The Arts Society Leatherhead December 2017 newsletter Dear member We look forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday at 7.30pm for our Christmas talk. This will followed by some nibbles and a drink, and then a chance to sing a few carols The final event of our 20 th Anniversary year will be our Brandenburg choir and bass Carol Concert with a new conductor on Tuesday 19 December: see below for booking. We will start 2018 (the 50 th anniversary of The Arts Society) with the iconic The Loving Vincent film at Leatherhead Theatre on Sunday 7 January in the afternoon, together with a lecture on Van Goch which The Arts Society East Surrey has kindly sponsored. Ticket sales are going very well (over 300 already sold). See below. Come a little early to Wednesday s talk if you want to visit the charity Christmas card shop, which is being run by John and Mary Andrews (open from 6pm). And please renew your membership if you have not done so. All my best wishes Huw Jenkins Secretary This month s Talk Norman Rockwell s Christmas Wish by Charles Harris Norman Rockwell was the most beloved American illustrator of the 20th century. He was most at home portraying the ideal family Christmas, often with direct connections to Dickens and the English Yuletide Tradition. A bounty of Christmas posters, magazine covers, cards and even Norman Rockwell Christmas gifts will keep you entertained throughout. Your American-born lecturer shares his own experiences of the ideal American Christmas from sleigh rides and ice-skating in the woods to trimming the tree and wondering how Santa got down the chimney. Light and lively Christmas fair!
New members We welcome 5 new members to the Society. Christmas by Candlelight on 19 December in the Leatherhead s medieval Parish Church A last chance to see the old church pews before the large church renovation project starts! The concert this year will have a different Brandenburg conductor and will feature music by the Brandenburg Singers and Brass Ensemble. The organist is a St John s student and will be an Oxbridge Scholar next year. In response to feedback there will be a number of changes from last year s programme. Following the concert we will, in the Parish Church Hall, have wine, soft drinks and mince pies. Tickets are 15 each, from Jackie Hampton, which includes a donation to the Friends of Leatherhead Parish Church. Loving Vincent film, talk and tea at Leatherhead Theatre on Sunday 7 January at 2pm Loving Vincent, the world s first fully hand-painted animated film explores Vincent s life and work by bringing to life some of his most inspirational paintings to tell his story.
Eveline Eaton, The Arts Society lecturer, introduces us to this tragic artist in her talk illustrated with slides of Vincent s paintings. Following Eveline s talk, there will be a break for tea and cakes (cost included), followed by a showing of the film Loving Vincent, acclaimed by the Telegraph as a beautifully textured tribute to Van Gogh. All proceeds to go to the Leatherhead Theatre which receives no government support (Film running time 95 minutes). Please book with Leatherhead Theatre. Visits and programme for 2018 The 2018 programme has been printed and will be included in your membership card. So far we have booked six visits and two holidays that you can pay for, in addition to our lecture programme. College of Arms (28 February): a City visit. Learn about heraldry in an evening tour and see many old records in the library and have supper with the Heralds in a unique and old fashioned organisation. We will be selling tickets in January. Eltham Palace (1 May); an English Heritage treasure Royal Holloway College (11 June): explore this fascinating building and see its art collection. Lancing College and Bramber Gardens (16 July): a day on the south Coast including a guided tour of Lancing College Chapel and a chance to see a 15 th century timber framed house in beautiful gardens. Crossness Pumping Station (16 October): amazing Victorian cast iron work Musical and historic tour of Westminster Abbey (17 November): possibly the highlight of the year! Follow the Choristers singing pieces from the 16 th to 21 st century around the Abbey. Isle of Wight Holiday Monday 14 to 18 May 2018 A number of you have already booked for our trip to the Isle of Wight next May. Sarah Sheridan has put together an interesting and varied programme, including some old favourites Osborne and Carisbrooke Castle, some hidden gems such as Nunwell House and Quarr Abbey, and some pure fun Butterfly World and the Steam Railway. We have a very limited number of rooms left so apply soon!
The treasures of Romania holiday in September 2018 This holiday is fully booked; any questions speak to Gilly Coombes (01372 274969). Review of November talk: What really happened on Easter Island by Paul Bahn The talk was well received: wide ranging, expert and informative. Mansion House car parking reminder (bring a torch) Remember you can use the car park for free behind the Registry, which is only about 150 yards from the Church Hall. On evenings you can ignore the sign "Private Car Park for users of the Mansion only." Bring a torch if you will be late back in case the lights go out. You can also use this for the Carol Concert. 50 th The Arts Society Anniversary celebration at Westminster Abbey 16 May at 12pm The AGM will be the final event of our president, June Robinson s three years as Chairman of The Arts Society. You can come to Westminster Abbey before The Arts Society 2pm AGM on 16 May and/or come to the AGM. Book now if you want to reserve a place. https://theartssociety.digitickets.co.uk/tickets Golden Anniversary Lunch 20 April 2018 A Special Surrey Golden Anniversary lunch is to be held at Epsom Racecourse to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Arts Society (NADFAS). The lunch is to celebrate our 50 years anniversary and to raise funds for the Patricia Fay Memorial Fund (tickets are 55 each). The Fund gives grants to Area and Society projects which promote arts education and heritage conservation. Full details will be available at the beginning of 2018. Tell me if you want to be sent details. The Golden Age of Song (part 2) on Wednesday 31 January at 7.30pm The Friends of Leatherhead Parish Church, with the help of Pip Burley, pay tribute to the lives, words and music of Cole Porter and George Gershwin at the Parish Church Hall
Leatherhead. Wine or soft drinks are included in the ticket price of 15. Further details and tickets are available from Jackie Hampton (Jackie will be busy on Wednesday evening on The Arts Society matters). Sir John Soane and Thomas Hope: Rival or Disciple on Thursday 1 February at 18.30 A talk on Thomas Hope (1769 1831) in the magnificent Fetcham Park House with drinks before in the Great Hall. Born into one of the richest banking dynasties in Europe Thomas Hope used his great wealth to shape the arts in Regency England in his London town house and country estate in Deepdene, Dorking. The lecturer is Tim Cox who is Curator of the Cambridge Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and was previously Director of the Sir John Soane Museum in London. Tickets can be obtained from Dorking Halls (01306 881717). Some Leatherhead Theatre Art highlights: It s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Friday 15 December at 7.15pm; a fund raising concert for the Theatre by the University of Chichester Loving Vincent film and The Arts society talk on Sunday 7 January at 2pm Royal Opera House: Rigoletto on Tuesday 16 January at 7.15pm Contact the theatre box office on 01372 365132 for tickets. Oxshott and Cobham Music Society 5.00pm for 5.30pm Saturday 13 January A Concert will be held at Holy Trinity, Claygate starring The Njord Wind Trio. Please telephone 07766 884991 to get tickets. Music in local churches There is monthly music on Wednesdays (Christ Church) and weekly on Thursdays (Leatherhead Methodist Church). Next month s lecture (10 January) Pots and Frocks the world of Grayson Perry by Ian Swankie Also known for flamboyantly dressing as a woman, Grayson Perry is now a core part of the art establishment: a Turner Prize winner, Reith Lecturer and one of Britain s best known contemporary artists. His ceramics, textiles, tapestries and prints are highly sought-after. The talk will look at his work and something of his character.