As Spring is on the horizon there appears to be good news for the museums sector as the government announces that from 17th May places of culture can open. We are busy preparing the house for the day when visitors can once more return to Turner‘s House and experience the delightful property that Turner and his father once enjoyed. We will reveal our opening date in the next newsletter, together with details of the very exciting exhibition of original Turner paintings which we will be holding at Turner‘s House from mid-May.
In the next few weeks, the garden will also begin to wake up and will reveal its delightful palette of reds, ochres, yellows, purples, pinks and golds. I enclose a photograph of the garden in all its glory from last year.
In the meantime, we have some wonderful Zoom talks for you to attend.
Kind regards,
Ricky Pound House Director ———————————————————————————————————
‘J.M.W. Turner’s Sandycombe Years’ April Zoom Lecture series
Turner’s House Trust are delighted to announce that it will be hosting a series of Turner themed Zoom talks each Tuesday at 7pm in April 2021. The talks will be presented by Turner scholars Andrew Loukes, Franny Moyle, Catherine Parry-Wingfield and Nicola Moorby. Each talk will last for approximately 30 minutes, followed by a question-and-answer session. Tickets cost just £15 to listen to all four talks and can be booked via Eventbrite at the link below. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jmw-turners-sandycombe-years-tickets-140971963939
Cambridge Park Revealed’ Thursday 18th March at 6pm- exclusive Circles Event.
On Thursday 18th March local historian Jonathan Crofts will deliver a Zoom talk about Cambridge Park, a location not far from Turner’s House which JMW Turner would have known well.
‘Between Marble Hill and Richmond Bridge lies a collection of streets and gardens with a rich and sometimes surprising history. From rural meadows to playground of the London wealthy with their grand houses, the original Cambridge House and Park estate developed into the affluent riverside suburb we know today. Cambridge Park sits on the site of the seventeenth-century Twickenham Meadows, renamed after Richard Owen Cambridge, described by Horace Walpole as ‘Cambridge the Everything’ due to his diverse talents and society connections’.
The event is exclusive to Turner’s House Circles members. To join this event and many other events exclusive to members, please consider joining our Circles Supporters schemes. Details can be downloaded here: https://turnershouse.org/support-us/
Watercolour: J.M.W. Turner’s Theory and Practice’ with Nicola Moorby.
We thought you might be interested to know that from Monday 19 to Friday 23 April The Courtauld Institute of Art have organised an online Spring School course with artist Nicola Moorby (summarised below).
‘This course introduces students to the art of watercolour through the case study of the nineteenth-century master, J.M.W. Turner. Starting with an examination of the material properties and practical challenges of the medium, we shall explore Turner’s ground-breaking theories and techniques specific to the art form. In order to unlock some of the secrets of his extraordinary genius, the sessions will include accessible explanations of painting techniques and processes, and thereby offer an enjoyable introduction to historical media and materials’.
Please follow the link to book your place on this online course.
The Friends of St Anne’s Church at Kew have organised two early evening lectures that may be of interested to our audience.
‘Gainsborough in London’ by Dr Susan Sloman, FSA. Wednesday 14th April 2021, 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm
The talk will unveil new discoveries about his life and work in Pall Mall and reconsider Gainsborough’s affection for Kew and St. Anne’s Church which was remodelled by his architect friend Joshua Kirby.
‘The Georgian Visitor’ ‘A Vignette of Garden Visiting in the Eighteenth Century’ by Richard Wheeler Tuesday 9th March 2021. 6.00 pm and 7 pm
Former National Specialist in Garden History for the National Trust. After 43 years with the National Trust and leading many major garden restorations, including Erddig and Chirk in North Wales, Stowe, Chastleton and West Wycombe, in England and Castle Ward in Northern Ireland, Richard Wheeler is now running his garden history consultancy. He advises on practical garden restoration and runs informal tutorials for the gardeners and garden restorers of the future. He lectures and writes regularly on the history and iconology of gardens and their understanding and restoration.
Non-members are welcome. They may receive joining instructions from an existing member, or on request from admin@friendsofstanneskew.org.uk There is no charge for joining but a voluntary donation of £10 would be appreciated.