Saturday 27 September 2008

Surrealism Returns art exhibition 27/09/08 - 23/11/08

Saturday 27th September – Sunday 23rd November 2008
Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum

Significant Surrealist works of art return to Gloucestershire at Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum to celebrate a momentous chapter in the history of Surrealism. Drawn from collections all over Britain, visitors can enjoy seeing pictures and sculptures by key artists of the movement including Pablo Picasso, Joan MirĂ³, Roland Penrose, Henry Moore, Paul Nash, Man Ray, Edward Burra and Yves Tanguy.
Surrealism Returns is inspired by an exhibition of 70 years ago, Realism and Surrealism: Several Phases in Contemporary Art, which was shown at the Guildhall, Gloucester in 1938 and rediscovered by the art historian, Dr Lee Beard, formerly of the Courtauld Institute of Art, with whom Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum is co-curating Surrealism Returns.Original archival material complements the artworks and contributes to showing the impact of Surrealism in terms of subversive art and political drive and reveals how the 1938 exhibition was a collaboration between London-based galleries, dealers and collectors, such as Roland Penrose, and a local Exhibition Committee including Sir William Rothenstein, artist and ex-Principal of the Royal College of Art, and Cheltenham-raised art collector Hugh Willoughby.
Recent research reveals that by 1938, Willoughby had built up a significant collection of Picassos, which had been exhibited at Tate and Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum three times between 1934 and 1937. They included Picasso’s Weeping Woman drawing of 1937, now at Tate, from where it is being loaned for Surrealism Returns. Also returning for this show are Joan MirĂ³’s The Head of a Catalan Peasant, Roland Penrose’s The Last Voyage of Captain Cook (both loaned by Tate), Man Ray’s Torso and Belle Main and three works by Henry Moore.
A full education and event programme supports this exhibition and an accompanying catalogue, with essays by art historians and including new research, has been written by co-curator Dr Lee Beard.
Surrealism Returns and its accompanying programme of talks and education work are supported and sponsored by: The Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum; The Henry Moore Foundation; AXA Art Insurance and Stuart Alexander; The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art; The Elephant Trust; Simon Chorley Art & Antiques, Constantine Ltd.
Cheltenham Art Gallery & MuseumClarence Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3JTTelephone 01242 237431 http://www,cheltenhammuseum.org.uk

Thursday 25 September 2008

Open Day Prize winners

Congratulations to the following who received prizes following our Open Day on Sunday 21 September:

£100 Farncombe Voucher, T Morgan, Bristol
£50 Farncombe Voucher, H Thackway, Moreton in Marsh
£25 Farncombe Voucher, K Smith, Cheltenham
Meal for 2 at the Dormy House Hotel, B Jones, Wychbold
Snowshill Manor family ticket , H Foster, Gotherington
Orchestra of the Swan concert tickets, M Evans, Naunton
Cotswold Conference Centre hamper of local produce, J Smith, Gotherington
Bennetts Fine Wines, G Wingrove, Kineton
Wilson Vale Luxury Hamper, S Finlay, Stretton on Fosse
Ecover Bags, J Rollinson, Offenham, M Knowles, Willersey, V Osborn, Willersey, D C McArthur,
Coventry, E Heasman, Churchdown, A Hughes, Milton Under Wychwood, S Flowerden, Enfield, S Hogden, Kineton

Marshals wanted for sponsored walk

Marshals are needed to help support the Breast Cancer Campaign friendship walk starting from Farncombe Estate on Sunday 19 October... If you can offer a few hours to help, please contact Sarah England on sengland@breastcancercampaign.org or call 020 7749 4126.

Wednesday 24 September 2008

Annual Local History Afternoon

GLOUCESTERSHIRE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL LOCAL HISTORY COMMITTEE

'Poets & Writers in Gloucestershire'

Saturday 4th October 2008
2pm to 5pm
(Doors open 1.15pm)

Main Hall
Sir Thomas Rich's School
Longlevens, Gloucester


There will be illustrated talks on Poetry and Poets in Gloucestershire by Alan Tucker, a well-known authority on Gloucestershire poets and Ivor Gurney and his friend F.W. Harvey by Anthony Boden the author of Stars in a Dark Night: the Letters of Ivor Gurney to the Chapman Family and F.W. Harvey: Soldier, Poet.

There will also be bookstalls and exhibitions by many local history societies throughout the county on writers and poets in their areas. In addition, the 10 finalists of the annual Bryan Jerrard Award for the best local history article published during the year will be announced, together with the presentation of the award to the winner and also the presentation of the award for the best local history society display.

£5.00 entry fee (payable at the door) to include refreshments.

Further information from John Loosley Tel: 01285 760460
E-mail: john@loosleyj.freeserve.co.uk

Tuesday 16 September 2008

Orchestra of the Swan special offer !

Save 10% discount on any of Orchestra of the Swan subscription concerts - and buy one get one free on tickets for the OOTS concert on 11 November 2008 - simply quote 'FARNCOMBE' at the Box Office. Offer ends 31/10/2008.

Parish Music 2008/9

Parish Music, now in its 14th year, provides concerts of classical music in the five country churches of the Parish: Ashton under Hill, Beckford, Overbury, Alstone and Teddington. Concerts start at 8pm and conclude with an opportunity to meet the performers and enjoy a drink of wine or fruit juice in the church.

Click here to see the current programme.

Monday 15 September 2008

Win £250 in Gloucestershire photography competition

Whether you have taken a photograph of bluebells in the Forest of Dean, an early morning misty summer shot of an enchanted Cotswold valley or sleepy quintessential village, wildlife on the River Severn or Avon, the medieval festival in Tewkesbury, Newent Onion Fayre or Frampton County Fayre in the Severn Vale, or one of the fine architectural Regency wonders of Cheltenham, autumn leaves falling in the famous Promenade or fresh spring daffodils in the grounds of Gloucester Cathedral - then you've the chance of not only seeing your photograph in next years Explore Gloucestershire printed guide but also to many thousands of viewers to the website.

Monday 1 September 2008

Winners in August

Congratulations to Ms A Rowe, Welshpool, Ms C Marney, Glasgow and Mrs L King from Chipping Campden who all won prizes in our Referral scheme prize draw.

Farncombe Estate Centre's Fan Box

Where to find us and what we do

Farncombe Estate is situated just outside the Cotswold village of Broadway. We are approximately 50 minutes from Oxford, Birmingham and Bristol and easily located from the M5, M40 and M42.

There is a direct rail service from London Paddington to Moreton in Marsh which is our nearest rail station. To help rail travellers we offer a return taxi collection service from the station.

For a location map and further directions please visit our website.