The Special Interest Day was cancelled, but two workshops on creating cyanotypes took place.

This year our Special Interest Day will consist of two parts. Firstly, we will hold a two-hour presentation / demonstration on 27th May, 10.30 to 12.30, explaining the art and science of historic photographic prints. Secondly, on a subsequent date members will have the opportunity to attend a hands-on workshop to create their own cyanotype prints.

Delve into the fascinating history of processes like salt printing, daguerreotypes, cyanotypes, platinum printing, and photogravure. Learn about the unique qualities of each method and the artists who mastered them, including women pioneers like Anna Atkins and Julia Margaret Cameron, and Japanese innovators like Shimooka Renjō.

Dr Moseley will give the lecture followed by 3 workshops to be held on 23 June, 3rd and 8th July.

For full details and booking form, click here

Click here for event flyer

We welcome Mark Hill for our 2024 Special Interest Day. Mark will give two lectures and after lunch, will offer members valuations of 20th century glass and ceramic collectibles.

Cracking Glass, An overview of Britain’s ‘Big Four’ postwar glass companies, comprising Whitefriars, King’s Lynn (Wedgwood), Caithness and Dartington.

Alla Moda, Mid Century Modern Italian Ceramics.

Mark Hill studied History of Art & Architecture (BA Hons), and began his career as a porter and Junior Cataloguer at Bonhams, before moving to Sotheby's where he was a Specialist in the Collectors' Department. He became director of an internet company forming and running a ground-breaking deal with eBay Live Auctions. He was co-author of the internationally published Collectables Price Guide with Judith Miller from 2002-17. Mark founded his own publishing company in 2005 and has published over 12 books on specialist subjects in the decorative arts. A Miscellaneous expert on the Antiques Roadshow since 2007, he has appeared on BBC2’s Antiques Roadtrip, and has co-presented three primetime TV series on antiques and collecting for BBC2.Mark is a Senior Vice President at a company offering digital solutions to the antiques industry. He has lectured across the world, including at the V&A in London, and contributed to many newspapers, magazines, radio and TV programmes. He is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars and a Freeman of the City of London.

For Booking Form and details email: louley@blueyonder.co.uk

For all details of booking and information on the format of the day, contact Louise Ley

email: louley@blueyonder.co.uk

Click here for Application Form

Jane Angelini is a freelance lecturer for the Arts Society and other arts organisations. She runs her own art tours company, specialising in cultural visits. She speaks several foreign languages and has translated a number of works of 19th century Russian literature for Penguin Books and Oxford University Press. She has a BA in Russian Studies and an MA in Byzantine Studies.

This is a vibrant, colourful, exotic, and entertaining day with wonderful illustrations of subject matter
on the Ottoman Turks, ranging from tents to turbans, mosques sheathed in glazed tiles, carpets,
silks, ceramic, delightful miniatures and the unforgettable Topkapi Palace. It will be divided into
three talks, following coffee at 10am.

Jane will take us through the history of the Turks, a nomadic people who, from the 6th century
onwards, migrated from the borders of China through Central Asia and finally into Europe during
the Ottoman period. The cultural history of the Turks begins in the 10th century with the Great
Selςuks, followed by the Timurids and then the Ottomans. All were committed patrons of the arts
and between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries, madrasas, mosques, bathhouses,
caravanserais, tombs and palaces were built throughout Asia Minor and subsequently in European
Turkey and Istanbul. Among them were many masterpieces and the flowering of Turkish
architecture represents one of the high points of Islamic art. A similar blossoming took place in the
decorative arts; ceramics, miniatures, stuccowork, metalwork, silks, jewellery, carpets and inlaid
woodwork. All the fine arts reached levels of unrivalled perfection and finesse.

A Chartered Insurer by profession and a Fellow of the Assurance Medical Society, with extensive international experience as an author and lecturer in Medical Risk Assessment. He has in excess of 25 years of working and living in Asia. Whilst living in Hong Kong (1991-2004) he assembled a collection of approximately 700, predominately Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Imperial and related textiles/costume accessories. Past Committee Member of the Hong Kong Textile Society and frequent speaker on Imperial Insignia and Badges of Rank.

David can organise and lead Imperial Art Tours to China for Societies.

CHINESE IMPERIAL COURT LIFE & EXCEPTIONAL RULERS - QING DYNASTY 1644-1911

This Special Interest Day initially explores life in the Chinese Imperial Court of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) through the medium of Court Protocol and Regulated Court Costume.

The second lecture then focusses on one of China’s greatest Emperors – Qianlong Emperor 1735-1796. The initial focus is on his exceptional achievements as an Emperor and then, in contrast, there will be an insight into his own artistic talents and patronage of the arts leading the creation of the World’s greatest collection of Oriental Art and Antiquities.

The final lecture considers China’s most outstanding female leaders – Dowager Empress Cixi (1835-1908). Her attempts to preserve Imperial Rule whilst modernising China are contrasted with her passion for the arts, natural world and fashion

A visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum's major Fabric of India Exhibition is planned for Saturday, 9th January, 2016.  Jasleen Kandhari, who will be our lecturer at our first meeting of 2016, will give us an introductory talk in the Nehru Gallery of Indian Art, to help us understand the textiles we will see on display, and she will then accompany members into the exhibition.  Jasleen will give us handouts and a glossary of Indian textile terms to assist with the appreciation of the exhibition, and she will circulate with us for approximately an hour, speaking to us individually or in small groups about specific exhibits which attract our attention.  You are then free to continue to enjoy the exhibition at your leisure.

Jasleen is an accredited NADFAS lecturer, and is an expert in the artistic heritage of South Asia.  She also lectures at numerous academic institutions, and has published several academic articles in the field of Indian art and textiles.  She teaches courses on Indian & Asian textiles at Oxford University, Dept of Continuing Education and is the editor of 'Indian Textiles' for Textiles Asia Journal.

NADFAS arranges a large number of study days within the Greater London area, which are available to all members. For details and application forms for the 2015/2016 lectures please contact: studycourses.gla@gmail.com

Some sample titles are:

Patrons of Art

Frescocycles of the Quattorcento

Adornment

Painting Paradise

Scandanavian Design 1880-1960

The Dean of Westminster, on the Abbey website, writes: Westminster Abbey is a living Church, part of the Church of England: where almighty God is worshipped daily, continuing a 1400 year tradition in this place. Every day (except Good Friday and Holy Saturday) the Eucharist is celebrated at 8.00am. There are twenty-eight services every week, which all are welcome to attend, whether you are Anglican (Episcopalian), or of another Christian Church or of another faith, or seeking or doubting. The Abbey’s world-famous choir sings at one or more of our daily services. Historic Church Westminster Abbey is one of the world’s greatest churches, a designated World Heritage Site and ‘Royal Peculiar’, which means the Dean is directly answerable to the monarch. The coronation of Kings and Queens has taken place here since 1066, and many of the nation’s Kings and Queens are buried in the Abbey. Principal among them is St Edward the Confessor, King of England from 1042 to 1066, whose shrine is at the heart of the Abbey. Also buried or memorialised here are over 3,000 great men and women from almost every century of these islands’ history: statesmen and politicians, lawyers, warriors, clerics, writers, artists and musicians.