We hope you will enjoy our varied programme for 2012. Guests are very welcome, with prior notice, for a contribution of £5 per lecture. Please contact the Membership Secretary to book a guest place.

membershipsecretary@camberleydfas.org.uk

 

25th January	Christopher Herbert "Glittering Prizes: The Mosaics of Ravenna"   In 5th C this fascinating city was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.  The interiors of its great buildings are adorned with exquisite mosaics.  Yet, these were constructed during a remarkably turbulent period of history.  They provide a unique and dazzling insight into Ravenna’s golden age.
22nd February	Susan Kay-Williams "True Colours?  How Art Influences the Way we think about Textile Colours"   This lecture introduces us to some recognisable images and looks at them in a new way.  Challenging assumptions about textiles in paintings and what paintings do and do not tell us about the clothing that was actually worn at that time.
21st  March	Day of Special Interest John Ericson   "The Shakers of North America: Their Beliefs, Architecture & Artifacts" Little is known of the Shakers outside America, other than the current fashion for Shaker style kitchens and furniture.  Learn about their beliefs, examine their architecture and artefacts.  View  interviews with some Shakers plus a discussion of their contribution to today’s world.
28th March	Clare Walsh "The Glamour Holiday: The Grand Era of Travel in the 1920s & 30s" The Cruise Liner with its Art Deco style brought exclusivity, luxury and modernity of the Glamour Holiday.  The social elite found new destinations and activities away from the package holiday maker.
25th April	Tom Errington   "Tromp L'Oeil: The Art of Illusion" How does the brain accept information provided by the eye; enabling it to make an instant decision on whether a painting is really three dimensional or simply flat representational.  This lecture provides examples of various artists to explain the theories of perspective and the parts of colour, tone and shadow play in this illusion.
23rd May	Colin Latimer "Spring Driven Clocks & Watches" Tracing the history of clocks from the 15th C to the rise of the wrist watch in the 20th C, this lecture covers the artistic, technical, stylistic and social aspects of this fascinating subject.
27th June	Eveline Eaton “Wright of Derby - Painter of Light" Almost totally forgotten in the 20th C, Joseph Wright (1734-97) is once again celebrated as one of the most inventive & versatile painters during “The Golden Age of British Painting”.  Best known for his paintings of “Contemporary History” and his Candlelight pictures.
26th September	Annie Gray "Mrs Beeton Presents: Beeton's Book of Household Management in its Culinary Context (Art of the Table)" This lecture, which is delivered in costume and starts in character, explores the context in which The Book of Household Management was published.  Recreating an insight of that culinary environment we look at the dining style and the look, feel and taste of food in 1861.  Mrs Beeton left an enduring legacy to the culinary arts
24th October	AGM Preceded by lunch at 12:30pm to be followed by   Oliver Everett “Queen Victoria & Prince Albert: Patrons of the Arts, Art Collectors & Artists" Victoria & Albert were equally enthusiastic patrons of the arts, commissioning & collecting works from both British & European artists.  This included Old Masters, sculpture, furniture, jewellery and fine bindings.  They viewed this as the public duty of the monarchy.  Both played a pivotal role with the ground breaking Great Exhibition of 1851.
14th November	Day of Special Interest Rachel Ward "The Decorative Arts of Islam: Inlaid Metal Work, Enamelled Glass & Painted Pottery" This is an exploration of gold, silver and copper inlays which transformed medieval brass vessels into glittering luxurious objects.  Islamic potters surpassing their European & Chinese contemporaries in their range of colours & inventive designs.  Enamelled and gilded glass vessels made in Syria & Egypt between 13th & 15th C were to inspire the famous enamelled glass workshops of Renaissance Venice.
28th November	Jane Tapley “Dickens Revisited 1812-2012 Christmas Special" A 200th celebration of Charles Dickens’s birth in 1812.  He was known as Jolly Old Christmas due to his five popular festive stories that were based on fact.  Writer of sixteen novels, an editor, playwright, actor director, philanthropist and workaholic, Dickens fathered ten children in his colourful and eventful life.