Talk in Oxford on Kelmscott Manor Artist in Residence, Sasha Ward.

Friends may remember some years ago when Sasha Ward gave a talk on her work as an architectural glass artist and then more recently when she spoke about Matisse to accompany the Matisse cut outs exhibition. Over the summer she has been artist in residence at Kelmscott Manor, near Lechlade and is giving a talk about her time there in Oxford. For details see below (click for large image), the talk is free but book via the link below if you want to go as spaces are limited.

Tickets for Sasha Ward lecture at Radcliffe Humanities, Oxford

Make your Views known by 31st October

Swindon Museum & Art Gallery is embarking on an exciting new project to move from its current location in Old Town to a brand new purpose built facility in the town centre, at the heart of a new cultural quarter. 

This move will enable the Museum & Art Gallery to display more of its impressive collection of 20th century British art as well as host touring exhibitions. There will be more space to show off artefacts that tell the story of Swindon and display many great objects and collections. 

To have your say and help shape the new Museum & Art Gallery, let us know what you would like the new premises to offer by completing this short online questionnaire by October 31st:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SMAG_relocation_project 

To keep up to date on the project, please visit: 

www.swindon.gov.uk/museumandartgallery 

Colin Stirling of Barker Langham has been conducting a survey of all aspects of the move from the current location in Apsley House to the new location in the centre of town, he would like people to complete the questionnaire with a link below:

There are also 4 additional questions not covered by the questionnaire, these are:

• What should the museum be doing to attract new audiences?
• What are the main changes you would like to see happen?
• What are your views on the future of Apsley House?
• What new facilities  would you like to see made as part of the project?

Please email answers to info@barkerlangham.co.uk

Julian Trevelyan and 'The Potteries'

One of the most popular paintings in the Swindon Collection is probably 'The Potteries' by Julian Trevelyan.  While on the trip to Marlborough College and St Peters Church I found a copy of his autobiography 'Indigo Days' in the Church book sale. Published in 1957 it's a fascinating read of life from the artists point of view and he talks of his time in Stoke on Trent when he made the painting.
This work was made when he was involved in the 'Mass Observation' social research organisation in the 1930s with the likes of film maker Humphrey Jennings and anthropologist Tom Harrison.

You will notice the names of other famous artists of the time including some in our collection, Michael Wickham who is sadly not, is mentioned by Trevelyan as they were great friends. For awhile their work was thought indistinguishable although the example below painted in Salford for Mass Observation doesn't really show this. Wickham who went to Marlborough College lived at Coleshill for some time where he created and landscaped the gardens around the site of the old house, now in care of the National Trust and best remembered for being the home and training ground for Churchill's Secret Army, The Auxillers.

Trip to Marlborough College 24th September

Another sunny day for our second trip to Marlborough College. 

After walking through the grounds we stopped by the Shell Grotto that is nestled under the Mound,

now confirmed as a contemporary of Silbury Hill.  We then walked throughout the Rose Garden up the steps to the Chapel.

This amazing painted reredos may seem a bit high church for an Anglican school. 

The Morris and Co stained glass from a Burne Jones design was commissioned by architect

Bodley who Morris himself had worked with on his first stained glass project in Brighton.

The Spencer Stanhope paintings are spectacular and have caused some amusement amongst the college students this one being referred to as 'the appendix operation'.

We then met Simon Mckeown, head of History of Art at the school, who took us to B house to look at a few of the books from the antique book collection. Including the works of antiquarians, William Stukely, Richard Colt Hoare and William Cunnington.

A lot to look at including a comprehensive collection of Marlborough newspapers from the 18th century featuring international and local bulletins.

This was followed by a short walk to St Peters Church for lunch followed by a talk and tour of the tower by Jeremy York who will be giving us a talk in the new year on his time in Poland during the 1980s. These views from the tower show the College chapel and the High Street looking East.

A Trip to Marlborough College on 23rd and a talk by Steve Marshall on Friday 26th September

It's a busy week next week for Friends events, sadly I'll miss them because I'm in New York, but in case you're available and haven't booked a place to go on the Marlborough College trip on Tuesday 23rd September, this is what to do.
Please ring  Paul Ricketts on 01672 539688, they are meeting at at church at the end of the High Street at 10.30am.

Above one of the paintings in the chapel: Spencer Stanhope's 'Abraham Entertaining the Angels.

On Friday evening at the Museum and Art Gallery, there's a talk by Steve Marshall on 'Avebury Waterscapes', this popular, well known speaker will explain how the prevalence of water in the area led to early settlements at Avebury. The talk starts at 7.30pm,no advance tickets for this talk, just come along after 7.15pm and pay when you come in.
A couple of watery photos of the area:

What's Happening this Autumn? Latest Friends' Talks and Trips

The AGM will be held between 6.30-7.30pm on the 7th of November, and then there will be a talk at 8pm.

I have updated the talks and trips listing, to save you clicking, they are as follows:
Talks:
26.9.14 Steve Marshall talking about 'Avebury Waterscape', springs, rivers & the Avebury monuments
7.11.14 at 8pm after the AGM, Dr Mike Pringle will be talking about 'Remembering WW1', with particular emphasis on the home front. What was happening at home when men went off to fight?
28.11.14 Bryn Walters talking about Roman Towns in Wiltshire

Trips
23.9.14 Marlborough College meeting at 10.30am outside the church at the Marlborough College end of the High Street.
Numbers are limited so please ring Paul Ricketts on 01672 539688 to secure a place.
The blog post on the 24th March gives an idea of what to expect.

20.10.14 Devizes Museum 2pm meet there's an hour's talk by David Dawson on arrival and then a look around the newly refurbished museum.

Also SM&AG have these 3 talks in October:

18.10.14 7.30pm Professor Smiles will talk about Turner in the West Country, there is a charge of £3.50 for Friends for this talk.

24.10.14 7pm Back to Nature- Landscape and Modern British art-this talk costs £4.50 and will be given by Sophie Cummings

31.10.14 7pm a Contemporary Arts Society talk, this is a discussion between Sophie Cummings and Marcus Quaife and is free of charge.

 You may also be interested in the fact that Mike Yates' book 'Ralph Bates: Swindon's 'unknown author' is now available in Pen and Paper, and so is Mike Pringle's book 'Swindon Remembering 1914-18.

They are both excellent.

The exhibition 'Swindon in the Great War' opens Wednesday 6th August

This exhibition  Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, Bath Road, is housed on the ground floor, to the right and left as you go in through the front door.

This important, interesting and moving exhibition has been created by Mike Pringle and Mark Sutton with the support of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, the Local Studies and Family History team, and members of Swindon’s heritage community. The exhibition has been made possible thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The launch will include a talk by Mike Pringle, author of ‘Swindon: Remembering 1914-18’

So we have another book launched this week, I haven't known people who launched books very often, and suddenly there are two in one week!

Here's the cover of Mike's book, also available in Pen and Paper.

Mike's book also looks great, it was launched last night at Christ Church, the first 75 people to buy the book will also receive some commemorative 'Pringle Chocolate' there was still some left last night.