Art, Architecture and Design

I wrote last month about a new interest group that I was hoping to launch, to be named Art, Architecture and Design. Well, I can report that the hope has become a reality with enough members showing an interest to make a launch worthwhile.

If you are interested then please keep the third Friday of each month free, in the mornings between 10.30 and 12.30 starting with Friday 20th September. I have provisionally booked the Lower Gallery at the Burnham Museum which is fairly priced, has a kitchen thrown in and is large enough to expand into if our numbers grow. Some of you will know the room and consequently know that in winter it can be a little chilly, but Margaret and Peter at the Museum have said that they will try to improve the heating before the winter.

As an initial structure the first meeting will kick off with introductions and an opportunity for you explain what you want from the group so that this can shape our future meetings. I will then give an illustrated talk exploring the A – Z of Art, Architecture and Design in a fully interactive way inviting participation and discussion. I hope that as part of the structure members can bring along, if they wish, an item or maybe a photograph relating to Art, Architecture and/or Design and maybe speak about it to the group. This would be, as time permits, after our talk at each meeting; it would endeavour to help everybody widen their knowledge and understanding of our subjects.

I am not an expert in the Arts! My background is merely a lifetime of interest in the Arts, collecting all manner of things. My working life was in local authority Policy and Public Relations but latterly and before I retired, managing Highcliffe Castle in Dorset where I was able, inter alia, to design and mount exhibitions with a team furthering the education and understanding of the history of the Castle alongside exhibitions of art and design. This I continued in a voluntary and consultancy capacity, after my retirement in 2005, until 2019 when we moved to Burnham.

Highcliffe Castle is an architectural gem being listed Grade 1 and described as ‘the most important remaining example of the Romantic and Picturesque style of architecture’.

Working there, one couldn’t help but to be overwhelmed with the architecture. It was designed by William Donthorn (1799 – 1859) of Norfolk for Lord Stuart de Rothesay, so no doubt I will weave in a talk about the Castle and its architecture at some future meeting if desired. I am quite excited about what this group may achieve and I hope that we can welcome many of our members.

One last point, we will need to levy a £2 charge to cover the gallery hire fee BUT the good news is that this charge will include tea and coffee, maybe even a biscuit!

I hope to see you at our first meeting and then hopefully at our subsequent meetings.

-Mike Allen