No 2 the whistler winter 1991 92 by CAC

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Selecting the Dining Room staff — 1902

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the corpse's identity and .sex, but rebuked mo for killing her, especially as she was female and probably took several years to

LEnERS

develop. The beetle's image Is still in the painting on the loggia wall, looking as il she

Dear Sirs,

cussion about the A.G.B.I. - the result

Dear Sirs.

1 was at ih AGM of the Chelsea Arts Club

being a somewhat heated exchange be

last September and spoke out in the dis-

from poor and under-privileged back grounds. Not just painters and sculptors but mu.sicians, actors, film makers and all

Who painted it, and why?

yours.sincerely Caroline Richmond

Somewhat Less Than Appealing The 1991 AGM briefly deviated into a dis

More Dash Than Cash

had never come back to life.

A.G.B.I, could publish an annual report which gave an indication of expenditure (and income, for that matter) without ex

tween Members. Although all Members re

posing beneficiaries? Something along the

gularly receive appeals from the A.G.B.I,

lines of: '£1000 to a 35 year old malepainter

living in Wales to support his family during

for donations, there is some truth to the claim that it remains an otherwise mys terious operation.

a three month illness'.

eussions led by Bill Miehaels and Tod

those connected with the performing arts.

Ramos about the Artists General Benevo

Vast amounts of expendable income ready

Whilst one agrees entirely that artists

result in more dohations.

to go to 'worthwhile causes' rather than the

should not be embarrassed by having their circumstances made public, surely the

Mike von Joel

lent Institution, I would like to reaffirm my point about "neeessity" not 'privilege' in re gard to the A.G.B.I, policy of paying the private school foes of distressed artist's

Inland Revenue.

I tend to agree that more openness would

For some years I have received appeal let ters from the A.G.B.I, and like many

The image the A.G.B.I, projects to many is said to be 'gentrified and nepotistic". As Mr Michaels said: 'Many of those who receive funding end up by giving it back'. Some have asked: 'Is the A.G.B.I, a private ban

others have not considered the aims or the

king system or some kind of insurance

Dear Sirs,

profile of the charity to be that serious. Necessity is surely about food, shelter and

policy?'; and: 'Who does the money go to

I take up the challenge flung at me by Mike Von Joel in his virgin Whistler editorial... and 1 congratulate Don Grant on his punpacked poem No Room for a Cock-up in spired by the club's new lavatories. In fact the new lavatories have been much on my

children.

care. If the artist is alive, the former plus assistance and materials so they can con tinue to work. These are the basics and

when we now have an adequate state school system then private education is surely 'icing on the cake"? The A.G.B.I, was founded in 1814. It was

interesting to hear that its capital is about £3.5 million, allowing it to disburse about £360.000 per annum. A very sizeable amount but not that Impressive for 176 years. The Henry Moore Foundation is

anyway?'

The need for a large scalecharity for Artists and their families is paramount, now more than ever. The A.G.B.I, has occupied that position for nearly two centuries. Surely it could double if not quadruple its funds in just a few years, provided it tailored its aims and policies in line with present day opinion?

worth £50 million. The Winston Churchill

Memorial Fund £14 million. Such a good

would like to - and therefore holds back

cause - why so little?

funds from the ever increasing number of

A lot of money has been made in the arts by many people in recent years who come

deserving cases. Yourssincerely, Niel Bally

No Spring Chicken Dear Sirs.

Please could anyone who remembers my grandfather. William Luker Jnr, (18671951), and particular remembers him arriv ing at the Albert Hall Balls dressed as a cockerel, please contact me. With many

thanks,

Yours sincerely, Beatrice Leaner

The north wall of the loggia bears a pain ting of a black beetle with long serrated ant ennae. It is a female Longhorn beetle, Prionus coriarius, and is the largest of all British beetles, being 2-3" long including ant ennae. According to the Natwal History Museum, 'it is a rare inhabitant of old par kland and forests. Recent surveys of

Richmond Park failed to find it, although it has been recorded in recent times from

88 Thames St., Weybridge. Surrey KTI3 8NH. Tel Weybridge 849555

One memorably hot summer Saturday night 1was woken in my bedroom in Putney by the sound of Prionus. transmogrified from her wall in the loggia. Eventually 1 trapped her under a folded sheet and trod

whether my sister club members find it as

intimidating as I do to use them? I jiggle around, legscrossed, purple-faced, putting

ments. I do not want to be forever bumping into crapulous oafs fumbling with their flies. I do not want to glimpse that unspeak

able porcelain urinal through the half open door of the gents. The first time I braced myself to venture in I wasn't wearing glasses and I suddenly found myself face to face with that stark porcelain urinal and beyond a famous playwright at stool. It

when one is obliged to walk across a vast amount offloor space being scrutinised by gave me sleepless nights for a week. Obviously some people's heightened erchiefs and gravy-stained coutdcroys who awareness makes them mote sensitWe to hang out by the bar. Talk about nerve- these situations and perhaps my anxiety re racking. One gets into such a funk of self- lates to the time I went camping with the consciousness in the glare of those un Brownies (circa 1950) and fell down the lat relenting bloodshot eyes that the knees rine trench in the dark. It was 2 hours be knock like a young girl's and one finds one fore Brown Owl heard my cries. My self thinking "Oh my God, is my bum Brownie uniform went onto the camp fire, wobbling" or "Hold your stomach in, For the rest of the week I wouldn't venture woman".

to the "lats" as we Brownies called it

Ifyouare a man reading this you will pro bably have not the least inkling of what I'm going on about. But women will empathise. Particularly women d'une certain age who knowall too well what it is to be subjected

without my friend Beryl. We clasped hands and crouched together singing "Hold my hand I'm a stranger in paradise". People might suggest that my phobic tendency

cries out for Freudian interpretation. Cer tainlyI cannot get such mattersoffmy chest route to the WC by young snooker players in my columns in the DailyMail. Not least which leave one demoralised and thinking because I am that noble newspapers lead

wistfully "If only my legs were as long as they used to be, and my skirt as short." Without question one mourns the old

on her with my bare feet to murder her.

When I lifted the edge of the sheet she

looked visibly well from my foot massage, but angry. I replaced the sheet and gave her a firmer and more determined flattening. She remained fit but furious. Appalled by her gorgon-like immortality, I fetched a hammer and eventually flattened her dead. I still have her corpse, but her antenna'd head became detached from the rest of the body when 1 killed her.

Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches.' De-

-Spite their sizethey can fly, and prefer to do so after dark. The picture's caption says 'Bedroom number ten, please.'

mind, too, and I am interested to know

ing dash. Furthermore I am intimidated by the un isex aspect of the new plumbing arrange

to a lukewarm and dismissive once-over en

Beetlemania Strikes Again Dear Sirs,

Life Without Beryl

off the moment - the fearful moment -

Meanwhile the A.G.B.I fills a space under the Charity Commissioners that prevents another charity of,its kind being formed. It discourages those from donating who

yourssincerely,

The original gorgon was slain by Perseus, whocut off her head. Betty Radice's book.

book reviewer...

yours sincerely

familiar lavatory, the cosy respite of Right Hennessy nipping up the stairs unobserved. Now

adays one dreads having to make the daunt- PS. Make sure you spell my name right.

Arts &Farces Dear Sirs,

The Sunday evening recitals of Bach Mozart etc. have been delightful, however

the one on 10th November was spoiled by

one of the audience grunting asides and

other members making distracting ges

Who's Who in the Ancient World, says 'a tures. telling him to be quiet. gorgon is a very popularsubject in archaic In view of the new personal breath art. especially on the black-figured vases of alysers, could 1suggest that the club invests

Corinth, where it is shown as a winged

in one and uses it before similar functions. yours sincerely Diane Hart

P.S. As Dudley accepted my suggestion of breathalysing the audience, 1 am happy to report that at the marvellous recital on Sun

day 23rd November, there wasnoevidence of 'Brahms and Liszt'.

female with .snakesfor hair and boar's tusks fortccth.'

The Natural History Museum confirmed

Office, clearly

THE WHISTLER

Post or drop into the Club

EDITORIAL

WMstler VOL 1 N'2 WINTER 1991/92

SEASON'S GREETINGS from the staff ofTHE WHISTLER and welcome to

the second issue •a fact that might amaze some people more than the actual appearance of the first edition. You will notice immediately that the presence of the Centenary Exhibition catalogue in the centrefold has drastically reduced the

In this issue...

number of reading and advertising pages in this edition. The usual last minute

scheming of the Committee caused this and the result has been the (temporary) loss ofsuch keenly awaited feature stories as Max's Headache Cures; Geoffrey's Venetian ramblings; and Stanley Ayers reminiscences. Nick Tucker AtWork was considered so unique an event it was squeezed in with extreme prejudice. The editor hopes that no similar reduction ofessential editorial space will occur in the future.

Letters

First Impressions

(Financial Times' Critic William Parker)

If Dudley had not conveniently forgotten to include a Whistler Bulletin in the Club mail out, you would have been aware of some wondrous developments at the 'paper. For example: in 1992 the (suspended this issue) Classified Ads will be FREE to Members — a result of popular opinion. Display ads will have a new

Portfolio

eighth page size available, at only £50; and a lot of incentives will be announced to

Member only offer

encourage advertisers and members to introduce advertisers. In addition, it seems

that Dudley's generous offer to reward contributors to the journal with 'Dinner for two with wine' has not been absorbed by the membership — surely an encouragement to get involved if one was required.

Butterfly Ball Cenfenaty Exhibition

Orlando's Bubble Competition proved an outstanding success with entries ranging from the obscure to the ridiculous and worse. Some were even funny. Orlando has

Catalogue for Smith's Gallery

pawed through the mailbag and selected a winner and also set the ButterflyBall Bubble on page 17. This features our pal D. Winterbottom — who you may

. recollect forgot to post out the Whistler Bulletin— enjoying himselfat the B. Ball. A good starvdaid of etdry expected for this particular competition.

Book End

A Vrfe of Jimmy Whistler

It is hoped that the next edition (Spring 1992 —deadlineFebruary 5th 1992) will have moregeneralcontributions. Aswell asthe sections establishedalready (First Impressions; Bookend; Foreign News; Letters) we would particularly like to

Colour Section

receive advance news of Member's exhibitions or special achievements. The Editor would also like feedback on the idea of a reviews section that will report on

Nick Tucker at work in Spain

Member's shows using guest critics— but remember that such reviews might not necessarily be favourable! Any other ideas will be more than welcome in the

Chairman's Letter

Whistler bunker at Old Church Street.

Plus Committee Report

And finally: it isdeeply regretted thathandwritten communications will behurled around the office, jumped upon, and ripped up before being ceremoniously burned. Typewriting is a terrific invention worthy of support. •

Reports

Chess/Snooker/Ping Pong

COVER: SELECTING THE DINING ROOM STAFF 1902

Next issue... (again!)

THE WHISTLER is published by the Chelsea Arts

Club, 143 Old Church Street, London SW3. All material © THE WHISTLER

Max's Headache Cures (?) Geoffrey's Venice —a foreign member (!)

EDITOR: MIKE VON JOEL

CONSULTANT EDITORS: HUGH GILBERT

Stanley Ayres remembers

D, WINTERBOTTOM

PRODUCTION: PSi

Les Coleman's Strip

PRINTED BY: HIGHART LIMITED

S 071 376 3311 FAX: 071 351 5986 THE WHISTLER

FOREIGN NEWS

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A Clubbable Clubman I HAVE NO clear recollection of

civilised comfort, and I felt in an

my first visit to the Chelsea Arts

odd way that I was already a part of

Club, for some reason, which I ex

the place.

pect is what we all say. But I do have a clearer memory of a visit not so long after, one winter weekday afternoon, in the company of Nor man Stevens of blessed memory. Thrown out of The Elm at Sean's

Archive photograph of William Packer on his first visit to the Club

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usual hour, having concluded for the moment our sober and highminded enquiries into the higher philosophies, as was our habit at that time, Norman thought a pot of tea and some toast would be just the thing. So down the road we strolled together and settled down before the fire to the said tea and

toast, which shows you just how long ago it was. There was no-one else there, little light and less to say, and the dust settled over us like a blanket. The memory is of a warm, high, dark room, shrouded billiards tables, firmly shut bar and

William Packer

Our bar, as any other, is abar is a bar, comfortable and efficient only when empty, agreeable entirely at the discretion and attentiveness o

Sean's Eim, of course, was a true

its custodians of the moment, and

quite impossible of access under

club ofsorts, and to savourthe part normal social pressure. Bridie pres icular qualities of any club, one ides, the picture of calm in^' needs, I suppose, to belong to an partiality, bringing order, more or other, preferably several. Without less, ifnot good sense - there being comparison there can be no view at none to bring from the chaos across all, let alone any finer judgment. It the great divide - and how she is

is the case, rather, of the Irishman missed when she is away. And we who, on being asked which he have our bores, as which club as would recommend of the two not, and just as likely to talk o public houses in the town, said at wickets taken, maidens over an

last that were you to go to the one,

the good old days in the Punja • you would be sure to wish you had though here a little more incline . gone to the other. There are times perhaps, to fall suddenly silent an at Old Church Street, to be sure, a shade more thoughtful - and then when one knows just how he felt I fall over. Weall our momentscannot but feel that to belong only Some ofthem wehave pour ourselvesto the Chelsea Arts Club is to have no very clear idea of quite what one We have our club office, which ia nasjoined.

tucked away discreetly out of sight

behind the green baize door But witty, clever, perceptive, discern would we really care to lose all'sight ing, creative, charming, decorat of Katie's long black legs, crossed ive, witty, personable as any

course, and Tony to lend it its cer time to time and turning sadly tain 'je ne sais quoi', but a 'quoi' at away, muttering the while their

reasonable gentleman might wish.

least all his own, and Maria and her fellow priestesses of the table to

gentlemen, and is it entirely a per sonal fancy that suggests they also

soften the blow. Perhaps it is the Are they all members? Did we garden, perhaps the pictures, the elect them? What can we have been carpets, the most claustrophobic thinking of? Nothing much at the

and recrossed, half seen through But ours is not, as I say, a club for the smoke, or of Dudley hanging

off the wall, indeed sometimes floating quite as free as any flying monk of Old Calabria? Perhaps not.

become so much the more anima

ted and voluble, though not at all

coat-rack in London, the tele

charms us, all? The restaurant - ah yes, there is the restaurant of

selves.

time and of course we did. And all

phones that are so popular when the others too, the handsome and they work, the new men's bog that beautiful, drunk and sober, old and is modelled on the principle of the young, short and tall, the Mike von

less charming, the moment they Ours clearly never was, never cross threshold - at once a could nor would wish to be, a club charm the of goldfinches and a chatter motor-bike and side-car shut in the for gentlemen. Even for artists has garage. The billiards tables clearly been to stretch the point a bit. We of sparrows? admitted women on equal terms So what is it about the place thatso have a fascination all their own, by

long ago and ours are certainly as decorative, personable, intelligent,

secret oaths and curses to them

Joel, the

Winston Branch

and

Geoffrey Dove, that now fill that dim and smokey, noisy, cheerful

the feral creatures of the night, and room? Of course, of course. O Harry, who prowl and prowl Brave Old Club, that has such around, bending over them from

people in't.#

APortfolio Opportunity BY CLARE HENRY JUST IMAGINE. IT's 1891 and

Whistler and his friends get

Niel Bally's multiple print will sur

Blow, Bert Irvin and Shelagh

prise his followers used to fluid floral bouquets. Here he mixes Pic-

Cluett.

together to publish a portfolio of etchings and lithographs to cel tish brochs and mud footprints with The Chelsea Arts Club Centenary ebrate the inauguration of their Gaelic text to make a patchwork of Portfolio is being printed by Brad new Chelsea Arts Club. They sell rural atmospherics. Patrick Faine at Coriander Studios. The just to their friends. Only later do Hughes, who was 1986 Club chair folio will be boxed, to a design from London collectors and European man, cleverly plays on his own 3D ClubmemberSimon Rendall of the

galleries manage to acquire these image of a row of buildings, elab delightful, evocative images which orating the game with a trompe sum up Wteand art at the tuiu of the

I'oeil shadow.

More straightforward figurative

Arts Club chairman and committee

are more enterprising. To mark the Club's centenary sixteen respected artists who are also members of the

Club have agreed to contribute work to a very special Portfolio of one hundred copies. The works are

artist's book designs and cata

work from Stan Smith whose three

bathers by a wooded rocky pool painted in Cezanne-esque facets form a wonderful vertical totemic structural mass. Patrick Proctor

who recently showed his new Japanese work at the Redfern Gal lery, contributes an oriental scene of unusual elegance while Ivor Abrahams' screen print incor

It must have been hell to or

porates his favourite single figure, often seen in his sculpture and pain

and Bruce McLean. Faine studied

have a Brad Faine to smooth their

painting under Harry Thubron

path, so that today we could enjoy

while at art school and is well known for his own work in the

their collective ideas. But 1991 CAC member's ideas are on show

States, but here is renowned for his

for your delectation, so don't miss a

professional print collaborations, including the famous thirteen

golden opportunity to see and - for CAC members only - to buy. •

MEMBERS ONLY To obtain your unique portfolioof 16 individual prints send £495.00 to the office. There are only 100 editions available, restricted to one edition per member, and an

early reservation is strongly recommended. More abstracts from the Royal Col

ship. Barry Flanagan's gold leaf hare leaps over its pyramid ped lege's Head of Painting, Paul estal base, leaving a minute 'spark Huxley, Barry Martin, Sandra ing gap'; a characteristic clean cut Flanagan image. Peter Blake s col ORLANDO'S

lage, Dancing to Heaven, is familiar in style. Similar to one in the Royal Academy Summer show, it dovet ails nicely with work seen last

Hockney who flew in from the US for the occasion.

ganise, but I vividly remember Coriander was established by visiting Coriander during that time Faine in 1973, to specialise in edi- and marvelling that such a big pro lioning screenprints. Over the ject ran like clockwork. After 104 years he has produced work for folk, sixteen Chelsea Arts Club many famous artists, including artists must be a breeze! What a Peter Blake, Tom Phillips, Erte pity Whistler and friends didn't

tings. Peter Sedgley's red, green and on exhibition both at Chelsea Arts Club and as part of the Centenary blue op art Ring a Rose uses its Exhibition at Smith's Gallery, mere three colours to great effect Covent Garden from December while at the opposite pole 14/15 col ours —and counting —are used to 10th-21st. create Tim Mara's multiple whiterThe range of work, from figurative shade-of-pale lemon squeezer and to abstract, gestural to precise, well Gwyther Irwin's bright mosaic of reflects the diversity of Chelsea sliced, bordered, pattern.

Arts Club's all embracing member

ages from 104 artists. All 500 prints were signed by each and every artist, including Kitaj, Long, Prink, Rego, Piper, Hodgkin, Bellany, Paolozzi, Riley, Nolan and David

logues.

century.

Well, of course Whistler &. Co. may well have discussed such a project, but they never got round to putting it into practice. And for the next hundred years neither did anyone else. Happily the current Chelsea

Cygnet Press who is known for his

colour 1985 Visual Aid Print for Band Aid which contained 104 im

BUBBLE COMP N01

DINNER FOR TWO WITH WINE FOR THE BEST QUIP RECEIVED BY 10TH OCTOBER

Winner; Victor Sandelson, 24 Abbotsbury Road London W14 8ER Caption: 1 never know which is Torville and which is Dean

lonth at Waddingtons. In contrast THE WHISTLER

PHOTOGRAPHS; DICK SCOTT STEWART THE WHISTLER

â&#x20AC;˘ ir

D X n

Chelsea Arts Club C e n t e n a r y Exhibition

Smith's Gauuery 5 4 - 56 E a r l h a m S t r e e t CovENT G a r d e n London WC2

lO - 21

December 1991

o Exhibition open lO am - 5 EXCEPT S u n d a y s

Centenary Exhibition Smith's Gallery, 23 Neal Street, Covent Garden, WC2 11th December â&#x20AC;˘ 21st December 1991 lOam - 5pm Daily (until Noon on Saturday 21st)

TheChelseaArts ClubCentenaryExhibitionattheSmith's Gallery celebratesthe Club's distinguished history and rejoices in its continuedexistence.It is a Clubfor living artists and the present

was born in 1902; studied with

Henry Moore and Eileen Agar (for

rational. The much travelled Sarah

whom he designed a house and

Darling has spent the last two years living - and painting - on a 80ft schooner, The Angelique, in the Caribbean. She has a cat, a parrot

exhibition reflects the wide tastes and interests of its Members.

furniture, the latter now in the V &

The size ofeach exhibit hasthrough necessity been kept small owing to the

and ideas man creating prototypes, including the pre- fab and pavilions

A); went on to work as an architect

popularity expressed bythe Club's Membershipto be included in the exhibition. These are not, therefore, always representative of some Members' workwhich are best represented in large sizeformats, be it painting or sculpture. Muchthanksto the manywho have contributed to the successof this show includingthe workingparty; hanging party; the secretariat of the CAC; the Smith's Gallery administrative staff; and last but most of all: the contributing members of the Chelsea Arts Club who have responded with truly full-blooded enthusiasm to make this exhibition a joyous celebration of the Club's one hundred year old birthday.

for the Festival of Britain. He is still

painting and recently took up cer amic sculpture. His watercolour of the Isle of Skye was painted after a visit in the 1960's. T always draw out of my head, work from memory, never on the spot.' His discovery of the expressive use of shape and structure within archi tecture 'opened a whole world for

me' but despite his pre-eminence in this field he maintains that drawing

Barry Martin Chairman ofthe Arts Sub-Committee

is his first love.

Other well known names include

The Great & The Good

Carry the Chelsea Arts Club Standard High

The centenaryexhi

Terry Frost, Bert Irvin, Brendan Neiland, Michael Heindorf, Sandra Blow, Linda Sutton and Gerald

Laing. Laing commutes between New York and Kinkell Castle in

Ross and Cromarty where he has established his own bronze foun

painting in the 1960's via abstract portrait busts. Commissions in clude Siaka Stevens of Sierre Leone

ing the Ljubljana, Bradford and Krakow

Print Biennales.

Helen

KeaXs \s anoXYvet piXwXmakeT \s known for \\et axmospherlc land

scapes of the Holy Land and also for her portraits while Leonard Marchant, another Ljubljana exhi bitor, shows a bold mezzotint Red

Still Life. More traditional in style, Denis Baxter's Fishbourne Signal Box is precise in line and met iculously etched.

Surprisingly few photographers are exhibiting but among the handful Chris Simpson's platinum print of a wonderfully sculptural Ranchos de Taos caught my eye. Simpson has

aker's layers of grid and waves is notable. Good figure painting from Patricia Winer, {Monica Sleeps) and Miriam Young {Banbury Fair withToffeeApples.). Julia Midgley says she deals with

paintings seen recently at his Gal rian lagoon images echo the ex

panses of long watery horizontality under wide skies which make it such a distinctive and memorable

Francis Bacon to young recent

many Club members have trained

graduates. The list of exhibitors

and/or reside overseas. Among the London art colleges St Martins, the Slade, Chelsea and Byam Shaw feature high on member's CVs. Age is no barrier; Rodney Thomas

city. 'From quickly noted down colour ideas and photographs I

offat the University of the Andes in

subtle etching is of Biddulph Egypt. Miller has exhibited widely includ

Among the abstracts David Whit-

Artists also travel a great deal, and understandably, follow the sun, so

also demonstrates the inter nationalism of Chelsea Arts Club members. Ofelia Rodriguez started

Clair Miller's

younger members who are beginn

lery JO exhibition. These Whistle-

bership veers from world stars like

black, from Monika Veriopoulos, while Frances St

Jake Paltenghi is one of several

the USA; Nina Troitzky, daughter of a Russian emigre is from Yugosl

The CAC is of course a social, as well as an arts, club and the mem

More boats, this time bold and

won many awards since 1987 in

members is however more than a better-late-than-never affair.

avia.

off Iguana Island.

cluding the Benson & Hedges.

ing to make a name for themselves. He shows an oil of St Maria Delia Salute, one of several Venetian

members work ever mounted by the Chelsea Arts Club. Unbeliev

tion picture shows the Angelique

is of his new son Titus.

able, but true! The current exhibi tion of paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture from almost 100

major outside exhibition of

paints on the spot 'often surroun ded by 50 onlookers.' Her exhibi

and the Conan Doyle Memorial for Edinburgh. His exhibition bronze

Bogota, moved on to Yale, then Hayter's Atelier 77 in Paris and arrived in London (where she exhi bits with Gimpeis) via the Pratt Graphic Centre, New York. MariePaule Schmoelz-Olinger hails from Luxembourg; Guiliana Freso comes from Italy; Peggy Taub from

bition will he the first

and a studio on the boat but also

dry. His work has moved from pop sculptures to figurative pieces and

by Clare Henry

Foreign forays often prove inspi

work in gouache and watercolour

which 1overlay with gold and silver leaf, drawing into it with a needle for the architectural details.'

'the bizarre, paradox, ambiguity plus a dash of mischief. Certainly this describes Christopher Battye's wonderfully outrageous, high key scenarios, represented here by Family with Monstrous Children.

All in all a very good cross section of work from Chelsea Arts Club

members in this, their centenary year. â&#x20AC;˘

-t"

1. A.DEANE, Elizabeth Spanish Valley Watercolour

24 X20(inc. frame) £250

2. ALEXANDER, Belle

11.

BROWNING, Elizabeth

16.

COLLIS, Helen

Seville Marmalade

Young Man Seated

Oils on Skin Ply

Bronze

18.5 X 17.5 £300

32 high

12.

17.

BYRNE, Alan

£3488

CROSS, Tom

DENYER, Stuart

Still Life Oil on Canvas

Oil

11X7.5 £200

11 X 16 £320

24x20 £650

24x24 £500

ALLEY, Anthea

Still Life

23.

DICKER, Kate

Saturn, Jupiter, Whitbread Shires Conte Crayon

Mixed Media on Canvas

4/i

22.

The Red Boots Coloured Pencils

Untitled

Oil on canvas 18x22 £350

Altetch Glacier Watercolour

21. DENNISTOUN, Roumaine Our Lady ofthe Forests

24x24

19x22

£1,000

£225

24.

BALDWIN, John

Lake District

Untitled Landscape

Watercolour 24x 19 £395

DRUMMOND, Andrew

Mixed Media 24x24 £250

25.

5. BALLY, Niel Still Life

ENGLISH, Bill

Norfolk Oil Impression Oil on Paper 24x20 £675

18x21

£1,000

Dancers

26. EYRE, William Topiary Garden

Etching

Oils

20x24

24X24

£280 or £250 (unframed)

£420

27.

BARTLETT, Adrian

BATTYE, Christopher

FISHER, Donald

Family with Monstrous Children

Leda Poet

Watercolour & ink on Paper

Oil

18x24

24x20

£950

£500

The inimitable James McNeill Whistler, member, at work on his etching press, 1893

Fishbourne's Signal Box

The Nereid

The Angelique offIguana Island

28. FRESO, Guiliana Roofs

Etching & Aquatint

Lithograph

11.5x8 £136

24x20

Oil on canvas 20x17

Oil on canvas 20x 16

£160 framed

£250

£900

BAXTER, Denis

BLOW, Sandra

Untitled

Acrylic on Paper 24x24

£2,000

10. BROCKHURST, David Collective ofAngels Multi medium 24x24

£1,200

13.

CHARAP, Ellen

18.

DARLING, Sarah

14. CLARK, Caroline McAdam 19. DARTON-WATKINS, C Florentine DoorNo.2 Unreal City Oil, wax & mixed media Oil on Board

29.

GIBBS, Caroline

Paper Mache Bowl & Dish Paper Mache gilded

24x21 £500

18x23 £750

21 X 30 cm 46 x 11cm

15.

20.

30. GILBERT, Dennis SelfPortrait in Winter

COLE, Christopher

DEAN, Graham

Dusk, Chelsea Wharf

Watercolour

Lino Cut 12x8 £200 each

17x21 £450

N.B. All measurements are in inches unless otherwise stated.

£330 (both)

Watercolour 15x11 £480

40.

KITSON, Linda

Valtinesa Valley, Italy

46. MARKS, Elena Gaussen St. Jean de Codes, France

Mixed Media

Oil

22x24 £200

14X 18 £315

41.

47.

LAING, Gerald

Titus Bronze

12 high

21 x26 £330

42.

48.

LAURENCE, Geoff

Chalk 23x33 £550

43.

31.

GREGORY, Michael

35.

HOLT, Margot

LAWRENCE, Sandra

50.

17x 17

MEYER, Elizabeth Duncan

Acrylic on Canvas

Etching/Aquatint

22.25 X 22.25

7x 12

£350

£120

45.

MARCHANT, Leonard

Mezzotint

24x18 £275

24x24

11x13

£300

£195

51.

MIDGLEY, Julia

Head ofa Morris Man Acrylic 11x8 £375

IRVIN, Albert

Breakfast at the Arts Club

Hackford Series No. II

Pastel

15x 19

Gouache 22x30

£300

£2,000 +VAT

37.

KEATS, Helen

Young Joshua

Charlotte

Mixed Media

Intaglio

15x 13

21.25 X 15.25

£P.O.A.

£220

34.

MCKECHNIE, Christine

Untitled

Red Still Life

HEWITT, Gill

49.

Suffolk Hedge Collage

The Garden

Acrylic on canvas

33.

£850

44.

Untitled

36.

24x24

£525

LOW, Alice

MARTIN, Barry

Untitled Mixed Media

Pelican Gonache 9.75 X 14 £950

Teachers Pet Oil on canvas

32. HALFORD-THOMPSON, C

Bridgehampton Long Island, USA Photograph

£3,000 + VAT

Untitled

k Royal Academy Presidents and Honorary Club members by tradition, Sir Alfred Mannings and Sir Gerald Kelly doing what comes naturally at Old Church Street

MARSDEN, Simon

HOLLINGWORTH, Mick

Fourmost Masks

Crayon on Paper 19x16 £300

38.

KENNY, Michael

Natural Life NOS. 6 Pencil, Pastel, Charcoal, Paper 28 X 38 cms

£475 + VAT

Left: Augustus John, perhaps the most famous son of the Chelsea Arts Club next toJimmy Whistler. John was once seen wrestling on thefloor with Mannings during one altercation

39. KING, Phyllis Gorlick Flourish in Flowers I Oil on Linen Canvas 24x24 £450

Detail of T.C.Dugdale's 1934 painting of the Club Dining Room; Leonard Jennings, DysonSmithand Henry Rushburyto theforefront, thefamous 'big table' in the background

N.B. All measurements are in inches unless otherwise stated.

Club iUumini John Singer Sargent in Paris, 1880, with the infamous portrait of Madame Gaiitreaii which created such a scandal at the 1884 Salon

52.

MILLER, Frances St.Clair

57.

O'RORKE, Robert

62.

Statue at Villa Rotonda

Funny Landscape

Oil

20x21.5

19x15

24x24

£160 (£100 unframed)

£600

£480

53.

MILLNER, Etienne

58.

PALTENGHI, J.

63.

67.

POPE, Mike

Biddulph Grange Egypt Etching & Aquatint

RODRIGUEZ, Ofelia

Midnight Symphony in Space Acrylic & Collage 11.5x9.5 £450

68.

REMFRY, David

SCHMOELZ-OLINGER

Toyah Wilcox

St Maria Delia Salute

Untitled

Mysterious Hong Kong

Painted Plaster

Oil on canvas on Board 32 X 72 cm £650

Watercolour

Oil on canvas

24x24

£3,750

11.75 X 15.75 £375

64.

69.

14.25 X 16 £900

54.

MINAS, Michael

Julie Pastel

59. PATTERSON, Janet Dogs Dinner

Monotype 14.25 X 15.5

£400

£200

55. MITCHELL, Shuna

60.

Still Life

Autumn

Oil on canvas

Oil on Canvas 20x20

20X24 £186

56^ O'BRIEN, Patricia Ludwig Oil on Canvas 12X 14 £980

PEPYS, Sandra

£1,250

61.

PILKINGTON, H.

Colour Field TV

Acrylic on Board 15x20 £150

RICH, Dennis

SEABROOK,John

Landscape: Deya

Broken Fence & RSJ

Oil on Canvas 24x29 £300

17x21 £250

65.

70. SHIVARG,C.

Watercolour

RILEY, Suzanne

Untitled Oil

Nude Torso Bronze Resin

24x24 £350

£1,200

66. RODDON,Guy Footbridge: Swanbourne Lake

71. SIMPSON, Chris

Oil 24x20 £750

15x3

Ranchos de Taos I

Platinium Palladium Photograoh £1000 + VAT ^

N.B. All measurements are in inches unless otherwise stated.

•

82. THOMAS, Rodney

Watching Man Wondering Acrylicon

87.

Isle ofSkye: Coastline

AGUApostiliAthinai

Anemones & Tomatillos

Watercolour on Paper

Pastel

Watercolour

12x12 £750

12x20 £250

24x16.75

15 X 15.5 20 X20(w. mount)

£450

£180

SMITH, Tony

73.

WARNER, John

SMITH, Stan

90.

WHITE, Valerie

91.

Figure Column

WHITE, Michael B

The Sprats is Love Etching

Watercolour and Collage 24X18 £850

£333 or £300 unframed

74.

92.

14 X 11

SPEAK, Margaret

WHITTLESEA, Michael

Male nude

Joanna

Oil

Charcoal

18.5 X 23

24x 18 £300

£200

1 75. SPENCER, Herbert Hurgin

93. WINER, Patricia Monica Sleeps

Oil pastel 10.5x9

Oil on Board 19.5x23

£270

£400

76.

94.

STANTON,Olivia

Untitled Watercolour

Track Oil on canvas

20 X 16 £250 + VAT

19x23 £750

77.

95. YOUNG, Emily The Garden, 12

SUTTON,Lmda

Vntitled Mixed Media 24x19

Mixed 23 X 15

Two recent Club Hons — Royal Academy Presidents Sir Hugh Casson and Roger de Grey

£1,200

78.

SYKES, Caroline

Emily & I Oil on Board 12x9.5 £350

WISEMAN, A.

83.

THURSBY, Peter

Focus on Ring Space Watercolour, Gouache, Conte 24x18.5 £225

88.

WELLS, Marianne Perry

Primaries Watercolour

96.

YOUNG, Miriam

Banbury Fair with Toffee Apples

21 x22

Oil 18x24

£450

£600

89.

WHITAKER, David

97.

ZIRNER,Lisa

Russian Churches by River

84. TILLIE, Mark The Cannes Film Festival

Photograph

Acrylic & Oil on canvas

Watercolour pencil collage

Oil

22.5 X 18

35 X 50 cms £P.O.A.

£400

12x16 £175 + VAT

80. TAUB, Peggy

85.

79.

SYNGE, Pamela

18x14

No. Twelve

Metro

£1,200

TROITZKY,Nina

EasterEggs

Fruit, flowers &fishes

Watercolour 10x14 £250

Oil

20.5 X 20.5 £575

81. TEMPLE, Olivia RapeFields

86. VERIOPOULOS,Monika

Oil on Canvas 14x20 £235 +VAT

Charcoal

WORKING PARTY Elena Gaussen Marks Phillip Roberts (Treasurer) Hugh Gilbert Stan Smith Barry Martin (Chairman)

Boat with Buildings

£270

N.B. All measurements are

inches unless otherwise stated.

Diannc t^lynn, "The Torn Pcuicoai" "iO" x 24'

Reproduced by courtesy ofMacConnal-Mason Gaiiery

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THE WHISTLER 17

A NEW LIFE OF JAMES ABBOTT CLUB' MACNEILL WHISTLER. 366PP REVEALSTHEFOIBLESOFONEOFTHE S LEADING CHARACTERS. EXCERPTCOURTESYWINDRUbHPHbi,

BOOKEND

Mr Whistler's Ten o'clock WITH INTEREST AND envy

The Ten O'Clock'

Whistler had observed Wilde's suc

lecture was

delivered at the Club

cess as a lecturer, in the United

by John Casson QBE on Thursday 14th November as part of the Centenary

States, in Golden Square, and,

most recently, beginning on 1st I October 1884: in Baling, Liver

pool, Manchester, Leeds, EdinbuTgh and elsewhere in Britain. In

celebrations.

Arranged by Richard Maurice (Hon, Sec)

his latest address, The Value of Art in Modern Life, Wilde commended Whistler for 'rejecting all literary titles for his pictures.' None of his works, Wilde said, 'bore any name

but that which signified their tone, colour, and method of treatment.

This is what painting ought to be; no man should show that he is

merely the illustrator of history.' Even while praising, he was stea ling! If Wilde could read speeches loa ded with Whistierian ideas, why shouldn't the original author mount the lecture platform?

Whistler asked himself this ques tion in the fall of 1884, and he an swered it by going to work. Here

are entries from Alan Cole's diary for October 1884:

'24th.

Whistler

dine.

passed the evening writing out his views on Ruskin, Art, etc.' '27th. Jimmy to dinner, continu ing notes as to himself and Art.'

Oscar Wilde In 1885. Whistler's

bete noir and foil for

'28th. Writing out Whistler's

his endless verbal

notes for him.

attacks and

'29th. Jimmy to dine. Writing,

Insinuations

notes as to his opinions on Art mat ters.'

And so it sent for the rest of 1884

and the early weeks of 1885. Every day he was busy with his lecture. THE WHISTLER 18

To handle the practical details, he acquired a manager, Helen D'Oyly Carte, wife of the Gilbert

grande tenue, with diamonds flash

ing and satins gleaming.' The large platform contained

and Sullivan impresario and an ex perienced theatrical administrator

only a small table with a bottle of water and a glass. At ten minutes

in her own right.

after ten o'clock Whistler appeared on the platform by himself, wearing evening clothes and carrying an

Prince's Hall, Piccadilly, was booked for ten o'clock on the even

ing of Friday, 20 February. The time was selected, Whistler said, so as not to interfere with anyone's leisurely dinner. Whistler and Mrs D'Oyly Carte concocted a highly polished pub licity campaign. Cards were mailed to selected individuals three weeks

ahead of time, and they were fol lowed by advertisements in the

opera hat. He placed his hat beside

the bottle and stool silently for a few seconds, a glass in his right eye, gazing out at the audience, Wilde said, 'like a miniature Mephistopheles mocking the majority.' At that moment, the Telegraph's reviewer said, 'the spirits of the

The influence of the critic has

in the future.' The audience was

brought about the most complete misunderstanding as to the aim of a picture. For him a picture is sym bolic of a story, and the work is con sidered from a literary point of

also told that:

view. He deals with it as with a

novel, a history, or an anecdote. He fails entirely to see its excellences or demerits and so degrades Art by

no matter how vulgar their dresses

were, or how hideous their sur roundings at home, still it was pos

sible that a great painter could, by contemplating them in the twilight, and half closing his eyes, see them under really picturesque con

supposing it a method of bringing ditions, and produce a picture which they were not to attempt to about a literary climax.

understand, much less to enjoy.

The one chord that vibrates with

all, the one unspoken Sympathy that pervades humanity, is - Vul

Not only was Wilde flippant, he had the effrontery to disagree with the

'master,' rightly pointing out that he was on shaky ground in denying

garity!

advertisements announced the time

assembly sank. From Mr Whistler anything might have been expected - a burlesque, a breakdown, or a comic song. But surely his eccentr

and place of the event and its title,

icity would not carry him so far as to

circle of Art swarms with the in

'Ten O'clock,' with no hint of what

deliver a serious dissertation on art.

toxicated

mediocrity,

void of any sense of beauty than a

it was to be.

Alas! Itwas true.'

whose leaders prate and call aloud,

rose blossom can grow from a

For three weeks, London society turned with curiosity, and new

Speaking without notes, he where the Gods once spoke in a began, 'Ladies and gentlemen, with whisper! And now from their midst the great hesitation and much misgiv ing I appear before you in the guise Dilettante stalks abroad. The

daily papers. The cards and the

spaper columnists speculated on precisely what was going to happen. One of them wondered if

Vulgarity, under whose fascinat ing influence 'the many' have el bowed 'the few,' and the gentle mob

the existence of artistic periods and nations, because 'an artist can no more be born of a nation that is de thistle.' Then came this pronounce

ment: 'The poet is the supreme artist, for he is the master of colour and form, and the real musician be

amateur is loosed. The voice of the aesthete is heard in the land, and

sides, and is lord over all life and art; and so to the poet beyond all

singsongs, recite, lecture, or draw preacher. He spoke in a disap caricatures.' A writer for the pointingly soft monotone, and at

the catastrophe is upon us.

others are the mysteries known; to

society paper Truth asked, 'Is he times he could not be heard beyond going to pulverise Oscar Wilde or the first few rows. Cries of 'Speak Ruskin?' On 14 February, as the up!' and 'We can't hear you!' came event drew near, a London cor from various parts of the hail, but respondent for the provincial Whistler rambled on in his cur

The

'Mr Whistler will stand on his head,

Western Times wrote, T have not

of The Preacher.'

He was no ranting and raving

iously muted voice.

Those who could hear, or who met anyone who ever pretends to know what the funny man of the art read the text afterwards, might world is going to do.' Even 'Atlas' have been able to extract from a

poorly organised lecture five main ideas: 1) Artists stand apart from I the 18 February' he wrote, 'The mystery as to the nature of Mr the rest of society as solitary gen was in the dark. In the World for

unbroken, and the curiosity grows

iuses uncorrupted by the world into which they were born. 2) A work of

in intensity. I am told that only four

art should have no relationship to

country.'

In matters artistic the public taste is

Whistler's Ten O'Clock remains

people are in on the secret, and that anything beyond itself. 3) Art they have departed into the critics are arrogant andignorant. 4) Curiosity stimulated the sale of conspicuous

tickets, at the rather high price of

for

vulgarity.

spectators'

response

Edgar Allan Poe and Baudelaire, was

mixed.

'Half of the audience,' one re

viewer reported, 'swore it was the brilliancy of genius; half of them ided, extending from the Manches

'the Painter' than the naivete of 'the Poet' in the choice of his Painters -

ter Guardian, which saw it as 'a rare entertainment and a most unexpec ted revelation of a serious and

of pretentious platitudes and form

method of selection:

ulated fallacies.'

Whistler wasn't much concerned about what the audience or most re

viewers said or thought, but he was

even.' This tells us something about the character of the audience. It

was a 'carriage crowd,' including,

all times, as did Rembrandt, Tin toretto, Paul Veronese, and Velas

quez. No reformers were they - no pretty, witty, artistic, dramatic and improvers of the way of others! poetic.' Thespectators included Sir Their productions alone were their Arthur Sullivan, the famous solici occupation, and they required not

one columnist said, 'all that was

Dear Butterfly, By the aid of a bio graphical dictionary I discovered that there were once two painters, called Benjamin West and Paul De

on 21 February in the Pall Mall laroche, who recklessly took to lec

It was in his 1300-word Pall Mall

sire to teach - seeking and finding the beautiful in all conditions and in

Paul De

laroche!'

In replying, Wilde explained his

with 1200 seats, was almost filled to capacity.

'carriages might be ordered at el

Benjamin West and

scientific work,' to the Telegraph, which called it 'an undigested mass

Wilde.

own perfection only - having node

'Oscar - I have read your ex

licate, in the flattery of 'the Poet' to

Gazette and was written by Oscar

Ticket holders were advised that

note to Wilde:

bosh.' The critics were also div

half-a-guinea each, and on the are ridiculous people. Here are a few highlights: night of 20February, Prince's Hall, Art is selfishly occupied with her

Whistler at once dispatched a

declared it was the audacity of quisite article. Nothing is more de

5) affected by one notice. It appeared

'Amateurs' and dilettantes in art

not to Benjamin West and Paul Delaroche.'

piece that Wilde characterised Whistler as a 'miniature Mephist-

opheles.' This impertinence char

turing on Art.

As of their works nothing at all remains, I conclude that they ex plained themselves away. Be warned in time, James, and remain, as I do, incomprehensible; to be great is to be misunderstood.

acterised the essay. It dripped with sarcasm. Whistler's disdainful re marks about 'aesthetes,' 'ama

The letter contained a postscript: 'Jimmy! You must stamp your let

teurs,' and 'dilettantes,' Wilde cor

ters - they are so dear at two pence.'

rectly concluded, were aimed primarily at himself. And so he re taliated.

Whistler had the last word:

'For one whose greatness dep

tor GeorgeLewis, Alfred de Roths

to alter their surroundings.

child, Edward Poynter, George Grossmith, the noted caricaturists

stood, it was indeed rash to reveal A favourite faithofthose who teach 'spoke for more thanan hour on the the source of his inspiration - a absolute uselessness of all such lec

The lecturer, Wilde reported,

ends upon remaining misunder

Ape and Spy (Carlo Pellegrini and is that certain periods were especi Leslie Ward), a large assortment of ally artistic, and that certain nat Lords, Ladies, and 'Sirs,' and, of ions were notably lovers of Art. course, Oscar Wilde. Two-thirds of Listen! There never was an artistic

tures.' He 'explained to the public, Biographical Dictionary!' Copies of the notes, with Wilde's with charming ease, that the only postscript excluded, were sent by thing they should cultivate was ugli

the viewers were women, who

stupidity rested all the hopes of art had them reproduced in the World.

Queen reported, 'appeared en

period. There never was an Artloving nation.

ness, and that on their permanent Whistler to Yates, who dutifully

THE WHISTLER 19

fr .1-.

^ii

â&#x20AC;&#x17E;

.'J^

COLOUR SECTION

TV/O HOURS IN in the

So it was that we \anded at SeviWa

mmute boWocking for traffic viola tion in incomprehensible English.

transit lounge at Santiago de Campostuela airport while returning to London prov

airport, the doors of the 'plane op

ided a comfortable time to finish

heavy scents of southern Spain dis mouth of the Barrio Sta. Cruz, the pelled the memory of a wet, dismal old Jewishquarter by the side of the

ened like the doors to a bread oven and a blast of heat mixed with the

The hotel was finally located, at the

the diary of a chaotic week, and to admire the perfect weather outside London. Garnets stamped and two Alcazar and the Maria Louisa gar - weather that had proved elusive cars hired, we embarked on an un dens: narrow pedestrian streets during the work in the South of controlled and unguided tour of looking on to the floral courtyards, full of the scents of oranges, flowers and myrtle hedges. Traditionally the hotel was constructed around a

dub Med 18-65 Spain. I had been asked to do a photograph to be used as a poster for a mineral water. The layout was

of a girl laying on steps reading. The art director had wanted it done

Nick Tucker Is a

professional photographer and was Club Chairman 1987-1989

in London, in February, outside. The weather at that time was appal ling and constant: cold and wet. I had persuaded them that there was far more chance of good weather and locations in South West Spain and had constructed a budget that would take six people there as close as possible to the cost of doing a similar photograph in London.

Sevilla searching for our hotel: past

the pavilions of the previous World Fair; the magnificent (Carmen) tobacco factory; past the Golden Tower (which used to block ship ping by hanging out a chain across

central courtyard in the Moorish fashion. We discovered the night porter was an expert at flamenco after he came to our room to com

plain about the noise we were mak

ing with our attempts at palmas (clapping), saying that it was too late, but the next day demonstrated his expertise with sotto voce cante jondo. The first night we were to eat

fried fish, partly because they are exceptionally good in Sevilla and

the river, to another tower on the

partly to remind everybody that it was a very low budget. I had pre

opposite bank, long demolished); past the ochre rounded forms of the

viously discovered a marvellous 165 year old bar, which does not

bullring. Beware of beat-up Seat cars, they harbour authority. One drove by my window with a with a

summer curtains go up over the

piece of leather in his drivers hand announcing his membership of the police fraternity. Take fifteen

THE WHISTLER 20

look as if it has ever changed. In doors and it hides from tourists.

The wine is sold from large barrels and the old vats remain at the back

ofthe bar, although no longer used.

just across the street is a traditional

responding satisfyingly to the Scvillian fried fish shop selling a layout. The view from the square Is

to ascertain that the ghost of an en gine was still there. Had the wind

conical grey paper bags. I counted about thirty bags in the bar, not in

been in the other direction we could have sailed to Arcos with the

would share a room with which

bonnet up. A large green 'Trooper' of the Guardia Civil appeared and when approached for help, ordered

until the owner reminded us that it

large variety of fish by the kilo, in exceptional, miles and miles across

the countryside, no army would have been able to approach within

cluding our six. After this supper thirty miles unobserved. The we walked the city and, although square was deserted and the clouds lost managed to find most of the

bars, watched the oranges being picked from the trees, found the shop that sells bullfighter's clothes and the trajes cortes, the traditional

raced through the sky.

us to push the car off the road into

The bar owner, who had worked in

England for two years, could say

the forecourt of a deserted Venta.

Good food and wine, discussions

for a long time as to which girl

boy, as we were two rooms short, used to be a convent and that they had standards. (My assistant, Neil, had been cheating with the short straws anyway, he had an eye for a glittering prize who was seated next

They drove off as we were doing it.

to him). For a convent it was

ominous wilderness.

quito killers.

'Hello', was very helpful, fed us short jacket - although the owner well, and provided space for the How quickly attractive unspoiled luxury, marble bathrooms, hard showed no interest in serving us as make up lady and mode! to have landscape can change to isolated, beds, balconies and electric mos we did not look the types to con front a toro bravo, nor place our

The wind still howled over break

fast. Arcos is too important to leave

slippered feet on the albero of La

without a short tour. There are two

Maestranza, or to cause the Puerto

major churches. The churches were

Grande to open.

locked but the towers were open.

One had a family living half the way

The next morning, my first day of photography, was alarmingly grey

up, so that emerging from a long circular flight of steps you come ac ross the smell of cooking and an old

and cool. We looked at the Roman

ruins at Italica, which had looked

lady taking her washing from a washing machine. She keeps the key to the campanile. The other

hopeful in a photo we had seen, but which in reality were of a dis proportionate scale, and unusable (half a day wasted). We arrived at

tower has a man making baskets and at the top a door opening on to

Sanlucar de Barrameda, on the Atlantic coast, in the rain, and took lunch

beachside

a steeply sloping tiled roof with no parapet, which seerhs highef as the square is set at the top of a sheer

restaurant

near the fishing port overlooking the mouth of the River Guadalq

manzanilla of Saulucar. Then clams

cliff with eagles soaring below. The wind necessitated hanging on to the door for dear life, and vertigo drove us quickly back in. Across the mountains, past the striations of purple rock, a colour that for me is synonymous with and

and cigales eaten only an hour or

emblematic of Andalucia; roads

two out of the water.

lined with cacti, their prickly fruit

uivir and the Donana nature re

serve beyond. The meal tasted of the salt that was in the air, which

also changes the fine sherry to the

ripening, destined to be sold by gypsies in the markets, next to the

A few miles away is La Jara beach where I remembered some

rounded steps leading down from a villa, the sun was edging out, but

stalls of live snails or washing

the tide seemed to come in faster

enil, a secluded encircled town

than the make up went on. My feet were wet by the time the photos

where houses are blasted out of the

brushes. Past Grazalema to Set-

were taken and I decided to swim. No one else was inclined to, but

Forthose readers whohave been alarmed bythis article and itsproofpositive ofa little known side to

they were curious about my reac

Nick Tucker's life, we offer a more usual view of our previous Chairman asa reassurance that not

tion. My pride prevented me from everything is in a state offlux, no matter what the Government says acknowledging the depth of cold of Equipment and people were aesthetic arguments over which the Atlantic in March. shuffled between cars, the idea colour lipstick to use for a black and That evening Sanlucar was in Car white photograph. His daughter being for two of us to drop all our equipment and luggage at the hotel nival mood. The main square was wasplayingwith newborn puppies.

mountain, the whole being over looked by a ruined citadel. The houses appear stuck to the edge as if inside a giant coffee cup. Bounc ing from one side to the other were

the sounds of children's palmas, whispers, the straining of Vespas, a dog's bark. Children in grease paint and fancy dress race around with

their ice creams, even eating them through masks. An hour or so by a

as The hurricane was still blowing,

and return for the stranded four; but for the next five hours we were

The hotel was less cheerful with a the dust from the square into a

was an altogether more major

natural wind machine completed our work under the critical eyes of

sand-blasting machine, painful as it

affair with four to five thousand

the children.

hit the skin. In the photograph you cannot hear the wind nor feel the

people in elaborate fancy dress fil ling the narrow streets, and com pletely closing the town. When fin ally I got back to the wilderness to

filled

with

children

dressed

yoghourts or fruits, cavorting to a raising a loud scream as it blew through the campanile, and turning trapped by the carnival in Arcos. It strangely subdued band.

pigeon sized bed strung with rubber bands and a nonstop noise scoringa great victory over impendingsleep. The next mourning was again cold, wet and windy. More in optimism than expectation we drove to Medina Sidonia, one of the white towns perched among the mount

dust in your eyes.

The dust had also managed to get

into the fuel system of one of the

cars, which died halfway across the mountains to Arcos de la Frontera.

look for the car, it had gone. They had managed to get back to the hotel and were sitting at supper re counting gory details of the dangers

we were all totally nonains, that were the strongholds of Although of that spot, the warnings of robbe the Moors. Having only visited the mechanical, the first response was ries, rapes and murders that they town very briefly before Twas re to look under the bonnet. It was a had received from the disappearing two person job, one to hold the lieved to see that the large church did indeed have fine steps, cor

bonnet against the wind, the other

Guardia.

THE WHISTLER 21

white wall with a silk dress and a

Back to Sevilla (via Zahara. where

David played himself at pinball and lost). Angulas and swordfish to cel

ebrate the wisdom of coming to Spain and more flamenco demo

nstrations from the night porter, before two unscheduled additional

days of pure pleasure in Scvilla. We missed our plane. #

V; - -

• ;

cial events, discipline, lapsed members, the Centenary print collection, should the

CHAIRMAN'S LETTER

Past-Chairman and long-serving Council member. Bill Michael, has been granted a

cricket match be an annual event, and ho\v

wcil-dcscrved honour. He's to be known

big a mortgage members should take out to

from now on as the Club's Almoner in re

cognition of his unstinting work for artists

use the Club telephones. One of the Council's biggest concerns just now is where to find a safe home for the rich heritage of artwork associated with the Club; drawings, watercolours, cartoons,

on hard times.

prints, paintings and letters.

for release and he expects to sign the con

Suggestions made so far have ranged from taking over Bedroom 10 (too expens ive in lost revenue) to digging a vault under the Dining room (just too expensive).

tion date looks like being March 1992, dur ing the closing days of the Centenary

The immediate plan, designed to give members the opportunity to look at the

and their dependents who may have fallen Tom Cross's History of the Club is ready tract in the next week or two. Final publica

celebrations.

The Centenary Print Portfolios are al most ready — publication day is 18th Dec ember.

items from time to time, is for the Club's treasures to be stored: ★

Dear Members,

On the Club Room balcony.

★

Meanwhile, over 90 members have applied In two plan to show their work in the Smith's Gallery

chestsinthe Whistler Room. ★ In the alcove

Exhibition in December. Thanks to the

The Club is entering a new phase in its history, as the Centenary year

at the back of the office. ★ In a glass-fronted cabinet in the shared toilet lobby. ★ In one

commercial pressure of Christmas, the gal

moves into its final quarter, it is dawning on the Club that the next 100

of the two snooker cabinets.

years is about to begin...

Watch this space, there'll be much more on

for the Artists' Lunch there remains the

this.

same, 14th December. #

lery now forces us to make a new date for the Members' Private View, but the date

It has been the intention of this Council to make a mark for Art. I believe

that we will achieve this, as reflected by recent activities such as the De

PING PONG JIMMY CONNORS

was now emerging as a serious contender for the title. He has

bate, held in October, which was well attended and heated.

started at 12 to J, but the defeat

The delivery of Whistler's 10 o'Clock Lecture, a serious piece with which Whistler redeemed himself after the fiasco of a court case with Ruskin.

The Centenary Print Portfolio, offers for the first time, work bya group of artists in the Club to Members only. The portfolio venture is intended to be the first of a regular, possibly bi-annual, opportunity for Members.

BERYL COOK TROPHY WIN

The Club is now sporting its own labels on five of the more popular wines,

of Roger McGough brought the betting down to 4 to 1 as he entered the semi-finals, and

then to evens as he emerged on the other side, leaving the second seed Tony Daly still

meditating on a performance so bad that earlier in the evening it was believed that he wassetting the bookmakers up. On the othcrscmi-finalist

these are illustrated by Members of the Club, and future labels in the new year will feature the work of poets as well as artists. The Smith Gallery is the venue for our first Exhibition. The Chelsea

table, Patrick Hughes, who all

evening had been playing without any apparent effort,

Arts Club has organised a public exhibition for Members to lake part in. Details are published elsewhere in the magazine, together with a cata

suddenly removed his overpants and savaged Jess Wilder, the presenter of the Trophy and moved on to the

finals where it quickly became apparent that his study of

logue, which forms an insert in the centre.

At the end of the Centenary Year, March 18, we will be holding a grand Dinner/Party, which will mark the publishing of Tom Cross's book on the History of the Club, and welcome the beginning of the Next Hundred

paradox had relevance to the game of table tennis. In a series of near misses which

didn't miss, spins so tight that they looked as if they would

Years.

return his side of the net

without the help of an

With all this and more underway, I have to thank the Members of Council and the Club who have given so generously of their time to make all these 'firsts' not only happen, but happen so successfully.

opponent but neverdid, and

most disconcertingof ail for any player who has been taught to keep his eye on the ball, shots taken from beneath the end of

the table, Patrick Hughesfirst

Finally, Members please visit if you can, the Club's Exhibition at the

broke the nerve and then

Smith's Gallery.

crushed his opponent Mike Evans.

The standard of playing

To all Members, the Very best of the Seasons Greetings.

generally was not high, but the umpiring was even worse. During the finals it was noticed that the umpire, semi-finalist

Hugh Gilbert Chairman

loser Jess Wilder was neither

sober nor impartial.Though

CLUB POLITICS BINGO

there was little doubt that

COMMITTEE NOTES THIS IS THE column which is going to give

you good insight into what's being talked

% ••M

replace Ken Howard; Lyn Kramer; Tom Northey — (Centenary sub-committee

about at Council meetings... and probably

Chairman); Chrissy Pierce; Tony Patterson

at the bar afterwards.

— co-opted to replace John Edmonds; Mike Pope; Stan Smith.

Here's how your Council looks these days: Hugh Gilbert — Chairman; Barry Martin — Vice Chairman (Arts sub-committee Chairman); Richard Maurice — Hon. Sec retary; Philip Roberts — Hon Treasurer; Bill Bingham; Monika Buhlcr; Ronnie Burgess; Tom Cross; Martin Fuller; Elena

The last couple of meetings have examined

Gausscn; Michael Heindorff—co-opted to

burning and often familiar issues like spe-

Trustees:

Adrian Forsyth; Roger McGough; Bill Michael; David Parker; Lady Elizabeth

TWEBERYLCOOK

Table

the betting, the book became seriously unbalanced when a rush of bets were placed at 10 to I on Roger McGough, better known as a poet, on the

allcomers.

strength of a vicious first round

performance. The punters Thirty-two entrants from as far afield as Hampstcad and a

Trehane.

part. After a slowbeginning to

Tennis Trophy was held this year at the Club and was won for the second time by the favourite Patrick Hughes who won effortlessly against

howeverwerequickly disillusionedbya lacklustre performance in the second

bookmaker, Honest Julian

round, and the book put into

Hartnoll, who was donating the

serious balance as Mike Evans defeated him in the 3rd. Mike

proceeds to the AGBl, took

THE WHISTLER 22

Patrick was going to win, the audience did not appreciate her whimsicalscoring, nor her call ofgood shot. Patrick!'. She was replaced by popular disclaim when the score stood atadoublful 11-10in the first game by Albany Wiseman who umpired the remainder of the game with a resonant and

undoubting voice, ensuring that the book for the AGBI

ended£93 up. PatrickHughes madean ungracious speech glorying inhisownprowess as undefeated champion, which everyone thought was the appropriate end to a most

enjoyable evening. Wedo like our winners to win, not to

pretend thattheyalmost lost. #

•i

SNOOKER MICHAEL MESSENGER

REPORTS The trouble with the Icelandic

CHESS BARRY MARTIN

Gambit (2... Nf6,encouraging 3. c4) isthat it's too easyto decline(as MrCohendid) leavinga prettyblandposition.

CHEQUERED CAREERS the chess season started with a disastrous result from

ourfirstcupmatch (Hamilton Russell Trophy) against the Atheneum Club. The half to five and a half score in favour of our

opponents, doesn't however,

against the SavileClub, 6th. November, ended with a splendid win for our team of half to four and a half. We

scored wins on our top board, David Cohen; myself on second;

blue in the decider. Heroic

played in some time-pressure, but I don't think any egregious

deeds Harry, and deserved desserts for your unfailing

blunderoccurred. White

efforts on behalf of the game.

the line, for he played 8. Bc4 right away. So much for my gambit ambitions.

reflect the closeness of some

Matthew Flowers on third; a

15.b4 is certainly bad. 19. Rfl is

draw forMichael Radcliffe on

about the only move (Black is threatening... Nxc3), but after 19.. .Nxb4,1 expected 20. Rbl. Then 20 ,. .Nxa2 is very risky,

literally!).

home. Their Malcolm Cook was

agood bit too good - the result,

8-4 tothem, was nearly closer

twitched when he got number five, squeezednumber sixfrom

during the doubles (snooker not brandy), but we generally

behind, and then blew it on the

played with broomsticks. Must have been Halloween. Buta

good time was had by all, and the dinnerwas superb, thanks to CotelloandCo.

Mindyou,ifonlyrd... 'EwxammaWy, DoverStreet Arts

Now wc areinthe middle of theannual tryst... well played

Club hosted four of us for an

Jake! #

...Rg2, but the pawn-pushing is

because of 21. Ba3 virtually

White is the time-control (I seem to have mated him with

between ArthurFreeman

intended 20.. ..Nd5, and after 21. Rxb7 Rdb8, with rook infiltration on the b-filc. Not a

eleven seconds left) or timc-induccd stalemate (I came very close to this). An

forced win, but a .strong edge

enjoyable fracas. #

The following notes were made by Arth ur Freeman:

R.A.C. country bunchat

easy,and the onlychance for

trapping the knight, so I

earlyexchange of pieces was followedby the relative calm of positional plottingeach player tryvr.§\ooutfox the other. The game wasrichin nuanceand ended in acliff hangerwlth Arthurhavingthe better position but desperately short

Then, last week we had the

Wc kept no scores after 47.

Onesuchgame was played (Atheneum)and David Cohen (CAC) on top board. A furious

theSpires and myself. Bestof seven,epicstuff,four and a half hours long. 1ran away with gamesone and two, Mr. H. pulled offthree and four, I

reductions. Moves 22-30 were

expected 36. Rc5, but I believe the rooks-off ending (with White winning both d-pawns at the cost oftradingrooks) is simply won for Black with a centralised king and the outside passed pawn.

Trevor's trifictouches.

a final showdown 'twixt Harry

which 1 tried to do with 7. ... Nd7. This took too much of

0-0-0 10. Nxa7+Kb8ll. Nb5 c6 and... Nc5, which I decided was worth a pawn. I don't know if my opponent even considered

inourfavour thanks mainly to

Vyvian HollandTrophy came to

'unbalance' the position a little,

offeredadraw after 40. Kc5, but 40. ...Rb4 looks winning. Earlier,after35. ...Kg7I

evening tresgentil, which ended

Well, eventually the Centenary

To hustle a win Black has to

games wherethe balance was tipped inone direction at the very lastminute. (Quite

fourth; and our fourth win on fifth board byStruan Rodger. Peter Aylelt was reserve. Well done the team! #

GOOD TIME

The way wc played it Black simply keeps his pawn, though he must keep clear of bishops-of-opposite colours

my time, but it is agambit: Black offers 8. Nd4Bg69. Nb5

Finally, our second cup match

for Black.

CUBA

on time. He wonwith tl

seconds left on his clock alter a

twohour and forty minutes session. Commiserations to

David who had some time to

sparelSeegame below. Two simultaneous matches

were played during the months ofSeptember and October againstthe grandmasters Jonathan Speelman and RaymondKeene QBE. Both matches were played in the Loggia, (special thanks to the staffof the Members Dining roomwho assisted with this). Eachgrandmaster provided ourptayerswith much food for thoughtwith Jonathan Speelman veritably eating his opponents pieces with the speedoflight. Bothgrandmasters successfully routed their opponents (with one game againstRaymond Keene unfinished - yours truly, although myposition was far

ATHENAEUM V CHELSEA ARTS CLUB 1ST OCTOBER 1991 WHITE: D. COHEN

from healthy). Ourthanks go to them for providing uswith memorable events. The matches were

followed bydinner with good conversation; a chess table with chess piecesisnow installed in

BLACK: A. FREEMAN

HeS

RfdB

Rcl

exdS

Nf6

Nxd3

Cxd3

K£2

HdS

Nc3

HxdS 19

RCl

Hxb4

BxdS

exdS

' Ke3

NxdS

QxdS 20

HdS

Qf3

Qxf3 21

Be3

N£4

36 .

Kd4

X£6

Nxf3

BfS

Ra2

RabB

Ral

c 5

Hd?

Hd5

KxdS

Ra2

Bc4

Nb6

HbC

Kdl

Ra4

Bb3

HdS

Kc5

Rb4

0-0

25a

Bb3.

adcB

Hal

Rb2

Bdl

BX£6

Kxf6

Rxas

Rxd2

Be?

Rb2

Rxc5

Ra6-*-

Kg?

Rei

0-0

Rxb7

Kd4

Rxh2

Hd4

Bd3

Bxb7

Re2

Kxd3

Rh3

Bf6

Rdl

Ra2

Ke4

Rxg3

Hf3

NdS

£3

Rxa3

K£4

ag2

and black won

benefit ofmembers and guests.

home TEAM

Thursday28November 91 Wednesday 4 December 91 Monday 13January92 Monday 10February 92 Monday9 March 92 Monday 16March 92

HurlinghamClub

CENTENARY YEAR SNOOKER FIXTURES

Brooks Club

Chelsea Arts Club Chelsea Arts Club Chelsea Arts Club

Friendly

SUNDAY NOV 10th

CUP

FRIDAY NOV 22nd

Oxford &Cambridge Club

CUP

SUNDAY NOV 24th

Royal Automobile Club

CUP

SUNDAY DEC 8th

Travellers'Club Chelsea Arts Club

CUP CUP

Chelsea Arts Club Chelsea Arts Club

FRIDAY DEC 13th SUNDAY DEC 15th

THE WHISTLER 23

Kg7

the snooker room for the

CENTENARY YEAR CHESS FIXTURES

Second Round completed. 6.30pm. Club v RAC. Home. Third Round completed. 4th Round completed. Semi Finals Completed. 3.00pm. Final <6 Dinner.

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ART SERVICE

i^NE, LONDOt^' *^^•^5555 TELEX 88\-

15% DISCOUNT FOR CHELSEA ARTS CLUB MEMBERS

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