Thursday 21 March 2013
CANDLELIT TALK: A MODERN DAY BEWICK
Discover the work of leading wood engraver and hand-press printer, Paul Kershaw. In a fascinating and atmospheric candlelit talk, he will share how Bewick's love for nature and landscapes inspires his art today. Tickets are £5, which includes coffee and cake and a chance to purchase original art.
Due to the limited seating booking is essential.

Date and time: Thursday 21 March at 7pm
Venue: Cherryburn, Station Road, Mickley Square, near Stocksfield, Northumberland NE43 7DD.
Admission & Contact £5. Book through the National Trust, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/Cherryburn or ring 01661 843276.

 

 

Saturday 23 March 2013
THOMAS BEWICK THE ARTIST
An illustrated talk by artist and art historian Peter Osborne.

 

Peter, who is a popular speaker well known for his fascinating talks on Thomas Bewick, will examine the influences on Bewick's development as an artist and naturalist.

 

This lecture forms part of Newcastle City Library's recently launched project and exhibition 'Writing North East: Coalfields and Quaysides.' In partnership with the British Library and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the project explores the representation of place in North East Literature. Members of the Skimstone Young Artist Collective have created 'Bewick's Ark' especially for the exhibition.

Venue: Meeting room 7, level 6 at The City Library, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Date and time: Saturday 23 March 2013 at 1.30pm
Admission: Free but contact City Library to book a place. 01912774100. {NEARLY SOLD OUT}

Visit http://community.newcastle.gov.uk/libraries for more information on the exhibition.

 

Sunday 28 April 2013
CHERRYBURN: HANDS ON OUT OF THE ARCHIVES
Experts from the Bewick society will be selecting interesting items from the Cherryburn collections for an informal discussion and enthusiasms event. Please let us know if there is anything you would particularly like to see.

Date and time: Sunday 28 April from 1- 4pm.
Venue: Cherryburn, Station Road, Mickley Square, near Stocksfield, Northumberland NE43 7DD.
Admission: Free for Bewick Society and National Trust members.

Wednesday 15 May 2013
JOHN LAWS SCRAPBOOK: an afternoon lecture with the Friends of the Laing Art Gallery

A series of short talks by Bewick Society Chairman Peter Quinn, Laing Art Gallery Curator Marie-Therese Mayne and Dr David Gardner-Medwin discussing the conservation, preservation and significance of this unique archival item.

John Laws (1765-1844) was apprenticed to Thomas Bewick from 1782 until 1789 and was primarily a silversmith and metal engraver. He eventually set up his own business in Heddon Laws near Heddon on the Wall and the 'Scrapbook' is a collection of his workshop output. It is currently on long term loan to the Laing from a private collection and is the subject of a recent project by the Bewick Society to digitise the pages and make it accessible to the public. The history of Laws, his scrapbook and the Society's efforts to publicise his work will be discussed at this event.

The meeting will conclude with questions, tea/coffee and cake.

Date and time: Wednesday 15 May at 2-3pm
Venue: The Function Room, Mezzanine Level, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Admission: Tickets only £7 for Bewick Society & FLAG members and £8 for quests.

 

Please use the application form provided.
Contact: Friends of the Laing Art Gallery, Elizabeth McCaffrey on 0191 2610962 or art@flag.fslife.co.uk.

 

Thursday 4 July 2013
'COLLECTING ANTIQUARIAN BOOKS, A BEGINNERS GUIDE'

"The obsessive accumulation of books remains the only hobby to have been described as a disease and to have been given a proper name – Bibliomania" Nicholas Basbaines

Local bookseller Anthony Smithson of the Keel Row Bookshop offers useful tips and advice on collecting rare books in the age of the internet.

Date and time: Thursday 4 July 2013 at 6.00pm onwards.
Venue: Literary and Philosophical Society, 23 Westgate Rd., Newcastle upon Tyne.

 

 

Sunday 11 August 2013
THOMAS BEWICK'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS AT CHERRYBURN
This year Cherryburn celebrates Thomas Bewick's 260th birthday with performances by local Northumbrian Pipers, a tasty birthday cake and an opportunity to meet the experts from the Bewick Society. As usual we will have our 'light afternoon conversation' format with short discussions on items either from the Cherryburn archives or from private collections. You can also bring and share your own Bewick pleasures or treasures.

Date and time: Sunday 11 August from 1 - 4pm. Light afternoon conversation 2 - 3pm.
Venue: Cherryburn, Station Road, Mickley Square, near Stocksfield, Northumberland NE43 7DD.
Admission: Admission charges apply. National Trust and Bewick Society members free on production of a valid membership card.

 

 

Saturday 14 September 2013
A Joint Bewick Society and Natural History Society of Northumbria Lecture.

"SUBJECTS OF COMMON AND FAMILIAR LIFE, SUCH AS HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED BY OTHER ARTISTS": BEWICK'S COUNTRY SCENES IN CONTEXT.

A lecture by Professor Diana Donald

Bewick's earthy view of rural life seems to be almost a parody of the idealising scenes produced by many painters of his time. Yet the naturalism of these images masks unexpected tensions: they express Bewick's troubled response to the great agricultural changes then taking place - changes which his own friends promoted.

Diana Donald is a retired Professor of Art History and Head of the Department of History of Art and Design at the Manchester Metropolitan University. She is the author of many books including Endless Forms: Charles Darwin, Natural Science and the Visual Arts (2009) and Picturing Animals in Britain, 1750 - 1850 (2007).

Her latest book The Art of Thomas Bewick will be published by Reaktion Books in June 2013 and Diana's illustrated lecture will be based on her research for the book. Copies of the book (£40) will be available on the day.

Date and time: Saturday 14 September at 2.00pm.
Venue: The Clore Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor Hancock Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PT.
Admission: Free
Contact: June Holmes: The Bewick Society, c/o The Natural History Society of Northumbria, The Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4PT. Tel no. 0191 222 5834 or e-mail bewick.society@newcastle.ac.uk

 

 

Saturday 5 October 2013
BEWICK SOCIETY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
This year the AGM will be held in the Thomlinson Room, St Nicholas' Cathedral. Our Chairman, Peter Quinn will give an illustrated account of our activities over the previous year. After the business of the meeting, we will have a short tour of the precincts of the Cathedral to view the site of Bewick's workshop and other places of interest.
Date and time: Saturday 5 October at 2pm.
Venue: St Nicholas' Cathedral, St. Nicholas Square, Newcastle upon Tyne. NE1 1PF.
Contact: June Holmes as before.

 

 

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