Wednesday, 27 May 2015

Looking Around Us – Wymondham Arts Centre – June 2 to 14

Looking Around Us at Wymondham Arts Centre, Norfolk, brings together the work of three Norwich 20 Group figurative painters, David Jones, Jane Mackintosh and Barry Watkins. The show runs at Becket’s Chapel from Tuesday, June 2 to Sunday, June 14 and is open daily, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm and Sunday, 12noon to 5pm, free entry.

David Jones, who is curating the exhibition, explained: “The three of us take the world around us as a starting point. The idea might come from travel, something quite trivial seen in the street, or from everyday human activity.”

“I have long admired Barry and Jane’s work; it is underpinned by assured draughtsmanship and long experience. They both handle paint very confidently but in different ways. Barry takes great pleasure in the tactile qualities of his materials.  Jane suggests a great deal with very economical means. It is my hope that my paintings share some of the qualities that I admire in the others’ work. Our differing approaches will give considerable variety to the show.”

All three artists are former Chairmen of Norwich 20 Group.

Van Gogh's Sunflowers by David Jones
David Jones 
David Jones is both a painter and printmaker. His prints are mostly linocuts and woodcuts or a combination of the two.  What he paints usually comes from some everyday incident that catches his attention or some evidence of history in a contemporary setting.  He sees his work as observation of the world about him but is conscious that it very soon becomes a record of the past.

Born in Oxford, but brought up in Reading, he trained at Berkshire College of Art in Maidenhead followed by Camberwell School of Art where he studied fine art. He embarked on a career as a museum curator starting in Salford and moved to Norwich in 1976, where he was the Keeper of Social History until 2000.

Oak Lane by Jane Mackintosh
Jane Mackintosh 
Jane Macintosh’s Orcadian mother was a painter influenced by Peploe and the Scottish colourists and passed on her love of light, places and people. Born in Edinburgh and raised in Oxford, she studied at the Ruskin School of Art and then at Byam Shaw School of Art in London. She moved to Norfolk with her husband in the early sixties where they both taught. Jane used to make prints, but now concentrates on painting and exploring new media with her love of light, cars, people and places very much to the fore.

All Quiet by Barry Watkins
Barry Watkins 
Barry Watkins tries to reconcile the demands of the image and the process, the figurative and the abstract, exploring the qualities and handling of materials and techniques; building up and cutting back; developing, discovering and deconstructing. He uses these techniques to evoke imagery derived both from personal observation and from art, film or other visual media, which carry some personal potency.

He was born in South Wales, grew up in Dorset and did a BA in Fine Art at Reading University.  Ten years later he completed a Masters at University College, Cardiff, and after another decade, a sabbatical year of study at the Norwich School of Art. His career began with a year in Finland, working with the British Council.  His work as a teacher included Keswick Hall College, Norwich and later, De Montfort University, Bedford.

Wymondham Arts Centre is at Becket’s Chapel, Church Street, Wymondham NR18 0PH www.wymondhamarts.com.












Monday, 18 May 2015

Norwich City of Ale – Maids Head Hotel Supports Cavell Nurses’ Trust

Ruth Sanders Cavell Nurses' Trust Ambassador and Genevieve Plunkett Maids Head Hotel

The Maids Head Hotel in Tombland is supporting the Cavell Nurses' Trust’s #HereforNurses fundraising campaign during the Norwich City of Ale festival.

The hotel will donate 10p to the Cavell Nurses’ Trust for every pint of draught Maids Head Ale and Woodforde’s Wherry served in the Maids Head Bar during the City of Ale festival, which runs from Friday, May 21 to Sunday, May 31.

The Maids Head has important links with the Edith Cavell story. Part of the hotel, acquired in 1956, was the former Cavell Home for District Nurses, opened by Queen Alexandra in 1918, at the same time as the unveiling of the Edith Cavell memorial.  The main meeting room in this part of the hotel was renamed the Edith Cavell Room last December, when the Cavell Nurses’ Trust launched their centenary appeal at the Maids Head.

Christine Malcolm, General Manager, the Maids Head Hotel said: “We are looking forward to a busy City of Ale festival and are pleased to support the Cavell Nurses’ Trust’s #HereforNurses fundraising campaign.” 

Stephen Charlton Chief Executive, Cavell Nurses’ Trust said: "In the last year Cavell Nurses’ Trust helped over 1,100 people with more than 7,100 years combined service to the public. However we want to double the number of nurses we are able to support.”

“It is fantastic the Maids Head is supporting our ‘#HereforNurses campaign by donating 10p from pints of draught beer sold during the City of Ale festival. I would encourage customers of the Maids Head to drink responsibly and to ‘top up’ their support with an additional donation at the bar.”

For more information about Cavell Nurses’ Trust see www.cavellnursestrust.org.

For more information about the Maids Head Hotel see www.maidsheadhotel.co.ukt. 01603 209955.  


Great Yarmouth Heritage Walks – Whitsun Holiday Special – Gorey Stories

Discover ‘Gorey Stories on a Wicked Walk’ on a special Whitsun Holiday Heritage Walk in Great Yarmouth on Wednesday, May 27. The walk starts at 2pm from the Fishermen’s Hospital Gates in the Market Place and lasts up to two hours.

Places must be booked in advance on 01493 846346, or at Great Yarmouth Tourist Information Centre, Marine Parade. Prices: £6.50 adults, £4 children (7-16), under 7’s free, price includes refreshments in the Star Hotel.  Twenty maximum on the walk, so book early (10 minimum for guided walk to take place).

Great Yarmouth has had its fair share of tall stories and unpleasant goings-on. Hear tales of body snatchers, disasters, murders in the Rows and the visit of the Witch Finder General. The walk finishes at the Star Hotel.

The full programme of guided Heritage Walks is also underway. This year there are three themes, the ‘Medieval Town Wall’, ‘On the Warpath: Piers and Bombs’ and ‘The Great and the Good Yarmouth’.

The next regular walk is on Sunday, May 31 at 2pm, with ‘The Great and the Good Yarmouth’. Join this walk and find out how Yarmouth became Great and grew over the centuries. The walk features fishing, railways, Rows, monks and much more.

Then on Tuesday, June 2, at 7pm, it is ‘On the Warpath: Pier and Bombs’. This walk covers the Victorian piers and the former jetty from which Nelson embarked for the Battle of Copenhagen, and also looks at the impact of the two World Wars with army billets, sea defences and digging for victory in the seafront flowerbeds.

Both walks start from the Fishermen’s Hospital Gates. Just turn up on the day and pay the guide: adults £3.75, children (7-16) £1.50 and under 7 free.  

For details of Great Yarmouth’s full programme of Heritage Walks see
www.heritage-walks.co.uk, or pick up a leaflet at Great Yarmouth Tourist Information Centre.