Against the Odds: how women writers found their voices and got published
Virginia Woolf said that ‘Intellectual freedom depends upon material things.’ We shall explore this concept as it applies to women writers in Britain from the 17th to the early 19th century. Using a mix of literary texts we shall focus … More details …
Vaughan Williams – Renaissance Man
The composer Ralph Vaughan Williams was fascinated by the ancient music of his homeland and as his explorations widened, he led a generation of English composers in a new renaissance of national music. Renowned for his quintessentially English compositions, Vaughan … More details …
Empires: Part 3 – the rise of Europe
This day school focuses on the history and interaction of Empires in the Modern Era from about 1450 CE to the present day. The main theme is the rise of Europe, but we will not forget the formidable adversaries European … More details …
From the Bayeux Tapestry to the Wilton Diptych
After a brief survey of the period from the eleventh century to the fifteenth, we will focus firstly on the Bayeux Tapestry – “one of the most enchanting pieces of narrative art in existence” ( Talbot Rice). It is a … More details …
Selected novels of Jane Austen
Austen’s use of irony, social commentary, humour and realism are some of the reasons why her novels have remained popular over the last 200 years. This course will look at Sense and Sensibility (1811) which an early review described as … More details …
Astronomy
Chris Sperring MBE may be known to some for his work in Wildlife Conservation for which he was awarded the M.B.E by the Queen in 2001. Chris also presents on TV and Radio bringing his enthusiasm for the natural world … More details …
The ‘Wars of the Roses’: civil war in England and the ascent of the Tudors
This course is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like to be placed on the waiting list in case of any cancellations. Over six weeks, we will explore the exciting and chaotic world of Fifteenth century England … More details …
National Treasures: Iconic paintings from the National Gallery
This course is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like to be added to the waiting list in case of any cancellations. In this study day we will investigate some of the greatest paintings in our national … More details …
Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and The Blue Rider
This course is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like to be placed on the waiting list in case of any cancellations. The German Expressionists brought dazzling colours to the art world in the years surrounding the … More details …
“I paint life”: Laura Knight, 1877 -1970
This course is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like to be added to the waiting list in case of any cancellations. The life and work of artist Laura Knight. Associated with art colonies on the Yorkshire … More details …
On Extended Wings – Six modern American poets
Over the last hundred years American poets have assimilated a huge range of influences including jazz and blues, the new psychologies, advertising, film, and a variety of landscapes from Boston to the Rockies. And while recognising the importance of the … More details …
A view of the 40s: Green, Euphan Todd & Taylor. Comedies of manners?
Henry Green’s Loving was published in 1945; for 1946 we have Miss Ranskill comes Home, by an author who most people probably think of as a children’s author, Barbara Euphon Todd. Elizabeth Taylor’s A View of the Harbour was published … More details …
Managing Mixed Media
This course is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like to be placed on the waiting list in case of any cancellations. Experiment with drawing materials. Try out various media to enrich your artwork such as collage, … More details …
Art Nouveau: a modern style for a new millennium
This course is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like to be placed on the waiting list in case of any cancellations. Although going by various names, Art Nouveau in France and Belgium, Jugendstil in Germany … More details …
Great English Song Cycles
European Art Song emerged primarily in Germany and Austria in the nineteenth century and soon captured the imagination of composers across Europe. English composers took a while to catch on, but when they did, the results were truly wonderful. Today … More details …