Where?   At the Berkeley Square Hotel, 15 Berkeley Street, Clifton, BS8 1HB

When? Sunday 4 December at 7.30pm

Why there? Members of The Square Club* at the Hotel hold Quiz nights once a month to raise money for charity

Which one in December?  All proceeds will go to the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

How much does it cost?  Just £2 on the door. There will also be a raffle.

Members of The Friends have been invited by the Museum and Art Gallery to join in the fun and help swell the coffers.  No need to book, just come along.

 *Promoting itself as Bristol’s first Art Hotel, the Hotel’s Square Club is said to be the region’s leading members’ club for the arts and creative industries.  The Square is also home to the Square Gallery, “a contemporary gallery with a continuous exhibition programme reflecting the burgeoning artistic community of Bristol and the surrounding area”.

(This item added 30 October 2011)

What better at this time of year than to look forward to Spring.  Specifically, to look forward to Spring Luncheon at a new venue for The Friends:  Cameley Lodge hotel at Temple Cloud, just 10 miles from Bristol along the A37. The setting of Cameley Lodge is idyllic, sure to impress and help us all relax while we listen to Toby Pinn’s short illustrated talk after lunch.

Also, the hotel is on level ground, there are no steps to negotiate.

Stop press! Although booking has been good for this event, there is room for a few more and a second booking formwas included with the February Bulletin.  Because time is now short, please complete and send it to Carol Lear as soon as possible.

(Updated 20 February 2012)

The Source

Following the linked lecture on the previous Tuesday (28th February), the Picasso and Britain exhibition examines Picasso’s enormous impact on 20^th century British modernism.

Picasso’s The Source (1921) will be shown at this exhibition. Photograph: Succession Picasso/DACS 2011/courtesy of Moderna Museet, Stockholm

This excursion is FULL with a waiting list.

(Updated 1 February 2012)

Another blockbuster: the ‘David Hockney: A Bigger Picture’ exhibition. Featuring vivid paintings inspired by the East Yorkshire landscape, these large scale works have been created especially for the galleries of the Royal Academy.   (Image: Winter Timber  Photo credit: Jonathan Wilkinson.  Click on image to enlarge)

Because this is a Sunday excursion the coach will depart Clifton Down Shopping Centre at 8.30am, returning back  at 7.00 pm.  There  will be timed tickets at the Exhibition at 12.30pm and 1.00pm. 

 This excursion is FULL with a waiting list.  

 (Updated 6 December 2011)

Travel arrangements: Depart All Saints Church,Pembroke Road,Clifton 08.30am;  Welcome and brief Introduction by Dr. Julien Parsens followed by free flow tour 11.30am;  Lunch in Museum or High Street;  Free time to browse permanent collection or visit city; Depart Exeter 16.00pm ; ETA All Saints Church 18.00pm.

The coach for this excursion filled very quickly and a second coach has been laid-on.  There are still a few seats available on the latter, so if you want to come, complete and send in your booking form to Margaret Bell as soon as possible.

*Sam Smiles is Emeritus Professor of Art History, University of Plymouth, and a Tate Research Fellow. His research is concentrated on British art, mainly in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and with a particular focus on the work and legacy of JMW Turner. He devised and curated the exhibition Into the Light at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter. His next exhibition is titled ‘Flight and the Artistic Imagination’ and it opens at Compton Verney on 29 June.

(Updated 6 December 2011)

M Shed

The opening of M Shed has been a major event for Bristol.

Join us, The Friends of Bristol Art Gallery, and the Friends of BMAG  on Saturday 1 October, for an evening to celebrate this wonderful new museum and our contributions towards it. Enjoy music by Chris Gilligan and a wine and finger buffet in the Event Suite on the top floor with stunning views over the city. The curators who worked so hard for so long on MShed will be available to take you on tours of the galleries and behind the scenes to visit the workshop and learning suite, and delight in items commissioned by The Friends.

We will be joined on the evening by the High Sheriff, Dr John Cottrell, and other guests who have made significant contributions to the completion of this great new addition to the City including our curators and museum staff.    Do come to this very special event.

The cost per person is £17.50.  Full details of the programme for the evening are on the booking form enclosed with the August Bulletin.

(Updated 12 August 2011)

New extension Holburne Museum

Tonight’s lecture,  “Making the most of it: Redisplaying the Holburne Collection” will be given by Dr Alexander Sturgis, Director of the Holburne Museum, Bath. The group of Friends who visited the Holburne on 28 June will attest to the excellence of the works now suberbly displayed in the splendid new extension of the museum at the rear of the existing building.

Important: the Museum has today informed us that because a chair broke at the September lecture, all the Cafe chairs used at lectures have had to be taken out of use.  They are being replaced but will not be available until next month.  This means that the maximum attendance on Thursday will be 70.  If you intend to come, please arrive early, late comers after all seats have been filled may have to be refused admission.  We are sorry about this.

(Updated 18 October 2011)

Wightwick Manor Photo Rupert Truman

Today we visit Wightwick Manor and Gardens in Wolverhampton and the nearby Bantock House Museum.

This excursion is FULL with a waiting list.

(This item updated 9 October 2011)

Georgian House

Karin Walton, will conduct the second guided tour of the Georgian  House and garden for 20 members on Thursday 13 October starting at 11.00am.  Tea, coffee and cake will be provided.

Further details and a booking form were included with the August Bulletin.

NOTE: this tour is also FULL

(Updated 17 August 2011)

Karin Walton, the Collections Officcer responsible for The Georgian House will conduct a guided tour of the house and garden for 20 members on Wednesday 12 October starting at 11.00am.  Tea, coffee and cake will be provided.  There will be another tour for 20 members on Thursday 13 October.

The House at No 7 Great George St, off Park St Bristol, was built in 1790 for John Pinney, a wealthy slave plantation owner and sugar merchant.  Please note that access is limited because of the age and layout of the house: there are three flights of stairs and no lift.

Note: this tour is FULL

(This entry updated 8 September 2011)