Following a talk to both groups the Friends and the Leamington
Society were invited by the Coventry Society to take a guided walk round
the centre of Coventry. In lovely sunshine we were welcomed to
Coventry by Lady Godiva. We were taken through the ruins
of the old Cathedral and into the splendid Guild Hall. We then walked
round the central area where many interesting places, ancient and modern
were pointed out to us by our excellent guide. Finishing in the
Undercrofts at the Priory Visitor Centre the tour
was enjoyed by all.
Flag members had a special visit this week to Ditchley Park, one of
the United Kingdom’s finest houses with a rich history from Queen
Elizabeth I to a secret base used by Churchill in the early years of
World War II. It was bought by Ronnie and Nancy
Tree in 1933 who transformed it into one of the most beautiful and
fashionable houses in the country. It is now owned by the Ditchley
Foundation with 3550 acres managed by the HDH Wills Charitable Trust.
The private tour of the house hearing the history and seeing the beautiful rooms and paintings was enjoyed by all.
Join us for an enchanting day out on Thursday, July 25th, exploring the picturesque towns of Henley on Thames and Ewelme.
We have places available on an arranged trip to Henley on
Thames and Ewelme on Thursday 25 July by coach, leaving Newbold Comyn at 8.30am
with a further pick up opposite the Spa Centre.The cost is £43 per person.
Travelling straight to Henley on Thames and the River &
Rowing Museum.This is a fascinating
museum housed in an award-winning building in a beautiful riverside
setting.It covers stories of the river,
the town of Henley, the international sport of rowing and much more.Of particular interest is the recently opened
Piper Gallery exploring the life and career of John Piper, one of the most
significant British artists of the 20th century whose home was on
the edge of Henley.Admission to the
museum is included in the cost of this trip.There is a cafe to purchase coffee and lunch or stroll the short
distance into the town to explore.The
Town Hall is a Grade II listed building,the iconic Henley Bridge is a masterpiece of Georgian architecture spanning
the Thames and St. Mary's Church has stood the test of time since the 13th
century.There are also plenty of seats
to sit beside the river and enjoy a picnic.
Leaving at 1.45pm we travel the short distance to the pretty
village of Ewelme.We will be met by the
village archivist at the historic church of St. Mary the Virgin where we will
be told about the associations with the poet Geoffrey Chaucer and the Ewelme
Trust which was set up in 1437 and still exists today.We will also see the Almshouses and the
village school which is the oldest school building in the country in use as a
Church State Primary School.We then
return through the village to the Watercress Beds Nature Reserve where
watercress was grown in specially-built beds fed by Ewelme Brook which runs
through the village.There we will have
tea and cake (included in the price) and hear the history of this site.We leave at 5.00pm.
Non-members are very welcome to join us, please contact the
Secretary on:
Would you consider becoming a member of FLAG to help support the gallery? Your membership fees help to provide additional funds for conservation, purchasing new objects, and improving access to the collections. We also sponsor the Visitors' Choice prize at the Open exhibition, which you may have visited.
Currently, we're giving extra funds to support the Arts Society volunteers with the long-term storage of a delicate collection of fans made from ivory, wood, paper, and silk. Since 2005, we have been providing annual funding to the Arts Society to aid their important work.
Most of the fans are Georgian or Victorian and are made of ivory or wood with delicate paper and silk. Currently they are stored folded up so every time they are looked at and opened, damage and wear is caused – especially as creases in fabric create a point of weakness.
The ideal way to store the fans is flat in their open position which avoids additional stress to the fabric and allows them to be admired with minimal handling. FLAG funding will provide custom sloped support created from acid-free card and new boxes to accommodate them in the open position.
FLAG are very pleased to be able to support this project and look forward to seeing the fans safely stored for the future.
Membership costs just £12 per year. You can download a membership form from our website or pick up an application leaflet from the foyer at the Pump Rooms.
As a FLAG member, you'll enjoy numerous benefits, including interesting outings, a range of talks and study days, and free entry to gallery events.
This is a shared posting from Substack from Through Our Hands, who are having an exhibition at the art gallery from Jan to May 2025. There will be 6 textile artists creating new works alongside existing pieces inspired by the gallery's collections.
Above
is another photo that Daniel Lismore has shared with us. He will be
building a site specific piece in the gallery during December whilst
he’s visiting Leamington. I’m sure being so last minute is a little
unnerving for the gallery staff organizing the hanging etc but I’m
certain it will be fine and there’s not really a better way of dealing
with such amazing works!
In other news, the exhibition title has been finalized:
Unravelling History. Unpicking The Collections and Reworking Textile Traditions.
I
must admit, we spent a considerable amount of time deliberating over
it, wanting it to not only capture the essence of the artwork but also
highlight its connection to the gallery’s collections. The tag line bit
above is courtesy of Laura Kemshall who is always a whizz at such
things! Certainly, all the new work being produced is done as a direct
response to the pieces from the collections in the gallery or with
commonalitites of subject matter or technique.
In the exhibition,
the combination of new and old works will demonstrate how enduring
themes have consistently resonated with textile artists and makers
throughout history. These include visual inspirations like flowers and
decorative techniques, as well as personal narratives and broader
political themes such as protest and community building.
The
exhibition will also showcase the gallery’s textile collection,
featuring rarely-seen artifacts like Caribbean quilts, paintings,
botanical books, toys, and fossils. It will also introduce audiences to
donations from Amy Mary Spenlove Brown ( who donated a series of her own
watercolours, as well as wide range of domestic items including a
parasol, boot hooks and embroidery samplers) and Miss Cox, emphasizing
the sense of heritage and value that family heirlooms carry.
1 of the 3 Caribbean quilts in the LSAG collection.
Miss Cox
There’s
lots to think about when putting together an exhibition from initially
discussing an idea with curators, and then completing formal exhibition
proposal forms, explaining to interested parties how the exhibition
would work and be of value to the community and be accessible to a wide
range of audiences, not just the target audience. Practical planning has
to be done once the agreement to proceed has been given, and fellow
artists invited to take part, meetings arranged, archives and stores
visited to search for inspirational artefacts, new work planned and
made, marketing thought about - logos, colours (we’ve chosen Eating Room
Red - a deep red - and Dimity - cream), catalogue layouts, delivery of
pieces, workshops, talks, QR codes, hanging, even the lettering on the
walls has to be carefully considered - eg did you know that we see best
with an 80% contrast?
Lots more to tell so do come back and find out more as the planning continues.
Wednesday 24 April
– Wollaton Hall & Nottingham Castle, Notts.
Wollaton Hall is a stunning Grade I listed Elizabethan
mansion set in 500 acres of natural parkland.It is now owned by Nottingham City Council and is home to the Natural
History Museum.Collections can be
viewed in rooms including The Long Gallery, The Great Hall and Salon.
Followed by a visit to Nottingham Castle where there are a
range of galleries and exhibitions including The Nottingham Lace Gallery, the
Craft Gallery and Museum & Art Gallery.
Cost £38 pp
Wednesday 22 May –
Bewdley & Hartlebury Castle, Worcs.
Spending the morning in the attractive Georgian town of
Bewdley where the Bewdley Museum has a wide variety of collections including
fine art.
In the afternoon we visit Hartlebury Castle where a tour of
the Hurd Library and the Bishop's Palace is included.
Cost £46 pp
Tuesday 18 June –
Ashbourne & Tissington Hall, Derbys.
Arriving at Tissington Hall there will be a tour of the Hall
which was built in 1609 with later additions.There are also gardens and St. Mary's Church which can be explored.
The afternoon is spent in Ashbourne discovering the more
than 200 listed buildings including historic almshouses and coaching inns.
Cost £45 pp
Thursday 25 July –
River & Rowing Museum, Henley on Thames & Ewelme, Oxon.
The River & Rowing Museum is a fascinating museum housed
in an award-winning building in a beautiful riverside setting. As well as
stories of the river it houses The Piper Gallery exploring the life and career
of John Piper, one of the most significant artists of the 20th
century.
We then travel to Ewelme where we will be met by the village
archivist at the historic church of St. Mary the Virgin who will tell us the
history of the church, its associations with the poet Geoffrey Chaucer and
about the Ewelme Trust.
Stopping in Droitwich Spa with time to wander round the town
and discover the historic history of this salt town.
We then travel to Hampton Court Castle where there are
spectacular gardens to view.A guided
tour of the Castle is included to discover its chequered and fascinating
history.
Cost £40 pp
For full details of these trips and how to book please
contact the Secretary at:
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