Branch News

Illustrated talks:
On 10th September 2011, R. John Croft gave an illustrated talk on Dame Laura Knight’s early life in Nottingham, Staithes and Laren; then moving on to demonstrate the major change in the artist’s works on moving to Cornwall. Towards the end of the talk John showed some examples of the artist’s works that included, Ballet, Theatre, Landscapes, Portraiture, Circus, Gypsies and War Commissions to demonstrate the enormous  variety of subjects covered by the artist.
Time did not permit to cover all the subjects and other activities that could be covered during the lifetime of the artist.

Acknowledgements:
- Good publicity of the forthcoming talk and follow up on the talk, was given by Nottingham’s local newspaper – The Nottingham Post. This created such an interest that not all members of the public were able to obtain seats.
- The Nottingham Artist’s Society sponsored the talk providing the first floor of their premises free of charge.
- Bob Sparham, Deputy Chairman of the Nottingham Artist’s Society, who was instrumental in getting his Society to sponsor the talk.
The Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society are most appreciative to all of the above, in that arising from the talk, it enabled the creation of a new Branch.

Creation of the Nottingham Branch of The Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society.
At the end of the 10th September 2011 talk a good number of the attendees put their names down to become Founder members of the Nottingham Branch and six members volunteered to go onto the local Committee.

Neil Walker has volunteered to become the Branch’s Chairman and whilst busy on the Lowry exhibition, he plans to hold the First Committee meeting towards the end of November 2011.
(Neil is The Visual Arts Officer at the Djanogly and is currently preparing as curator for the Lowry Paintings and Drawings Exhibition 16th November – 5th February 2012).

Neil will therefore soon be contacting all those who have indicated interest on joining the Committee, and Founder members will be contacted thereafter with the Committee’s plans.

Relevant Local Places of interest in Nottingham, holding works and/ or information on Dame Laura Knight and Harold Knight include:
- Nottingham Castle Museum ( hold 23 works of Laura and 21 works of Harold Knight),
- Trent University, which now includes the Nottingham School of Art, where the artists studied,
- Nottingham Archives, which holds Laura Knight memorabilia.
- Blue Plaque - 9 Noel Street, where Laura Knight  lived as a child.
- The University of Nottingham own the large painting “ Lamorna Birch and his daughters”,
   which will be redisplayed at the Djanogly Art gallery Café area s from 4th November 2011.

Interested in becoming a member of The Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society?

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Nottingham Branch Society, please contact Neil by email on neil.walker@nottingham.ac.uk
If you are also prepared to or would consider becoming a Committee member please indicate this in your email.

If you are interested in becoming a member of The Friends of Dame Lara Knight Society and do not find either Nottingham or Malvern branches a convenient place to attend meetings, please contact the Patron of the Society R. John Croft by Email info@damelauraknight.co.uk