Norwich Artist Anthea Eames Launches Wymondham Arts Centre’s 2014 Season

Anthea Eames - Australian Goldrush triptych - work in progress - to be shown for the first time at Wymondham

Norwich artist Anthea Eames is launching Wymondham Arts Centre's 2014 season with a solo exhibition of abstract work inspired by the African, Australian and Norfolk landscape. The show runs at Becket’s Chapel from Friday, March 21 to Sunday, April 13 and is open daily, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm and Sunday, 12noon to 5pm, free entry.

Anthea’s paintings stem from her continuing relationship with the African, Australian and Norfolk landscape. She has lived in Norfolk for 30 years, but before that worked in Zambia and Nigeria as a teacher and illustrator. Her discovery of Australia is more recent and began when her son emigrated in 2007. A new 10ft x 4ft triptych called Australian Goldrush will be completed for the Wymondham show.

Anthea Eames - Desert Sky

Anthea’s connection with Africa has been renewed over the last two years by leading women’s art workshops at the Chongoni UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dedza, Malawi, part of the Norwich Dedza project. She returns in May and June this year, training women to design greetings cards drawing inspiration from Chongoni’s Stone Age rock art. Video of her work in Malawi will be included in the Wymondham exhibition.

Anthea Eames explained: “I’m really interested in the history of landscape – how human activity has transformed it through time. I do not try to record the subject, but rely on my memory and intuition and imagine that I am looking down on the landscape when I work. I love Norfolk; it’s a wild and beautiful county with gentle colours set under a vast sky, a wonderful contrast to Australia with its intense reds and glowing oranges and deep blue sea.”

“I create multi-layered textured surfaces using the earth itself, gathering red and yellow ochres, sand, chalk and shingle from places that have a particular resonance for me, like Winterton beach in Norfolk or the Chongoni area in Malawi. The process involves grinding and mixing these materials with resins to create my own paints.”

Anthea Eames - Saltmarsh Reflection

Wymondham Arts Centre Director, Arthur Lucas said: “We are privileged to present a solo show by Anthea Eames, as this season’s opening exhibition. It is very exciting for us to exhibit work inspired by three continents, created by one artist. Anthea’s paintings are both literally and figuratively multi-layered, with her richly textured surfaces and deserve close attention. “

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

Norwich 20 Group – Three 70th Anniversary Exhibitions Open Tuesday, March 18

Norwich 20 Group (N20G) opens three exhibitions in Norwich on Tuesday, March 18 to mark its 70th anniversary.

N20G was founded by Walter Thomas Watling, art master at CNS, supported by Aileen Law, art teacher at Blyth School and 12 other local artists.  Stimulated by contemporary art movements, they wanted to raise standards of local professional art to something worthy of Norfolk’s artistic history.

N20G now has more than 80 members from across Norfolk.  All aspects of the practice of contemporary fine art are represented, sculpture, print, photography, painting, digital media and installations.

Flotilla by Nell Close

20 now 70 – Norwich 20 Group Artists’ 70th Anniversary Exhibition, curated by Amanda Geitner, Head of Collections and Exhibitions at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, is in the Atrium at The Forum, from March 18 to 31. Visitors can meet N20G artists every day from 10am to 6pm.

20 Group Underground, curated by Frances Martin and featuring larger works, installations, video and sound pieces, is at The Undercroft, Norwich Market from March 18 to 31, 12 noon to 3pm daily.

The Norwich 20 Group - 70 years 1944-2014, an exhibition about the history of the group, curated by Clotilde Wang, is at the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell from March 18 to May 24.

A series of talks at the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell about the impact of N20G on the cultural life of Norwich has been arranged to complement the exhibition. Former N20G Chairman, Martin Battye, launches the series with Art Matters at 12 noon on Friday, March 28. Tickets for the talk only are £2.60, or free with museum admission, booking essential, t. 01603 629127.

The museum opens Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4.30pm. Last admission is half an hour before closing, adult £4.95, concessions £3.95, young person (5-18) £2.95, family ticket (2 adults and all children) £12, family ticket (one adult and all children) £8.  Museum Pass holders, Friends of Norwich Museums and companion with a disabled visitor free.  Pop in for £1 every day one hour before closing time.

The exhibition at the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell includes graphic panels illustrating N20G’s history, a display case featuring documents and artefacts associated with the group and digital projection of past and present members’ art. A leaflet about N20G history will also be available.

Girl with Hat by Ros Newman

Linda Chapman, Norwich 20 Group Chairman said: “Our 70th anniversary is a very important milestone for the group. We are looking forward to sharing our work with friends old and new at The Forum and The Undercroft. I also hope many people take the opportunity to explore the exhibition about our history at the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell. I would like to thank Norfolk Museums Service for hosting this exhibition.”

Steve Miller, Head of Norfolk Museums Service said: "As the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell celebrates the very best examples of artistic design and production in the city over centuries, we are delighted to play host to this exhibition which highlights artistic talent and tradition in Norwich."

Over the years N20G has included nationally known artists, for example, Michael Andrews, Bernard Reynolds, Edward Barker, Leslie Davenport, Mary Newcomb, Jeffery Camp RA, and Cavendish Morton. Many current and past members have received patronage, exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and Galleries in East Anglia, London and internationally, with works in both private and public collections.  Some have received prestigious awards, including election to the Royal Academy.

N20G has strong links with Norwich's twin cities and has held joint exhibitions with Novi Sad, Rouen, Koblenz and El Viejo.

The group has a licentiate scheme and invites four graduates annually, from Norwich University of the Arts, to become members and exhibit with the group free of charge for one year.

Talks Programme at the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell. 
All talks are £2.60 for talk only, or free with museum admission. Booking essential on 01603 6291267. A ticket for all five talks is available at a cost of £10.00.

Friday, March 28 12 noon
Art matters – a perspective on the role, function and outreach of N20G and the perception of the arts in the community.
Martin Battye, N20G Chairman 2011-2013

Friday, April 4 at 12 noon
Memories of the N20G – gives an insight into the development of the group – looking back at the members’ aspirations, difficulties and involvement.
Jane MacKintosh, N20G Chairman 1978-1980

Friday, April 25 at 12noon
The history of the N20G through the archives – tells the story of a unique group of artists in Norfolk from research through several private and public archive collections.
Clotilde Wang, Curator of the exhibition

Friday, May 2 at 12noon
Twin Cities Shows – how and why N20G reached out and collaborated with artists from the Norwich Twinned Cities of Koblenz, Rouen, Novi-Sad and El Viejo.
Barry Watkins, N20G Chairman 2005-2007

Friday, May 16 at 12 noon
About the life drawing workshop – a brief account of the history and purpose of the life drawing workshop which has existed on a drop-in basis for 40 weeks of the year, every year, without interruption for the last 30 years.
Linda Chapman, N20G Chairman 2014

Oxburgh Hall Norfolk Gets Watery Makeover

 A project to restore the water levels that have helped keep The National Trust's Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk standing for more than 500 years has been completed successfully in time for the 2014 season.

The mansion, completed in 1482, is surrounded by its original moat, which provides protection for the foundations. During 2013 staff noticed that the water levels in the moat were dropping at noticeable levels as the River Gadder, which feeds the moat, had lost water due to leaks in its man-made engineering structures in My Lady’s Wood.

The work involved repairs to the Gadder’s brick weir and sluice the removal of 1000 cubic metres of silt from the riverbed, and has taken nearly three months.

It has also enabled the National Trust, which owns the Oxburgh estate, to partly restore My Lady’s Wood to more like its original 19th century design,  including opening up more views of the Hall. The improvements have also provided a waterway for otter to visit Oxburgh.

Helen Gregory, Oxburgh’s Outdoors Manager, said “what a fantastic outcome, we now have a river full of water and not full of silt, with water flowing into the moat and maintaining higher water levels than we’ve ever had.”

Oxburgh Hall opens on Saturday, March 1, Saturdays to Wednesdays (seven days during school holidays) until November 2, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburgh-hall .

Tree Planting Day at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden Norfolk Broads

Supporters of Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden at South Walsham in the Norfolk Broads backed the next generation of the garden’s trees at a special planting day on Friday, February 21.

John Debbage, one of the gardening team at Fairhaven, has established a nursery in the garden to propagate saplings. More than 80 oak, ash, alder and horse chestnuts, grown from seed gathered in the garden, are ready for planting in a copse at the end of the Ranworth Walk.

Louise Rout, Fairhaven Garden manager explained:  “We are asking our friends and supporters to donate £10 to the garden’s project fund in return for planting a tree.  We will maintain a record of all tree donations, so that donors can keep an eye on their tree as it matures. I would like to thank our friends who planted trees today. However, there is still time to support our appeal,” added Louise Rout. “Donors have until the middle of March to reserve a tree.”

To make a donation and reserve a tree, please call in at visitor reception, or email  enquiries@fairhavengarden.co.uk, t. 00 44 (0)1603 270449.  Additional tree planting days and times will be arranged. 

Back the next generation of Fairhaven Garden trees on Friday, February 21

John Debbage

Friends and supporters of Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden at South Walsham in the Norfolk Broads are being invited to back the next generation of the garden’s trees at a special planting day on Friday, February 21, starting at 11am.

John Debbage, one of the gardening team at Fairhaven, has established a nursery in the garden to propagate saplings. More than 80 oak, ash, alder and horse chestnuts, grown from seed gathered in the garden, are ready for planting in a copse at the end of the Ranworth Walk.

Louise Rout, Fairhaven manager explained:  “We are asking our friends and supporters to donate £10 to the garden’s project fund in return for planting a tree.  We will maintain a record of all tree donations, so that donors can keep an eye on their tree as it matures.”

To make a donation, please call in at visitor reception, or email  enquiries@fairhavengarden.co.uk, t. 01603 270449. Alternative tree planting days and times can be arranged.

Maids Head Hotel Norwich - Dragon Making Winner Announced

Ruby Pummell with her winning dragon and Deborah Cubbin, Sales Manager, Maids Head Hotel 

More than 40 dragons, created by children from Magdalen Gates primary school, have been on display at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich since Friday, February 7. Visitors to the hotel have been invited to vote for their favourite dragon. 

The winner of the first week’s prize, a family carvery lunch, is Ruby Pummell. Deborah Cubbin, Sales Manager at the Maids Head visited the school to present Ruby with her prize just before half term.

The dragons will remain on display at the hotel until Sunday, February 23, and visitors are asked to continue voting for their favourite. A second prize will be presented after half term, afternoon tea for one young dragon maker and their family.

The dragon-making project is part of Norwich Dragon Festival. The hotel also has a special Little Dragon’s Menu throughout the festival.

 

Christine Malcolm, General Manager of the Maids Head Hotel said: “Our dragon-making competition with Magdalen Gates Primary School is the first project in a new partnership with the school. The dragons make a very colourful addition to our reception and lounge areas. I do hope that visitors continue to vote for their favourite until the end of the festival.”

Hannah Collinson, Acting Deputy Head Teacher at Magdalen Gates primary school said: “Designing and making the dragons has been an exciting project for the children; creativity is an important part of the curriculum. It was wonderful for them to visit the hotel last Friday, meet the Lord Mayor and find out about such an important historic building in our local community.” 

For more information about the Maids Head Hotel t. 00 44 (0)1603 209955, www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk. 

Star Party at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, Norfolk Broads

Party with the stars at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, South Walsham in the heart of the Norfolk Broads, on Saturday, February 22 from 7pm.  Telescopes will be set up for viewing the night sky, and there will talks all evening, courtesy of Norwich Astronomical Society and Breckland Astronomical Society. Do bring your own telescope and wrap up warm, but no torches as they destroy night vision. Entry is £3.50 adult, £2 child. Hot snacks, teas and coffees served in the tearoom from 7pm.

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden is at South Walsham, nine miles east of Norwich, signposted off A47 at B1140 junction, t. 01603 270449, www.fairhavengarden.co.uk.