this May has also done an article on a History of the Great British Park and Doug Gillen who gave such a fascinating lecture in January, has an article on Street Art. Click here for the link.... Look under the menu icon in the top right hand corner of the page. You will find the articles in Arts, News and Features.

EXTRA BYTES

We are looking to the future and when our lecturers and SIDs can restart again.  When this happens  we would like a few extra volunteers to help with the Projection team.  These would be people willing to learn how we prepare the equipment needed for showing Power Point Slide Shows at lectures. After learning the ropes you would be part of a rota of projectionists who take turns to set up the projection for lectures and Special Interest Days. If you are interested please contact Christine Bull at ce.bull@btinternet.com

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NEWS BYTES

Dear Members
Welcome to the May edition of News Bytes. In these extraordinary times, although our lectures and visits are cancelled we will continue to use News Bytes to keep in touch.  Following the Government’s announcement on Sunday it looks as though we are looking at considerable timescales before things get back to even ‘the new normal’ so we will continue to let you know what is available on line and also what our plans will be for the longer term once things become clearer.

We know that a small number of members haven’t got email addresses so please  will you pass on the information to any friends you know who don’t use email.
 

CANCELLATION OF OUR SEPTEMBER VISIT AND AUTUMN HOLIDAY

We are really sorry that following the Government’s latest announcement and Arts Society advice, we do not feel that we can run either of our trips this Autumn. 

Our visit on 24th September to Ely Cathedral and the Stained Glass Museum is cancelled but we hope to run it either in the Spring or Autumn of 2021.

Equally we are cancelling our October holiday, The History and Heritage of Kent. We also hope that we can reorganise this for 2021. Christine Bull will be in touch with anyone who expressed an interest in the holiday.

On a more positive note, although we missed our trip to the Art Deco by the Sea exhibition at the Sainsbury’s Centre last month, the BBC have produced a film ‘Art Deco By The Sea - The Exhibition’. This is available on BBC iPlayer and via the BBC Arts webpage, as part of the Museum From Home / Culture in Quarantine initiative. Click here for the link  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08bqpjb

There is a lot of other great content on the Culture in Quarantine pages which is worth investigating. You can also buy a catalogue for the Art Deco by the Sea Exhibition from the Sainsbury Centre at https://sainsburycentre.ac.uk/shop-home/ click on the link.
 

‘CONNECTED’ THE ARTS SOCIETY’S NEW WEBSITE

As we mentioned in last month’s News Bytes, The Arts Society has launched a new website called Connected to keep members in touch with the Arts during the lockdown. Members should have received details of this and a link in the Arts Society emailed monthly newsletter. Through this, you can enjoy the arts at home with a series of films by Arts Society Accredited Lecturers, published every fortnight. Currently, antiques expert, TV presenter, author and publisher Mark Hill explores two aspects of the seismic changes in British glass during the ‘60s through two objects from his own collection.  There is also a link to an online discussion forum about the subject.  

Future lectures are:
19 May: Nicola Moorby, An Artist of Note: Turner and the new £20.

2 June: Marc Allum, The Anatomy of Collecting.

16 June: Rebecca Hossack, Aboriginal Art - recording the Dreamtime.

30 June: Sandy Burnett,  Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fit of Rage: when his Third Symphony became the Eroica.

The latest Arts Society bulletin highlights a number of other online cultural activities to enjoy this May including Chanel 4’s Grayson Perry’s Art Club and the Globe’s Shakespeare productions on YouTube. To access the latest bulletin with links to the lectures click here https://www.connected.theartssociety.org

We have also heard from Chris Alexander,  who we have booked for our lecture programme next year.  He has recorded a free lecture for AS members and has asked us to pass it on to you.  The lecture is on Propaganda in Central Asian Soviet Art. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4bYYLnMdH0&t=11s

You may also be interested in the virtual tours of exhibitions and other offerings which art galleries, such as The Tate, Royal Academy and National Gallery,  have on their websites.

NEWS BYTES
 

Dear Members

Welcome to the second edition of News Bytes. In these extraordinary times, we will use it to publicise the events we have regrettably had to cancel as well as our events in the longer term which we very much hope will still go ahead.  We must also look to the future of the society and our committee and include some requests for help.  

We know that a small number of members haven’t got email addresses so please will you pass on the information to any friends you know who don’t use email.

CORONAVIRUS 

LECTURE AND VISIT CANCELLATIONS

As you know we made the decision late last week to cancel our lecture this month.
Due to the rapid escalation of the virus and the change in government advice we have decided that we must now cancel ALL our trips and lectures until September 2020.

We very much hope to be able to rebook the lectures that we will miss for a future programme. We also hope to offer the trip to the Henry Moore Studios and gardens in June 2021.
 

OUR AUTUMN HOLIDAY
THE HISTORY AND HERITAGE OF KENT:  1st - 5th October 2020 

We are still planning for our trip to Kent in the Autumn and hope this will be something to look forward to in these bleak times.  

The holiday is a five day executive coach trip with Tailored Travel, staying in a 4 star hotel and with a blue badge guide.  We will visit:

• the medieval Penshurst Place and gardens 
• the town and Cathedral of Canterbury and Leeds Castle
• Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Great Dixter House and Gardens, All Saints’ Church with its Marc Chagall windows at Tudeley
• Margate and the Turner Contemporary Gallery
• Walmer Castle and Gardens
• Ightham Mote a superb moated manor house and garden.

So if you are thinking you need a holiday to distract you, contact Christine Bull on 01394 386366 ce.bull@btinternet.com to find out more information.  You can also view the tour online – visit www.tailored-travel.co.uk click on View Your Tour and quote wdbd201.

EXTRA BYTES

WE NEED a New Treasurer -  Could you help?

Colin, our Treasurer is retiring from the committee after 8 years and we are urgently searching for a new Treasurer to replace him in October.  The role takes up perhaps 5 or 6 hours a month and needs someone who is confident with numbers and has a working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word.  If you feel you might be able to help and would like an informal chat to find out more please contact Clare Richardson on 01394 384177 clarerichardson111@icloud.com  or Colin Edgar on 01394 387003 colin.edgrare@google.mail.com

New Committee members

We are also always keen to hear from anyone who would like to help out on the committee or with our projection at lectures and Special Interest Days. If you think you could spare a bit of time to help, and would like to find out more please contact Jane Lynam on 01394 384460 or by email on  j.lynam@btinternet.com

Clare Richardson
Co-Chair

Diana died on 18th August having been in office for two years. Despite having a life full of commitments, Diana took on the role of chairman in October 2016 having joined our committee the year before. As well as overseeing the smooth running of our society, she managed the process of the adoption of our new name as part of the national re-branding process with great efficiency and smoothly took us through the consequent changes needed to our constitution. She was meticulous in ensuring that the procedures for the new national data protection compliance were carried out. We will remember her with gratitude and affection and regret that she was unable to complete her term of office, but most of all we will remember her for her charm and grace when introducing and thanking the speaker at our monthly meetings.

We extend our deepest sympathy to her husband Michael and his family.

Bertie Pearce

Member of the Magic Circle with Gold Star

            will present a brand new illustrated talk

‘Creating an Imaginary World’

Coffee will be available from 10.15am and Bertie’s talk will begin at 11.00am.  Look forward to a glass of fizz, a special lunch with soft drinks; more magic, plus music during and after lunch from the classic jazzband Joyspring, a vibrant and energetic quartet playing well known jazz music by such composers as Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Clifford Brown. We will finish with tea and celebration cake                          

Sue Key-Burr has now served her three-year term of office as President. She has found much pleasure in her many years of service through various roles on the committee and subsequently as Vice President and President. She has given a great deal of time and energy to the Society and we thank her very much for that. We now welcome Kathy Vaughan as our new President.