Compton Verney What’s on
September - December 2009
Visitor information
Venue hire
Café
Our award-winning café has thought of something for everyone, and serves a delicious choice of items throughout the day. From a mid-morning coffee with a cake to a carefully selected lunch menu or a traditional afternoon cream tea with friends, the contemporary surroundings and table service provide a relaxed atmosphere set against the prestigious backdrop of the mansion.
If you’re looking for an inspiring venue to hold a meeting, party, training session or staff away day, then look no further. The contemporary trend for space and light combined with the elegant architecture of the building create a magnificent setting for almost any event corporate or private - as well as for photoshoots, a film location or even for a fashion show.
Call us on 0121 644 5160 and find out how the Compton Verney team can work with you to Our food is freshly prepared and is responsibly make your event stand out from the rest. sourced from quality local producers and Group visits suppliers wherever possible. We’re proud of Adult groups of 15+ receive discounted our focus on providing our customers with the freshest ingredients and tastiest produce, admission and special offers in the shop and café. We are now taking bookings for Christmas supporting our local communities and and 2010, so whether you are looking for a reducing our environmental impact. simple unguided visit or an in-depth tour of the Little ones are welcome too. Highchairs are collection or exhibition we have something to available, alongside children’s lunch boxes offer groups of all interests. and organic baby food. To book call 01926 645516. Check out our website for latest offers and seasonal specials www.comptonverney.org.uk/eat
Shop
Enjoy the art of shopping when you visit Compton Verney. Take time out to browse in our shop and find the perfect gift for friends, the latest exhibition catalogue, artists’ materials to get you started, or simply a postcard of your favourite work of art. You can shop from home at www.comptonverneyshop.org.uk All purchases help to support Compton Verney.
Access
All our floors are accessible by wheelchair. There are also specially adapted toilets. Large print guides and wheelchairs are available. Hearing loops are fitted at the Ticket Desk. Assistance dogs are welcome. For more information call 01926 645 500, email info@comptonverney.org.uk or ask at the Ticket Desk upon arrival.
Stay in touch
If you’d like to receive monthly updates and exclusive offers from us then sign up for our e-bulletin. You can also subscribe to our special families, groups or learning editions to get the news and special offers relevant to you. Visit www.comptonverney.org.uk/ ebulletin or call 01926 645 500.
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Book tickets 24 hours online www.comptonverney.org.uk
Welcome
Director’s welcome This autumn is packed full of exhibitions, events and activities. First and foremost is our major national exhibition on the subject of The Artist’s Studio. Featuring artists ranging from Rembrandt to Paula Rego, this engaging and varied show examines for the first time how the artist’s studio is not only the cockpit of creation, but also the environment in which the artist locates and defines him or herself – a detached sanctuary, an office, a shop, a retreat or a home. This wide-ranging exhibition will inform and enthral; and is accompanied by a newlypublished book, a major international symposium on 2 November – to which you are welcome – and many intriguing lectures, tours and events. The marvellous Georgian Portraits display Seeing is Believing – kindly loaned to us from the Holburne Museum in Bath – is also with us until Christmas. And, while you’re there, don’t forget to see Joshua Reynolds’ incomparable Mrs Baldwin in her striking Persian costume. Weekends and holidays this autumn will be particularly lively. As well as a packed programme of lectures, book signings, gallery tours and workshops, we are staging a spectacular wartime weekend in September, complete with a fighter flypast. Our Georgian theme continues with gin and punch lecture-tastings, and ensure you join us over the festive season for an exciting Tudor Christmas where you can enjoy Tudor dinners and the return of some of Compton Verney’s favourite paintings – including portraits of Elizabeth I and Edward VI. You’ll find much to fascinate and entertain you – as well as to eat and drink! – at Compton Verney this autumn and Christmas. All of us here at the gallery hope we see you again very soon.
Dr. Steven Parissien
Visitor Information
2 –3
The Artist’s Studio
4 –5
Everything you need to know to make your visit to Compton Verney a smooth one.
Display: Georgian Portraits
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Collections and Grounds
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Exhibition tours and events.
Diary
Your guide to what’s on.
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World War II weekend
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Activities for all ages
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Fun creative activities.
Tudor Christmas at Compton Verney
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Christmas dining at Compton Verney
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Adult workshops
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Forthcoming exhibitions 2010 15 Directions How to find us and other useful information.
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Book tickets by phone 01926 645 500, Tues – Sun & Bank Hol Mons, 11am – 4.30pm
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Exhibition
The Artist’s Studio 26 September – 13 December This exhibition, the scope of which will be a first for UK audiences, offers a fascinating insight into the world of the artist’s studio in Britain. Beginning in the 1640s the show looks at the changing function and depiction of the studio to the present day. The studio has often functioned and been represented as a display space for patrons to come and view work; as a sociable or theatrical space where artistic ideas are formulated and carried out; as an isolated garret or private room for reflection and creation; or as a site for a bohemian or alternative existence. The contemporary studio now functions and operates out of diverse spaces and the exhibition presents newly commissioned work and an artist in residence.
The exhibition will include work in a variety of media including paintings, drawings, etchings, books, manuscripts and studio furniture. An important inclusion in the show will be photographs of artists’ studios, both historical and modern, by photographers including Bruce Bernard, David Dawson, Gautier Deblonde, George Lewinski and Antony Snowdon. The exhibition will also present a newly commissioned film documenting artists in their studios.
Tour: The Artist’s Studio
Every Fri 12 noon from 2 October A 45 minute tour of The Artist’s Studio. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival. Tour included in admission price.
Peter Tillemans, The Artist’s Studio. Oil on canvas, c.1716. © Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery.
Artists in the exhibition include: J. M. W. Turner, Eric Ravilious, Gwen John, Paula Rego, Jack B Yeats, Art & Language, John Bratby, Shezad Dawood, Lisa Milroy, W. P. Frith, William Coldstream, Andrew Grassie, Thomas Rowlandson, George Morland, Lisa Milroy,
Sigrid Holmwood, Mark Fairnington, Jeremy Deller, William Orpen and Peter Tillemans.
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Book tickets 24 hours online www.comptonverney.org.uk
Artist in Residence
26 & 30 September, 3, 7, 24 October 14 November, 5 December As part of the exhibition, painter Sigrid Holmwood will be working in her studio within the exhibition. Included in admission price.
The Open Salon
Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson (1889-1946), A Studio in Montparnasse, 1926. Oil on canvas © Tate, London 2009.
Sat 10 and Sun 11 October, 11.15am – 4.30pm Inspired by the French literary salons of the 17th and 18th centuries, Julie Boden (poet), Vanessa Oakes (playwright) and Jo Roberts (visual artist) offer you the rare opportunity to book a 15 minute appointment with them to exchange information, ideas and thoughts within this most private of creative spaces. Participants must be aged 16 yrs+, slots will be allocated to one person at a time. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival. Activity included in admission price.
Events
Events Film Screening and Talk: Artists on Film Sat 17 October, 1pm
Join writer, filmmaker and co-founder of the Artists on Film Trust, Robert McNab, for an introduction and screening of rarely seen footage of artists in their studios. Tickets £13, concs £11, includes gallery admission. Members £5.
In Munch’s Studio Sat 24 October, 1pm
Alan O’Cain gives an illustrated talk on Edvard Munch’s studio looking at the time he spent there, Munch’s life, his work and his influence in art history. Tickets £13, concs £11, includes gallery admission. Members £5.
Victorian Artists at Home Sat 31 October, 1pm
The second half of the 19th century was a golden age for British artists. Their wealth and status can be best appreciated through looking at the magnificent studio-houses built for them by leading architects of the day. Art historian Professor Caroline Dakers of the University of the Arts in London, takes us on a fascinating journey into the studios of Victorian artists from Frederic Leighton to Luke Fildes. Tickets £13, concs £11, includes gallery admission. Members £5.
Symposium: The Artist’s Studio Mon 2 November, 10.30am – 5pm
This one-day symposium with an international cast of speakers will examine the role of the studio, both historically and today, and the use of film to depict the artist’s environment. The day includes a detailed tour of the exhibition with the curators, Giles Waterfield and Antonia Harrison, and lunch at Compton Verney. Tickets £60, includes gallery admission and lunch.
Book tickets by phone 01926 645 500, Tues – Sun & Bank Hol Mons, 11am – 4.30pm
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Our shop has a great range of gifts inspired by our displays, exhibitions and collections. Visit in store or see www.comptonverneyshop.org.uk
Until 13 December This display of portraits on loan from the Holburne Museum of Art in Bath presents a unique opportunity to see highlights from their collection including works by Thomas Barker, Arthur Devis, Angelica Kauffman, Allan Ramsay, Henry Raeburn, George Stubbs and Richard Cosway.
Sun 13 September, 5pm
The Holburne Museum will reopen in the next two years after extensive building development to house their collection and provide new temporary exhibition spaces.
Join us in an exploration of the delights of England’s traditional spirit, as we trace the history of this legendary drink since the 17th century while sampling six modern-day gins. Following the Gin Tasting, our caterers Amadeus offer a contemporary take on a typical Georgian menu in the splendour of the Adam Hall. Tickets for gin tasting and three-course dinner (excluding wine) £60 per person. Places are limited, so book early.
Tour: Georgian Portraits
Lecture: The Georgian Town House
A 45 minute talk and tour focusing on Georgian Portraits. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival. Tour included in admission price.
Taking a fresh look at a familiar building type, Dr Rachel Stewart of Reading University reveals some surprising associations between the eighteenth-century London town house and notions of imperfection, luxury and selfishness. She will also be signing copies of her new book, The Town House in Georgian London. Tickets £13, concs £11, includes gallery admission. Members £5.
Every Thurs, 2.30pm
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Georgian Gin Tasting and Dinner
Sun 1 November, 1pm
Book tickets 24 hours online www.comptonverney.org.uk
Allan Ramsay, Rosamund Sargent. Oil on canvas, 1749 © The Holburne Museum of Art Charles Jagger, Sir Thomas William Holburne of Menstrie, Bart. Watercolour on ivory, 1827 © The Holburne Museum of Art
Display
Georgian Portraits: Seeing is Believing
Talks, tours and events to help you find out more about our collections and grounds.
Talk: My Favourite Object Tues, Wed, Thurs, 12 noon
A 15 minute talk in which a Compton Verney member of staff picks out their favourite item from the collections. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival. Meet at the Ticket Desk.
Tour: British Folk Art Collection
Every Tues, 2.30pm from Tues 6 October A 45 minute tour of our British Folk Art collection. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival. Tour included in admission price.
Tour: Naples Collection Every Wed, 2.30pm
A 45 minute tour of our Neapolitan collection. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival. Tour included in admission price.
Lecture: Victorian Interiors Sun 15 November, 1pm
Compton Verney’s Director Dr Steven Parissien, looks at the interiors of the 19th century, as the quest for comfort and convenience saw the newly-enriched and newly-confident middle classes using brighter and bolder forms and colours; cheerfully indulging in what one critic called ‘vulgarity without precedent’. Steven will also be signing copies of his latest book. Interiors: The Home Since 1700. Tickets £13, concs £11, includes gallery admission. Members £5.
Grounds Tour
Every Tues & Fri, 2.30pm until Tues 29 September An hour long tour of Compton Verney’s ‘Capability’ Brown parkland taking in the restored footpaths. Please bring suitable clothing and sturdy footwear. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival. Tour included in admission price.
Bat Night
Thurs 24 September, 6.30pm
Collections and Grounds
Collections and Grounds
Join the Warwickshire Bat Group and discover the secret lives of these fascinating creatures. Children are welcome. Early booking is recommended as this event is always popular. Tickets £5, concs £3.50
Adopt a tree... A gift that really makes a difference By adopting a tree at Compton Verney you will be safeguarding our beautiful historic environment for future generations.
For more information on how to adopt a tree call us on 01926 645 500. Book tickets by phone 01926 645 500, Tues – Sun & Bank Hol Mons, 11am – 4.30pm
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COMPTON VERNEY
Diary
If you’d like to receive monthly updates and exclusive offers from us then sign up for our e-bulletin. You can also subscribe to our special families, groups or learning editions to get the news and special offers relevant to you. www.comptonverney.org.uk
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MEMBERSHIP SINGLE ADMISSION Expires : 31/12/08
Mrs Barbara Summerfield
Membership Time
Event title
Page
September Until 13th Dec
–
Display: Georgian Portraits
6
Tues 1*
12noon
Talk: My Favourite Object
7
Tues 1
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Wed 2*
12noon
Talk: My Favourite Object
7
Wed 2*
2.30pm
Tour: Naples Collection
7
Thurs 3*
12noon
Talk: My Favourite Object
7
Thurs 3*
2.30pm
Tour: Georgian Portraits
6
Fri 4
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Tues 8
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Fri 11
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Sun 13
5pm
Georgian Gin Tasting and Dinner
6
Tues 15
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Fri 18
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Sat 19 & Sun 20
11am
World War II Weekend
10
Sat 19
2pm
Talk: Wartime Rations and Food
10
Sun 20
2pm
Talk: History of the Spitfire
10
Tues 22
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Thurs 24
6.30pm
Bat Night
7
Sat 26 – Sun 13 Dec
–
Exhibition: The Artist’s Studio
4
Fri 25
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Sat 26
11am
Artist in Residence
5
Tues 29
2.30pm
Grounds Tour
7
Wed 30
11am
Artist in Residence
5
Fri 2
11am
Adult Workshop: Pick up a Pencil
14
Fri 2*
12 noon
Tour: The Artist’s Studio
4
Fri 2
2pm
Adult Workshop: Pick up a Paintbrush
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October
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Book tickets 24 hours online www.comptonverney.org.uk Book tickets by phone 01926 645 500, Tues – Sun & Bank Hol Mons, 11am – 4.30pm
Visit our shop for a superb range of gifts and books relating to the history of the house and grounds and reflecting our diverse collections and changing exhibition programme.
Select the perfect membership for you and be a part of everything Compton Verney has to offer. Buy now www.comptonverney.org.uk Call 01926 645 500 or complete the enclosed form.
Diary
Join us
Visit our shop online www.comptonverneyshop.org.uk
Shop Date
Page
Time
Event title
Sat 3
11am
Artist in Residence
5
Tues 6*
2.30pm
Tour: British Folk Art Collection
7
Oct cont...
Wed 7
11am
Artist in Residence
5
Sat 10
11am
The Big Draw: The Power of Ten
11
Sat 10 & Sun 11
11.15am
The Open Salon
5
Sat 17
1pm
Film Screening and Talk: Artists on Film
5
Sat 24
11am
Artist in Residence
5
Sat 24
1pm
In Munch’s Studio
5
Sun 25
10am
Adult Workshop: Contemporary Studio
14
Tues 27 – Sun 1 Nov
11am
Activities for all ages: October Half Term
11
Sat 31
1pm
Victorian Artists at Home
5
Sun 1
1pm
Lecture: The Georgian Town House
6
Mon 2
10.30am
Symposium: The Artist’s Studio
5
Sat 7
10am
Adult Workshop: Family Memories
14
Sat 14
11am
Artist in Residence
5
Sun 15
1pm
Lecture: Victorian Interiors
7
Sat 21
10am
Adult Workshop: Artists’ Techniques
14
Sat 5
11am
Artist in Residence
5
Sat 5 & Sun 6
11am
Tudor Christmas at Compton Verney
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Sat 12 & Sun 13
11am
Tudor Christmas at Compton Verney
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Sat 12
5pm
Trading Punches: A History of Punch and Punchbowls with Tudor Dinner
12
Tues 15 – Sun 20
From 7pm
Exclusive Christmas Supper
13
Sun 20
From 12 noon
Exclusive Christmas Sunday Lunch
13
November
December
= Activity/Event included in the admission price. * and every week on that day and time thereafter
= Workshop/Event ticket price includes gallery admission.
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World War II weekend
World War II weekend
Sat 19 and Sun 20 September • Come and listen to live music from the era and see dancers in the Adam Hall. • Singalong to wartime favourites with Julia the land girl. • Bring along your memories, photos and memorabilia of Compton Verney from WWII to the present day and meet our resident historian who will record them. • Children can become spies for the day. Pick up a trail from the Ticket Desk and follow the clues on your special spy mission to unlock the secret code which leads you to an escape route. • Watch artist Steven Whitehead build a camouflage Spitfire on the West Lawn. Extra Events on Sunday • Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire and Hurricane flypast.
Sat 19 September, 2pm Talk: Wartime Rations and Food Join Compton Verney’s Director Dr Steven Parissien and find out more about the wartime daily diet. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival. Sun 20 September, 2pm Talk: History of the Spitfire Guardian architecture correspondent and TV pundit Jonathan Glancey talks about the history of the Spitfire - and signs copies of his books on this legendary wartime fighter. Places are limited so please sign up on arrival.
Competition Come dressed in 1940s style – best dressed will win family membership for 1 year.
•D isplay of cars from the 1930s and ‘40s.
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Book tickets 24 hours online www.comptonverney.org.uk
All the activities are included with your admission ticket and are suitable for children and adults. Just turn up and join in.
The Big Draw: The Power of Ten Sat 10 October, 11am - 4pm
Have fun with the Big Draw! Everyone can take part in this creative drawing experience. Drop in and join artist Lisa-Marie Pelosi where you can add to our Big Drawing. Lisa will show you how to view the world in a new way and change the scale from the microscopic to cosmic. Activity included in admission price.
Stay in touch – get special offers for you and your family. Subscribe to our families e-bulletin at www.comptonverney.org.uk
October Half Term
Tues 27 October – Sun 1 November, 11am – 4pm Join us this October half-term and take part in two great family activities. Drop-in and make your very own still life collage. Drawing inspiration from The Artist’s Studio exhibition and using a variety of interesting collage materials you can create an original artwork to take home. Or maybe you would like to be entertained by our very own storytellers. Sign up at the ticket desk to listen to an epic adventure tale woven around one of the classic paintings in our permanent collection. Activity included in admission price.
Activities for all ages
Activities for all ages
Shortlisted for The Guardian Family Friendly Award
Save money and have fun with your family... Become a member and get all these fun activities, plus plenty more and unlimited free entry for 12 months.
Sign up now www.comptonverney.org.uk Complete the enclosed form or call 01926 645 500 Book tickets by phone 01926 645 500, Tues – Sun & Bank Hol Mons, 11am – 4.30pm
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Stay in touch over winter - subscribe to our monthly what’s on e-bulletin at www.comptonverney.org.uk/ebulletin
Sat 5 and Sun 6 December Sat 12 and Sun 13 December Come along and let us help you into the festive spirit with our Tudor themed Christmas activities.
Tudor Music
Sat 5 & Sun 6 Dec: Holy Trinity Church Choir from Stratford upon Avon Sat 12: The Osney Singers Sun 13: Musica Figurata Experience Tudor carols and music with our choirs as they perform in the magnificent Adam Hall.
Family Activities • Come dressed up as a knight or princess and add your name to our roll of honour – Royal families welcome too! • Make a crown or coronet • Decorate a shield with your own heraldry • Design your own paper jewels and jewellery • Discover the collections with our Nativity trail
Trading Punches: A History of Punch and Punchbowls with Tudor Dinner Sat 12 December, 5pm
Compton Verney Director Dr Steven Parissien and ceramics expert and Antiques Roadshow star Lars Tharp guide you through the history of punch, looking at how it was traditionally made and served before allowing you to make and drink this historic concoction. To follow our exploration of punch, we are teaming up with caterers Amadeus to offer a contemporary take on a Christmassy Tudor menu in Compton Verney’s marvellous Adam Hall. Tickets for this very special three-course dinner (excluding wine) AND the Punch Tasting are available at £60 per person. Places are limited, so book early.
Meet the Tudors Come and meet Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Edward VI as we bring our Tudor paintings to life.
Shop Ideal Christmas presents for friends and family including books, artists’ materials, jewellery and children’s gifts.
Café Enjoy seasonal delights in our café.
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Book tickets 24 hours online www.comptonverney.org.uk
After Hans Holbein the Younger, Henry VIII. Oil on panel, about 1560 © Compton Verney, photograph Marcus Leith
Tudor Christmas at Compton Verney
Tudor Christmas at Compton Verney
Get exclusive access to Neapolitan, Northern European and British Portraits collection whilst celebrating Christmas with us in style.
Exclusive Christmas Supper
Tues 15 – Sat 19 December inclusive, from 7pm Join us for a complimentary glass of champagne upon arrival ready to dine in the splendour of the Adam Hall, which will be decorated for the festive season. Choose from our three course festive menu and be entertained with seasonal music whilst you dine. Round off the perfect Christmas meal with coffee and warm mince pies. Tickets £49.95 per person, child under 10 £30. Dinner can be booked from 7.30pm – 8.30pm.
Exclusive Christmas Sunday Lunch Sun 20 December, from 12noon
Join us for a complimentary glass of champagne upon arrival ready to dine in the splendour of the Adam Hall, which will be decorated for the festive season. Choose from our three course festive menu and be entertained with seasonal music whilst you dine. Round off the perfect Christmas meal with coffee and warm mince pies. Tickets £49.95 per person, child under 10 £30. Lunch can be booked from 12.30pm onwards.
Cash bar available for pre-dinner drinks and to order drinks to accompany your food.
To book an exclusive Christmas Supper or Lunch call 0121 644 5160
Christmas dining at Compton Verney
Christmas dining at Compton Verney
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Adult workshops
Adult workshops Participants will need to bring a packed lunch or can reserve a table for lunch in the café at 12 noon by calling 01926 645511 – please book your place on the workshop first.
Pick up a Pencil
Contemporary Studio
Have you ever wanted to draw, but never picked up a pencil? Want to improve your skills? Artist Beccy Roberts will show you that everyone can draw. This workshop will run over three consecutive weeks. You will be able to learn a variety of simple techniques and draw inspiration from the artworks in the exhibition The Artist’s Studio Tickets £55.
Inspired by the exhibition The Artist’s Studio this painting workshop is led by artist Mary Riley. Looking at the artist’s studio as still life in a modern context, you will explore the depiction of inanimate objects in art and develop techniques examining composition and ways of applying paint in a more contemporary way. Tickets £60.
Pick up a Paintbrush
Family Memories
This three week course is for everyone looking to learn about a variety of painting techniques and styles. Working with artist Mary Riley, you will develop painting skills, learn about colour theory and use oils and acrylics; working towards a finished painting in week three. Tickets £55.
For this workshop exploring family photography we have limited numbers to ensure you get plenty of expert one to one tuition from community historian Jennifer Cranfield. Bring along your shoebox of family photos and learn how to create an online archive. The workshop will involve cataloguing images, exploring photo conservation, and how to upload your images onto an online photo sharing site. No previous web or digital photography experience is necessary. Tickets £50.
Fri 2, Fri 9 & Fri 16 October, 11am – 1pm
Fri 2, Fri 9 & Fri 16 October, 2pm – 4pm
Sun 25 October, 10am – 4pm
Sat 7 November, 10am – 4pm
Artists’ Techniques
Sat 21 November, 10am – 4pm From J.M.W. Turner to Lucian Freud, learn about the artists’ process of producing a painted piece of work. Working with artist Martin Pye and a life model, this workshop will introduce you to a variety of painting techniques employed by the artists exhibiting in The Artist’s Studio and inspire you to create your own painting. Beginners or advanced students are welcome. Tickets £65.
All tickets include gallery admission and materials 14
Book tickets 24 hours online www.comptonverney.org.uk
Membership is the perfect gift that keeps giving throughout the year. To purchase call 01926 645500 or buy online at www.comptonverney.org.uk
Francis Bacon: In Camera
Volcano
This exhibition will focus on Bacon’s work in relation to film and photography. It will include significant oil paintings, archival material (from Bacon’s studio, now in Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane), film footage and stills which shed new light on the visual references to film and photography in his work and his ransformation of these images in fluid oil paint.
Volcano celebrates the extraordinary outpouring of artistic genius that volcanic eruptions have triggered over the past five centuries. From sixteenth century engravings showing imagined cross-sections of the fiery centre of the earth, to an explosive series of paintings by Joseph Wright, J M W Turner and Andy Warhol, the exhibition will include important loans from public and private collections in volcanic regions such as Naples, Reykjavik and Honolulu, as well as works from museums in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham, Paris, Philadelphia, Rome and New York.
Perry Ogden, 7 Reece Mews Francis Bacon’s Studio. Photograph. Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane © The Estate of Francis Bacon Pierre-Jacques Volaire, An Eruption of Vesuvius by Moonlight. Oil on canvas, 1774 © Compton Verney, photograph John Hammond
27 March – 20 June 2010
In 1949 the fusion of a Velázquez portrait with stills from the Odessa Steps sequence in Eisenstein’s film The Battleship Potemkin was crucial to Bacon’s agenda to make figurative art modern. The influence of films by directors such as Bunuel and Resnais will also be explored, together with photographs by Muybridge and John Deakin which informed Bacon’s reconfigurations of the human body. For the first time, items from the vast array of images Bacon absorbed will be shown in close proximity to the paintings they inspired.
24 July – 31 October 2010
Forthcoming exhibitions
Forthcoming exhibitions 2010
It will be truly eye-opening and spectacular, taking as its route the sequence of volcanic eruptions, from the calm volcano in the landscape, to the first ominous rumblings, to cataclysmic explosion, through panic and death, to aftermath and then quietly back to dormancy and extinction. The show will compare and contrast the approaches of artists long dead with contemporary artists whose own approaches to eruptions may be analytical and elliptic rather than dramatic.
Details of our autumn 2010 exhibition coming soon. Sign up to our e-bulletin at www.comptonverney.org.uk to be the first to hear.
Book tickets by phone 01926 645 500, Tues – Sun & Bank Hol Mons, 11am – 4.30pm
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Visitor information
£6.60
Family
£18
£19.80
Child (aged 5 – 16)
£2
Under 5s Grounds only
Free £1 £1.10
Pre-booked adult groups of 15 or more (call 01926 645 516 to book): Adult £7.20 Concession £5.40 Adult super group with tour £13 Concs. super group with tour £11 One day programmes for pre-booked school groups (call 01926 645 560 to book): Pupils / students £4 Teachers Free Unassisted school groups (please pre-book on 01926 645 516): Pupils / students £2 Students aged 16+ £6 Teachers / lecturers £8 Please note that you will need one adult for every six pupils / students visiting.
A large print guide of this publication is also available call 01926 645 500. Compton Verney Warwickshire CV35 9HZ T. 01926 645 500 info@comptonverney.org.uk www.comptonverney.org.uk Registered charity no. 1032478
5 45 B4
Kineton
B40
86
A42
2
sse
(2 adults and up to 4 children)
Fo
(Over 60, student, unwaged)
12
Wellesbourne
Banbury
11 Oxford
& London
How to find us Compton Verney is situated 9 miles south east of Stratford-upon-Avon on the B4086 between Wellesbourne and Kineton. From the M40 take junction 12 and follow the brown signs. Public transport links By rail the nearest stations are Leamington Spa, Banbury or Stratford-upon-Avon, approximately a 25 minute taxi ride from each. By bus take the 269 from Banbury bus station or Wood Street Stratford, for details call 0871 200 2233. Parking Parking at Compton Verney is free. There is disabled parking in the main car park if you wish to enjoy our wheelchair friendly footpaths through the grounds. There are also a limited number of spaces in front of the gallery for blue badge holders. Visitors can also be dropped off at the front door to the gallery. Dogs Assistance dogs only.
Supported by
Please recycle me.
Eric Ravilious. Edward Bawden Working in his Studio 1929. Tempura on board.Royal College of Art Collection © Estate of Eric Ravilious. All rights reserved, DACS 2009
£6
StratfordUpon-Avon
A423
Concessions
A429
£8.80
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W ay
£8
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40
Adult
Southam
25
M
With Gift Aid
A4
15
00 B41
Leamington Spa
08 7
Ticket prices
Warwick
Birmingham
B4
Open Until 13 December 2009 Tues to Sun and Bank Holiday Mons, 11am – 5pm