How the groups work/what we do

The groups usually focus on some of the current/forthcoming major art exhibitions that are held in London or within reach of us here in Sherborne, with 2024-25 bringing some long awaited and excellent visual art shows. The meetings provide some background information about the artist and/or movement, setting the work in the context of its time. Sometimes a theme is chosen rather than a current exhibition – such as ‘Windows in Art’, ‘Winter Landscapes; the Art of Snow and Ice’, or ‘Dance in Art.’

We also examine the career of a particular artist or a movement or even a specific collection in the UK or Europe. Recent examples are the Courtauld Gallery in London and the Toulouse Lautrec Museum in Albi, Tarn, SW France and we will most likely focus on the Wallace Collection in 2024-5. Using powerpoint projections we look at the ‘language’ of the works featured in the exhibitions or collection so that when we come to visit them our responses will be more informed.

UK Day Trips

Visits to London, usually by train and in small groups, are arranged; also outings to local galleries where appropriate. We have visited exhibitions in Bath, Chichester, Salisbury and Cardiff in the past few years. Trips since the pandemic have been fewer for obvious reasons and trains not always reliable, but small groups have still visited Dulwich Picture Gallery, Bath and the main London galleries. People very often choose to visit exhibitions independently but this is certainly not automatically expected.

Trips abroad

We have also ventured further afield, with a 5-night study tour to Amsterdam which included The Hague and Haarlem in 2019 and more recently in April 2024 27 of us enjoyed a 5 night tour to Madrid and Toledo, arranged through Heritage Travel who organised everything very efficiently and made sure we had a wonderful local guide.

A visit to the Cote d’Azur, based in Nice, is planned for Sept/Oct 2025, again through Heritage. In the months leading up to the visit, Jenny gives a series of detailed lectures on what members will see when in museums, galleries and churches etc on these foreign visits.

How often and when

There are three groups Art Talks & Trips 1, 2 & 3. Each group meets once per month (no talk in August). There is one larger Thursday afternoon group in the main Digby Memorial Hall and two Friday morning groups in the smaller upstairs studio. Having three groups does afford some flexibility between groups.

For reasons of confidentiality the contact details of our group leaders are not listed here. Please register your interest with the Group Co-ordinator via the Contact Page. The Group Coordinator will be in touch with you.