Annual Report 2017
I have always known that my degree in engineering did not amount to an education. So, upon retirement, one of the first groups I joined was Art Appreciation. The group is supportive and welcoming, accepting the various contributions the members make as they take turns to lead the meetings.
For some members art is not real unless they see the originals up close. They value most a trip to a museum or art gallery. For others a professionally produced video, possibly sourced from the U3A archives, has a quality that cannot be matched by self-produced material. The group uses a laptop computer with data projector and sound system to show videos. And there are others like myself for whom the interactions within a group are important and therefore a home produced presentation with opportunity for discussion is best. I am glad to say that during 2017 all three types of meeting took place.
There were four visits to art galleries, including trips to the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery in Leicester, the Djanogly Art Gallery in Nottingham, the Portland collection and Harley Gallery at Welbeck, and finally the Birmingham Art Gallery. Generally these trips begin with lunch together followed by the opportunity to discuss the artwork as we go round the exhibition together.
Other meetings at the Friends' Meeting House begin at 10.30 and end at midday. We have covered an enormous range of historical dates, from Fra Angelico in the 15th century via 19th-century Sevres pottery through 20th century Sonia and Robert Delaunay to Grayson Perry who, of course, is still alive. This last presentation included video clips of the artist speaking about his life and work. The other three were pictures presented on screen with a commentary from the member of the group who was leading.
Topics planned for the first half of 2018 include Anton Pieck, contemporary African-American artists, Katsushika Hokusai, and Paul Klee, and in February a visit to Derby Museum and Art Gallery when the curator of the gallery is kindly introducing the exhibition on Marion Adnams.
The Art Appreciation group is one of the larger U3A groups with 30 members, but the room at the Friends' Meeting House has plenty of space and more U3A members would be most welcome.
Paul Sandford