PATRON
Dr Paul Atterbury
CO-PRESIDENTS
Mary Jacobsen
Julian Halsby
Our Officers and Committee
Chair
Richard Dankwerts
I grew up in a village in Kent and my first passion was – and remains – literature, but I have always loved the visual arts and would travel up to London as often as possible to spend long days in the National Gallery. After graduating in English and American Arts from Exeter University I worked for two years as an English Language teacher in Egypt. On my return, I discovered my true vocation as a nurse and worked for forty years in the NHS, finishing my career at the Yeatman. Despite my complete lack of artistic creativity I have collaborated with my talented wife, Angela – a professional Museum Designer – on many museum and exhibition projects: most recently on the David Hulse Collection in Dartmouth. Since moving to Sherborne, we have been overwhelmed by the warmth of our welcome and the richness and variety of the town’s cultural life and I hope that we can continue to promote these qualities through The Art Society Sherborne.
Vice Chair
Study Days
Jenny Newman
Jenny taught Art for 40 years, latterly as Head of Art at Sherborne Girls’ from 1994-2016. Trained in Fine Art, her love has always been painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture; she has a broad knowledge of Art and Design, which she loves to share with others. On retiring she started two University of the Third Age (U3A) groups in Sherborne, for which she gives illustrated talks on current / forthcoming exhibitions or collections. Many members take up the opportunity subsequently to visit the galleries and museums and sometimes Arts Society members have been welcomed on these trips. She is keen on walking, birdwatching and cooking.
Treasurer
Jo Hague
Following university, I moved to Dorset where I joined a local accountancy firm and qualified as a chartered accountant. Sherborne became our family home 18 years ago, from where I have run a practice ever since, dealing with local , national and international clients.My art knowledge is as an enthusiastic amateur. I love visiting a gallery. I enjoy both new and old work. The emotional connection you feel with certain pieces, albeit a painting or sculpture, gives me a lot of joy!I enjoy walking my dog, everything health and wellness and spending time with friends.I am very much looking forward to becoming a member of the Sherborne Art Society Community.
Secretary
Assists with Visits
Jane Findley
I started my teaching career in London where I took advantage of many musical and varied artistic activities and visited exhibitions. When I came to Somerset I married, had a family and I continued to teach for many years until I retired in 2009. Finally, I had time to be able to follow my interest in art once more visiting galleries and museums and taking part in textile and painting adventures
Programme Secretary
Angela White
Angela studied Graphics and Illustration at Canterbury College of Art, before working in set and costume design for The Marlowe and Gulbenkian theatres and graphics for children’s television. Later she specialised in Museum Design as head of design for The National Maritime Museum. Free lance work included graphics for The London Dungeon and Bedford Museum. Angela moved to Dartmouth with her children and was tracked down to design the new galleries for Dartmouth Museum, Britannia Naval College and the Newcomen Engine House. Her last work, The Mayflower Gallery, was opened last Christmas and she is at present designing the David Hulse gallery in Dartmouth.
Angela and Richard moved to Sherborne 8 years ago and love the town, it’s rich history and have met so many friendly and welcoming people. We would love to contribute to this community.
You might spot Angela and her partner Richard on their tandem… as a blur!
Annie Coultas
After a good grounding in the History and Theory of Art at University I segued into the decorative arts and joined the furniture department at Spinks in London. At the same time I contributed to a number of magazines, including Antiques Collector and SE Arts. I took up lecturing and continued for the next 10 years to combine the two disciplines working mainly for ILEA and WEA and latterly for Surrey University Adult Education department. I loved visiting country houses to experience how earlier generations had used their homes and as a member of the Furniture History Society had privileged access to some wonderful collections. When I came to Dorset, I focused on restoring my house and four of the eight barns. I then ran a small business providing holiday homes for disabled visitors. Since retiring I have returned to my early interests, and it feels like a natural transition. It is so enjoyable to be able to immerse myself in the astonishingly diverse range of art and culture currently available.
Arts Volunteering
Gill Evans
I have always had an interest in the arts and although I do not have any art background, I go to most of the exhibitions at the British Museum and at Tate Britain, especially JMW Turner. For may years I travelled to Bristol to see Welsh National Opera in every one of their seasons as that is my favourite of the arts. Thank goodness for live streaming now!
I completed my teaching career in 2016 after 40 years as a qualified teacher, retiring as the Head of a Somerset school. Since then, I have had more freedom to explore my interests and joined Sherborne Arts Society, where I received a warm welcome.
I studied History of Art at Emmanuel College, Cambridge before pursuing a career lecturing on art and design history in London art colleges. I have written 7 books and many articles, my specialist period being the late 19th century in Europe. Since retirement I have lectured for The Arts Society in the UK and abroad. I am a member of the Critics Circle and The International Association of Art Critics. I am also a practising artist and an elected member of the Royal Society of British Artists
Committee Member
Deborah Edlmann
I left school at 16 and was a PA until having our second child who is special needs. Along with 2 lovely friends I started a Nanny Agency but had to close it after my husband had a serious illness. After that I set up a Bridge Club with another good friend based in London and the South West with expert teachers and where I taught bridge to the ‘beginners’. Over the years I have raised money for different charities usually with a ‘bridge theme’ involved. I thoroughly enjoy going to Art Exhibitions and have joined the Sherborne Arts Society to have the opportunity to learn more about different art subjects.
Marketing
I have had a lifelong love and fascination with the arts in general but at school I was the girl who couldn’t create anything in art classes whether drawing, painting, sculpting or pottery. As I grew up I started to explore art and as a teenager first discovered the impressionists in Paris who got me hooked. It was a trip to Moscow in 1977 when I first visited the Tretyakov Gallery which opened my eyes to the universality of art. I could not believe that within such a repressive regime there could be such a fine collection of Western European art. Since then visits to galleries and collections have been a major feature of holidays and downtime when on trips for work. I married into a very creative and talented family who encouraged me to collect as finances permitted. Top of my current wish list is a piece of sculpture by Bridget McCrum.
Membership Secretary
Hilary Smith
Hilary worked in IT for a number of companies performing a variety of roles including writing software to extract data from RAF accident data recorders and to launch a satellite into the early phase of its orbit. She retired from performing an IT project manager role for an American company in 2013.
She has always enjoyed the arts: music, painting / drawing and sculpture. She learned the clarinet at school and thoroughly enjoyed playing it both solo and with the school orchestra.
She really enjoys the Arts Society lectures because they give an insight into what is behind the art and the artist and often give a historical context which adds depth to her knowledge and understanding.
Committee Member
Suzanne Perrin B.A.(Hons) M.A.
I am an independent researcher and historian specialising in Japanese History, Art & Culture, and founded Japan Interlink in 1995 to promote the understanding of Japan in the UK.I have lectured to a wide range of institutions including universities, museums and adult education groups in the UK and overseas. I have taught Japanese History & Culture at Richmond American International University in London for over ten years, lectures for the Arts of Asia course at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, for the London Institute Universities including the School for Oriental & African Studies, the University of Cape Town, lecture tours in South Africa, Australia and for The Arts Societies in Europe (Spain, Germany, Malta, Belgium). I have organized exhibitions of Japanese arts and crafts including Kimono exhibitions for demonstration and display.I have published articles on Japanese culture and contemporary living for various magazines, and published my first book in 2016 titled: Bridges: Anglo-Japanese Cultural Pioneers 1945-2015. I am working on my second book on Japanese craftspeople in Kyoto, and visit Japan regularly to continue my research.
I am based in Sherborne Dorset.
Committee Member
Richard Kidd
After retiring early from a major firm of consulting engineers, Richard spent 16 years circumnavigating the world on a 42 foot sailing yacht with his wife Susan. They returned to England in June 2017 and moved to the Sherborne area (Henstridge). Richard’s knowledge of the Arts is, at best, limited but he is keen to learn. His early education in the Arts was possibly marred by compulsory and unguided visits to the Dulwich College Picture Gallery on wet games afternoons as an 11-12 year old!
Co-opted Committee Member
Projection/Co-Website/IT
In a career spanning 45 years starting with a short spell training in Architecture in Paris and London, from there on to graduate courses in Film Production at the London School of Film Technique which then led on to the Cinematography course at the National Film School in Beaconsfield as one of their first students in 1972.
Graduating in 1975, there followed periods working with Film Crews on TV commercials, two years in Nigeria running a Film Unit, then periods on Feature Films both abroad and in UK studios.
Then on to Documentaries of all genres that took me all over the world with some of the most well-known Presenters, Actors and Personalities including Royalty. Most recently I had been helping to make drama films in Zambia
Denis Borrow