Dear Fellow Members,

We are looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Wednesday 1st May 2024.

John Ericson will speak on “Wind in the Willows revisited through its illustrators”.

The beauty of Kenneth Grahams prose is widely acknowledged but the story is so full of wonderful imagery that it almost demands to be illustrated. First published in 1908 without illustration, the classic tale of Mole, ratty and Mr Toad has been in print ever since. What is well less known is that it has been illustrated by more than 90 artists, making it the most widely illustrated book in the English Language. The illustrators include E H Shepherd, Arthur Rackham, Robert Ingpen, Val Biro and Inga Moore.

Lecture Feedback from last lecture in April by Cynthia Coleman who spoke on Faberge in Ukraine.

Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to post feedback.

The score for both content and slide quality averaged Excellent.

Future Trips

Our trip to Brighton is going ahead, Wednesday will be the last day to book and pay if you fancy this day out.

Hazel will be taking bookings for our trip to Polesdon Lacey and Denbies at the next meeting prior to the lecture. Our card machine is up and running and will be in use on Wednesday.

We will visit the Brighton i360 in the morning to see all of Brighton and the South Downs. In the afternoon there will be a visit to the Brighton Royal Pavilion

The cost is £51.50 which includes the driver’s tip

Bookings for the visit to Polesdon Lacey and Denbies Wine Estate on 10th July will also be taken at the next meeting.

Cost for National Trust members: £47.50 including driver’s tip. Non National Trust members £61.75

If you are making the payment by bank transfer can you let Hazel know? Thank you.

If you still possess a cheque book and wish to pay by cheque it would greatly speed up the process if your cheque is already written out before booking. (There can be quite a crush at the booking desk) Thank you in advance.

Refunds and Tips Policy for Events/Special Interest Days as per our Governance

· No Refund will be given unless the space is filled. Partial refunds are not given

· Tips: the present policy is to give 10% for meals, unless part of an agreed package and £1 per head for the coach driver

If you would like to bring a guest to the lecture - Just Ring or Text Gillian DB, Membership Secretary, 07788 804 344… Guest Fee continues to be a very reasonable £7… the correct change is preferred! Thank you! And…..we have the card machine so this will make payment easier if you do not have the cash on you.

The Arts Society is looking for 4 Trustees for the Board. They are inviting applicants, so if this is something that appeals to you and you wish to be involved at that level, I attach their e mail giving the background with a link for the application form;

Trustee Elections 2024 Please click here to download the note confirming the Trustee vacancies and elected Trustees nomination process for 2024.

At this time there will be four vacancies on the Trustee Board at the AGM 2024 which will be held on 23 August 2024. We therefore invite interested applicants who are members of local Societies to submit their nominations. Please find enclosed the following information on the Trustee role, supporting information and nomination form: · The Arts Society information for Trustee applicants · The Arts Society Strategy 2023-2026 · The Arts Society Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023 · The Articles of Association · The Charity Governance Code · The Charity Commission Essential Trustee guidance · Trustee Nomination Form (downloadable Word document) · Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (downloadable Word document) Please share this information with your Society members. Any Society members who are interested in the Trustee role should ensure they read and understand the requirements of the role (as supplied in the above information) and are eligible to be a Trustee. If there are queries about the Trustee role, please contact tim@theartssociety.org The deadline for nominations to be submitted to the Company Secretary is 13 June 2024. Details of the election, candidate statements and how to cast your vote will be sent to you in due course following the nominations deadline. The election results will be announced at the AGM on 23 August 2024.

Our committee needs you. We are a team of enthusiastic volunteers who strive to provide a good and welcoming experience to all our members and guests. We need more people to help, so if you have any spare time and can offer some assistance in any way, please see me at the next lecture. We have a vacancy for a Secretary and soon, we shall need new programme Secretaries who have contributed so much over the past years but feel the time is ripe to move on and pass the reins to someone else. It would certainly suit 2 people, so if this is something you might like to get involved in, please have a word with me after the lecture.

With kind regards

Jan Harbidge and the TAS Committee

Dear Fellow Members,

The committee and I are looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Wednesday 3rd April 2024.

 Cynthia Coleman Sparke will speak on “Faberge in Ukraine”

The House of Fabergé’s meteoric success saw a modest jewellery concern transformed into one of the world’s most iconic brands.  By 1900, the firm had gained international recognition, stunning the press and public with its displays at the Exposition Universelle in Paris.  At the dawn of the new century, Fabergé was poised for expansion, choosing Kiev and Odessa as outlets.  We will discuss the beauty and grandeur of Ukraine’s aristocratic estates, jewels of the Crimean Peninsula, that drew the most prominent families seeking respite from Northern winters.  

Lecture Feedback from last lecture in March Dr Sarah Pearson spoke on the Architecture of Las Vegas  

We had positive feedback from very many members and the score for both content and slide quality averaged Excellent. Thank you all who posted feedback.

Future Trips

Hazel will be taking bookings for our trips to Brighton and Polesdon Lacey at the next meeting prior to the lecture.

We are a little short on numbers for Brighton to make the trip viable so if you are interested, please book as soon as possible.

We will visit the Brighton i360 in the morning to see all of Brighton and the South Downs. In the afternoon there will be a visit to the Brighton Royal Pavilion

The cost is £51.50 which includes the driver’s tip

Bookings for the visit to Polesdon Lacey and Denbies Wine Estate  on 10th July will also be taken at the next meeting

Cost for National Trust members:  £47.50 including driver’s tip.   Non National Trust members £61.75

If you are making the payment by bank transfer can you let Hazel know? Thank you

If you still possess a cheque book and wish to pay by cheque it would greatly speed up the process if your cheque is already written out before booking. (There can be quite a crush at the booking desk)  Thank you in advance.

 Payable to:    The Arts Society Thames Estuary

·        Sort code:      30 – 98 – 90

·        Account No:  15814860

 We have purchased a Sum up machine to hopefully speed up payments. Please bear with us whilst we familiarize ourselves with this technology. Thank you

Refunds and Tips Policy for Events/Special Interest Days as per our Governance

·         No Refund will be given unless the space is filled.  Partial refunds are not given

·         Tips:  the present policy is to give 10% for meals, unless part of an agreed package and £1 per head for the coach driver

If you would like to bring a guest to the lecture -  Just Ring or Text Gillian DB, Membership Secretary, 07788 804 344… Guest Fee continues to be a very reasonable £7… the correct change is preferred!   Thank you!

 Essex Area Study Day - 22 April 2024 - Italy and the Islamic World

A Special Interest Day is running at Little Baddow Memorial Hall, Little Baddow, Chelmsford CM3 4TA if you wish to attend please contact Megan Bashir direct on meganbashir@gmail.com

Dr Antonia Gatward-Cevizli will be lecturing on the diplomatic, trading and cultural exchanges between Italy and the Islamic world during the 14th to 17th Centuries. The cost is £38 to include 3 lectures, morning coffee and lunch with wine and soft drinks.

Our committee needs you. We are a team of enthusiastic volunteers who strive to provide a good and welcoming experience to all our members and guests. We need more people to help, so if you have any spare time and can offer some assistance in any way, please see me at the next lecture. We have a vacancy for a Secretary and soon, we shall need new programme Secretaries who have contributed so much over the past years but feel the time is ripe to move on and pass the reins to someone else. It would certainly suit 2 people, so if this is something you might like to get involved in, please have a word with me after the lecture.

Change to The Arts Society Governance plans. Members may be aware that the Arts Society wish to change their Governance policy. As explained to me, they wish to update and modernise the Society, making it more relevant to todays society in the wake of falling numbers. This is an extract from their web site that summarises their aims;

We want to make the arts mean more to more people. We believe our traditional model cannot achieve this alone and research we have undertaken suggests that the federated, local Society model is no longer sufficient, by itself, to satisfy the proper fulfilment of the Charity’s objects. Because of this, and to carry on delivering our charitable objects, we must invest resources in building new capabilities and expanding our business model to reach a more diverse range of audiences in new places. We will do this by prioritising technology and digital channels in our future planning and investment decisions, and by re-shaping our relationship with local Societies as a streamlined service. In order to create a self-reliant (and self-sustaining) business model for the charity we will restructure the governance and funding arrangements appropriately.

 OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES • We will continue to support Societies with services they need at a cost that is more affordable to both parties: our focus here is on creating platforms, frameworks and toolkits to aid Societies become more self-sustaining • We will diversify our income streams through developing a range of new products • We will increase access to our services to a broader audience • We will restructure the financial model of The Arts Society • We will seek funding for some of our activities through sponsorship and or fundraising • We will revisit our Volunteering strategy to strengthen the role of Societies in their communities • We will review our governance structure and implement a structure that is fit for our new goals.

At our recent Area meeting I did ask what this ACTUALLY means for us as a local Society. What was the impact? I was advised that we would not see any change, we would continue to be an autonomous Society, with our own Constitution and ability to run our Society for the benefit of OUR members.

We have a vote to be cast at the  EGM on the 15th April 2024. Each Society gets one vote. In reality that means I have to vote on your behalf. Yes to the change or No.

I will be seeking a show of hands next Wednesday to either approve or not the Society’s proposals on this reform.

With kind regards             

Jan Harbidge and the TAS Committee                                                    Email:  thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

Dear Fellow Members,

The committee and I are looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Wednesday 6th March 2024.

 Sarah Pearson will speak on “Archiecture of Las Vegas”

The translation of Las Vegas is The Meadows, and it was on water meadows in the deserts of Nevada that the early settlers began constructing the city whose name would become synonymous with gambling, wealth, and casinos. This lecture charts the rise of Las Vegas and considers the very distinctive architecture of Casinos and their spiralling construction costs. A fascinating study of greed, over construction, and architectural downfall, this lecture brings the unique art and architecture of Las Vegas to life. 

Lecture Feedback from last lecture in February   -  Shauna Isaac spoke on “ The Art of the Steal :Nazi Looting during WWII”

We had positive feedback from 56 members and the score for both content and slide quality averaged Excellent

Hazel will be taking bookings for our trip to Brighton on 15th May prior to the lecture.

We will visit the Brighton i360 in the morning to see all of Brighton and the South Downs. In the afternoon there will be a visit to the Brighton Royal Pavillion

The cost is £51.50 which includes the driver’s tip 

 Please note  Bookings for the visit to Polesdon Lacey and Denbies Wine Estate  on 10th July will not be taken until May

Cost for National Trust members:  £47.50 including driver’s tip.   Non National Trust members £61.75

Special Interest Day on 20th March: Two members are now no longer able to go to the Special Interest Day so we have two places available.  If you wish to join us on the 20th March contact Jean Jacobi. 

A reminder that Saxon Hall will be providing a Mid-Week Carvery on the first Wednesday of every month – the same day as our meeting – .from 6th March 2024.

Time – between 12.30 and 2pm.

2 or 3 courses                Prices:   2 courses  £16           3 Courses  £19.50

Bookings – contact Saxon Hall on 01702 545554.    Email:  colette@saxonhall.co.uk

If you would like to bring a guest to the lecture contact Gillian DB, Membership Secretary,  Guest Fee continues to be a very reasonable £7… the correct change is preferred!   Thank you!

With kind regards             

Jan Harbidge and the TAS Committee                                                                                           Email:  thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

Dear Fellow Members,

The committee and I are looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Wednesday 7th February 2024.

 Shauna Isaac will speak on ‘The Art of the Steal :Nazi Looting during WWI

The Nazis looted over 20% of Western Art during World War II, confiscating art from Jewish families and emptying museums throughout Europe. This lecture will provide an overview of Nazi looting by setting the scene in Nazi Germany, discussing Hitler’s obsession with art and how the Monuments Men recovered art after the war. Several landmark cases will be discussed in detail, including Gustav Klimt’s celebrated Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer and the stash of over 1200 artworks found in possession of the son of a notorious Nazi dealer.

 Lecture Feedback from last lecture in January – Impressionist Paintings in Snow

We again had a very positive response from 58 members. It would be great to hear from more of you when the feedback request is posted, so please spend a few minutes letting us know what you thought of the lecture.

The score for both content and slide quality averaged Excellent

We apologise for a problem with the sound system at this lecture which did cause some interference. The problem was found and rectified.

What’s coming up?

Save the Dates for two visits:

On 15th May a visit has been arranged to the Brighton I 360 in the morning to see all of Brighton and the South Downs. In the afternoon there will be a visit to the Brighton Royal Pavillion.     Bookings will be taken in March     Cost £51.50 which includes driver’s tip

On 10th July there will be a morning visit to Polesdon Lacey (National Trust) near Dorking.  Lunch time at Polesdon Lacey.  In the afternoon there will be a visit to Denbies Winde Estate where we will have an outdoor vineyard train tour, followed by an indoor tour with wine tasting.

Cost for National Trust members:  £47.50 including driver’s tip.   Non National Trust members £61.75

Bookings will be taken in May

The Special Interest Day on 20th March is now fully booked but if a member would still like to come Jean Jacobi may be contacted in case there are any last minute cancellations. 

A member asked us for the names of the artists mentioned by Julian Halsby in his lecture on Impressionist Painting of Snow and he has kindly provided us with the following names:

Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Henri Le Sidaner, Fritz Thaulow, Gustave Callebotte, Chide Hassam, Willard Metcalf, Walter Launt Palmer, Hiroshige 

We would also like to let you know that Saxon Hall will be providing a Mid-Week Carvery on the first Wednesday of every month – the same day as our meeting – .from 6th March 2024.

Time – between 12.30 and 2pm.

2 or 3 courses                Prices:   2 courses  £16           3 Cources   £19.50

Bookings – contact Saxon Hall on 01702 545554.    Email:  colette@saxonhall.co.uk

Publicity Flyers for this will be available in reception at our meeting next week.

A quick reminder – Single lecture gift vouchers are again available, valid up to July 2024 (£7).

If you would like to bring a guest Just contact Gillian DB, Membership Secretary.  Guest Fee continues to be a very reasonable £7… the correct change is preferred!   Thank you!

With kind regards             

Jan Harbidge and the TAS Committee                                                                                                                     Email:  thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

Dear Fellow Members,

The committee and I do hope you all had a very good Christmas and are looking forward to 2024.

We are looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Wednesday 3rd January 2024.

And, as usual, we have an excellent lecture lined up for you.

Our lecturer is Julian Halsby; Impressionist paintings in Snow

The Impressionist movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries produced some of the finest snow paintings in the history of Art. Although the 17th century Dutch masters had painted snow, it was not a common subject until it’s rediscovery by the Impressionists. Claude Monet,  Camille Pissarro and Alfred Sisley all painted snow, often standing for hours  in the open air to capture the subtleties of light and colour produced by recent snow fall.

This is a lecture rich in wonderful images which combines paintings by both well known and lesser-known artists.

Lecture Feedback from last lecture in December;  

We had a very positive response from 58 members. It would be great to hear from more of you when the feedback request is posted, so please spend a few minutes letting us know what you thought of the lecture. 

 The score for both content and slide quality averaged Excellent

 What’s coming up? 

We have also arranged another Special Interest Day on Wednesday 20th March 2024.

 Here are the details;

 Back by popular request

Andrew Prince

Introducing two new lectures:

A Portrait of Jewels

Inspired by a visit to the National Portrait Gallery, Andrew wondered what had happened to all the spectacular jewellery worn by the Tudor, Stuart & Hanoverian monarchs.  He traces many of these spectacular pieces.

Catherine The Great

Andrew looks at Catherine’s collection of dazzling jewels, pieces of art and sculpture.

Andrew will also bring his collection of ‘Downton Abbey’ jewellery to display, for those of you who did not get a chance to look (and try on!) at the October meeting.

Programme for the day

10.30 am – 11.30 am …. Lecture One

11.30 am – 12 …. Coffee

12 – 1 pm …. Lecture Two

1.30 pm …. Lunch

The price for the day will be £40, which will include morning coffee, a two-course lunch with coffee/tea. (Veg option)

 Please contact Jean Jacobi to reserve your space and choose your menu

Only a few places remaining.

 Please pay by bank transfer if possible: The Arts Society Thames Estuary

Account number: 15814860

Sort code: 30-98-90

And looking forward, we are discussing a trip to London (make your own way) to enjoy the Van Gogh immersive experience. Details to follow.

 And, if you wish to bring a guest, if you could give Gillian, our membership secretary a call, that would be ever so greatly appreciated.

Guest Fee continues to be a very reasonable £7… the correct change is preferred! Or if paying by cheque, a pre written cheque would greatly speed up the process. Thank you

 Refunds and Tips Policy for Events/Special Interest Days per our Governance

 ·       No refund will be given unless the space is filled.  Partial refunds are not given.

·       Tips: The present policy is to give 10% for meals, unless part of an agreed package and £1 per head for the coach driver

 A quick reminder – Single lecture gift vouchers are again available, valid up to July 2024 (£7).

And finally, you may recall our donation to St Christopher’s school to help fund a trip for some of their students. This is what their tutor had to say,

A huge thank you to the Estuary Art group for your donation to fund this trip. We had a fab day out; looking at a variety of different types of art. It got the group talking and for many it was the first time that they had actually been to a gallery. They were particularly impressed with the radio tower.

We couldn't do this without you all and again it is appreciated beyond words.

Dear Fellow Members,

We are looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Wednesday 1st November.

Our lecturer is Chris Alexander

“May the eye not strike”   Spiritual protection in Islamic textiles and Jewellery

Belief in the Evil Eye is still widespread across the Muslim world and is particularly prevalent amongst women, who often fear the jealousy of other women and the potential curse this can bring. Amulets, embroidered mirror work, beads, holy embroidered Su Doku (yes really!) and power emblems such as the hand, the eye, ram’s horns, the triangle and the chilli all help protect those fearful of the Evil Eye or jinn. Whether adorning a person or a cradle, house or yurt, textiles, and jewellery, and even architecture have been shaped by a desire to provide spiritual protection.

And in case you thought this has nothing to do with European culture, what is the connection between paisley ties, bridesmaids dresses and the evil Eye?

Lecture Feedback

 Please provide feed back on the lecture once prompted. Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on Andrew Prince’s lecture. The score for both content and slide quality averaged Excellent

What’s coming up?

On the 6th December 2023 we have arranged a Xmas lunch at Saxon Hall after our lecture.

The cost is £28.00. 2 course Xmas lunch (main and a pud) or Vegetarian option.

 Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green after the  meeting and arrange payment by Bank Transfer if possible (our preferred method)

If you are making the payment by bank transfer can you let Hazel know? Thank you

If you still possess a cheque book and wish to pay by cheque it would greatly speed up the process if your cheque is already written out before booking. (There can be quite a crush at the booking desk)  Thank you in advance.

  Payable to:    The Arts Society Thames Estuary

·        Sort code:      30 – 98 – 90

·        Account No:  15814860

 If you have booked for the Festive lunch at Hintlesham Hall  on the 13th December (now fully booked) The pick up times are as follows;

Southend Airport             08.05 am

Thorpe Bay Station          08.30 am

Queensway Southend       08.40 am

The Cricketers                 08.45 am

Chalkwell Park                 08.55 am

The Elms                         09.05 am

Thames Drive                  09.10 am

Hadleigh Church               09.20 am

HOLIDAY June 2024

This was mentioned last time but I have some further details for you. The price has reduced by opting for British Airways from Heathrow. Tailored Travel will be our travel partners for this holiday.

See our Visits and Holidays tab for further details. I think you can see that it is a fabulous trip and it would be lovely to share this with you.

We are compiling a list as we are currently holding this option. We do need a minimum of 30 people to make the holiday viable so if you wish to include family and or friends then please do so. Hazel will be co ordinating names and requests going forward. I will also be asking our fellow societies to mention the trip to their members.

Refunds and Tips Policy for Events/Special Interest Days per our Governance

·       No refund will be given unless the space is filled.  Partial refunds are not given.

·       Tips: The present policy is to give 10% for meals, unless part of an agreed package and £1 per head for the coach driver

A quick reminder with Christmas approaching – Single lecture gift vouchers are again available, valid up to July 2024 (£7). The sheet giving dates and lecture titles is included in envelope with voucher

With Kind Regards,

 Jan Harbidge and the TAS Committee

Email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

Dear Fellow Members,

Welcome back to you all and a very special welcome to our new members. The Committee and I would also like to say a big thank you for the prompt payments of the fees.

This is the first newsletter without our wonderful Secretary, so I do hope it is up to the usual standard! And please let me say, on behalf of your committee, a huge grateful thanks to Carol for her years of stewardship. She will be greatly missed.

As ever, if there is anyone who feels they can offer some assistance to us, however small, we would love to hear from you.

IMPORTANT UPDATE;

Our next lecturer for our first lecture on the 4th October is gravely ill and has cancelled the lecture on John Ruskin And the Pre Raphaelites. Our lecture programmers have managed to secure Andrew Prince. He will be giving a talk on the Glamour Years 1929 to 1959.

Andrew shows how Hollywood of the 1930’s and the Second World War had such an extraordinary effect on fashion and jewellery design. I am excited to hear about such a glamorous age and I hope you will understand the late substitution and still come to what promises to be an exciting and interesting lecture.

He will also bring with him the jewellery he made which was used in Downton Abbey .

 Please do not forget to register and pick up your Programme notes and yellow Lecture information sheet for next year.  A gentle reminder to those who have not yet paid – please pay as soon as possible.

Lecture Feedback

Please provide feed back on the lecture once prompted. Thank you

 London Walk – Whitechapel and Spitalfields - Wednesday 11th October 2023 - £19

Dear Fellow Members,

How lovely it has been to enjoy the longer sunny days, although my garden has welcomed the rain when it has come.

Lecture Feedback

Thank you to the 53 members who took the time to provide feedback for last month’s lecture on “La Serenissima-The Golden Era of Music in Venice”.  This is so helpful when we provide feedback to Head Office. Content and image quality are marked from poor through outstanding. This month’s marks proved to be the best of this season with both content and image quality averaging out as outstanding.

AGM and July Lecture - Wednesday 5th July 2023 – 10:30

This year’s AGM and final lecture for the season will be on Wednesday 5th July 2023 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. The AGM will commence at 10:30, followed by lecture by Paul Rabbitts’ lecture on " A History of the Royal Parks.

London's royal parks are among its most beautiful and beloved spaces just as much as the Houses of Parliament or Buckingham Palace. Since being opened to the public during the eighteenth century, they have hosted some of London's great events, including the Great Exhibition and innumerable jubilees and celebrations.

This lecture tells the story of all eight of the parks from the point when they were acquired by the monarchy until the present day, including the major historic moments and events with which they are associated.

Zoom Access Scheme

As previously mentioned, If you remain a society member, you can still sign up to the Zoom Access Scheme and view other Societies zoomed monthly lectures, by completing the sign-up online form using the following link:

https://theartssociety.org/civicrm/profile/create?gid=55&reset=1

Visitors to meetings

If you are bringing a visitor to a meeting, where possible, would you kindly contact the Membership Secretary, Gillian Donovan Buck, beforehand  All members and visitors must register on the day of the lecture.

Saville Gardens, with boat trip and cream tea – Wednesday 12th July 2023 - £55

All places have been taken on this trip to Windsor. If you would like your name added to the waiting list, please contact Hazel Green

 London Walk – Whitechapel and Spitalfields - Wednesday 11th October 2023 - £19

Places are still available for a walking tour with Andrew Davies, meeting at Liverpool Street Station at 11:15 and ending at 15:45, with a break for lunch.

Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green at the July meeting and arrange payment by Bank Transfer if possible, or cheque:

Festive Fayre Lunch at Hintlesham Hall, Suffolk – Wednesday 13th December 2023 - £54

This trip includes coach, Bucks Fizz, 2 course lunch with coffee and mince pies.

Please note:

Refunds and Tips Policy for Events/Special Interest Days per our Governance

·       No refund will be given unless the space is filled.  Partial refunds are not given.

·       Tips: The present policy is to give 10% for meals, unless part of an agreed package and £1 per head for the coach driver

Membership Renewal

Thank you to all members who have already paid their membership fees for next season. Please remember to:

• bring your completed Renewal Form to July’s meeting or
• scan and email to the Membership Secretary or post                                 

PLEASE NOTE: AS THERE IS A WAITING LIST, PLEASE RETURN YOUR RENEWAL FORM  BY 31ST AUGUST TO GUARANTEE MEMBERSHIP NEXT YEAR. 

Treasures of Essex - £5

If anyone would like one of the last available copies of The Arts Society (Essex Area) book entitled “Treasures of Essex” please speak to Jean Jacobi.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

We have been so fortunate with the sunny weather recently. I hope you had plenty of opportunities to enjoy it.

Lecture Feedback

Thank you to the 47 members who took the time to provide feedback for last month’s lecture on Mughal art.  This is so helpful when we provide feedback to Head Office. Content and image quality are marked from poor through outstanding. This month’s marks averaged out at ‘very good’ for both content and image. 

*************************************************************************

PLEASE NOTE:

TO GUARANTEE MEMBERSHIP NEXT YEAR, PLEASE RETURN YOUR RENEWAL FORM  BY

31ST AUGUST, AS THERE IS A WAITING LIST.

**************************************************************************

June Lecture – Wednesday 5th June 2023 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 5th June 2023 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00 for registration, with refreshments available. The lecture by Patrick Craig on " La Serenissima-The Golden Era of Music in Venice" will commence at 10:30.

Patrick Craig will explore the rich musical traditions of Venice.

Claudio Monteverdi not only transformed the music at the Basilica of San Marco but also led the way in the creation of a new art form - opera. We shall look at and listen to works from the other musical geniuses who developed the musical life of San Marco such as Gabrieli and Lotti, as well as tracing Monteverdi’s successors in the creation of Venetian opera, including Cavalli and Albinoni. We shall also examine and hear music from Antonio Vivaldi, the other towering figure of Venetian music, who created music both for the opera stage and the female musicians of the Ospidale della Pietà.

Zoom Access Scheme

If you remain a society member, you can still sign up to the Zoom Access Scheme and view other Societies zoomed monthly lectures, by completing the sign-up online form using the following link:

https://theartssociety.org/civicrm/profile/create?gid=55&reset=1

AGM Wednesday 5th July 2023

You should have received the papers for this year’s AGM – Wednesday 5th July 2023, either by email or post. If you have not received them, please let us know.

We are still looking for someone to take over the role of Honorary Secretary. If you have any queries about this role, please contact Jan Harbidge for further information.

Saville Gardens, with boat trip and cream tea – Wednesday 12th July 2023 - £55

All places have been taken on this trip to Windsor. If you would like your name added to the waiting list, please contact Hazel Green. 

London Walk – Whitechapel and Spitalfields - Wednesday 11th October 2023 £19

Planning is underway for another walking tour with Andrew Davies, commencing at Liverpool Street Station from 11:15 until 15:45, including a break for lunch.

Young Arts

You may remember, that with our support, children from St Christopher School Academy Trust (part of SEN Trust Southend), had a trip to London to the Tate Modern in March. The school kindly invited Jean Jacobi to view art in the school and this is her response:-

“I was invited to St.Christopher’s School to see an exhibition of Year 10’s art work. The pupils had curated this as part of their art awards scheme. There were displays of GCSE work and samples of designs for one of the “elephant’s” that will be on display in the town this summer. Their designed elephant will be exhibited outside ‘Twenty-One’ by the pier entrance.

The year 10 pupils so enjoyed the visit to the Tate Gallery in the Spring and are very grateful to The Arts Society Thames Estuary for donating the money enabling them to go.

The Art department at the school is so supportive of the students of all abilities, who are encouraged to design and create works of art.

There may even be another Banksy in their midst.”

Visitors to meetings

If you are bringing a visitor to a meeting, where possible, would you kindly contact the Membership Secretary, Gillian Donovan Buck. All members and visitors must register on the day of the lecture.

Treasures of Essex

There are a few copies of The Arts Society (Essex Area) book entitled “Treasures of Essex” still available to purchase at a price of £5 per book and help to  support your Society’s funds.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

I hope you all had a good Easter and have been able to enjoy the sunshine, in between the showers.

Lecture Feedback

Thank you to the 40 members who took the time to provide feedback for last month’s lecture on Grinling Gibbons.  This is so helpful when we provide feedback to Head Office. Content and image quality are marked from poor through outstanding. This month’s marks averaged out at 3.95 for  content and 3.92 for image i.e., ‘Excellent’ for both. 

 MayLecture – Wednesday 3rd May 2023 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 5th April 2023 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00 for registration, with refreshments available. The lecture by Georgina Bexon on " The Art of the Mughal world" will commence at 10:30.

The 16th to 18th centuries in India witnessed the golden artistic period of Mughal rule, marked by a unique flowering of art and architecture, unrivalled in luxury and opulence. These mighty Emperors were dedicated patrons of skilled artists, sculptors, jewellers, engravers, architect, poets and calligraphers. This talk considers the fascinating fusing of Persian, European, and indigenous Indian influences that produced this glorious work and also its use as a highly successful form of propaganda.

Please remember that lectures will no longer be available via Zoom.

Zoom Access Scheme

If you remain a society member, you can still sign up to the Zoom Access Scheme and view other Societies zoomed monthly lectures, by completing the sign-up online form using the following link:

https://theartssociety.org/civicrm/profile/create?gid=55&reset=1

 Virtual tour of Venice Part 2 – Wednesday 19th April 2023

This event proved popular and very positive feedback has been received since the event. Thanks to Hazel Green for organising and Madeleine Quane, Gail Sealey and Carol Kitching for their work behind the scenes.

 AGM Wednesday 5th July 2023

Please accept this as a reminder of the date of this year’s AGM – Wednesday 5th July 2023, prior to the lecture. The Nomination Form to cover committee vacancies will be issues shortly.

We are still looking for someone to take over the role of Honorary Secretary. If you have any queries about this role, please contact Jan Harbidge for further information.

Saville Gardens, with boat trip and cream tea – Wednesday 12th July 2023 - £55

All places have been taken on this trip to Windsor. If you would like your name added to the waiting list, please contact Hazel Green by email hlgreen@gmail.com.

London Walk – Whitechapel - Wednesday 11th October 2023 £19

Planning is underway for another walking tour with Andrew Davies, commencing at Liverpool Street Station from 11:15 until 15:45, including a break for lunch.

Visitors to meetings

If you are bringing a visitor to a meeting, where possible, would you kindly contact the Membership Secretary, Gillian Donovan Buck, beforehand . All members and visitors must register on the day of the lecture.

 Treasures of Essex

There are a few copies of The Arts Society (Essex Area) book entitled “Treasures of Essex” still available to purchase at a price of £5 per book and help to  support your Society’s funds.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

It is so nice to have the longer daylight now and look forward to the warmer days.

Lecture Feedback

Thank you to the 56 members who have taken  the time to provide feedback for last month’s lecture.  Content and image quality are marked from poor, satisfactory, good, very good , excellent through to outstanding, each being given a mark from 1 (poor) through to 6 (outstanding). These marks are then averaged out through the number of feedbacks received to provide a figure for Head Office feedback. This month’s marks bordered on outstanding for both content and image. 

Special Interest Day – 22 March 2022

Thank you to all those who attended the Special Interest Day. The lectures by Howard Smith proved enthralling, with continuous photograph and video evidence of the topics, some rarely seen before. The lunch also proved a great success. Special thanks to Jean for all her efforts to make the day a success for everyone and to our helpful volunteers who made the day run smoothly.

April Lecture – Wednesday 5th April 2023 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 5th April 2023 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00 for registration, with refreshments available. The lecture by Justin Reay on " The loose and airy lightness of flowers - Grinling Gibbons and his carvings in wood" will commence at 10:30.

From his detailed research over 25 years into Gibbons’ life and career, Justin Reah dispels some of the myths around this almost mythical carver and discusses the techniques he used to create a convincing illusion of reality. Illustrated with over-mantels, picture surrounds, sculpture and architectural mouldings from many private and public collections, this talk makes a case for identifying Gibbons as a major artist and perhaps the best sculptor in wood ever to lift a chisel.

We will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom, live at home.

Please remember this is the last time the monthly lecture will be available via Zoom.

The lecturer will not be visible, but you will be able to hear their commentary and see the slides.  This presentation is available to members only and cannot be recorded for future viewing.

AS WITH ANY ZOOM SESSION, TECHNICAL ISSUES CAN SOMETIMES ARISE WHICH MAY BE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

On lecture day, click the link below from 10 minutes before the start at 10:30.
<link removed>

Please follow the instructions on screen, which may ask for your email address. If asked for a name, please type in your full name so we can identify you as a member. Then press ‘Join webinar’. The date and time should then be shown until the session begins. If you have any concerns before the lecture, please let us know.

Virtual tour of Venice Part 2 – Wednesday 19th April 2023 - £7

Places are still available for the virtual walking tour of  Venice, in the DORSODURO district of Venice.

The virtual walk is open to family and friends at a cost of £7.00 per link.  We will need their email address to be able to send out the link nearer the time.

·        Date: Wednesday 19 April

·        Cost: £7 per person

·        Start: 10:00

·        End: 11:15 approximately

If you are interested in watching this live virtual walking tour of Venice, please contact  Hazel Green by email hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

Zoom Access Scheme

If you remain a society member, you can still sign up to the Zoom Access Scheme and view other Societies zoomed monthly lectures, by completing the sign-up online form using the following link:

<link removed>

The Arts Society Conference and AGM 23-24 May 2023 Bristol

Please find attached details of the Arts Society Conference and AGM to be held in Bristol. speak to a committee member if you have any queries regarding this event.

AGM Wednesday 5th July 2023

Please accept this as a reminder of the date of this year’s AGM – Wednesday 5th July 2023. Jan Harbidge, our Chair, informed you at the February meeting that fees will need to go up this year. This is due to the hall fee increasing by 50% effective immediately.  The lecturers are also increasing their fees.

Saville Gardens, with boat trip and cream tea – Wednesday 12th July 2023 - £55

All places have been taken on this trip to Windsor. If you would like your name added to the waiting list, please contact Hazel Green  

Young Arts

With our support, children from St Christopher School Academy Trust (part of SEN Trust Southend), had a very successful trip to London to the Tate Modern this month. 

Please take the time to look at the card the children sent as a thank you – which will be on display at Jean’s desk.                                                                                   

Visitors to meetings

If you are bringing a visitor to a meeting, where possible, would you kindly contact the Membership Secretary, Gillian Donovan Buck, beforehand. 

All members and visitors must register on the day of the lecture.

All visitors on the membership waiting list will be contacted shortly.

Treasures of Essex

Copies of The Arts Society (Essex Area) book entitled “Treasures of Essex” are still available to purchase at a price of £5 per book and help to  support your Society’s funds.

Gift  Vouchers

Gift Vouchers to cover one lecture are still available to buy for your friends at £7 each.

Southend-in-Sight - Notecards for sale

Thank you to all who have purchased Carole Brown’s notelets. We have raised £172 for Southend-in-Sight charity. Jean Jacobi still has a few packs if anyone would like some, priced at 8 cards for £4, or 2 packs for £6.

Help your committee

The specific role of Honorary Secretary needs to be filled at the AGM. A profile covering the Secretary’s role is available to interested parties. Please contact any member of the committee for further details.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

I hope you have been enjoying the sunny days we have been having. How lovely to see the spring bulbs starting to appear.

Lecture Feedback

Thank you to the 50 members who very kindly took the time to provide feedback for last month’s lecture.  Content and image quality are marked from poor, satisfactory, good, very good , excellent through to outstanding, each being given a mark from 1 (poor) through to 6 (excellent). These marks are then averaged out through the number of feedbacks received to provide a figure for Head Office feedback. The averaged marks were 2.48 (Good) for Content and 2.6 (Good) for image.

 March Lecture – Wednesday 1st March 2023 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 1st March 2023 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00 for registration, with refreshments available. The lecture by Chloe Sayer on " Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera - The golden age of Mexican Painting " will commence at 10:30.

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) and Diego Rivera (1886-1957) have iconic status in Mexico. Inspired by Aztec and Maya imagery and Italian fresco painting, Rivera's vast murals, rich with allegory and symbolism, adorn the walls of public buildings. Kahlo's work is small in comparison. Arguably Mexico’s most original painter, she made herself the principal theme of her art, reflecting experiences and dreams. This lecture surveys work both artists work; it chronicles their turbulent marriage and Mexico's history after the 1910 Revolution.  

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom, live at home.

The lecturer will not be visible, but you will be able to hear their commentary and see the slides.  This presentation is available to members only and cannot be recorded for future viewing.

AS WITH ANY ZOOM SESSION, TECHNICAL ISSUES CAN SOMETIMES ARISE WHICH MAY BE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

 On lecture day, click the link below from 10 minutes before the start at 10:30.
<link removed>

Please follow the instructions on screen, which may ask for your email address. If asked for a name, please type in your full name so we can identify you as a member. Then press ‘Join webinar’. The date and time should then be shown until the session begins. If you have any concerns before the lecture, please let us know.

Special Interest Day Wednesday 22nd March 2023 - £40

CAPTURING REAL PEOPLE DOING REAL THINGS

The committee are looking forward to welcoming members, family and friends to this event, which will include a two-course lunch with coffee/tea and three lectures by Howard Smith.

Lecture 1     The GPO Film Unit The birth of Documentaries

This is the story of how documentary films started from the early French and Edwardian days of silent movies. It will look at the Soviet influence with Battleship Potemkin, to the formation of the GPO film unit by John Grierson with Albero Cavalcanti in the 1930s.

Lecture 2  Leni Riefenstahl - Hitler’s filmmaker

Leni Riefenstahl was one of the most creative women of the twentieth century. She was a dancer, actress and filmmaker. Her films of the 1934 Nuremberg rally and the 1936 Berlin Olympic games were award winning and used many techniques that were way ahead of their time and still used today. She lived to be over 100 and continued to make documentaries long after the war.

Lecture 3  Creating the golden Era of Transatlantic Liners

Using marine art, vintage films and rare images from Shipbuilder magazine, this documentary style talk includes the incredible story of the magnificent ships that competed on the lucrative Atlantic route to the States with the Lusitania and Titanic disasters – the contrast between how the very rich travelled and the 13 million immigrants in steerage.

Programme

·        10:00                 Registration

·        10:30                  Lecture 1

·        11:30                  Break

·        11:45                  Lecture 2

·        12:45 – 13:30    Lunch

·        13:30 – 14:30    Lecture 3

Main course:
Roast leg of lamb & mint sauce, with chef’s choice of traditional potatoes and vegetables or the vegetarian option - Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne

Dessert course:
Mango & Passionfruit Cheesecake or the vegetarian option - Hot cherries with Rossi’s ice-cream or Traditional English cheeseboard

Tea, coffee & mints

If you have already booked, would you please provide Jean with your lunch choice.

To book your place, please email thamesestuary@theartssociety.org   and arrange payment by Bank Transfer if possible, or cheque:

Due to the technology being used in this series of lectures there will be no zoom link - so come and enjoy the day with friends.

Virtual tour of Venice Part 2 – Wednesday 19th April 2023 - £7

Please join us for a virtual walking tour of  Venice, in the DORSODURO district (part 2), starting by the Church of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli, once a very popular district, where fishermen, boatyards and small hospices for needy people would be. You will see the University of Architecture by the ex-cotton factory, but also Campo San Barnaba and Campo Santa Margherita, quite well-known squares, although far from the monumental atmosphere of some other Venetian campos. A very lively area for students, residents and lovely cafes and artisans’ workshops.

The virtual walk is open to family and friends at a cost of £7.00 per head.  We will need their email address to be able to send out the link nearer the time.

·        Date: Wednesday 19 April

·        Cost: £7 per person

·        Start: 10:00

·        End: 11:15 approximately

If you are interested in watching this live virtual walking tour of Venice, please contact  Hazel Green 

Cessation of monthly lecture via zoom

Please remember that Zoom will cease after the April lecture. However, if you remain a society member, you can sign up to the Zoom Access Scheme and view other Societies zoomed monthly lectures, by completing an online form.

If you wish to join the Zoom Access Scheme please complete the sign-up form using the link https://theartssociety.org/civicrm/profile/create?gid=55&reset=1

Saville Gardens, with boat trip and cream tea – Wednesday 12th July 2023 - £55

Limited places are available for the Windsor trip. If you are interested please contact Hazel Green. 

Young Arts

We will be supporting St Christopher School Academy Trust this year. This is a specialist special school for communication and interaction for pupils aged 3-19 and is part of SEN Trust Southend.  We aim to provide a donation for pupils to visit London Galleries.

Visitors to meetings

If you are bringing a visitor to a meeting, where possible, would you kindly contact the Membership Secretary, Gillian Donovan Buck. All members and visitors must register on the day of the lecture.

All visitors on the membership waiting list will be contacted shortly.

 Treasures of Essex

Copies of The Arts Society (Essex Area) book entitled “Treasures of Essex” are still available to purchase at a price of £5 per book and help to  support your Society’s funds.

Gift  Vouchers

Gift Vouchers to cover one lecture are still available to buy for your friends at £7 each.

Southend-in-Sight - Notecards for sale

Thank you to all who have purchased Carole Brown’s notelets. We have raised £172 for Southend-in-Sight charity. Jean Jacobi still has a few packs if anyone would like some, priced at 8 cards for £4, or 2 packs for £6.

Help your committee

The specific role of Honorary Secretary needs to be filled at the AGM. Carol is available to shadow up to July and assist next season. A society laptop is available to assist with this role.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

I hope you have now settled into 2023 and are looking forward to the months ahead.

Lecture Feedback

Thank you to those members who took the time to provide feedback for last month’s lecture.  Content and image quality are marked from poor, satisfactory, good, very good , excellent through to outstanding, each being given a mark from 1 (poor) through to 6 (excellent). These marks are then averaged out through the number of feedbacks received to provide a figure for Head Office feedback. Of the 32 members who kindly responded, the averaged marks were 4.6 (Excellent) for Content and 4.2 (Excellent) for image.

January Lecture – Wednesday 1st February 2023 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 1st February 2023 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00 for registration, with refreshments available. The lecture by Caroline Knight on " Robert Adam in London, the Town House & the Villa" will commence at 10:30.

Adam began his architectural career with the family firm in Scotland, then set up a London office in 1758, and was the designer of numerous neo-classical country houses both in England and Scotland. This lecture looks at Adam’s work in London: his elegant town houses with refined interior decoration. Some have been demolished, others survive; his important residential development, the Adelphi, survives in part. He also redesigned the interiors of Syon, Osterley and Kenwood, all on the outskirts of London and all open to the public. 

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom, live at home.

The lecturer will not be visible, but you will be able to hear their commentary and see the slides.  This presentation is available to members only and cannot be recorded for future viewing.

AS WITH ANY ZOOM SESSION, TECHNICAL ISSUES CAN SOMETIMES ARISE WHICH MAY BE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

On lecture day, click the link below from 10 minutes before the start at 10:30.

<Link Removed>

Please follow the instructions on screen, which may ask for your email address. If asked for a name, please type in your full name so we can identify you as a member. Then press ‘Join webinar’. The date and time should then be shown until the session begins. If you have any concerns before the lecture, please let us know.

Cessation of monthly lecture via zoom

As previously mentioned, Zoom will cease after the April lecture. However, if you remain a society member, you can sign up to the Zoom Access Scheme and view other Societies zoomed monthly lectures, by completing an online form.

The Arts Society will send a monthly email with a link to a web page containing the details of the lectures of participating Societies that are being held via Zoom. To find out about each lecture and how to attend, click on the name of the event.

You can attend whichever lectures you wish, by following the instructions given by each Society on the individual event page. Please note a fee may be payable to the Society holding the lecture.

If you wish to join the Zoom Access Scheme please complete the sign-up form using the link below.

NB: The scheme is only open to current Society Members who have paid a subscription to their local Society.

https://theartssociety.org/civicrm/profile/create?gid=55&reset=1

Special Interest Day - Capturing Real People doing Real Things – Wednesday 22nd March 2023 - £40

Howard Smith will provide a fascinating three-hour exploration of the creation of documentary films, photojournalism & advertising of people and their creativity and behaviour.

This is a nostalgic trip back to that time …within the living memory of many and in the recounted memories of others.  The changes that have taken place in the arts, class and expectations are vast and this Special Interest Day looks at that past and what influenced those changes.

From the breadth of material, there are many film clips from French, Edwardian and Soviet film makers and 1930s documentaries including the Night Mail with the poetry of WH Auden and music by Benjamin Britten and the 1936 Olympic Games. The Golden Era of the Transatlantic Liners with a snapshot of ‘Around The World In 80 Days’ will be the finale.

The day will include a two-course lunch with coffee/tea & mints and three one-hour lectures.

Please see Jean Jacobi  to book your place.

Virtual tour of Venice Part 2 – Wednesday 19th April 2023 - £7

Full details of our second live virtual walking tour of Venice will be provided shortly by Hazel Green.

Saville Gardens, with boat trip and cream tea – Wednesday 12th July 2023 - £55

We are planning a coach trip to Saville Gardens, followed by a boat trip to Windsor including cream tea. The price will be £55 and further details will be available shortly from Hazel Green.

Young Arts

We will be supporting St Christopher School Academy Trust this year. This is a specialist special school for communication and interaction for pupils aged 3-19 and is part of SEN Trust Southend.  We aim to provide a donation for pupils to visit London Galleries.

Visitors to meetings

If you are bringing a visitor to a meeting, where possible, would you kindly contact the Membership Secretary, Sheila Smith, beforehand. 

All members and visitors must register on the day of the lecture.

All visitors on the membership waiting list will be contacted shortly.

Treasures of Essex

Copies of The Arts Society (Essex Area) book entitled “Treasures of Essex” are still available to purchase at a price of £5 per book and help to  support your Society’s funds.

Gift  Vouchers

Gift Vouchers to cover one lecture are still available to buy for your friends at £7 each.

Southend-in-Sight - Notecards for sale

Thank you to all who have purchased Carole Brown’s notelets. We have raised £172 for Southend-in-Sight charity. Jean Jacobi still has a few packs if anyone would like some, priced at 8 cards for £4, or 2 packs for £6.

Help your committee

Welcome to Gillian Donovan Buck and Andrea Fryatt who have joined the Committee. The specific role of Honorary Secretary will need to be filled for the next season and a job description will be available soon. If you would like to support your committee, in either a small or larger way, please let us know.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

Dear Fellow Members,

We have certainly caught up with our rainfall this month but have still been lucky with some mild, sunny days. My garden plants seem rather confused, but I am hoping this is just a bonus flowering, to cheer me up on the rainy days.

December Lecture – Wednesday 7th December 2022 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 7th December 2022 in the Clifftown Suite, Saxon Hall. Please use the main entrance at the front of the building not our usual entrance. 

The doors will open at 10:00 for registration, with refreshments available. The lecture by Bertie Pearce    " A Dickens of a Christmas and God Bless us Everyone" will commence at 10:30.

Charles Dickens revived the Christmas traditions with his warm portrayal of Christmas in the domestic setting; with plum pudding, piping hot turkey, games, dancing  and family cheer by the hearth. Although he celebrated Christmas in numerous works, it is “A Christmas Carol”  which immortalises the spirit of Christmas Cheer. Dickens was a man of extraordinary energy and talent: literary genius, reformer, public speaker, actor and amateur magician.

In his lecture Bertie Pearce reveals a Dickensian Christmas with readings, biographical details and conjuring tricks.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom, live at home. The lecturer will not be visible, but you will be able to hear their commentary and see the slides.  This presentation is available to members only and cannot be recorded for future viewing. However, as with any Zoom session, technical issues can sometimes arise which may be out of our control.

On lecture day, click the link below from 10 minutes before the start at 10:30.

<Link Removed>

Please follow the instructions on screen, which may ask for your email address. If asked for a name, please type in your full name so we can identify you as a member. Then press ‘Join webinar’. The date and time should then be shown until the session begins. If you have any concerns before the lecture, please let us know.

Voting in of new Chair/Chairman

Jan Harbidge has joined the committee and has been shadowing the Chair (Debra O’Connell). As no one else has put their name forward, Jan has kindly agreed to take over the role of Chair/Chairman and will need to be voted in prior at the December lecture. Votes will be counted in the hall only.

 Welcome to new members

New members should have received their invitations to a coffee meet up before the next lecture on Wednesday 7th  December from 9:45.

Christmas Meal after December Lecture

Members who wish to have the Christmas meal after the December lecture should have given their food option to Hazel Green. If you have any queries, please contact Hazel Green via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

Penshurst Place with lunch – Tuesday 13th December - £55

We have a waiting list for this trip. If you have booked a place, please confirm your pickup point with Hazel and collect your ticket.

 Treasures of Essex

Copies of The Arts Society (Essex Area) book entitled “Treasures of Essex” is available to purchase at the next meeting.  Five entries were chosen from Thames Estuary, including the Dutch Cottage on Canvey Island. As an ideal gift for yourself, a friend or family member, please support your Society’s funds by purchasing one or more copies at the price of £5 per book.

Gift  Vouchers

Gift Vouchers will once again be available to buy for your friends for gifts, priced at £7 each.

Southend-in-Sight - Notecards for sale

We still have notelets created by Carole Brown, available at 8 cards for £4 or 2 packs for £6, in aid of the Southend-in-Sight charity.  Please speak to Jean Jacobi if you would like to buy a pack.  Cash preferred please.

Virtual Walk of the Vatican - Thursday 12th January 2023 - £10

The Arts Society North Beds have a Zoom presentation by Stuart Harvey entitled “A virtual tour of the Art of Rome's Vatican and Sistine Chapel” at a cost of £10. To attend, please email nbasprogramme@gmail.com  for further details.

Special Interest Day – Wednesday 22nd March 2023

We will be holding a Special Interest Day on Wednesday 22nd March 2023, which will include 3 lectures and lunch. Some of you may remember Howard Smith’s lecture  from 2019, where he entertained us with tales of Rupert and Dan Dare. Full details will be provided in the next Newsletter and tickets will go on sale at the January meeting.

Help your committee

If you would like to support your committee, in either a small or larger way, please let us know.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

Although the temperature has dropped a few degrees and we have had some much-needed rain, how lovely it has been to welcome this year’s autumn colours in our gardens. It was wonderful to see so many members at the October meeting for the start of the season lecture.

November Lecture – Wednesday 2nd November 2022 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 2nd November 2022 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00 for registration, with refreshments available. Barry Venning’s lecture " Christmas with Giles, Grandma and the Family" will commence at 10:30.

For a great many members of The Arts Society, the cartoonist Carl Giles was as much a part of the festive season as the Christmas tree, crackers and the Queen's Speech. So popular were the Giles annuals as Christmas presents that they helped to make him Britain's best loved, most successful and wealthiest cartoonist.

The talk looks at Giles's life and work with a particular emphasis on his seasonal cartoons, particularly those featuring Grandma and the Giles family. They include some of his funniest cartoons but, as the art historian William Feaver pointed out, they also demonstrate that he had few equals when it came to representing Britain in Winter. 

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom, live at home. The lecturer will not be visible, but you will be able to hear their commentary and see the slides.  This presentation is available to members only and cannot be recorded for future viewing. However, as with any Zoom session, technical issues can sometimes arise which may be out of our control.

On lecture day, click the link below from 10 minutes before the start at 10:30.

<Link Removed>

Please follow the instructions on screen, which may ask for your email address. If asked for a name, please type in your full name so we can identify you as a member. Then press ‘Join webinar’. The date and time should then be shown until the session begins. If you have any concerns before the lecture, please let us know.

Rochester – October visit

This was a most enjoyable trip with knowledgeable guides providing interesting walking tours. Sites visited included the cathedral, castle and Guildhall. Our thanks to Hazel for organizing the day. Our website (https://tasthamesestuary.org.uk) has photographs under the heading ’Gallery’. Please scroll down and click on any image, which will then display in a larger format, for easier viewing.

Essex Area Study Day – Monday 14th November – Little Baddow - £38

The Arts Society Essex Area Special Interest Day entitled “WE THREE KINGS: History, traditions, art and music inspired by the Magi” with Peter Medhurst will consist of 3 lectures, with lunch. Please contact Megan Bashir to book (tel: 01277 374314 or email: meganbashir@gmail.com).

Welcome to new members

A coffee meet up is planned for all new members before the lecture on Wednesday 7th December from 09:45. Invitations will be issued shortly.

Christmas Meal after December Lecture

A meal can be booked for the December lecture at Saxon Hall. The cost will be £23 for 2 courses, which includes a main meal, dessert, plus tea/coffee, mints and tip. Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green at the November meeting, via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

Penshurst Place with lunch – Tuesday 13th December - £55

We have a waiting list for this trip. If you have booked this trip, please confirm you are going with Hazel and make your choice from the menu. Payment must be received by 9th November. If you have already paid, please collect your ticket from Hazel and confirm your pickup point.

 Treasures of Essex

We hope to have The Arts Society (Essex Area) book entitled “Treasures of Essex” available to purchase at the next meeting.  Five entries were chosen from Thames Estuary, including the Dutch Cottage on Canvey Island. As an ideal gift for yourself, a friend or family member, please support your Society’s funds by purchasing one or more copies at the price of £5 per book.

Gift  Vouchers

Gift Vouchers will once again be available to buy for your friends for gifts, priced at £7 each.

Southend-in-Sight - Notecards for sale

We still have notelets created by Carole Brown, available at 8 cards for £4 or 2 packs for £6, in aid of the Southend-in-Sight charity.  Please speak to Jean Jacobi if you would like to buy a pack.  Cash preferred please

 Virtual Walk of the Vatican - Thursday 12th January 2023 - £10

The Arts Society North Beds have a Zoom presentation by Stuart Harvey entitled “A virtual tour of the Art of Rome's Vatican and Sistine Chapel” at a cost of £10. Please see attachment for full details.

Help your committee

If you would like to support your committee, in either a small or larger way, please let us know.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

I hope you have enjoyed the summer months and are looking forward to our lecture programme. How wonderful it is to welcome you to the 2022-23 season and the prospect of in-person lectures once again at Saxon Hall.

October Lecture – Wednesday 5th October 2022 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 5th October 2022 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00 for registration, with refreshments available. Julia Musgrave’s lecture " Salvador Dali, 20th Century Renaissance Artist" will commence at 10:30.

‘The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret’ – Salvador Dalí. Like the Renaissance artists he admired, Salvador Dalí did not restrict his creative output to painting but was also a writer, poet, engraver, sculptor, architect, photographer, theatre designer and jewellery designer. As well as designing the latter, Dalí selected the materials to be used, focusing not just on the colours or the value of the material, but also on their symbolic meanings.

Jewels such as ‘El cor reial’ (1953, The Royal Heart) have become iconic works and considered to be as exceptional as his paintings. He also was an omnivorous reader who was as interested in science as he was in art and in this his work also reflects the Renaissance artist he admired. This lecture explores the work of Dalí the designer and science enthusiast – a Renaissance artist in the 20th century.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom, live at home. The lecturer will not be visible, but you will be able to hear their commentary and see the slides.  This presentation is available to members only and cannot be recorded for future viewing. However, as with any Zoom session, technical issues can sometimes arise which may be out of our control.

On lecture day, click the link below from 10 minutes before the start at 10:30.

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Please follow the instructions on screen, which may ask for your email address. If asked for a name, please type in your full name so we can identify you as a member. Then press ‘Join webinar’. The date and time should then be shown until the session begins. If you have any concerns before the lecture, please let us know.

Southend-in-Sight -Notecards for sale

Carole Brown (our very able projectionist for many years) was an amateur artist and some of her artworks were made into notecards.  Her husband, Douglas, has given some of these to be sold at our next meeting, with all the monies raised going to the Southend-in-Sight charity.  Cash would be preferred if you would like to buy a pack of 8 cards for £4.

 Young Arts

The Arts & Craft Day for children with sight problems and their families was a great success.  A short report is on our website.

Visit to Mansion House  and Sir John Soane’s eclectic home (on Lincoln’s Inn Fields) - July

Thank you to Rosemary for organising this visit to London. Sir John Soane’s home is a very unusual museum; I am sure members will want to return to investigate further.

Rochester – Wednesday 12th October - £25

A few places are still available for this full day coach trip, which includes a 90-minute guided walking tour of Rochester city, showcasing the heritage of the city. There will be time afterwards for members to have lunch and explore the city. Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

Essex Area Study Day – Monday 14th November – Little Baddow - £38

The Arts Society Essex Area have a Special Interest Day entitled “WE THREE KINGS: History, traditions, art and music inspired by the Magi” with Peter Medhurst. The day will consist of 3 lectures, with lunch, at a cost of £38. Please see attachments and contact Megan Bashir via email meganbashir@gmail.com or telephone 01277 374314 for further information and to book.

 Penshurst Place with lunch – Tuesday 13th December - £55

A coach trip is being organised to Penshurst Place.  Arrival will be by a private entrance, with mulled wine around the fire in the decorated Medieval Barons Hall, before a private house tour featuring old traditions and customs. Finishing with a traditional 2 course lunch in a medieval banqueting room, subject to interest.

If you have already booked this trip, please see Hazel to select your choice from the menu. Please also check you coach pickup time.

Arts and Heritage Volunteering

We are continuing to make our list of volunteers, so would still like to hear your individual story of any volunteering you do, no matter how few hours you do and if you have only recently begun this work.

Treasures of Essex

The Arts Society (Essex Area) is compiling a book “Treasures of Essex”.  Each society was asked to submit several choices of local,  interesting places to put in the book.  Five were chosen from Thames Estuary, including the Dutch Cottage on Canvey Island.  Michael Portillo visited Canvey recently and the Dutch Cottage was featured in his recent programme for the BBC. 

 Gift  Vouchers

Gift Vouchers will once again be available to buy for your friends for gifts, priced at £7 each.

Help your committee

Vacancies still exist for our Society’s Chairman and Membership Secretary.  If you would like to support your committee, in either a small or larger way, please let us know.

 With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

How lovely it has been to enjoy the longer sunny days, although my garden has welcomed the rain when it has come.

Although restrictions have been lifted, please do not attend the next meeting if you are feeling unwell.

If you do have any concerns, please contact us directly, so we can work together to improve the experience for you.

Tea/coffee and cake  - Wednesday 22nd June

Thank you to all those who supported this event, (£180 was raised for Young Arts) and special thanks to Françoise for hosting it. It was most enjoyable and proved to be a very social occasion.

 AGM and July Lecture – Wednesday 6th July 2022 at 10:30

This year’s AGM and final lecture for the season will be on Wednesday 6th July 2022 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. The AGM will commence at 10:30, followed by Christopher Garibaldi lecture on " Treasures of the Turf: The Fine and Decorative Arts of Horseracing".

This lecture looks at the history of horseracing from the late seventeenth century to the modern period and the development of the sport in this country through its associated cultural material.

Using the wealth of paintings, archive material and decorative art objects associated with and depicting the ‘Sport of Kings’, the lecture takes as its starting point the earliest origins of the sport including the development of Newmarket and the Jockey Club as racing’s ‘Headquarters’. 

Once again, we hope to provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home, although voting is only possible by attending in-person. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time.

Please collect your membership renewal forms plus advance lecture and visits programme on arrival when registering.

Visit to Mansion House and Sir John Soane's Museum - Wednesday 20th July

Full details of this trip have been sent out this week. Rosemary Sudlow will meet members at Holborn Station from 10:00 until approximately 10:20.

Sir John Soane’s Museum on Lincoln’s Inn Fields is open from 10.00 for a free-flow visit. The museum is free, but a donation is requested.

Meet at Mansion House Door A at 13:50 for a tour of the Harold Samuel 17th Century Dutch and Flemish paintings. The visit takes approximately 1.5 hours in groups of 20.  Members will then make their way home.

Please book your place at next week’s meeting or by contacting Rosemary Sudlow via email rosemary.sudlow@hotmail.com or telephone 07909526551.

 Rochester – Wednesday 12th October - £25

This full day coach trip includes a 90-minute guided walking tour of Rochester city, showcasing the heritage of the city. It will include the cathedral, castle and Rochester’s connections with Charles Dickens. There will be time afterwards for members to have lunch and explore the city as they wish. Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792 or Madeleine Quane via email to mmtquane@aol.com or telephone 07801924652.

Penshurst Place – Wednesday 13th December 2022 - £55

This full day coach trip will commence with arrival at the private entrance, with mulled wine around the fire in the decorated Medieval Barons Hall, before a private house tour featuring old traditions and customs. Finishing with a traditional 2 course lunch in a medieval banqueting room, subject to interest.

Help your committee

Nominations can still be sent in for Chairman and Membership Secretary.  Also, if you would like to support your committee, in either a small or larger way, please let us know.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

Although the weather has had a few ups and downs this month, I hope you have enjoyed the sunny days.

Although restrictions have been lifted, please do not attend the next meeting if you are feeling unwell.

If you do have any concerns, please contact us directly, so we can work together to improve the experience for you.

 June Lecture – Wednesday 1st June 2022 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 1st June 2022 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. David Wright’s lecture " A Brief Story of Wine" will commence at 10:30.

Wine has been part of our global society for over 7,000 years, and the story tells of its origin and appearance in all societies across the Mediterranean and through Europe. There is rich evidence of the role wine has played in these societies and how it became an important component of faith, well-being and festivity. From the kwevris of Georgia in 5,000 B.C., the symposia in ancient Greece, the thermopolia of Pompeii, the hospices of Europe, to the dining tables of fine society wine has been ever present. Drawings, paintings, engravings, buildings, pottery and wine labels themselves all contribute to the story.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time.

We are sorry we were unable to broadcast May’s lecture over zoom, but we always stress that we cannot guarantee that zoom will work. Our technical team work extremely hard to provide this additional service. Attending a lecture is still the best option.

Arts and Heritage Volunteering

We are continuing to make our list of volunteers, so would still like to hear your individual story of any volunteering you do, no matter how few hours you do and if you have only recently begun this work.

Visit to Guildford and the Watts Gallery and artists village – Wednesday 11th May 2022 - £36

Although the weather was disappointing, this visit proved enjoyable to all.

 Tea/coffee and cake  - Wednesday 22nd June

A few places are still available at this charitable event at 132 Parkanaur Avenue, Thorpe Bay SS1 3JD from 3pm – 5pm.  Please book your place at next week’s meeting or by contacting Francoise Gardiner via email to francoisegardiner@btinternet.com or telephone 01702 582130.

Visit to Mansion House  and St John Soanes eclectic home (on Lincoln’s Inn Fields), Wednesday 20th July

Full details of this trip have been sent out. Rosemary Sudlow will meet members at Holborn Station from 10:00 until approximately 10:20.

 Sir John Soane’s Museum on Lincoln’s Inn Fields is open from 10.00 for a free-flow visit. The museum is free, but a donation is requested.

Meet at Mansion House Door A at 13:50 for a tour of the Harold Samuel 17th Century Dutch and Flemish paintings. The visit takes approximately 1.5 hours in groups of 20.  Members will then make their way home.

Please book your place at next week’s meeting or by contacting Rosemary Sudlow via email rosemary.sudlow@hotmail.com or telephone 07909526551.

 AGM – Wednesday 6th July at 10:30

This year’s AGM will take place at 10:30 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. The AGM will commence at 10:30 followed by Christopher Garibaldi’s lecture on “Treasures of the Turf: The Fine and Decorative Arts of Horseracing”.

Rochester – Wednesday 12th October - £25

This full day coach trip includes a 90-minute guided walking tour of Rochester city, showcasing the heritage of the city. It will include the cathedral, castle and Rochester’s connections with Charles Dickens. There will be time afterwards for members to have lunch and explore the city as they wish.

Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

Help your committee

Nominations can still be sent in for Chairman and Membership Secretary.  Also, if you would like to support your committee, in either a small or larger way, please let us know.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

How lovely it has been to have so many sunny days in the last few weeks. I hope you have had the opportunity to spend time in your own garden or venture further afield.

Although restrictions have been lifted, please do not attend the next meeting if you are feeling unwell.

If you do have any concerns, please contact us directly, so we can work together to improve the experience for you.

 April Lecture – Wednesday 4th May 2022 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 4th May 2022 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall, where the doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. Rosamund Bartlett’s lecture " Catherine the Great, Empress of all the Russias" will commence at 10:30.

This lecture tells the remarkable story of how an obscure German princess fended off accusations of illegitimacy and rose to become one of the most illustrious monarchs in history. Along the way she transformed the Russian Empire, which by the time of her death in 1796 was the largest the world had seen since the fall of Rome, into one of the great powers of Europe. 

Catherine created a brilliant court and led a scandalous personal life, taking a succession of ever-younger lovers. She was a ruthless despot and a peerless collector of art: the enormous Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is a lasting testament to her legacy.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time.

Arts and Heritage Volunteering

We would still like to hear your individual story of any volunteering you do, no matter how few hours you do and if you have only recently begun this work.

Visit to Guildford and the Watts Gallery and artists village – Wednesday 11th May 2022 - £36

Tickets for this full day visit are still available to book at the next meeting or by emailing Hazel Green at hlgreen@gmail.com or by telephoning 01702 525792.

 Change to Wednesday 1st  June’s lecture

Due to unforeseen circumstances, June’s lecture has had to be rescheduled. Christine Wright will now talk on “A Brief Tour of Wine.”

Tea/coffee and cake  - Wednesday 22nd June

We will be holding this charitable event at 132 Parkanaur Avenue, Thorpe Bay SS1 3JD from 3 – 5pm.  Numbers will be limited to 20 people on a first come bases. Please book your place at next week’s society meeting or by contacting Francoise Gardiner via email to francoisegardiner@btinternet.com or telephone 01702 582130.

 Visit to Mansion House (on Lincoln’s Inn Fields) and St John Soames eclectic home Wednesday 20th July

This trip will replace the suggested trip to Hever Castle.

 Members are asked to travel by train independently, to meet near Holborn Underground. From here some of us will have coffee first then move on to St John Soane’s Museum whilst others will make their way to the museum first with coffee later to reduce congestion inside the museum.

 Suggested coffee houses:

• Redemption Roaster, Gate Street (Outdoor) or
• The Ship Tavern, Gate Street (Indoor, with interesting history)

 Sir John Soane’s Museum on Lincoln’s Inn Fields is open from 10.00 for a free-flow visit. This museum is free, but a donation is requested. Travel back to Mansion House Underground/Cannon Street to find your own lunch. Caravan City, which is just round the corner is a possibility, but members are free to make their own arrangements.

Meet at Mansion House Door A at 14.00 for a tour of the Harold Samuel 17th Century Dutch and Flemish paintings. All art tours are arranged around the Lord Mayor's diary and are approximately 90 minutes in groups of 20 and conducted by City Guides from the Guildhall Art Gallery. Members will then make their way home.

 Please book your place at next week’s society meeting or by contacting Hazel Green via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

Rochester – Wednesday 12th October - £25

This full day coach trip includes a 90-minute guided walking tour of Rochester city, showcasing the heritage of the city. It will include the cathedral, castle and Rochester’s connections with Charles Dickens. There will be time afterwards for members to have lunch and explore the city as they wish.

 Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

Help your committee

Job descriptions for the specific roles of Chair and Vice-Chair for next season are available from Debra. Please tel: 01702 553571  or email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org.

 Nomination forms for specific Committee roles will be issued shortly. We are also asking for helpers to support your committee, in either a small or larger way.

 With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

How lucky we have been to have so many sunny and warmer days last week. Let us hope this is a good sign for the summer.

Although restrictions have been lifted, please do not attend if you are feeling unwell.

If you do have any concerns, please contact us directly, so we can work together to improve the experience for you.

Virtual Venice Walk

Thank you to all who participated in our virtual live walk in Venice. It proved very popular and the feedback received sounds like everyone enjoyed it. We are hoping to organize part 2 very soon.

March Lecture – Wednesday 6th April 2022 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 6th April 2022 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall, where the doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. Nigel Bates’ lecture " They make no noise" will commence at 10:30.

What is it that conductors do that makes orchestras respond in so many different ways? Is it a good baton technique? A strong personality? The way they look? And why are there relatively few women found on the podium? And why are the conductors paid so much more than anyone else on the concert platform? 

Drawing on history and his own musical experiences from well over six thousand performances and recordings, Nigel seeks out some answers. This lecture contains some rare video footage of conductors in rehearsal and performance.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time.

Arts and Heritage Volunteering

We would still like to hear your individual story of any volunteering you do, no matter how few hours you do and if you have only recently begun this work.

Essex Area Day of Special Interest - Monday 25th April - The British Empire and Imperial India

Just a reminder to contact Megan Bashir for further information and to book. Please tel: 01277 374314 or email: meganbashir@gmail.com.

 Shoebury Garrison Historical Trail

This will consist of a walking trail of Shoebury Garrison with a quiz and will now take place next season.

Visit to Guildford and the Watts Gallery and artists village – Wednesday 11th May 2022

The coach will arrive in Guildford in time for you to find refreshments before a guided walk with the Guildford Town Guides (in 3 groups). Lunch will be of your own choice in Guildford.

Then on to the Watts Gallery, a unique Arts & Crafts village in the Surrey hills.

There will be time to visit:       

• the pottery building, home of the Compton Potters Guild
• the Gallery with many pictures by Frederick & Mary Watts
• the Arts & Crafts Chapel
• and Limnerslease, their former home
• the shop and tearoom on site

Please wear suitable walking/flat shoes.

The cost of £36 includes entrance to the Watts Gallery & site, guided walk in Guildford, coach and driver’s tip.

Afternoon tea with scones/cake - June

This charitable event will take place on Wednesday, 22nd June. Full details to follow soon.

 Gift Vouchers

Gift Vouchers, priced at £5 each, are still available to purchase and are ideal gifts for friends or family to try out a lecture of their choice during the rest of the season. If possible, please let Sheila Smith know when a guest is attending a lecture. Please email thamesestuary@theartssociety.org.

Help your committee

We are still looking for helpers to support your committee, in either a small or larger way. Job descriptions for the specific roles of Chair and Vice-Chair for next season are available from Debra. Please tel: 01702 553571  or email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching (On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

I hope you have been able to make the most of the sunshine, in between the showers and winds we have had recently.

Although restrictions have been lifted, please do not attend if you are feeling unwell.

If you do have any concerns, please contact us directly, so we can work together to improve the experience for you.

Do you know Marianne Wheeler?

We had a payment from Marianne Wheeler at the February lecture, which we believed was a deposit for the virtual walk, but she may have been a visitor. Would you be able to help identify her?

 March Lecture – Wednesday 2nd March 2022 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 2nd March 2022 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall, where the doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. Julian Halsby’s lecture on

" What really happened at the Yellow House in Arles in 1888?" will commence at 10:30.

In October 1888 Paul Gauguin joined Vincent van Gogh at the Yellow House in Arles. At first the friendship worked well. They painted side by side around Arles, on the Alyscamps and shared a model, both painting Madame Genoux ‘The Arlesienne’. However, divisions soon appeared and van Gogh was jealous of Gauguin’s success with selling pictures, while he sold nothing. On 23rd December 1888 Gauguin fled for his life. Van Gogh cut off part of his ear and delivered it boxed to the local brothel. Much has been written about this episode. Who was to blame and what really happened? The lecture will discuss the two artists’ different approach to painting and the results of this confrontation.   

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time.

Arts and Heritage Volunteering

Fay Smith became a Friend of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the south bank of the Thames in the late 1980s when it was still a muddy hole in the ground.  In 1999 she began volunteering as a steward and is now in her 24th year.  Fay was presented with a 20 years’ service medal at the end of season party in in 2019.  She is proud to have been awarded this honour for doing something which gives her so much pleasure. Well done, Fay.

We would like to hear your individual story of any volunteering you do, no matter how few hours you do and if you have only recently begun this work.

Venice Virtual Walk - Wednesday 23 March 10:00, £5

Places are still available for the virtual walking tour of Venice, which is open to members, family and friends at a cost of £5.00 per head.  We will need the recipient’s email address to be able to send out the link nearer the time. If you are interested, please email Hazel Green (hlgreen@gmail.com) or speak to her at the March meeting.

 Essex Area Day of Special Interest - Monday 25th April - The British Empire and Imperial India

The day will consist of 3 lectures, with lunch, at a cost of £38. Please see attachment and contact Megan Bashir for further information and to book. Tel: 01277 374314 or email: meganbashir@gmail.com

Shoebury Garrison Historical Trail – Spring 2022

An historic walking trail of Shoebury Garrison is in the planning stages for the spring. There will be a small fee to join in. Friends and family are also invited.

Trip to Watts Gallery, Compton - May

Details of a trip in May to Watts Gallery, near Guildford, will follow shortly.

Afternoon tea with scones/cake - June

This charitable event will take place on Wednesday, 22nd June. Full details to follow soon.

Gift Vouchers

Gift Vouchers, priced at £5 each, are still available to purchase. These are ideal gifts for friends or family to try out a lecture of their choice during the rest of the season.

Help your committee

Would you be able to help your committee in a small or larger way? Welcome to Helen Johnson, who has joined the Committee. The specific roles of Chair and Membership Secretary will need to be filled for the next season and job descriptions will be available soon. Please contact Debra for more information or to offer your help. Tel: 01702 553571 or email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

Now that the new year is well under way, though the days may have been a little cold, I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine. Some of my bulbs have started to push their way up through the soil, so I am looking forward to spring, when there will be more colour in our gardens and parks.

If you do have any concerns, please contact us directly, so we can work together to improve the experience for you.

February Lecture – Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at 10:30

Please note though that while we hope to present the programme in person, we will have to follow government guidelines for England as to restrictions in place at the time. 

If we are unable to hold live lectures, we will present them over Zoom and will let you know as soon as we are aware.

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 2nd February 2022.  Unfortunately, due to Rochford Council requiring the use of our usual room for a week longer than anticipated, we will need to hold the lecture in the Clifftown and Shorefields Suites.

 Please enter via the main entrance at the front of the building, as in December. The doors will open at 10:00; registration will be in the reception area, with refreshments at the Woodgrange Bar.

Ian Gledhill’s lecture on " The Magic of Pantomime" will commence at 10:30.

The history of this enduring and peculiarly British institution, from its origins in 16th century Italian commedia dell’arte through the influence of 19th century music hall, to the family shows that are still much loved today. On the way, we examine the origins of some of the stories used in pantomime, as well as such traditions as the (female) principal boy and the (male) pantomime dame. The talk is interspersed with personal anecdotes from the speaker’s years of working (and appearing) professionally in pantomime.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time.

If you are feeling unwell, please do not attend. At the time of going to press, it is recommended that masks are worn indoors when you are mixing with people you would not normally meet with. Please respect social distancing when moving around the area. Thank you.

Venice Virtual Walk - Wednesday 23 March £5

Please join us for a virtual walking tour of  Venice, in the DORSODURO district, starting at the Punta della Dogana, through the university area of Venice.

The virtual walk is open to family and friends at a cost of £5.00 per head.  We will need their email address to be able to send out the link nearer the time.

·       Date: Wednesday 23 March

·       Cost: £5 per person

·       Start: 10:00

·       End: 11:15 approximately

If you are interested in going on this virtual walk, would you please email Hazel Green (hlgreen@gmail.com) or speak to her at the February meeting.

To give you a taste of Venice, please see the following link:

https://youtu.be/OLjjXzvHwHI

Gift Vouchers

Gift Vouchers, priced at £5 each, are still available to purchase. These are ideal gifts for friends or family to try out a lecture of their choice during the rest of the season.

 Artist materials

A local widow is offering her deceased husband’s artist material for sale via our society. These will be available for viewing shortly. If you are seriously interested, would you please contact me (Carol Kitching) by Wednesday 2nd March.

Help your committee

We could really do with some new blood helping the Committee, with new ideas etc. If you would like to find out more, or volunteer your services, please speak to one of the committee members, ring Debra (our Chair), or email the Society. The specific roles of Chair and Membership Secretary will need to be filled for the next season and job descriptions will be available shortly.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

I hope that Christmas was everything you could hope for this year and you were fortunate to see family and friends. We had to make last-minute changes to our plans, but the turkey did manage to thaw in time for a delayed festive lunch at home for some of us.

Although we could not have our favoured room for the last lecture, most of your responses seemed happy with the surroundings.  If you do have any concerns, please contact us directly, so we can work together to improve the experience for you.

We apologise again for any drop out for those using Zoom and hope it did not reduce the enjoyment of the lecture.

January Lecture – Wednesday 5th January 2022 at 10:30

Please note though that while we hope to present the programme in person, we will have to follow government guidelines for England as to restrictions in place at the time. 

If we are unable to hold live lectures, we will present them over Zoom and will let you know as soon as we are aware.

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 5th January 2022 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall. The doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available.

 Shirley Smith’s lecture on " Caravaggio, Master of Light and Shadow" will commence at 10:30.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was a man out of step with his time. Scorning the traditional idealised interpretation of religious subjects, he took his models from the streets, painting them realistically and heightening the emotional intensity by his dramatic contracts of light and shade. Such a revolutionary style was condemned by many as was his equally dramatic personal life and uncontrollable temper which involved him in endless brawls and even murder. This lecture will study the life and works of this enigmatic man and his influence on later artists.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time.

If you are feeling unwell, please do not attend. It is currently recommended that masks are worn indoors when you are mixing with people you would not normally meet with. Please respect social distancing when moving around the area. Thank you.

 Gift Vouchers

Gift Vouchers, priced at £5 each, are still available to purchase. These are ideal gifts for friends or family to try out a lecture of their choice during the rest of the season.

Help with media

We are still looking for assistance with our light and sound system. Please contact a member of the committee if you are aware of anyone who may be able to offer us assistance.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Tel: 01702 420852

Email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

Dear Fellow Members,

What a difference the clocks going back has made – how quickly the dark evenings seem to be drawing in.

The revised angled seating for the lecture as well as using our own higher screen, seemed to help with everyone being able to see the slides more clearly.

We apologise again for those using Zoom losing the last few minutes of the session and hope it did not reduce the enjoyment of the lecture.

December Lecture – Wednesday 1st December 2021 at 10:30

Please note though that while we hope to present the programme in person, we will have to follow government guidelines as to restrictions in place at the time. If we are unable to hold live lectures, we will present them over Zoom. 

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 1st December 2021 in the Clifftown and Shorefields Suites, Saxon Hall. Please enter via the main entrance at the front of the building. The doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available.

 Sarah Pearson’s lecture on " Art and Music at Christmas" will commence at 10:30.

 Using a wide range of artworks and covering the output of many well-known and lesser-known artists including Giotto, Caspar David Friedrich and Norman Rockwell this talk examines the elements of Christmas in their artistic setting. Also included is a selection of Christmas music from the earliest known Carol to evocative pieces from the modern era. From the Christmas feast to Christmas Cards, Christmas trees and of course lots and lots of snow, this lecture is guaranteed to put you in the Christmas spirit.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time. There may be technical issues on the day, so attending in person is still the best option.

If you are feeling unwell, please do not attend. You are welcome to wear a face covering during the meeting. Please consider social distancing where possible. Thank you.

Gift Vouchers

Gift Vouchers, priced at £5 each, are now available to purchase. These are ideal gifts for friends or family to try out a lecture of their choice during the rest of the season.

Southend In Sight

In The Arts Society Autumn 2021 Report, they included the following statement which may interest you:

 THE ARTS SOCIETY THAMES ESTUARY

The Arts Society Thames Estuary have awarded a grant to Southend In Sight who support young people with visual impairments and their families. The grant will be used to purchase art materials so that the children can produce artwork.

The money raised from the coffee morning will be put towards a planned workshop in the new year.

Help with media

Do you know a young person at college or in the 6th Form who may be studying media, who would be able to help at lectures with our light and sound system? Please contact a member of the committee if you are aware of anyone.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

How lovely it was to welcome most of you in person at our last lecture at our new venue, Saxon Hall. Some members had difficulty seeing all the screen, but we hope to improve the situation for our next meeting.

Please note though that while we hope to present the programme in person, we will have to follow government guidelines as to restrictions in place at the time. If we are unable to hold live lectures, we will present them over Zoom. 

 October Lecture – Wednesday 3rd November 2021 at 10:30

Our next lecture will be on Wednesday 3rd November 2021 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall, where the doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. Chris Alexander’s lecture on " Unravelling the Silk Road " will commence at 10:30.

Wool, cotton and silk each played a crucial role in the fortunes of Central Asia. Wool created the clothing and housing needed by nomadic cultures that dominated Middle Asia. Cotton was the cause of Russian/Soviet Colonisation and continues to cause controversy today. Silk was more valuable than gold and used as currency, creating a network of trading routes that led to the first outbreak of globalisation. The felts, carpets, embroideries, robes and veils of the Silk Road stratified wealth, displayed religious and political entrenchments and changed the fortunes of this fascinating part of the world, a meeting place between Mohammed and Marx.

Once again, we will provide a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time. There may be technical issues on the day, so attending in person is still the best option.

 If you are feeling unwell, please do not attend. You are welcome to wear a face covering during the meeting, but it is now a personal choice to do so. Please consider social distancing where possible. Thank you.

Essex Area Special Interest Day – Monday 22nd November

Just a reminder of the Essex Area Special Interest Day “The Marquesses of Bute: Patrons of Opulence” with Mathew Williams, delivered via Zoom. The charge is £12.50 for all 3 sessions. Please contact us for more information. 

Local Walk

We are currently planning a local walk in November – more information to follow.

 Christmas Lunch

We are hoping to arrange a Christmas Lunch at Saxon Hall, to follow our lecture on Wednesday, 1st December. The menu is attached . If you are interested, please put your name down at the November meeting. Numbers will be limited, so it is first come first served, with priority given to members themselves, although partners/friends may be able to join us if there are spaces.

Help your committee

We urgently need assistants to help Gail and Chris set up on the day.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

29th September 2021

Dear Fellow Members,

I hope you have enjoyed the summer months and are looking forward to our lecture programme. How wonderful it is to welcome you to the 2021-22 season and the prospect of in-person lectures once again at our new venue Saxon Hall.

For information, within Saxon Hall, Aviation Way Rochford SS2 6UN the air is extracted and replaced 3 times an hour and windows/doors can be left open. There is an ante-room for registration just inside our own personal entrance door. Toilets are just along the corridor and there are 2 fire exits as well as the entrance door.

Please note though that while we hope to present the programme in person, we will have to follow government guidelines as to restrictions in place at the time. If we are unable to hold live lectures, we will present them over Zoom. 

Coffee morning in July 2021

Thank you to those members who came to the coffee morning in July. It was a most enjoyable get together and raised funds for Young Arts.

 Membership papers

Programme cards and lecture notes will be available on arrival at the first lecture of the season. Membership cards are no longer produced by The Arts Society.

October Lecture – Wednesday 6th October 2021 at 10:30

Our season will commence on Wednesday 6th October 2021 in the Jubilee Suite, Saxon Hall, where the doors will open at 10:00, with refreshments available. Roger Butler’s lecture on

"Canal History and Heritage" will commence at 10:30.

 This lecture provides a colourful introduction to the secret world of our 2000-mile inland waterway network and looks at all aspects of their exceptional artistic, architectural and engineering vernacular. Features range from sweeping aqueducts to tiny bollards; from colourful historic narrowboats to 'Roses and Castles' artwork; from grand World Heritage sites to quirky listed buildings.

 We are going to attempt a hybrid lecture, with the option of viewing via Zoom live at home. The lecturer will not be visible. Details will be sent out nearer the time. There may be technical issues on the day, so attending in person is still the best option.

 If you are feeling unwell, please do not attend. You are welcome to wear a face covering during the meeting, but it is now a personal choice to do so. Please consider social where possible. Thank you.

 Regent’s Canal Walk – Thursday 28th October - £20

Andrew Davies will lead a walk along the Regent’s Canal, walking from Paddington Station to St. Pancras.

Members must be prepared to travel to London and on the underground.

In the morning we will experience the transformation of Paddington Basin, Little Venice, Rembrandt Gardens, the second Lords cricket ground, zillion pound houses and the zoo. Lunch will be at Camden Lock followed by a look at Camden Market and the extraordinary St Pancras & King’s Cross development, including the High Line, the Victorian coal drops and the gas holders which are now a public garden.

• Date: Thursday 28th October
• Cost: £20 per person
• Meet at Paddington Station 11.15 am at the entrance to Platform 1.
• End: 3.30/3.45 pm at King’s Cross/St. Pancras

If you are interested in going on this walk, would you please email Hazel Green as soon as possible (hlgreen@gmail.com).

Area Essex Special Interest Day – Monday 22nd November

The Arts Society Essex Area have a Special Interest Day entitled “The Marquesses of Bute: Patrons of Opulence” with Mathew Williams.

The Marquesses of Bute made a vast fortune from the Victorian coal industry but chose to spend it on the restoration and re-building of their inheritance, creating spectacular and sometimes quirky interiors of the C19th, include Cardiff Castle, Mount Stuart and Dumfries House. Mathew will introduce the Bute family and take us through three centuries of artistic patronage and the architects and craftsmen who delight and amuse.

Registration - From 10.10

Lecture 1         10.30 – 11.30

Lecture 2         11.50 – 12.50

Lunch Break

Lecture 3         13.30 – 14.30

The charge is £12.50 for all 3 sessions. If you wish to book a place or require more information please contact us, and we will provide details. 

Help your committee

We urgently need assistants to help Gail and Chris set up on the day.

Also, if anyone has knowledge of setting up a Facebook page for the group, we would love to hear from you.

 With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

Dear Fellow Member,

Although we have had spells of rain recently, I hope you have been able to enjoy the sunnier days, in your garden or in a park, with friends and family. It is so delightful to see all the colours of the flowers this time of year.

Thank you to all those members who have returned their votes for the AGM. It is much appreciated.

 I hope you have been following your emails from the main Society and perhaps joining in recreating “Around the World in 80 days” with free lectures and readings, which lasts for 3 months.

Feedback

Thank you for your feedback in June when Roger Askew talked about " Gilbert and Sullivan – A very Model of an English Entertainment". Yet again, feedback received was positive. 

If you know any member who has yet to join a virtual lecture, please encourage them to give it a try for our last one this season in July. If any of your friends who are not members would like to watch it, we can arrange to send them the link, for a fee of just £5.

Area Essex Special Day of Interest – Monday 5th July on zoom

A further reminder that Area Essex Special Interest Day “Beethoven at 250 – Classical Music’s Greatest Revolutionary” with Sandy Burnett is on 5th July. The charge is £10 for 2 sessions, commencing at 10:30. If you wish to attend, please contact Megan Bashir via email to meganbashir@gmail.com or telephone 01277 374314.

July Zoom lecture

The next virtual lecture will be on Wednesday 7th July 2021 at 10:30, when Andrew Prince will talk about " From Downton to Gatsby – Jewellery and Fashion 1890-1929".

For the series Downton Abbey, Andrew was commissioned to produce many jewels for the main characters, and this inspired him to create a talk based on Downton and the changing styles of the time portrayed. Jewellery and Fashion are often seen as two entirely separate and distinct fields of design, but this is far from the case.

In his talk Andrew guides you through the extraordinary periods and events between 1890 and 1929, where the great fashion houses collaborated with the finest of jewellers to produce works of art of outstanding quality and glittering opulence. Along with this he discusses the clients and patrons who commissioned the jewels and how they were worn with the sumptuous gowns.

We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e., the day before the lecture. If you have not received it by the agreed time, would you kindly check your junk/bulk/spam email account and then contact me to investigate. Full instructions will be provided in the email.

If you miss the start of a Zoom lecture, you can join after it is in progress and it will take you straight in. Similarly, if you come out of Zoom before the end of the lecture, you can always re use the link and come back in.

Coffee morning at Hazel Green’s home – Wednesday 14th July 2021

Just a reminder that we are holding a tea/coffee morning with cake on Wednesday 14th July 2021 at 253 Green Lane, Leigh on Sea, SS9 5QN. Hazel Green has kindly offered her garden for this socialising and fundraising event to support Young Arts. A donation box will be available on the day. In line with government restrictions this event will be limited on a first come bases, limited to 25 people.  Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

26th May 2021

Dear Fellow Member,

I hope you have now had both of your injections and with lockdown easing, have had opportunities to venture out more and perhaps see the bluebells before they disappear again until next year.

Feedback

Apologies once more for the issue with our website and thank you for those who persisted and returned their feedback for our virtual lecture in May when Alexandra Epps spoke on “Red, white and blue, a story of three colours in Art”.  Though the title proved intriguing, the lecture proved extremely popular.

 If you know any member who has yet to join a virtual lecture, please encourage them to give it a try. If any of your friends who are not members would like to watch a specific lecture, we can arrange to send them the link, for a fee of just £5.

 June Zoom Lecture

The next virtual lecture will be on Wednesday 2nd June 2021 at 10:30, when Roger Askew will talk about " Gilbert and Sullivan – A very Model of an English Entertainment".

 This lecture will examine how the geniuses of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, came together under the guiding hand of the impresario, Richard D’Oyly Carte, to create one of the most individual and enduring forms of theatrical entertainment. The Savoy operas, with their gentle satire, celebrate the quirks and foibles of the British nation, and are as alive today as in the 1880s. The lecture is fully illustrated with musical examples. 

 We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e., the day before the lecture. If you have not received it by the agreed time, please check your junk/bulk/spam email account and then contact me to investigate. Full instructions will be provided in the email.

 If you miss the start of a Zoom lecture, you can join after it is in progress and it will take you straight in. Similarly, if you come out of Zoom before the end of the lecture, you can always re use the link and come back in.

 Area Essex Special Day of Interest – Monday 5th July on zoom

A further reminder that Area Essex Special Interest Day “Beethoven at 250 – Classical Music’s Greatest Revolutionary” with Sandy Burnett is on 5th July. The charge is £10 for 2 sessions, commencing at 10:30. If you wish to attend, please contact Megan Bashir via email to meganbashir@gmail.com or telephone 01277 374314.

AGM and July lecture – Wednesday 7th July

Just a reminder that this year’s AGM will follow the same format as last years and the paperwork will be issued shortly.

Open garden – Wednesday 14th July 2021

We will be holding an open garden with tea/coffee and cake on Wednesday 14th July 2021 at 253 Green Lane, Leigh on Sea. In line with government restrictions this will be limited on a first come bases to 25 people.  Please book your place by contacting Hazel Green via email to hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

 Please remember to look out for the emails from The Arts Society HQ. The ‘Become an Expert in…’series has covered many interesting topics and the ‘Monthly Highlights’ email includes information on ‘Lectures at home’.

 With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Member,

With lockdown starting to ease, I hope you have had opportunities to meet up with family and friends in gardens or out on walks and have enjoyed the milder weather.

Feedback

Thank you for the feedback to our virtual lecture in April when Linda Smith spoke on  “Great Tarts in Art – High Culture and the Oldest Profession”.  This proved to be one of the most popular lectures of the season so far.

 If you know any member who has yet to join a virtual lecture, please encourage them to give it a try. If any of your friends who are not members would like to watch a specific lecture, we can arrange to send them the link, for a fee of just £5.

 Thank you too for your feedback on our virtual walk “from Windsor Castle to Eton College” with Barbara Askew. We have also taken note of your response to the suggestion of a contribution towards the cost of future walks and are reviewing your suggested locations.

 May Zoom Lecture

The next virtual lecture will be on Wednesday 5th May 2021 at 10:30, when Alexandra Epps will talk about " Red, White and Blue, A Story of three Colours in Art".

This lecture covers the symbolism, significance and spirituality of colour throughout the history of art. Experience the power of the red of the Tudors; the utopian white of Abstraction; the secret formula of Klein blue and Mondrian’s dynamic combination of all three. 

We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e., the day before the lecture. If you have not received it by the agreed time, please check your junk/bulk/spam email account and then contact me to investigate. Full instructions will be provided in the email.

If you miss the start of a Zoom lecture , you can join after it is in progress and it will take you straight in. Similarly, if you come out of Zoom before the end of the lecture, you can always re use the link and come back in.

AGM and July lecture

This year’s AGM will follow the same format as last year’s and the paperwork will be issued next month.

Area Essex Special Day of Interest – Monday 5th July on zoom

The Arts Society Essex Area have a Special Interest Day entitled “Beethoven at 250 – Classical Music’s Greatest Revolutionary” with Sandy Burnett. This study day presents an overview of this brilliant, cantankerous, visionary and astonishingly original composer; visual illustrations include a selection of contemporary portraits, while musical examples are drawn from his genre-busting piano sonatas, quartets, symphonies and opera Fidelio.

The charge will be £10 for the morning, per device, for 2 sessions, commencing at 10:30.

If you wish to attend, please contact Megan Bashir via email to meganbashir@gmail.com or telephone01277 374314.

Please remember to look out for the emails from The Arts Society HQ. The ‘Become an Expert in…’series has covered many interesting topics and the ‘Monthly Highlights’ email includes information on ‘Lectures at home’.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Member,

With the days now being longer and more colour in our gardens, I am sure, like me, you are looking forward to the time in the very near future, when you can meet up with family and friends again.

Feedback

Thank you for the feedback to our virtual lecture in early March when Janet Gough spoke on  " Cathedrals, a safe place to do Risky Things”.  Yet again, feedback received was positive. 

 If you know any member who has yet to join a virtual lecture, please encourage them to give it a try. If any of your friends who are not members would like to watch a specific lecture, we can arrange to send them the link, for a fee of just £5.

 Chairperson’s message

I hope you have read through the separate message from our Chair, Debra O’Connell, who is happy to receive any emails or telephone calls from members.

 April Zoom Lecture

The next virtual lecture will be on Wednesday 7th April 2021 at 10:30, when Linda Smith will talk about " Great Tarts in Art – High Culture and the Oldest Profession.".

 A mixture of art-historical analysis and scandalous anecdote, this lecture takes a generally light-hearted look at changing attitudes to sexual morality down the ages, by examining the portraits and careers of some of history’s most notorious mistresses and courtesans. It also charts the rather complex and ambiguous attitudes of art and society towards the many anonymous working girls at the lower end of the scale, by investigating how they have been represented in art at different times and places from the 17th to the 20th century.

 We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e., the day before the lecture. If you have not received it by the agreed time, please check your junk/bulk/spam email account and then contact me to investigate. Full instructions will be provided in the email.

 If you miss the start of a Zoom lecture , you can join after it is in progress and it will take you straight in. Similarly, if you come out of Zoom before the end of the lecture, you can always re use the link and come back in.

 Virtual walking tour of Windsor to Eton

As a thank you for staying with your society during this difficult time, Barbara Askew will provide a “virtual walking tour of Windsor Castle to Eton College” on 14th April 2021 at 10:30. Full instructions will be sent in the usual way by midday the day before.

 Havering Study Day

Just a reminder for Arts Society Havering’s study day on Tuesday 27th April, with David Phillips lecturing on “Can We Trust the Experts - conservation and forgery?” There will be two virtual lectures at a cost of £12. If you are interested please contact Roger Dines directly on 07985 367 492, or email rogeralandines@gmail.com.

 Please remember to look at your emails from The Arts Society HQ. The ‘Become an Expert in…’series has covered many interesting topics. The ‘Monthly Highlights’ email includes information on ‘Lectures at home’.

 With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Member,

I hope you have all now had your first COVID vaccination and feel more cheerful with the positive news from Boris Johnson that the country will soon begin to open again. It has also been good to welcome the spring bulbs that are starting to show their faces now the temperature has crept up a little since our days of snow. 

Feedback

Thank you for the feedback to our virtual lecture in early February when Andrew Hopkins spoke on  " The Guggenheims - a Dynasty of Art Collectors”.  Fortunately, most of you were able to join in the second part of the lecture and overall, these lectures received excellent reviews.

We also provided an additional YouTube lecture by Chris Alexander on “Cosmonauts and Cotton Pickers”. This also proved to be an extremely popular lecture with excellent feedback. If you would like to share this lecture with your family and friends, please forward the link from the email to them. 

If you know any member who has yet to join a virtual lecture, please encourage them to give it a try. If any of your friends who are not members would like to watch a specific lecture, we can arrange to send them the link, for a fee of just £5.

 March zoom Lecture

The next virtual lecture will be on Wednesday 3rd March 2021, at 10:30, when Janet Gough will talk about " Cathedrals, safe places to do risky things ".

 The lecture is an illustrated virtual tour of the Church of England’s magnificent 42 cathedrals, jewels in the crown of our built heritage, some recognised as World Heritage Sites. This will include an overview of cathedral history and architectural evolution including their surprising  stories and extraordinary treasures. The changing role of cathedrals in society both in the past and present day is also discussed. 

 Janet is a former Director of Cathedrals and Churches Buildings for the Church of England and the talk relates to her illustrated softback book, Director’s Choice, Cathedrals of the Church of England (revised and reprinted 2020 and available to members for £12 - including postage).  If you are interested in taking up this offer, please email Janet directly, see your email for her contact details, and she will email you back with address and payment details.

 We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e., the day before the lecture. If you have not received it by the agreed time, please check your junk/bulk/spam email account and then contact me to investigate. Full instructions will be provided in the email.

Virtual walking tour of Windsor to Eton

Since the start of this year’s season in October, we have provided our regular monthly virtual lecture, a Special Interest lecture on 1950s Britain and the YouTube lecture on Cosmonauts and Cotton. As we have been unable to arrange our usual outings for you, on 14th April at 10:30, Barbara Askew will provide a “virtual walking tour of Windsor Castle to Eton College.” This will be free to members as a thank you for staying with your society during this difficult time.

Havering Study Day

Arts Society Havering are holding a study day on Tuesday 27th April, with David Phillips lecturing on “Can We Trust the Experts - conservation and forgery?” There will be two virtual lectures, the first at 11.00 for one hour, followed by a lunch break.  The second session will start at 13.00 for one hour. The cost is £12. If you are interested please check your email for the contact details and for the extra information available in the attachment    

 Facebook

Continuing with our progress into modern technology, we are investigating the possibility of creating a society page on Facebook. If any member has experience in this and can help in anyway, please let me know.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Member 

We have an additional treat for you this month. Chris Alexander, who will be lecturing to you in November on the Silk Road - a Textile Journey, has provided a link to his lecture “Cosmonauts & Cotton  - Soviet Central Asian Mosaics & the Use of Public Art as Propaganda” on YouTube. This is available to you for FREE and you can view at any time most suitable to you. 

This lecture explores the birth of the Soviet mosaic from its roots in Islamic mosaics and Communist propagandist posters through to the question of preservation in post-Soviet Central Asia. It explores why Soviet thinking was so keen to bring art out of galleries and into public areas, and how, in an era when Socialist Realism was the only permitted artistic expression, every public artwork came with a message, a value and an agenda.  

A link to the lecture has been included in the email to members

As this is an additional item to our usual lectures, would you please provide your feedback via email, rather than using the website. If you have any queries before the lecture, please let me know. 

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Member,

I hope that after all the rain that has fallen recently, you have been able to enjoy some of the sunshine as we look forward to spring. It seems so long ago that we met up for our meetings, but I hope our lectures provide some moments away from day-to-day life. 

Feedback

Thank you for the feedback to our virtual lecture in early January, " Avignon – Popes, Palaces and Painters ", which received favourable reviews. If you know any member who has yet to join a virtual lecture, please encourage them to give it a try.

 Special Interest Event

We were also able to book a new YouTube lecture  by Howard Smith on “1950 Britain through the eyes of Picture Post”. This proved to be a popular lecture with excellent feedback. Thank you.

February zoom Lecture

The next virtual lecture will be on Wednesday 3rd February 2021, at 10:30, when Andrew Hopkins will talk about " The Guggenheims - A Dynasty of Art Collectors ".

 The Guggenheim name has become synonymous with some of the most inspiring art and museums in the world. This lecture looks at the beginning of the Guggenheim collections,  from the flagship Solomon R. Guggenheim landmark on Fifth Avenue and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection on the Grand Canal in Venice. It traces the development and expansion of their celebrated museums over more than half a century, including the celebrated building by Frank Gehry in Bilbao, which is now considered a masterpiece of modern architecture and design.

 We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e., the day before the lecture. If you have not received it by the agreed time, please check your junk/bulk/spam email account and then contact me to investigate. Full instructions will be provided in the email.

West Essex Special Day of Interest – 10 March 10:30 to 13:00

The Arts Society West Essex have a Special Interest Day entitled ‘A Classical Music Crash Course’ with Sandy Burnett. This course covers three hundred years of great classical music from the first enduring opera, Claudio Monteverdi's L'Orfeo (1607) to The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky (1913). The aim of the course is to give a clear understanding of the essential elements of music, to enable you to listen to classical music with fresh ears and greater understanding. A glossary of key terms will be provided, along with a suggested reading list.

The charge will be £10 for the morning, per device.

If you wish to attend, please email Diana Meteyard at  diana.meteyard@btinternet.com    for further details.

The Royal Philatelic Society, London (RPS) - Home Project

This RPS project requires volunteers to read through scanned pages of Engraving Books at home, pick out key words and phrases and make a list of them in a Microsoft Word document. These lists will enable the documents to be easily searched online for research purposes.

A volunteer can undertake as many or as few batches of 10 pages as they wish. This project is open to both members and non-members of The Arts Society. A sample of the end-result can be viewed below:

https://rpsl.org.uk/rpsl/PerkinsBacon/EngravingBook_PB136023/PBEngravingBookPB136023.html 

If interested, please get in touch with us here at Thames Estuary via the Contact Us tab, or by emailing thamesestuary@theartssociety.org explaining your interest in the project, providing your name, postal address, telephone number and to which society you belong, if applicable. We will then pass your information on to the RPS.

National Garden Scheme virtual tours

If you enjoy gardening or visiting gardens, the National Garden Scheme’s website offers brief virtual visits to 180 gardens, including Sandringham, Great Thurlow Hall, Suffolk and Alan Titchmarch’s retreat in Hampshire. Some extended tours are also offered at a cost.

Please see the following:

 http://ngs.org.uk/virtual-garden-visits

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Member,

I hope you have kept safe over Christmas and enjoyed peace and rest at home. Although we cannot get together for our meetings, I hope our lectures still give you some pleasure. 

Feedback

Thank you for the feedback to our last virtual lecture of 2020, " The Christmas Tree – From Forest Fir to Festive Feature".  The responses were once again, very positive. If you know any member who has yet to join a virtual lecture, please encourage them to give it a try. 

January zoom Lecture

The next virtual lecture of our 2020-2021 season will be on Wednesday 6th January 2021, at 10:30, when Sally Dormer will talk about " Avignon – Popes, Palaces and Painters".  

In the early 14th century, Popes were forced to desert Rome for Avignon, France and remained there for almost sixty years. The resulting swarm of Popes, cardinals, merchants and craftsmen, commissioned and produced some of the finest examples of 14th-century art and architecture. This lecture will focus upon the Palace of the Popes and provides the opportunity to study paintings by Italian artists as well as other works now dispersed.

We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e., the day before the lecture. If you have not received it by the agreed time, please check your junk/bulk/spam email account and then contact me to investigate. Full instructions will be provided in the email.  

Additional January lecture – to view FREE over a 7-day period

You may recall that our Special Interest Day in November 2019 was about the illustrators of written works, including the Rupert Bear and Dan Dare books, by Howard Smith. The Arts Society Magazine also included his Rupert Bear lecture in their series ‘Becoming an Instant Expert’. We are very privileged to have booked his lecture on “The GPO Film Unit– the birth of Documentaries”, which will be available to members to view FOR FREE at any suitable time, during the one-week period, from Monday  11th January 2021 until midnight on Sunday 17th January 2021 via YouTube. 

This is the story of how documentary films started from the early days of silent movies. It looks at the Soviet influence with Battleship Potemkin and Man with a Movie Camera to the formation of the GPO Film Unit  in the 1930s. The lecture contains film clips including Coalface, The Granton Trawler, Love on the Wing, Spare Time and Night Mail, the classic film featuring the poetry of W H Auden and music by Benjamin Britten. The influence of the GPO Film Unit was extraordinary over its short life and many of the team joined the Crown Film Unit or went on to use their innovative skills in companies like Ealing Studios.  

The link for this YouTube lecture will be sent out a day or two before Monday 11th January. We hope you will be able to take advantage of viewing this lecture at your own convenience over the 7-day period.  

May I take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year for 2021. 

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Member  

2020 has certainly been very strange hasn’t it? We have all had to accept and adapt to new restrictions, disruption to our personal routines and loss of opportunities to make social contacts through shared hobbies and interests. 

One regular “date” that has been most welcome though is the monthly lecture which many of you have enjoyed “online”. The Arts Society has also offered monthly lectures to all Societies. 

As we look forward to 2021 the promise of widespread vaccination offers some hope for a return to the “ new normal” but I think it will be many months before we can all meet. 

Your Committee has worked cheerfully and tirelessly to adapt to the current situation and to modify the published programme as appropriate. Further innovations are also planned. A big “thank you” to the Committee for all they do to support our Society. 

Finally, I would like to wish you all a joyful and peaceful Christmas and a happy and above all, healthy New Year. 

Sue Webster

President

Dear Fellow Member,

As the nights continue to draw in, I hope you have been enjoying some of the sunnier autumnal days before we bundle ourselves up in our winter clothes.  Although we cannot get together for our meetings, I hope you are still looking forward to our lectures.

Feedback

Thank you for the feedback to our second zoom lecture, " The Treasures of the Livery Halls". The responses were positive. If you know any member who has not yet joined a virtual lecture, please encourage them to give it a try. 

December zoom Lecture

The next virtual lecture of our 2020-2021 season will be on Wednesday 2nd December, at 10:30, when Claire Walsh will talk about " The Christmas Tree – From Forest Fir to Festive Feature".  

The Christmas Tree represents over five centuries of art and meaning, emerging in Norse yuletide, ancient Rome, and early medieval saints, before symbolizing the modern Christmas. Decorated and shimmering with light, it has brought Christmas from outside the home into the heart of the family, and it continues to symbolize its essential, timeless message of Peace on Earth. 

We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e. the day before the lecture. If you have not received it by the agreed time, please check your junk/bulk/spam email account and then contact me to investigate.  

Monthly Newsletter Name

We have started to add pictures to our newsletters to help to make them stand out to you. We are also now giving the newsletters a name “ In Touch”, so please look out for them.  

New Hall for lectures

We have now finalised Saxon Hall, Aviation Way, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6UN as our new venue for when we can once again hold face-to-face lectures. Free parking will be available to all. There are plenty of disabled parking bays and the venue has no steps.  

The Arts Society Monthly Lunchtime lecture

Do not forget the next Arts Society Friday lunchtime lecture on 27th November at 1 pm when Georgina Bexon will talk on “The Story of Indian Modern Art”.  

Area Christmas lecture

If you are interested in the free seasonal presentation ‘Lifting Festive Music for Christmas ‘ with Sandy Burnett from 11.00 to 12.00 on Monday 14th December, please remember to email Megan Bashir  with your details, ensuring you mention you are a member of the Thames Estuary branch of the Society.  

Volunteers required for Parliamentary Archives Book Trouser Project

The Book Trousers project is being undertaken by the Arts Society for the Parliamentary Archives collection.  Due to their fragility, all 16,000 unboxed volumes in the Victoria Tower require paper Book Trousers wrapped around them to enable barcoding and clear referencing and accountability during the move and after.

Arts Society members can volunteer to cut out the Book Trousers in the comfort of their own home.  Additional requirements such as manual dexterity, an ability to follow instructions and accurately use a template, a ruler and a Stanley knife are desirable.

If interested, please  contact Rosalie Gowlland - her email address was given in the emailed version of this newsletter, contact us if you do not have it - explaining your interest in the project, providing your name, postal address, telephone number and to which society you belong. Once the Arts Society House and the Archives have formally agreed on the project, the Parliamentary Archives will issue the materials needed.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Member,

I hope you have been enjoying some of the autumnal weather and though we cannot get together for our meetings in the usual way at the moment, you are still looking forward to the variety of lectures we have planned for the year ahead.

Feedback

Thank you for the feedback to our first zoom lecture, " Zaha Hadid, Architectural Superstar". The responses were incredibly positive.  

November zoom Lecture

The second zoom lecture of our 2020-2021 season will be on Wednesday 4th November, at 10:30, when Paul Jagger will talk about " Treasures of the Livery Company Halls".   

We plan to send the link to this lecture by midday on the Tuesday i.e. the day before the lecture. If you do not receive this, or any other emails expected from the society, please check your junk/bulk/spam email account. If you have not received it by the agreed time, please contact me to investigate.

It is possible to use the lecture link as a test and attempt a login as soon as you wish. If you see the waiting screen, showing details of the talk, with date and time, your test has been successful. If you have any concerns, please let us know.

New Hall for lectures

We continue to investigate a new venue for when we can once again hold lectures face-to-face. Once a decision has been finalised, we will let you know. 

The Arts Society Monthly Lunchtime lecture

I hope you were also able to access The Arts Society lunchtime lecture last week. Further Friday lunchtime lectures can be viewed on 27th November and 18th December at 1pm. These lectures will be full length (one hour long). There is no special link as they are broadcast on The Arts Society’s YouTube channel. They will only be available to watch live, at the advertised time.

Please type in youtube.com/c/theartssociety in your web browser or search for The Arts Society lecture within your YouTube app. The lectures should be readily identifiable.

27 November 2020, 1 pm       Georgina Bexon - The Story of Indian Modern Art

18 December 2020, 1 pm       Matthew Denney - Exhibition History: The history of Great Exhibitions, Expos and World Fairs, 1851 to present, the British Contribution

Full lecture descriptions can be found at: theartssociety.org/lectures-at-home

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Tel: 01702 420852

Email: thamesestuary@theartssociety.org

Dear Member 

This is a reminder that The Arts Society is continuing to provide monthly Friday lunchtime lectures and the next one is this Friday, 23rd October at 1pm. These lectures will be full length (one hour long).  

There is no special link as they are broadcast on The Arts Society’s YouTube channel. They will only be available to watch live, at the advertised time.  

Please type in youtube.com/c/theartssociety in your web browser or search for The Arts Society lecture within your YouTube app. The lectures should be readily identifiable. 

23 October 2020, 1 pm                       Peter Ross - From the Saxons to Mary Berry: A Visual History of the English Cookbook 

27 November 2020, 1 pm                   Georgina Bexon - The Story of Indian Modern Art 

18 December 2020, 1 pm                   Matthew Denney - Exhibition History: The history of Great Exhibitions, Expos and World Fairs, 1851 to present, the British Contribution 

Full lecture descriptions and biographies can be found at: theartssociety.org/lectures-at-home

 With kind regards,

Carol Kitching

Secretary, The Arts Society Thames Estuary

This programme has been put together on a provisional basis. It will depend on government recommendations and how many of the members of the society feel able to  travel  in this surreal time we are living in.

 October 2020

Munnings Exhibition and the Dedham Vale    

This visit to Suffolk had been cancelled. The National Trust at Dedham will be closed for the rest of the year, and Munnings house will take only 6 people at a time. Everyone who has signed up for this visit will be reimbursed in the next few days.

We will look into running this visit sometime in  2021.

December 2020

We are still considering options for December.

March 2021

Rochester , the Cathedral, Castle and the Huguenot Museum.

 May 2021

Visit to the Watts Gallery Guilford.

This is the only gallery that was built to display paintings by one artist- G.F. Watts .

Afternoon walking tour of  Georgian Guilford with a guide.

 July 2021

Open air concert in the grounds of Hever Castle.

 September 2021

Visit to the Mansion House , London.

A wander around John Soames eclectic home in  Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

 October 2021

A walk along the Regent’s Canal with Andrew Davies.

Walking from Paddington, past Little Venice and the Zoo, to Camden Lock for lunch. In the afternoon, walk on to St. Pancras.

 December 2021

Christmas at Penshurst Place.

Visit the house and gardens, with Christmas lunch.

Dear Member

Please see below a message from your Chair, Debra O’Connell. 

With kind regards

Carol

(Secretary)

 **************************************************************************

Dear Members

I hope you are enjoying our typical English summer and keeping well.

This Season has come to an end and it is time to look forward to October when our new season begins. As the future continues to be uncertain regarding group gatherings at present, we have purchased a zoom licence as a back up, to ensure our lecturers can deliver their lectures directly to you at home, in a format we are already familiar with. The process is easy and I hope you will join us in this new venture should it be necessary.

You will soon receive your membership renewal pack in the post which includes the lecture programme and proposed visits programme, subject to government restrictions. Please complete the form and return it to Sheila Smith by the 1st September. If you do not receive your renewal pack or have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us so we may resolve your concerns as soon as possible.

Best wishes and take care.

Debra O'Connell

Chair

Thames Estuary

Dear Member 

We are pleased to confirm that an Exhibition on Screen film has been secured from Seventh Art in lieu of July’s lecture.  My apologies for the delay, but this was due to furloughing of their staff. This viewing opportunity is restricted to Arts Society Thames Estuary Members only. 

Cezanne - Portraits of a Life will be available for you to view from 8th July, for 2 weeks only, until midnight on Wednesday 22nd July.  

Dedicated to the portrait work of Paul Cézanne, the exhibition opened in Paris before travelling to London and Washington. Featuring interviews with curators and experts from the National Portrait Gallery London, MoMA New York, National Gallery of Art Washington, and Musée d’Orsay Paris, and correspondence from the artist himself, the film takes audiences beyond the exhibition to the places Cézanne lived and worked and sheds light on an artist who is perhaps the least known of all the impressionists – until now.

Would you kindly provide feedback in the usual way. The easiest way to let us know is to click on this link http://www.tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Home.aspx and click on the ‘please give some feedback on the last lecture by clicking here’ button on the bottom right, below the Latest News box.  

When you wish to view Cezanne - Portraits of a Life, which runs for approximately 90 minutes, please click on the link below and the viewing will be instantaneous.

<link removed>

If you are interested in seeing what else is available from Seventh Art, please go to their own website, www.exhibitiononscreen.com

I hope you have made good use of the Useful Links tab on our website for museum tours, etc. http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Home.aspx 

I hope you have also taken the opportunity  to use the new Arts Society website: https://www.connected.theartssociety.org/talks-lectures 

The current lecture in the Lecture at Home series is Rebecca Hossack on Aboriginal Art. 

Future lectures in this series include:      

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

21 July: Irving Finkel: Diaries & what to do with them

4 August: Viv Lawes: Chinese hand-painted export silk - with live painting demo 

On a lighter note, you may enjoy Art in Quarantine – an amusing little sequence on how to pass the time 

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/a27d24_28bdce13ea054366a9f1b9ccc561cd09/360p/mp4/file.mp4 

Please Note:   This year’s Membership Form will be sent out at the end of the month.  

Please continue to send in your AGM votes as we need a quorum of at least one fifth of members returns. For ease, these can be in the form of an email response rather than the completed form.

With kind regards and happy viewing,  

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Member

I hope you continue to keep well and enjoy this lovely dry weather. I continue to potter in my garden and have ventured out more to local parks for my exercise.

I hope you have made good use of the Useful Links tab on our website for museum tours, etc. which we continue to update when made aware of more sites to investigate.  http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Home.aspx.

I hope you have also taken the opportunity  to use the new Arts Society Connected website. Please go to the main website - https://theartssociety.org/home. When you scroll down there is a link to The Arts Society Connected.

The current lecture in the Lecture at Home this series is Nicola Moorby looking at £20 note.

Future lectures in this series include:      

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

We are pleased to confirm that we have rented an Exhibition on Screen film from Seventh Art for your viewing in lieu of June’s lecture. Please note this streaming opportunity is restricted to Arts Society Thames Estuary Members only.

The Artist's Garden: American Impressionism will be available for you to view from Wednesday 3rd June, for 2 weeks only.

In 1886, the French art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel took a selection of his stock of impressionist paintings to New York, changing the course of art in America forever. Americans embraced it and created their own style of impressionism. The American impressionist movement is a story closely tied to a love of gardens and a desire to preserve nature in a rapidly urbanising nation. This film travels to studios, gardens and iconic locations throughout the United States, UK and France to demonstrate this vision.

To determine if this venture continues to be a success and investing in again for July, would you please provide feedback in the usual way. The easiest way to let us know is to click on this link http://www.tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Home.aspx and click on the ‘please give some feedback on the last lecture by clicking here’ button on the bottom right, below the Latest News box. 

When you wish to view The Artist's Garden: American Impressionism, which runs for approximately 90 minutes, please click on the link below and the viewing will be instantaneous.

<link removed>

If you are interested in seeing what else is available from Seventh Art, please go to their own website, www.exhibitiononscreen.com

Please note: July’s meeting has been cancelled. We are reviewing the way forward regarding this year’s AGM and will let you know the details shortly.

With kind regards and happy viewing,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Member

We are pleased to confirm that we have rented an Exhibition on Screen film from Seventh Art for your viewing in lieu of May’s lecture. Please note this streaming opportunity is restricted to Arts Society Thames Estuary Members only.

Van Gogh & Japan will be available for you to view until Monday 11th May.

Seeing Japanese art in art shops and small Parisian galleries and then creating his own perception of Japan – through in-depth research, print collecting and detailed discussions with other artists – Van Gogh’s encounter with Japanese artworks gave his work a new and exciting direction. Featuring Van Gogh’s personal letters, written accounts from friends and contemporaries as well as insights from artists and experts, Van Gogh & Japan provides a fresh and revealing understanding of this extraordinary artist.

In order to determine if this venture is a success and possibly investing in again for June, would you please provide feedback in the usual way. The easiest way to let us know is to click on this link http://www.tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Home.aspx and click on the ‘please give some feedback on the last lecture by clicking here’ button on the bottom right, below the Latest News box. 

When you wish to view Van Gogh & Japan, which runs for approximately 90 minutes, please click on the link below and the viewing will be instantaneous.

<link removed>

If you are interested in seeing what else is available from Seventh Art, please go to their own website, www.exhibitiononscreen.com

Happy viewing.

With very kind regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Member

I hope you are keeping well and the blue sky and sunshine is helping to calm your spirits. Like many other members I am sure, I have been spending time in my garden, enjoying the bird songs and pottering.

I forgot to remind you in the last newsletter, to look at the Useful Links tab on our website for museum tours etc.

http://www.tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Home.aspx

Members have very kindly been sending me more ideas, which Gail Sealey has added to the list. Any other suggestions from you will be gratefully accepted.

Were you able to log into the new connected website yesterday to hear the lecture on Las Meninas by Velázquez? The lecture is still available and lasts about 16 minutes. It certainly opened my eyes to enjoying the painting even more. Please go to the main website 

https://theartssociety.org/home

When you scroll down there is a link to The Arts Society Connected.

From here, you can get to Talks and Lectures, Forum, Members etc. Under Forum, I have set up our Society (Thames Estuary) under Local Societies, so please add a message to let me know you have found it.

This website is open to everyone, so please let your family and friends know about it.

For information, the Munnings trip with the NT and Munnings Art Museum has been rearranged for Wednesday 14th October.

With very kind regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Member

I hope this morning’s sunshine has brightened your spirits a little in these unusual times.

I want you to know that your Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee are investigating ways to continue to feed your interest in the Arts. A lot of art organisations are now closed, but the arts sector has responded by pouring out opera, theatre, literature, film, online exhibitions, etc, for people to enjoy from home. With that in mind your committee has been investigating.

There are several useful Internet sites available to view:

• The Arts Society website
• History.org.uk – podcasts
• Travelandleisure.com – castles, virtual tours, etc.
• British Museum – search on a word, e.g. elephant and you would be amazed where it takes you
• Historical Association
• National Trust – try Waddesdon Manor interactive site
• Virtual tours of museums – V&A is a good start
• National Theatre – full length plays available every week on YouTube
• Royal Opera House  - ballet and opera screenings (7pm on Fridays via Facebook and other sites).

 There are also several good television programmes available e.g. check out Channel 5. Also, please do not forget your Arts Society Magazine which provides many interesting articles.

Age Concern have put most of their services on hold but are still offering telephone befriending for anyone 60+. If you or a friend would like a telephone call once or twice a week, please call 01702 345373 or email enquiry@acsos.co.uk.

Florian Schweizer (The Arts Society CEO) made his first webcast on Monday, to reach out to societies,  exploring new ways to reach Members. On Tuesday 7th April, a new Arts Society Digital Platform will be launched, to keep the Members community connected. It will offer forums for people to discuss a range of arts related topics, fortnightly lecture videos, monthly film screening, etc. At 11:00 on that day, a lecture on Las Meninas by Velázquez by the accredited lecturer, Jacqueline Cockburn, will be launched. The first monthly screening will be the UK premier of Easter in Art, a 90-minute film exploring the different ways the Easter story has been depicted through the ages.

If you have any ideas of sites or information that I can pass on to other members, please let me know. We are also thinking of Members without email or the Internet, which is a little more challenging, but will be sending out letters to them very shortly.

With very kind regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Member

Due to further notification from the government as expected our lecture gatherings in May and June have been cancelled. July will hopefully take place however this will be confirmed at a later date. 

The Munnings trip has been postponed until later in the year and we are reviewing the June walk date as this currently falls just outside the isolation period.

The Prague holiday currently remains unchanged however we will contact you directly regarding developments.

Your committee look forward to seeing you all soon. 

Take care and keep well.

Debra O'Connell 

Chair 

The Arts Society Thames Estuary 

Dear Member

 Due to the current uncertainty and subsequent anxiety of the situation around the coronavirus your committee has made the decision to cancel the lecture day on 1st April. This information will be on our webpage shortly and we will be contacting members who do not have internet or email access by phone as soon as possible.

If you are booked on the Prague holiday the present situation is that this is still going ahead and we are to hold fast for further information from the travel company.

 If you are booked on the Munnings trip this is currently going ahead however, we are monitoring the situation closely and will keep you informed of developments.

 Please be assured that your committee will continue to monitor government updates on an ongoing basis so that we can make informed decisions for future gatherings and events. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to help.

Keep well and take care

 Debra O'Connell

Chairman

The Arts Society Thames Estuary

Dear Fellow Member,

 Our next lecture of The Arts Society Thames Estuary will be held on Wednesday 4th March, at the Rochford Freight House, when the morning session begins at 10.30 am., with the afternoon at 2.00 pm. Gail Turner will talk about " Painter of Sunlight, Joaquin Sorolla". 

Sorolla (1863-1923) is known as the ‘master of light’ for his iridescent canvases and was a highly successful artist in Spain and the United States during his lifetime. Some of his best work is on show in the house and studio he built for himself in Madrid. An exhibition of his work was held at the National Gallery last year.  His delightful paintings of women and children at the seaside, landscapes and the great series depicting the regions of Spain, are full of sunlight and optimism.

For more details of the lecture, please visit our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

Tickets are still available for our next Special Interest Day on Wednesday 11th March at a cost of £32, which includes lunch and coffee. The subject is " Mr & Mrs Artists – husband and wife artists " with speaker James Russell discussing what happens when two artists set up home together and the effect on their work and relationship. This event is open to family and friends. Please contact Jean Jacobi at jacobi@tiscali.co.uk or telephone 07903 276799  for further details.

There is a waiting list for our trip to Munnings Museum in Dedham on Wednesday 8th April, costing £25, including coach, coffee and a guided walk around the lake at Flatford Mill.

If anyone else would like to join the organised trip to Prague from Wednesday 22nd April to Sunday 26th April,   please contact Hazel Green at hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792 for further details.

Linking in with our June lecture on ‘Canal History and Heritage’, a London canal walk is planned for Wednesday 17th June, commencing at Paddington, with time to obtain lunch at Camden Lock and finishing at St. Pancras. Tickets will be available at the April meeting.

Would you kindly make cheques payable to The Arts Society Thames Estuary. Details will be on a poster on the back desk, where bookings are taken for trips etc.

We look forward to seeing you all on 4th March.

 With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Member,

Our next lecture of The Arts Society Thames Estuary will be held on Wednesday 5th February, at the Rochford Freight House, when the morning session begins at 10.30 am., with the afternoon at 2.00 pm. Nigel Bates will talk about " In the Kingdom of the Sweets". 

The Nutcracker has delighted audiences at Christmas for many decades, yet it was deemed a failure at its first performances.  Nigel will take a close look at how this well-loved ballet now takes its rightful place on stage and how the music of Tchaikovsky along with story-telling, design and dance all come together to make the most magical escape.

For more details of the lecture, please visit our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

For information, the Russian State Ballet of Siberia will be performing The Nutcracker at the Cliffs Pavilion on Sunday 9th February (2.00 pm. & 5.30 pm.) and although tickets are now limited, some are still available at the box office if interested.

The social meet up for a drink and a chat at the Cliffs Pavilion on Wednesday 22nd January proved a success with 20 members attending.

Tickets are still available for our next Special Interest Day on Wednesday 11th March at a cost of £32, which includes lunch and coffee. The subject is " Mr & Mrs Artists – husband and wife artists " with speaker James Russell.

Tickets are also available for our trip to Munnings Museum in Dedham on Wednesday 8th April, costing £25, including coach, coffee and a guided walk around the lake at Flatford Mill.

If anyone else would like to join the organised trip to Prague from Wednesday 22nd April to Sunday 26th April,   please contact Hazel Green at hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792 for further details.

Linking in with our June lecture on ‘Canal History and Heritage’, a London canal walk is planned for Wednesday 17th June, commencing at Paddington, with time to obtain lunch at Camden Lock and finishing at St. Pancras. Further details will be available nearer the time.

We are also investigating a cathedral visit later in the year, to link in with our May Lecture on ‘Cathedrals, a Safe Place to do Risky Things’.

Would you kindly make cheques payable to The Arts Society Thames Estuary. Details will be on a poster on the back desk, where bookings are taken for trips etc.

We look forward to seeing you all on 5th February.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Member,

 Please note that the first lecture of 2020 of The Arts Society Thames Estuary  will be held on the second Wednesday of the month i.e. Wednesday 8th January, at the Rochford Freight House, when Gavin Plumley will talk about "The Magic of Prague: Czech Art and Culture".  The morning session begins at 10.30 am., with the afternoon at 2.00 pm.

Looking at painter and decorative artist Alfons Mucha, artist Karel Svoboda and composers Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák, this talk shows how the Czechs created a capital that was fit for a new independent nation  - hence our organised trip to Prague (please contact Hazel Green at hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792 for further details).

For more details of the lecture, please visit our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

We are holding a social meet up for a drink and chat at the Cliffs Pavilion on Wednesday 22nd January from 10.30 am. Please purchase your drink at the bar and join us for a get together.

In February Nigel Bates will give a lecture on The Nutcracker entitled “In the Kingdom of the Sweets.” The Russian State Ballet will be performing at The Cliffs Pavilion on 9th February (2.00 pm. & 5.30 pm.) and tickets are available at the box office if interested.

Tickets for our next Special Interest on Wednesday 11th March will be available at the January meeting at a cost of £32, which includes lunch and coffee. The subject is " Mr & Mrs Artists – husband and wife artists " with speaker James Russell.

For your diary, we are arranging a trip to Munnings Museum in Dedham on Wednesday 8th April. Full details will be provided in the new year.

We look forward to seeing you all on 8th January.

 And finally,

A very Happy New Year

from your Committee

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

Dear Fellow Member,

Our next meeting of The Arts Society Thames Estuary will be held on Wednesday 4th December, at the Rochford Freight House, with the morning session beginning at 10:30 am and the afternoon at 2.00 pm. Tobias Capwell will talk about "Nothing says Christmas like an Axe Fight".  In this special holiday lecture, the curator, broadcaster and author will give rare insight into the art, history and realities of formal knightly combat, from the perspective of an experienced jouster and horseman, as well as an academic specialist.  For more details, please visit the lectures page on our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

The Special Interest Day on Wednesday 13th November, when Howard Smith took us on a ‘Nostalgic Trip to Magical Days’, speaking about the illustrators of written works including Rupert Bear and Dan Dare proved very enjoyable, bringing back happy memories to many.

I hope that everyone who participated in the trip to Leeds Castle had an enjoyable time and the weather did not dampen the event.

If you are stuck for ideas for someone’s Christmas present, we are offering vouchers for Special Interest Days or one year’s membership.

There will be no lecture on the first Wednesday of the New Year. The first lecture of 2020 will be on Wednesday 8th January when Gavin Plumley will talk on “The Magic of Prague: Czech Art and Culture” – hence our organised trip to Prague in (please see below).

We are planning a social meet up for a drink and chat at the Cliffs Pavilion on Wednesday 22nd January from 10:30 a.m. Please purchase your drink at the bar and join us for a get together.

In February Nigel Bates will give a lecture on The Nutcracker entitled “In the Kingdom of the Sweets.” The Russian State Ballet will be performing at The Cliffs Pavilion on 9th February 2020 (2 pm & 5.30 pm) and tickets are available at the box office if interested.

For your 2020 diary, we are arranging a trip to Munnings Museum in Dedham 8th April 2020. Full details will be provided in the new year.

Full details of our 5-day trip to Prague on 20th April will be available at our December meeting, when a deposit will be required by cheque. The price is £714 pp with an additional payment of £144 for a single room. This holiday is also available to family and friends. If interested, would you kindly inform Hazel Green at the meeting or via email hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

As a reminder, would you be so kind as to make cheques payable to our society’s full name i.e. The Arts Society Thames Estuary. Details will be on a poster on the back desk, where bookings are taken for trips.

We look forward to seeing you all on the 4th December.

May your Committee take this opportunity of wishing you

a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

With Kind Regards,

Carol Kitching

Dear Fellow Member,

 Our next meeting of The Arts Society Thames Estuary will be held on Wednesday 6th November, when Claire Walsh will talk about "The Well-Dressed  Gentleman : Male Sartorial Elegance in the 17th to 20th Centuries". As usual, the venue is Rochford Freight House, with the morning session beginning at 10:30 am and the afternoon at 2.00 pm. The talk traces the history of men’s attire from the basic suit under Charles II , through the flamboyant dress of the 18th century dandies, the  country estate frock coat,  the transition to black in the 19th century,  the 20th century leaders of aristocratic fashion - and beyond. For more details, please visit the lectures page on our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

The outing to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew on 9th October was not too dampened by the weather and proved to be a most enjoyable day. Those who handed in unused train tickets will be able to collect a refund from Madeleine Quane at the end of the meeting.

 Prior to the meetings on Wednesday 6th November we will be organising a coffee meet-up session for new members, by invitation only.

 A few tickets are still available for our Special Interest Day on Wednesday 13th November when Howard Smith will take us on a ‘Nostalgic Trip to Magical Days’, speaking about the illustrators of written works including Rupert Bear and Alice in Wonderland. The cost is £32 (to include morning coffee and lunch). Tickets will be available at the November meeting, or contact Jean Jacobi on 07748 145189 or 01702 474824.

 Our organised trip to Leeds Castle will now be on Sunday 1st December , to include  lunch, for £49. Tickets are still available for Members, their family and friends. Please contact Hazel Green at the November meeting or telephone 01702 525792. Those requiring refunds will be able to collect them from Hazel Green at the end of the meeting.

We have received details of the Brandenburg Choral Festival of London concerts in London on 6th and 7th  December and if members are interested, full details are available at the back of the hall.

Full details of our 5-day trip to Prague on 20th April 2020 will be available for our December meeting. This trip is linked to our January 2020 lecture by Gavin Plumley - The Magic of Prague: Czech Art and Culture.  If you are interested in the trip, would you kindly inform Hazel Green via email hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

As a reminder, would you be so kind as to make cheques payable to our society’s full name i.e. The Arts Society Thames Estuary. Details will be on a poster on the back desk, where bookings are taken for trips etc.

We look forward to seeing you all on the 6th November.  

With Kind Regards, 

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee

Dear Fellow Member,

Our first lecture of the new TAS Thames Estuary year will be held on Wednesday 2nd October, when Oliver Everett will speak on King George III, the most cultured Monarch. As usual, the venue is Rochford Freight House, with the morning session beginning at 10:30 am and the afternoon at 2.00 pm. The talk will describe King George’s life, family and wide interests, his patronage of the arts, his important additions to the Royal Collection and his relationship with North America and Americans. For more details, please visit the lectures page on our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

We would like to thank June and Margaret for organising our London Walking tour in July which was very successful.

The planned outing to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew on Wednesday 9th October, has proved to be very popular. This is now sold out, with a waiting list.

Prior to the meetings on Wednesday 6th November we will be organising a coffee meet-up session for new members, by invitation only.

Our next Special Interest Day is on Wednesday 13th November when Howard Smith will take us on a ‘Nostalgic Trip to Magical Days’ and will be speaking about the illustrators of written works including Rupert Bear, Dan Dare, Famous Five, Just William and Alice in Wonderland. A few tickets are still available, costing £32 (to include morning coffee and lunch).To book a place, please contact Jean Jacobi on 01702 474824.

On Wednesday 27th November, we are organising a coach trip to Leeds Castle, to include  lunch, for £49. Tickets will be on sale at the October meeting.

We are finalizing details for our 5-day trip to Prague on 20th April 2020. If you are interested, would you kindly inform Hazel Green via email hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone 01702 525792.

With effect from 1st October, would you be so kind as to make cheques payable to our society’s full name i.e. The Arts Society Thames Estuary. Details will be on a poster on the back desk, where bookings are taken for trips etc.

We are still looking for a Financial Examiner of the Annual Accounts, who does not have to be a member. Please contact Debra O’Connell on 01702 553571.

We look forward to seeing you all on the 2nd October.

With Kind Regards, 

Carol Kitching

(On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary Committee)

Dear Fellow Members,

Our next meeting of the TAS Thames Estuary will be held on Wednesday 3rd July at our usual venue, Rochford Freight House.  There is one session only at 10:30;  there will be no afternoon lecture. It will commence with our AGM, followed swiftly by a lecture from Bertie Pearce who will talk on Punch and Judy.

Mr Punch, the most famous puppet character of all time,  gave “Punch” magazine its title, has inspired opera, ballet and punk rock with his notorious refrain; ‘That’s the way to do it!” Appearing in England in 1662, Punch is descended from the Italian Clown Pulcinella of the 15th C Commedia Dell’Arte tradition. 

For more details, visit the lectures page on our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

We are still looking for a Financial Examiner of the Annual Accounts for next year, who does not have to be a member. Please contact Debra O’Connell on 01702 553571.

Our London Walking tour is on Thursday 18th July 2019. Andrew Davies will guide us through “St. Pancras and King’s Cross: A Discovery”. Please make your own travel arrangements to meet outside Kings Cross Station in the square with its Henry Moore Sculpture at 11 a.m.

We are planning an outing to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew on Wednesday 9th October, visiting the Chihuly Glass sculptures on show throughout the gardens. The price of £33 will include coach, entrance, hop on/hop off train and gratuities. Tickets will be available at the AGM.

Prior to the meetings on Wednesday 6th November we will be organising a coffee meet-up session for new members, by invitation only.

Join us for our next Special Interest Day on Wednesday 13th November to take a ‘Nostalgic Trip to Magical Days’ with Howard Smith who will be speaking about the illustrators of written works including Rupert Bear, Dan Dare, Famous Five, Just William and Alice in Wonderland. Tickets will be on sale at the July meeting, costing £32 (to include morning coffee and lunch).

On Wednesday 27th November, we are organising a coach trip to Leeds Castle, to include  lunch, for £48. Tickets will be on sale at the October meeting.

We are hoping to organise a 5-day trip to Prague in April. If you are interested, would you kindly inform Hazel Green at the AGM meeting, or email hlgreen@gmail.com or telephone   01702 525792.

We look forward to seeing you all on the 3rd July.

With Kind Regards, 

Carol Kitching

On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary (TEDFAS) Committee

Dear Fellow Members

Our next lectures of the TAS Thames Estuary year will be held on Wednesday 5th June at our usual venue, Rochford Freight House., when Julian Halsby will talk on “The Extraordinary Life of Misia Sirt”. The morning session begins at 10.30 a.m., with the afternoon session at 2.00 p.m.

Misia was a virtuoso Polish pianist. She was painted by Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonnard, Eduard Vuillard and Renoir; Debussy and Ravel dedicated pieces to her. Her second husband financed Diaghilev’s Russian Ballets becoming part of the circle around Picasso, Stravinsky, Cocteau and Nijinsky. She became Coco Chanel’s closest friend and confidante. For more details, visit the lectures page on our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

If anyone can stay at the end of the afternoon lecture to help put away the equipment, it would be most appreciated.

 Please remember to pick up your envelope containing the AGM papers and your application form for next year’s membership.

 We are still looking for a volunteer to act as Treasurer.  We also need a Financial Examiner of the Annual Accounts for next year, who does not have to be a member. 

Our London Walking tour is on Thursday 18th July 2019. Andrew Davies will guide us through “St. Pancras and King’s Cross: A Discovery”. Please make your own travel arrangements to meet outside Kings Cross Station in the square with its Henry Moore Sculpture at 11 a.m. There is now a waiting list for tickets, price £20 for walks and talks. 

We are planning an outing to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew on Wednesday 9th October, visiting the Chihuly Glass sculptures on show throughout the gardens. The price of £33 will include coach, entrance, hop on/hop off train and gratuities. Tickets will be on sale from June’s meeting.  

Join us for our next Special Interest Day on Wednesday 13th November to take a ‘Nostalgic Trip to Magical Days’ with Howard Smith. Howard will be speaking about the illustrators of written works including the Rupert Bear and Dan Dare books; Eileen Soper’s Famous Five (Enid Blyton) illustrations; Thomas Henry’s Just William (R. Crompton) illustrations and Gwynedd M. Hudson’s Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll) illustrations. Tickets will be on sale at the July meeting, costing £32 (to include morning coffee and lunch).

 We look forward to seeing you all on the 5th June.

 With Kind Regards, 

Carol Kitching

On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary (TEDFAS) Committee

Dear Fellow Members,

Our next lectures of the TAS Thames Estuary year will be held on Wednesday 1st May at our usual venue, Rochford Freight House., when Lucrezia Walker will talk on “John Peter Russell”. The morning session begins at 10.30 a.m., with the afternoon session at 2.00 p.m.

John Peter Russell, was an Australian impressionist and regarded by Rodin as an artist equal to Monet, Renoir and Matisse.  Russell moved to Europe to attend art school.  He befriended fellow pupil Vincent Van Gogh and painted the first portrait of the future world-famous artist. Russell returned to Sydney in old age, where he died.  For more details, visit the lectures page on our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

 If anyone can stay at the end of the afternoon lecture to help put away the equipment, it would be most appreciated.

 Tickets are still available for a coach trip to Greenwich, including coffee, entry to and guided tour of the newly opened Painted Hall at the Old Royal Navy College, Greenwich on 22nd May 2019  at a price of £32.00. Pick up points will be Thorpe Bay Station Bus stop 8.30 a.m., London Road by Halfords Westcliff 8.40 a.m.,Thames Drive 8.50 a.m., and Hadleigh 9.00 a.m.

 Tickets are also available for a London Walking tour on Thursday 18th July 2019. Andrew Davis will guide us through “St. Pancras and King’s Cross: A Discovery”. This will consist of morning and afternoon walks, with time for lunch. Please make your own travel arrangements to meet outside Kings Cross Station in the square with its Henry Moore Sculpture at 11 a.m. Price £20 for walks and talks.

 Our Treasurer Adrienne Davison stands down in July, so we are looking for someone to take over the role, initially shadowing Adrienne. She and Richard Offord have worked hard to get their database in line with The Arts Society, which makes exchanges quicker and easier. There is a training course available at The Art Society HQ in London with all costs paid. Dates available at present are 4th or 5th July, but more will be offered in the autumn. Do please give it some thought.

 We look forward to seeing you all on the 1st May.

 With Kind Regards, 

Carol Kitching

On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary (TEDFAS) Committee

Dear Fellow Members,

Our next lectures of the TAS Thames Estuary year will be held on Wednesday 3rd April at our usual venue, Rochford Freight House., when Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes will talk on “The Talent in Tite Street”. The morning session begins at 10.30 a.m., with the afternoon session at 2.00 p.m.

Our Treasurer Adrienne Davison stands down in July, so we are looking for someone to take over the role, initially shadowing Adrienne. She and Richard Offord have worked hard to get their database in line with The Arts Society, which makes exchanges quicker and easier. There is a course available with all costs paid. Do please give it some thought.

London’s Tite Street was one of the most influential artistic quarters in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A staggering amount of talent thrived in just this one street in Chelsea, including James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Oscar Wilde, John Singer Sargent, Augustus John, Romaine Brooks and Gluck. Throughout its turbulent history it remained home to innumerable artists, writers, suffragettes, queers and madmen. Here Whistler was bankrupted, Oscar Wilde imprisoned and Frank Miles went mad. This lecture ties together the private and professional lives of its inhabitants to form a colourful tapestry of art and intrigue. For more details, visit the lectures page on our website: http://tasthamesestuary.org.uk/Lectures/FutureCalendar.aspx

If anyone can stay at the end of the afternoon lecture to help put away the equipment, it would be most appreciated.

Tickets are still available for a coach trip to Greenwich, including coffee, entry to and guided tour of the newly opened Painted Hall at the Old Royal Navy College, Greenwich on 22nd May 2019 at a price of £32.00. Pick up points will be Thorpe Bay 8.30 a.m., London Rd. Westcliff 8.40 a.m., Thames Drive 8.50 a.m., and Hadleigh 9.00 a.m.

Tickets will now be available for a London Walking tour on Thursday 18th July 2019. Andrew Davis will guide us through “St. Pancras and King’s Cross: A Discovery”. This will consist of morning and afternoon walks, with time for lunch. Please make your own travel arrangements to meet outside Kings Cross Station in the square with its Henry Moore Sculpture at 11 a.m. Price £20 for walks and talks.

We look forward to seeing you all on the 3rd April.

With Kind Regards, 

Carol Kitching

On behalf of The Arts Society Thames Estuary (TEDFAS) Committee

William Morris Timeline - information supplied by Jo Banham, our February 2019 lecturer

1834 (21 March)         Morris born, Elm House, Walthamstow, to William and Emma Morris

1840                            Family move to Woodford Hall, Essex, rented for £600 pa

1843                            Morris attends the Misses Arundale’s Academy for Young Gentlemen, Woodford

1847 (6 Sept)              Morris’s father dies

1848 (Feb)                  Morris goes to Marlborough College

1848 (Sept)                 The Morris family move to Water House, Walthamstow

1851 (Dec)                  Morris leaves Marlborough

1853 (Jan)                   Morris goes up to Exeter College, Oxford to read theology. He meets Burne-Jones and the Pembroke Set

1854 (summer)            Morris and Burne-Jones read Ruskin, and discover the work of the Pre-Raphaelites

1855 (summer)           Morris and Burne-Jones tour Northern France visiting cathedrals and museums. They decide to devote their lives to art

1856 (Jan)                   Morris is apprenticed to the architect G. E. Street. Meets Philip Webb, his chief clerk

1856 (Aug)                  Street’s office moves to London and Morris rents rooms with Burne-Jones in Red Lion Square

1856 (autumn)             Morris meets Dante Gabriel Rossetti

1856 (autumn)             Morris abandons architecture to become a painter

1857 (March)               Morris publishes The Defence of Guenevere

1857 (summer)            Project to decorate the Oxford Union Debating Hall

1857 (October)            Morris meets Jane Burden

1858 (Spring)              Morris and Jane become engaged

1859 (26 Apr)              Morris and Jane are married

1860 (summer)            Morris moves into Red House, Bexleyheath, Kent

1861 (Jan)                   Jane (Jenny) Alice Morris born

1861 (11 Apr)              Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co founded

1862 (Mar)                  Mary (May) Morris born

1862 (May)                  1862 Great Exhibition; work of MMF &Co shown in the Medieval Court

1862                            Morris designs his first wallpapers

1865 (autumn)             Morris family leave Red House and move to 26 Red Lion Square

1865                            MMF & Co commissioned to decorate rooms at St James’s Palace and the South Kensington Museum

1868                            Morris begins designing textiles

1870                            Morris publishes The Earthly Paradise

1871                            Morris & Rossetti take a joint lease on Kelmscott Manor, Oxfordshire, for £60 pa

1871 (July)                  First of Morris’s trips to Iceland, with Erikr Magnusson

1872                            First dye experiments at Queens Square

1872                            The Morris family move to Horrington House, Turnham Green

1873                            Second trip to Iceland

1875 (March)               Morris dissolves MMF & Co and reforms it as Morris & Co with himself as sole owner

1875                            Morris begins working with the textile manufacturer, Thomas Wardle, in Leek

1876                            Jenny diagnosed with epilepsy

1876                            M & Co begin manufacturing machine-woven carpets

1876                            Morris begins lecturing on The Decorative Arts

1876                            Morris joins the Eastern Alliance Association

1877 (spring)               M & Co open their London showrooms at 449 Oxford Street

1877                            Morris publishes Sigurd the Volsung inspired by his visits to Iceland

1877                            Morris founds the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

1878                            Morris family move to Kelmscott House, Hammersmith

1879                            Looms for hand-knotted carpets set up in the coach house of Kelmscott House

1879 (Sept)                 Morris’s first tapestry, Cabbage and Vine, woven

1880                            M & Co receive second commission for St James’s Palace

1881                            M & Co purchase Merton Abbey Works, in Merton, Surrey and install facilities for stained glass, dyeing, textile printing, carpet and tapestry weaving

1882                            Morris publishes Hopes and Fears of Art

1883 (March)               First tapestry (Goose Girl) woven at Merton Abbey

1883                            Morris joins the Social Democratic Federation

1884                            Morris founds the Socialist League and finances and edits The Commonweal

1886                            Morris publishes A Dream of John Ball

1890                            Founds the Hammersmith Socialist Society

1890                            Morris publishes News from Nowhere

1891                            Morris sets up the Kelmscott Press with Emery Walker

1892                            Morris offered the position of Poet Laureate but declines

1894                            Holy Grail series of tapestries woven for Stanmore Hall

1896 (June)                 Kelmscott Chaucer published by the Kelmscott Press

1896 (3 Oct)                William Morris dies – of kidney disease/diabetes related illness

1896 (6 Oct)                Morris is buried at the church in Kelmscott; his grave is designed by Philip Webb

WILLIAM MORRIS – FURTHER READING - Information supplied by our February 2019 lecturer Jo Banham

The literature on William Morris is huge and the list below is highly selective:

full bibliographies can be found online www.morrissociety.org/morris/bibliography.  The most up-to-date and comprehensive account of Morris’s life is Fiona Macarthy’s biography. Her biography of Edward Burne-Jones also touches on many aspects of his work for Morris & Co and his close friendship with Morris.  E. P. Thompson’s seminal biography provides a detailed analysis of Morris’s political ideas. The best overview of the many different kinds of design associated with Morris & Co is the Victoria & Albert Museum catalogue, edited by Linda Parry. Parry’s book on Morris’s textiles is also extremely extensive and useful for a description of his interiors. Charles Harvey and Jon Press have done fascinating work on Morris’s career as a businessman. A major exhibition about the life and work of May Morris was recently on at the William Morris Gallery and was accompanied by a catalogue edited by Jan Marsh, who has also written a biography of Jane and May Morris. Barbara Morris has written about Morris and the inspiration of the V&A.

Banham, Joanna and Jennifer Harris (eds), William Morris and the Middle Ages, Manchester, 1986

Crossley, Alan, Tom Hassall and Peter Salway (eds), William Morris’s Kelmscott: Landscape and History, London, 2007

Harvey, Charles and Jon Press, William Morris, Design and Enterprise in Victorian Britain, Manchester, 1991

Kirk, Sheila, Philip Webb: Pioneer of Arts and Crafts Architecture, London, 2005

Lindsay, Jack, William Morris: His Life and Work, London, 1975

Livingstone, Karen (ed), International Arts and Crafts, London, 2005

Macarthy, Fiona, The Last Pre-Raphaelite: Edward Burne-Jones and the Victorian Imagination, London, 2011

Macarthy, Fiona, William Morris: A Life for our Time, London, 1994

Marsh, Jan, Jane and May Morris, London, 1986

Marsh, Jan, William Morris and Red House, London, 2005

Marsh, Jan, May Morris, London, 2017

Morris, Barbara, William Morris and the South Kensington Museum, William Morris Society, London, 1987

Myers, Richard and Hilary, William Morris Tiles, Somerset, 1996

Parry, Linda (ed), William Morris, London, 1996

Parry, Linda, William Morris Textiles, London, 2015

Peterson, W. S., The Kelmscott Press: A History of William Morris’s Typographic Adventure, Oxford, 1991

Poulson, Christine, William Morris on Art and Design, Sheffield, 1996

Rogers, David, William Morris at Home, London, 1996

Stansky, Peter, Redesigning the World: William Morris, the 1880s, and the Arts and Crafts Movement, Princeton, 1985

Thompson, E. P., William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary, London, 1955 and 1977

Waggoner, Diane (ed), The Beauty of Life: William Morris and the Art of Design, New York, 2003

Watkinson, Ray, William Morris as Designer, London, 1967