Greetings! I hope you will be able to join us at the next Art, Books & Culture Research Group meeting

on Saturday 30th November, 11.15am (until about 12.45pm)

at The Beecroft Gallery, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea

to continue exploring the migration of Impressionist ideas from Paris to London, this month by way of Walter Sickert (1860-1942)’s inspirational friendship with Edgar Degas (1834-1917) (NB. there’s a fabulous sepia photograph of the two artists together in Dieppe c/o Tate [here]).

Looking broadly at both artists’ work, we’ll focus in on the ballet, opera, chanteuses and music hall turns:

Above: Degas: Dancer with a Bouquet [1878; Musee d’Orsay]

Below: Sickert: The Sisters Lloyd [1888, Government Art Collection]

All welcome!

£10 on the door includes coffee at the Jazz Centre downstairs at The Beecroft.

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Future dates & themes:

Saturday 14th December:

The Glory of Colour – Claude Monet and Pierre-August Renoir

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Greetings! I hope you will be able to join us for coffee, biscuits and art discussions on

Friday 22nd November, 11.30am (for about an hour)

at The Beaumont, (Barchester Care) 15 Cannon Hill, Old Southgate, London N14 7DJ

when we’ll be looking at the art of British artist Samuel Palmer (1805-1881)

“The Bright Cloud” [1833; Manchester Art Gallery, c/o artuk.org]

As the Display Label at Manchester Art Gallery notes:

[Samuel] Palmer settled at Shoreham, Kent in 1827. He referred to the area as his ‘valley of vision’ and remained there until 1835. This is one of several cloud subjects from that period. The landscapes Palmer painted around Shoreham are loaded with religious and poetic imagery. The artist read the Bible and the work of John Milton from a very young age. Lines from Milton’s Paradise Lost are reflected here: …yon western cloud, that draws O’er the blue firmament a radiant white, And slow descends, with something heavenly fraught.

This morning we’ll explore Palmer’s “Valley of vision” and the poetic, romantic and religious sensibilities he brought to his paintings there. Do come along if you can!

There’s a £3 fee on the door which goes towards Barchester Care’s generous support of these ‘art appreciation’ sessions for both residents and the local community.

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