YOUNG ARTS PROJECTS

PAUL HIRST – ‘Hidden Derbyshire’

I am delighted to report that one of our sponsored students from last year (Paul Hirst) has kindly donated one of his pictures from his ‘Hidden Derbyshire Exhibition’ to our Society.  We, in turn, have loaned the picture to Cliff College and it is hung in the entrance office/foyer of the college.  It has become a focal point of interest and discussion and I hope you will take the opportunity of viewing next time you come to a lecture.

‘The Enlightenment’

Our two sponsored students for this year – Laura Ruutel-Ball and Karel Thompson have enthusiastically embraced this year’s project on Joseph Wright.  Laura is a photographer and her speciality is Still Life which shows a strong link to the style and subject matter of the paintings by Joseph Wright.

Karel is a mature graduate who is a portrait painter.  He is developing three studies of each of three self portraits by Joseph Wright done at three different times in his life – 20s 30s and 40s.

Both artists will try to incorporate the influence of other important 18^th century figures such as Arkwright, Wedgwood, Darwin, Bolton etc. who together with others, mostly from Derbyshire/Staffordshire, had such a huge influence on the industrial Revolution and development of so many aspects of life in England – art, pottery, natural history, clock making, weaving etc.

The Enlightenment Project is being staged by Buxton Museum, Derby Museum and Art Gallery and the North Mills site in Belper and will probably take place in 2010-11.  We are hoping that our sponsored students will be able to exhibit their work and be part of this much larger project.

Cavendish Society feel that this will be a most prestigious exhibition which may even go on to London.  Our sponsorship of two graduates will hopefully give them an opportunity for their work to be seen by a much wider audience and give them worthwhile contacts to promote their work.

                                                MARY MARSH/ANGELA KELLY

The Committee would like to hear of any other suitable requests for sponsorship by Cavendish DFAS.

---