THE DAME LAURA KNIGHT SOCIETY
Malvern & Colwall Branch
Society Newsletter November 2013
Another Successful Year For The Society Draws To A Close
As 2013 edges closer to its conclusion, it provides an opportunity to reflect on another successful year for the society, the pinnacle of which has to be the superb Exhibition of Dame Laura’s paintings at Worcester Museum. The Exhibition brought yet more members to the society and we now number more than 90 in total. This is a magnificent achievement when we consider the society’s humble beginning just five years ago.
Our members and members of the public have supported the many events which the society has organised throughout the year, including a wonderful trip to the National
Portrait Gallery and the Spring Trip to Staithes, Whitby and Newcastle. Big thanks are due to our hard working committee for all their efforts in organising and facilitating these events, ably assisted by keen volunteers who happily rolled-up their sleeves
to give a hand! More recently we have enjoyed our first collaboration with Malvern Theatre to bring the newly released film Summer in February to a large audience followed by a talk from the author of the book and scriptwriter for the film, Jonathan Smith. Other collaborations are in the pipeline, as many organisations are approaching us requesting talks and joint ventures. It looks like 2014 and going forward into 2015 will be exciting times for our Society.
Our archives are steadily accumulating thanks to many donations and are available for any member to visit by arrangement with our Archivist, Murray Forsyth. We welcome any items of interest relating to Dame Laura.
The new biography of Dame Laura Knight by Barbara Morden is soon to be published and may be of interest to society members. We look forward to reading it and would welcome any reviews or comments for our next newsletter.
Please make sure to cut out and keep the Forthcoming Events section at the end of this newsletter with details of some of the main events for 2014. We hope to have other ad-hoc events during the year, possibly a summer picnic or walk, about which you will receive a separate mailing. We are already planning events for 2015 including visits to the Dulwich Exhibition and a trip to Cornwall to visit our friends from the Lamorna Society.
Finally may I wish you all Seasons Greetings and best wishes for 2014. Thank you for your continued support of the Society and ongoing interest in the work of Dame Laura Knight.
Heather Whatley, Chair
OFF TO THE SEASIDE AGAIN
Society’s Spring Trip To Suffolk April 8th—10th 2014
This time due east to Dedham and first to A. J. Munning’s house and Museum.
We will be given a talk and Murray has persuaded the curator to make available material which will put DLK into the context of Munnings’ artistic oeuvre.
On Wednesday we go to Woodbridge, where there are several attractions, not least a DLK painting, the Suffolk Punch Museum and Sutton Hoo the Viking Burial sight. Then on to Aldeburgh for lunch, a stroll and a visit to the Maltings at Snape where Benjamin Britten lived and worked.
Thursday we return; coffee at Gainsborough’s House at Sudbury, thence
Cambridge for lunch and a wander. We shall be staying at The Belstead Brook
Hotel in Ipswich for dinner, bed and breakfast. The cost of the accommodation is approximately £175. Entrances to the galleries are extra. Deposit of £30 person
should be paid to Easytravel, Belle Vue Terrace Malvern as soon as possible.
More detail and an itinerary from Gwyn Klee on 01684 562114.
News From The Lamorna Society
Our Cornish friends in the Lamorna Valley are thriving, invigorated by the
popularity and publicity of the film ‘Summer in February’. This October I
managed to get to their AGM and to pleasantly reconnect with Lamorna friends
who had visited us in Malvern two years ago. They enjoyed their stay in this area
and are keen to reciprocate with a return visit by our members to Cornwall in
April 2015!
Besides catching up on lots of local art news, the AGM included interesting
events. David Tovey lectured about the influence of Brittany on the Cornish
colonies 1880/90. There was a memorable visit to Penlee House Gallery to
Graham Sutherland’s impressive wartime drawings of tin mines. Unfortunately
the Director, Alison Bevan, has now moved to the R.W.A. Bristol and there was no time to meet her successor, Louise Connell. However I was able to meet for the first time Austin Wormleighton, author of the definitive book about Lamorna Birch and his Circle, shortly to be republished.
Pam Lomax, the Society archivist, who also manages the archives of Newlyn and
West Cornwall Artists, has been made a Cornish Bard for her services to the
County. David Evans and his sister in law were both there to represent the family of Major Evans. From the garden of Lamorna Birch’s studio, high above a
glistening Lamorna Cove, with sparkling champagne we toasted the Valley artists, old and new! Heather Whatley, October 2013