Arts and crafts remain an essential part of Mexican life. After the Spanish conquest of 1521, the raw materials, techniques and art styles of Europe merged with those of the New World. Drawing on skills inherited from Aztec, Maya and Spanish predecessors, makers bring a modern vision to ancient traditions. Exquisite textiles, silver jewellery, wooden dance-masks, imaginative toys and fine pottery are still used in many regions. Chloë Sayer has made collections for the British Museum. She also owns an extensive range of Mexican folk art, and is happy (if travel arrangements allow) to display examples when she lectures. 

This lecture looks at western bookbinding, in particular during the age of the printed

book.  Aspects of the book trade, including bookbindings are shown and, as structure and decoration changed as the centuries passed, the individual binders’ fingers tell their own tale as the craft developed.  The bookbinding trade has long recycled waste materials, some of which may be more valuable then the books themselves.  Bookbindings also provide an insight into the owner’s wealth and station in life, as books were bought unbound and bindings were therefore generally chosen by the first owner until the 19th century.

Ideal for Christmas time! This talk ranges from Dickensian Christmas stories to traditional Victorian Christmas activities and the inspiration for ghost stories at Christmas.

Glasgow-based but not all native to Glasgow - at the end of the nineteenth century these painters benefitted from the success of industry and its wealthy patrons. The painters were well aware of radical trends in Paris, particularly the simplified forms of the Post Impressionists. They wanted to be free of anecdote in their work and to be allowed to concentrate on colour and light, and brushwork appropriate to their subjects. Guthrie, Lavery, Crawhall and Arthur Melville are among those discussed.

Caravaggio – one of the best known names today. A man of proverbial rebelliousness, painting in a style which he knew would drop a bomb on the art world he grew up in. He painted with startling immediacy, rejecting his peers’ obsession with highly artificial designs and stale quotations from earlier works of art. But he was also fortunate to be painting at a time when the Church wanted to harness the power of his art to enforce its message. This lecture considers the unlikely alliance of artist and patrons, considering why the establishment was prepared to accept him, outrageous lifestyle and all, and at the same time, examining why his art is so powerful for us today. 

Grayson Perry is one of Britain's best known contemporary artists, and one of the most successful. Known primarily as a potter and visual artist he's also famous for his outlandish appearances dressed as his feminine alter ego, Claire. He is now a core part of the art establishment, a Knight of the Realm, Turner Prize winner, Royal Academician, popular broadcaster and colourful character.  His works are highly sought after. Often controversial, he tackles difficult subjects in a poignant yet witty manner and holds a mirror up to modern society. This talk will examine Sir Grayson Perry’s work, his exciting and thought-provoking exhibitions, and the unique character inside the flamboyant frocks.

Bandstands are a distinctive feature of public parks and seaside promenades all over Britain.   But what do we actually know about them?  Why did they appear in our earliest parks? When were they erected, and who made them?

Although Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) often complained about the tedium of painting one portrait after another, his delight in depicting animals radiates from his work.  In landscapes, portraits and sketches, Gainsborough’s animals are beautifully and affectionately observed and overflowing with character and meaning.

By 1960 interest in rock ‘n’ roll had started to fade, its biggest star was moving on and a new generation of teenagers were seeking something different. It came in the form of the Beatles, who broke all the rules and all the records. This is the story of the first five years of the 1960s, one of the most creative and innovative periods in the history of music, featuring all the major artists, important songs and principle musical genres.