Travel by coach. Offer open to members, partners, friends

This Lee Miller exhibition is the most comprehensive display of the late American photographer’s work ever held in the UK. There are works here that have never been seen before. From Vogue cover girl to Vogue photographer, from surrealists’ muse to commercial portraitist to war photographer, she had a dazzling, daring career.

Our itinerary for the day is as below.  Lunch and morning coffee are included; we hope you can join us.
08.30/08.45  Depart  from Harpenden
10.30   Arrive at Tate Britain where we will be greeted by the Tours & Experiences Team
11.00   Welcome teas and coffees served in the Clore Lunch Room, exclusive use for our group
11.30   One hour introductory Lecture Presentation in the Clore Auditorium exploring the exhibition’s themes and analysis of the key works in the exhibition
12.30   Buffet Lunch served in the Clore Lunch Room, exclusive use for our group
13.30   Onwards entry into the Exhibition to explore at leisure and other galleries time permitting
16.00   Depart for Harpenden  

 Ticket Price: Adult £ 78 - Art Fund Member £ 69 - Tate Member £ 59.50 

To book, click on the link: https://buytickets.at/theartssocietyharpendenarea/1955092

Download the flyer:

   Download Flyer  

James Wright will explore myths and local legends surrounding some of our ancient buildings. Focussing on staircases and tunnels, he will enquire into their design and purpose. 

Local tales speak of hidden tunnels connecting the castle and the monastery, or the hermitage and the pub, or the church and the manor house. Often these are supposed to be escape tunnels, sometimes they are connected with smuggling or treasure, on other occasions the given reasons for their existence are somewhat salacious and scandalous.

The folklore of Britain’s subterranean landscape is ubiquitous, but is there ever any archaeological evidence for these yarns?

Download flyer and booking details here.

Luton Hoo Walled Garden will be open as part of the national Heritage Open Day Scheme. 

Click here for more information.

“Sargent & Fashion”: explore his unique work.
Sargent used fashion as a tool to express personality and identity. Nearly 60 of Sargent’s paintings will be on display, including major portraits that rarely travel. Several period garments will be on display alongside the portraits they were worn in.

The day will start with coffee, followed by an introductory talk by Valerie Woodgate. After a buffet lunch we will have timed entry tickets for the exhibition.

Full details, including how to book, are on the flyer which can be downloaded here:

   Download Flyer   

This is a special event to mark 22 years of TASHA support of the Walled Garden. It acknowledges the contribution made by TASHA Volunteers over the years and coincides with Pat Livesey having stepped down as our Heritage Volunteer Coordinator.

TASHA has commissioned a plaque recording our support, and this will be unveiled on 22 May.

The event will start with the unveiling at 2:15pm, followed by a guided tour of the garden. We will conclude with tea and a celebratory cake at the Woodyard Café. 

The cost is £15. Any surplus from the charge will be donated to the Estate to be used on the garden.
Full details, including how to book can be found in the flyer:

   Download Flyer    

Any further questions:
Please email visits.tasha@gmail.com  

Date and Time: 29th January 2024 from 10:00 to 12:20
Location: Function Room 2 at the Eric Morecambe Centre
Cost: £25 each

A comparison of the way in which the modern treatment of traditional genres in art is different from that of the Old Masters, the effect of these differences, and whether they add to, or change, our understanding of the subject and its message. The lecture will cover all of the traditional genres, i.e. History Painting, Portraits, Genre (pictures of everyday life), Landscape and Still-Life, and we will consider the way in which the treatment of these subjects has changed over the centuries, up to the present day.
 
Format of the day
10am to 11am Lecture 1
11am to 11:20am Coffee and biscuits
11:20am to 12:20pm Lecture 2
 
Val Woodgate gave our November 2022 lecture, ‘The Four Seasons’ and everyone agreed she was outstanding.

Click here to book

For further information email: visits.tasha@gmail.com

Over the winter volunteers will be arranging talks on the last Friday of each month. Coffee will be served from 10 30 am and the talks, which last approximately one hour, will begin at 11 00am. They cover a wide range of topics researched by volunteers.

The cost of each talk is £7 50 per person and bookings can be made online at www.trybooking.co.uk/BWLV or reserve a place by calling 01582 721443.

Topics

November 25th 2022 – The Women’s Land Army – WWI

January 27th 2023 – Walled Garden Highs and Lows – 20th Century

February 24th 2023 – Water on the Estate, 18th to 21st Century

March 24th 2023 – 21 Years Reviving the Walled Garden

April 28th 2023 – Gertrude Jekyll in Bedfordshire

Over the winter volunteers will be arranging talks on the last Friday of each month. Coffee will be served from 10 30 am and the talks, which last approximately one hour, will begin at 11 00am. They cover a wide range of topics researched by volunteers.

The cost of each talk is £7 50 per person and bookings can be made online at www.trybooking.co.uk/BWLV or reserve a place by calling 01582 721443.

Topics

November 25th 2022 – The Women’s Land Army – WWI

January 27th 2023 – Walled Garden Highs and Lows – 20th Century

February 24th 2023 – Water on the Estate, 18th to 21st Century

March 24th 2023 – 21 Years Reviving the Walled Garden

April 28th 2023 – Gertrude Jekyll in Bedfordshire

Over the winter volunteers will be arranging talks on the last Friday of each month. Coffee will be served from 10 30 am and the talks, which last approximately one hour, will begin at 11 00am. They cover a wide range of topics researched by volunteers.

The cost of each talk is £7 50 per person and bookings can be made online at www.trybooking.co.uk/BWLV or reserve a place by calling 01582 721443.

Topics

November 25th 2022 – The Women’s Land Army – WWI

January 27th 2023 – Walled Garden Highs and Lows – 20th Century

February 24th 2023 – Water on the Estate, 18th to 21st Century

March 24th 2023 – 21 Years Reviving the Walled Garden

April 28th 2023 – Gertrude Jekyll in Bedfordshire

Over the winter volunteers will be arranging talks on the last Friday of each month. Coffee will be served from 10 30 am and the talks, which last approximately one hour, will begin at 11 00am. They cover a wide range of topics researched by volunteers.

The cost of each talk is £7 50 per person and bookings can be made online at www.trybooking.co.uk/BWLV or reserve a place by calling 01582 721443.

Topics

November 25th 2022 – The Women’s Land Army – WWI

January 27th 2023 – Walled Garden Highs and Lows – 20th Century

February 24th 2023 – Water on the Estate, 18th to 21st Century

March 24th 2023 – 21 Years Reviving the Walled Garden

April 28th 2023 – Gertrude Jekyll in Bedfordshire

Over the winter volunteers will be arranging talks on the last Friday of each month. Coffee will be served from 10 30 am and the talks, which last approximately one hour, will begin at 11 00am. They cover a wide range of topics researched by volunteers.

The cost of each talk is £7 50 per person and bookings can be made online at www.trybooking.co.uk/BWLV or reserve a place by calling 01582 721443.

Topics

November 25th 2022 – The Women’s Land Army – WWI

January 27th 2023 – Walled Garden Highs and Lows – 20th Century

February 24th 2023 – Water on the Estate, 18th to 21st Century

March 24th 2023 – 21 Years Reviving the Walled Garden

April 28th 2023 – Gertrude Jekyll in Bedfordshire

There is a special study day at Luton Hoo Walled Garden on "Reviving a Forgotten Garden" on October 12th 2022.

This study day is very comprehensive and promises great interest. Apart from an overview of the whole project, there will be a tour of achievements in both the garden and in conservation of buildings, walls, machinery etc. There will also be oral histories explaining the highs and lows of the walled garden in the 20th century, The study will also look at aspects of water supply - from Brown's original supply to current water conservation by the volunteers.

Study Day places cost £50. including lunch, tea/coffee. TASHA Committee member Pat Livesey will have application forms available at our lecture meeting, or you can alternatively visit the website of the Bedfordshire Gardens Trust emailing: treasurer@bedsgardenstrust.org.uk to secure your place or find out more.

This day is to celebrate 21 years of research and restoration of the Capability Brown octagonal walled garden at Luton Hoo, which lay derelict with no history preserved. Volunteers, including a number of Heritage Volunteers from TASHA (HADFAS, as it was then), have uncovered its past from a botanical garden in the 18th century and created a new garden to be enjoyed in the 21st century.

Have you missed attending Special Interest Days in person, and listening to some of the best lecturers and hearing them without the encumbrance of a laptop, computer or other device? I know I have.
I'm looking forward to seeing Mary Alexander again, and hearing one of her most popular lectures. So come along to;

The Abbey Theatre,
Westminster Lodge, Holywell Hill,
St Albans AL1 2DL

Places are £40 pp to include refreshments on arrival and 2 course lunch.

For full details check out the Lecture Notes and booking form below.
or contact Gill Gowing;
gmgowing@btopenworld.com
01923 777715 or 07882761471

See The Lecture Notes on  Our Society then the Documents Tab

See The Booking Form on Our Society then the Documents Tab

Beds & Herts Area Morning Of Special Interest

Comprising of an on - line lecture and a Virtual Tour

Lecture: Prized Possessions - Dutch 17th Century Art in National Trust Houses

English country houses have traditionally been the home to Dutch Golden Age masters including impressive works by some of the best loved artists. The British have a fondness for collecting Dutch pictures with examples collected by some of the Nation’s most important patrons and displayed in some of Britain’s greatest houses. The National Trust has over 13,000 works of art, of these over 1,000 are Dutch 17th century paintings. Dutch masters such as Rembrandt, Aelbert Cuyp, and Meindert Hobbema were extremely popular with the British nobility and entrepreneurs from the 17th to the 20th century. Some of the most beautiful examples of these artists are to be found in these houses. The talk will include the variety of paintings to be found, the artists who painted them and how they came to be in these houses.

Virtual Tour: Mauritshuis, The Hague, The Netherlands

The Mauritshuis is one of the most beautiful 17th century monuments in Holland and has been the home of the Royal Cabinet of Paintings for nearly 200 years. The collection of 17th century Dutch paintings is considered one of the top four in the world. The fact that this top collection is found in the intimate atmosphere of a residence of the same era known as the Dutch Golden Age makes it very special. And explains why it is often called the smallest of the great museums and the greatest of the small museums. 

There will be a short break between the two sessions

Jane Choy - Thurlow is a resident of the Netherlands and enjoys giving lectures and tours at the Mauritshuis, Prince William V gallery and Huygens Museum Hofwijck in The Hague, The Netherlands. A few of the many exhibits in the Mauritshuis she has been part of are: the legendary Johannes Vermeer exhibit, Rembrandt by Himself and Holbein, Portraitist of the Renaissance.

She received her BSc from Salem State University, USA, her Med from Trinity College Dublin and continued art history studies at Leiden University.

A former Chairman of Mainland Europe AS area, she is presently a part of the Support Team.

In 2018 she was given the honour of Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau by the Dutch King Willem Alexander of Orange for her knowledge and work in the field of the Arts esp. 15th to 17th century Dutch and Flemish art.

Click here for more information and an application form which is on the Arts Society Beds and Herts Area website.

Derek will be talking to us about creating and producing icons. Derek currently has two on display in St Albans Cathedral.

Join your President and Committee for "Painting the story of Christmas"

Linda Collins, who you met at our first coffee morning back in July is our guest and she will be talking about some "Christmas" inspired paintings at the National gallery.

 A look at the days of Christmas from its traditional beginning on 21st December to its traditional end on 5th January through seven or eight paintings.

Shelagh Collingwood will give a talk “A Freelance Photographer Challenges and Compromises”. The talk covers a wide range of assignments over the last three decades.   At first the idea was to photograph people’s precious objects as a record, in case of being lost or stolen.  This then mushroomed into various other spheres, be it portraits, including school photographs, some stately home treasures, and the occasional wedding. Not wanting to incur overheads with a fixed studio, I gathered together equipment that could be transported in a car to whatever destination, which meant that no location was ever the same – hence the Challenges and Compromises.

In 2001 a project began to research the history of the Walled Garden and its importance in Victorian and Edwardian society. This marked the beginning of a new era for the Walled Garden, which is now the focus of a fascinating project. The Walled Garden Project is largely carried out by an enthusiastic team of gardeners, researchers and historians who work alongside a restoration and conservation team, and a vibrant education team. Pat will talk to us about the beginning of the project, which now seems a long time ago.

Angela worked for many years as an Occupational Therapist and in 1991 changed direction to pursue her interest in Patchwork and Quilting.

She teaches internationally, runs workshops, publishes needlework books and has produced a number of needlework DVDs as well as being a Quilter and Textile Designer.

The first of our coffee mornings will be used to help members improve their Zoom skills and we are delighted to have time with our new President, Linda Collins. 

Linda was employed by the Historic Royal Palaces for more than twenty years before becoming an independent lecturer and lecture organiser. She holds a BA(hons) in Early Italian art, an MA in the works of Georges de la Tour, and a Diploma in French language and culture.

Researching her MA in Paris and spending much time in the country has led to a special interest in French Art, but working amongst the paintings in the Royal Collection has also been fascinating and compelling. The opening of the New Cumberland Art Gallery at Hampton Court Palace for example has brought together works by Caravaggio, Holbein, Rembrandt, Gentileschi (both father and daughter), Gainsborough and many, many more in a beautiful historic setting.

She spends much of my time lecturing to adult education groups, Fine Art societies, Antique groups, The National Trust, U3A, and various universities. She has been lucky enough to lecture worldwide and I has fairly recently returned from my third lecture tour of Australia and New Zealand for the Arts Society.  She has been filmed for a PBS TV series looking at Tudor Art and I have co-authored a book on the Tudor era titled,  ‘The Tudors: The Crown, The Dynasty and the Golden Age’.

Zoom Link for Coffee Morning Click here- 

This major exhibition presents the outsider at the heart of American art and culture

Andy Warhol was the son of immigrants who became an American icon. A shy observer who became the hub of New York’s social scene. An artist who embraced consumerism, celebrity and counter culture – changing modern art in the process.

He was born in 1928 as Andrew Warhola to working class parents from present day Slovakia. In 1949 Warhol moved from Pittsburgh to New York, where he was later joined by his mother. Initially working as a commercial illustrator, his skill at transforming the imagery of American culture soon found its unforgettable realisation in his ground-breaking pop art.

Visitors to this major retrospective will be able to see his iconic pop images of Marilyn Monroe, Coca-Cola and Campbell’s Soup Cans, play with his floating Silver Clouds and experience the psychedelic multimedia environment of the Exploding Plastic Inevitable. The exhibition will bring together rarely seen work from the 1970s that display his skill as a painter, as well as his experiments with different forms of mass media.

Frank through his lecture will guide us through the exhibition and show us how this innovative artist re-imagined what are could be in an age of immense social, political and technological change.

30 people will have timed entry at 1.30pm after that next entry is 1.45pm

Our day at the Tate Modern includes:-

11.00 Arrival for coffee at Tate Modern South Bank (Blackfriars)

11.30 Lecture by Frank Woodgate

12.30 Buffet Lunch provided

1.30 Timed entry to exhibition

Ticket Prices:-

Full Price- £48.00

Art Society Member (with membership card)- £46.00

Art Fund Member- £39.00

Tate Member -£29-00

For further information contact Linda or Kay or email us :- info@theartssocietyharpendenareadfas.org.uk

A lecture to mark the centenary of the Bauhaus

10.00 am for 10.30 am start until approx 3.15 pm at

The Abbey Theatre, Westminster Lodge, Holywell Hill, St Albans. AL1 22DL

Refreshments and lunch included.

Where did mixer taps and fitted kitchens come from? Angle-poise lamps and strip lighting? The answer is The Bauhaus. This is the story of Germany's most famous design school, bitterly attacked in its day during 1920s, but one which has had a profound effect on modern buildings and their interiors ever since. 

The first session begins in Weimar with the founding of The Bauhaus in 1919. The aim was to design functional goods, which could be mass-produced, therefore were affordable and available to everyone. To lead the new trend in design, Gropius attracted leading painters from across Europe to teach at the Bauhaus.

The second session explains the Bauhaus’s move to the more appropriate industrial city of Dessau in 1925. We examine Gropius’ purpose-built buildings for the school, for himself, and for the masters’ houses. Changes in the school’s curriculum were made at Dessau, as well as a move away from craft-based design towards links with industry and machine production, exemplified by the development of its famous tubular steel furniture.

The third session considers the final years of the Bauhaus, under the directorship of the well-known architect Mies van der Rohe and its move to Berlin in 1932. When the Bauhaus closed a year later, many of the teachers and students involved either fled or were exiled by the Nazi regime. We will therefore consider the legacy of the key Bauhaus members after they left the School and how their work has had a major impact on art, architecture and design ever since.

Venue: The Abbey Theatre is half a mile south of St Albans city centre, at the foot of Holywell Hill. Follow the A5183 (from either direction) and look out for the brown traffic signs.

The Theatre is behind the leisure centre.

Parking there is plenty of parking but it is ‘pay and display’.  A day ticket currently costs £5.40    Blue Badge Parking: plenty of spaces can be found close to the Theatre.     

Click Here for Application Form

Tate Britain have brought together over  300 original works by William Blake, including his watercolours, paintings and prints, this is the largest show of Blake’s work for almost 20 years. It will rediscover him as a visual artist for the 21st century.

Radical and rebellious, he is an inspiration to visual artists, musicians, poets and performers worldwide. His personal struggles in a period of political terror and oppression, his technical innovation, his vision and political commitment, have perhaps never been more pertinent.

Inside the exhibition will be an immersive recreation of the small domestic room in which Blake showed his art in 1809. You will be able to experience for yourself the impact these works had when they were shown for the first time. In another room, Blake’s dream of showing his works at enormous scale will be made reality using digital technology.

Independent travel to Tate Britain. Our day will consist of Coffee on arrival, Lecture about the artist and the exhibition, Buffet Lunch, and timed entrance to the exhibition.

Ticket Prices are:

Full Price- £48.00

Art Society Member (with membership card)- £46.00

Art Fund Member- £39.00

Tate Member -£30-00

You must apply for this by email or telephone as we do not have a lecture before the event. 

Email:  info@theartssocietyharpendenareadfas.org.uk

We have now further tickets for this day , so if you are interested please email using the link below

Our lecture will be given by Val Woodgate, who will talk about Van Gogh and the exhibition itself.

Tate Britain have brought together 40 works by Van Gogh to reveal how he was inspired by Britain and how he himself inspired British Artists. It will be the largest collection of his work under one roof for almost a decade.

VAL WOODGATE -Lecturer and guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern, also at many other London Galleries and for various art organisations.Former member of the teaching team at Dulwich Picture Gallery.Lecturer to The Arts Society (formerly NADFAS) throughout Britain, and to related organisations in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. 

If you are interested please contact us below for further details.

info@theartssocietyharpendenareadfas.org.uk

Treasures of the Square Mile

An exploration of the heart of the City of London with Ian Swankie 5th April 2019

Tickets are £35.00 to include coffee and refreshments on arrival and a delicious 2-course lunch

Ian Swankie is a Londoner with a passion for art and architecture. He is an accredited Arts Society lecturer, an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral, and gives tours at each venue. He is also a qualified and active freelance London guide.

 In three separate sessions Ian will explore the heart of the City of London:-  

The Medieval Guildhall - a London nerve centre for 2,000 years

 In the centre of the City of London stands its ancient headquarters, the medieval Guildhall. The present building dates from 1411 and stands on the site of London’s Roman amphitheatre. This session explores the fascinating history of the Guildhall exterior and interior.

 Romans and Romantics – The Guildhall Art Gallery, one of the country’s real hidden gems

 The City of London Corporation has been commissioning and acquiring art for nearly 350 years and now owns a vast and diverse collection. This lecture explores the outstanding display of works in the Guildhall Art Gallery.

 An armchair stroll around the Square Mile

 Within a short walk of the Guildhall and St Paul’s Cathedral is a treasure trove of wonderful buildings and public art. This talk starts with a look at the institutions that are the backbone of the City of London – including the Bank of England, Lloyds, the Stock Exchange, and the City Livery Companies. Then we will dive into medieval alleyways to explore hidden churches and gardens and finish with a peek at some of the City’s gleaming new skyscrapers.

For booking Form Click here

For directions to venue Click here

For  any queries please contact Gill Burn, Area Chair, at gillburn3@gmail.com or phone 01234 765976 / 07831 675534