Week ending Friday 3rd February 2017
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The Bowes Museum
Barnard Castle
County Durham
Tel: 01833 690606
Website: www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk
Opening Times: The Museum is open daily from 10.00am.
Admission: Adults £10.50, Concs £9.50, Six Month Pass £16.00, Student £6.00, Children (Under 16) & Carers Free. Admissions
are donation inclusive and are eligible for Gift Aid. If you are not a UK taxpayer or do not wish to make a charitable donation
admission prices are: Adults £9.25, Concs £8.50, Six Month Pass £14.00, Children (under 16) & carers free.
Media contact: Sheila Dixon, Media and PR Officer.
Direct line: 01833 694616
E: [email protected]
EXHIBITIONS & DISPLAYS
All exhibitions & displays are included in the cost of admission unless
otherwise stated
Last chance to see . . .
Mark Clarke – Shelf Life: The Ornaments are Talking to Me
Until 12 February 2017
In a series of surprisingly cheery assemblage sculptures Belfast born
artist Mark Clarke ponders the theme of life, love and loss. Using
familiar mantelpiece ornaments, junk shop tat and car boot treasures, these poetic
interpretations of the homemade shrine explore dementia, obsession, good and bad
taste, collecting and fine art versus outsider art.
Now showing . . .
The Allure of Napoleon – featured on Radio 4 Front Row
28 January until 19 March 2017
Featuring outstanding artworks from The Bowes Museum’s
extensive permanent collection, The Allure of Napoleon offers an
opportunity to learn more about the Museum founders’ (John
and Joséphine Bowes) interest in the Emperor and the age he
defined.
Dining with The Bowes in the 18th Century
Until March 2017
Over the years, The Bowes Museum has either acquired or identified
pieces already in its collections that were bought and used by the Bowes family in the
18th & 19th centuries, as they advanced socially and joined the ranks of the
aristocracy and the Government. This display will show some of the pottery,
porcelain and silver which they used both for everyday dining and for grand
entertaining.
Coming soon . . .
Only in England
25 February until 7 May 2017
Fascinated by the eccentricities of English social customs, Tony
Ray-Jones spent the latter half of the 1960s travelling across
England, photographing what he saw as a disappearing way of life.
Humorous yet melancholy, these works had a profound influence
on photographer Martin Parr. This exhibition of photographs examines the close
relationship between the work of these two important photographers and their
fascination with the English.
Painting the Theatre: Garrick in Action
8 April until 9 July 2017
A celebration of England's 18th Century best-known actor David
Garrick (1717-1779) to mark the 300th anniversary of his birth. The
Museum has recently acquired two outstanding paintings by
Johann Zoffany representing Garrick in action, showing the famous actor, who
symbolises the high success of 18th-century theatre, acting in both tragedy and
comedy, in two successful plays of the time.
EVENTS 2017
Events are included in the admission charge unless otherwise stated
FEBRUARY 2017
Gallery Talk
Date 10 Feb Time 2.15
Join the Museum’s Exhibitions Manager, George Harris, for an introduction to the
current exhibition Mark Clarke: The Objects are Talking to Me.
The Fall of Napoleon
Date 17 Feb Time 2.15
Join Dr Munro Price, University of Bradford, to hear the story of the dramatic two
years leading up to Napoleon’s abdication in April 1814, during which time he lost
both his European empire and his control over France itself. Such an outcome was
by no means inevitable, and at several key moments Napoleon’s enemies offered
him peace terms that would have allowed him to keep his throne, if not his empire.
However, he consistently rejected such a compromise, instead choosing to gamble
on total victory at the risk of utter defeat. This talk will attempt to shed some new light
on this conundrum that led directly to Napoleon's fall.
Napoleon I
Date 20 & 22 Feb Time 12.30 – 4.00
Learn about Napoleon Bonaparte in The Allure of Napoleon exhibition and create
your very own bicorn hat and much more in this drop in session. Children must be
accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
125 Years: Celebrating The Bowes Museum – Family Fun Day
Date 21 Feb Time 11.00 - 4.00
This year is the 125th Anniversary of The Bowes Museum opening. Come and join in
a variety of fun drop-in activities for all the family and help us celebrate in style!
1. Make birthday bunting
2. Design a badge
3. Learn about the history of the Museum and its founders and much more...
Children must be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Jays Animal Encounters
Date 23 & 24 Feb Time 10.00, 11.00, 12.30, 1.30, 2.30 (sessions last 1½hours)
Cost £6.00 per child
Jay returns with a selection of wonderful creatures including tarantulas, snakes and
scorpions! During this bookable workshop children will be able to handle the animals
and learn interesting facts about these marvellous creatures before creating a
meerkat bookmark to take home. Booking required on 01833 690606. Children must
be accompanied by an adult, for whom there is no charge for the event. Payment
required at time of booking.
Gallery Talk
Date 24 Feb Time 2.15
Join Dr Howard Coutts, the Museum’s curator of ceramics, for a fascinating gallery
about the current display, Dining with the Bowes in the 18th Century.
Napoleon & the Use of Propaganda
Date 27 Feb Time 2.15
All rulers use a range of propaganda to project an image of power, but few showed
such flair or such understanding of the importance of public opinion as Napoleon
Bonaparte. Join Dr Alan Forrest, Emeritus Professor of Modern History at the
University of York, for a fascinating insight into this important and relevant area of
history.
MARCH 2017
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment present: Strings On
Bowes
Date 3 Mar Time 7.00 Cost £12/£10 concs (inc Museum Friends)
This intimate, informal concert offers the chance to get up close and
personal with three members of the acclaimed Orchestra of the Age of
Enlightenment. They will perform and discuss popular Baroque pieces, introduce
their period instruments and there will be chances for the audience to interact and
ask questions. Tickets available exclusively from Durham Gala Theatre box office:
https://www.galadurham.co.uk/book-online/?webeventid=3175
Music and the Allure of Napoleon
Date 4 Mar Time 3.30
What did music mean for Napoleon and those living under his rule? Was it
entertainment, escapism or propaganda? Join musicologist Dr Katherine
Hambridge from Durham University, and musicians Mark Austin, Oskar
McCarthy and Héloïse Werner, for a combined concert and talk exploring
how music both supported and undermined the allure of the Napoleonic regime.
Together, we will travel through the elegance of the salons, the spectacle of the
opera, the irreverent boulevard theatres and the violence and enthusiasm of popular
songs in a joyful afternoon of music and song.
Napoleon Amongst the Shopkeepers: Jacques-Louis David and
England
Date 7 Mar Time 2.15 Free with Admission (bookable)
Join Dr. Simon Lee, Associate Professor of the History of Art at the
University of Reading, for a look at the English reception of the painter
Jacques-Louis David, especially his 1815 exhibition in London, which was open at
the same time as Napoleon began his Hundred Days campaign, which ended in his
defeat at Waterloo. This talk also explores the process of identifying David’s portrait
of Napoleon from 1814, which was unrecognized for many decades.
Gallery Talk
Date 4 Mar Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti to explore the recent
acquisition St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child by the workshop of Dieric
Bouts, now on display in the Museum’s picture galleries.
Corot’s Trees
Date 20 Mar Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc
morning refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to learn how to paint trees in the unmistakable
style of Corot, whose work spans the Napoleonic era during which
time painting moved from neo-Classicism to a new realism.
APRIL 2017
Felting Easter Eggs
Date 10 Apr Time 10.30 - 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.00 Cost £4.50 per child
Join us for this fun wet felting workshop and create a colourful 2D Easter Egg to take
home. Booking required on 01833 690606. Suitable for children aged 5+ who must
be accompanied by an adult, for whom there is no charge for the event.
Easter Crafts
Date 11, 12 & 13 Apr Time 10.30 – 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.00 Cost £4.00 per child
Create some simple Easter crafts in this fun workshop that is guaranteed to get you
into the Easter spirit! Booking required on 01833 690606. Children must be
accompanied by an adult, for whom there is no charge for the event.
Gallery Talk
Date 13 Apr Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti to explore the recent acquisition
St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child by the workshop of Dieric Bouts, now on
display in the Museum’s picture galleries.
Easter Extravaganza – Family Fun Day
Date 14 Apr Time 11.00 - 4.00 Cost Free with admission
Celebrate Easter in this fun packed day by taking part in lots of drop-in craft activities
for all ages:
1. Easter baskets with a treat!
2. Make an Easter card with a difference
3. Collage an Easter bunny pot
4. Explore the Museum with an Easter themed trail.
Children must be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Theatre Action!
Date 18 & 19 Apr Time 10.00 – 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.30 Cost £4.00 per child
Theatre is the inspiration for this craft workshop as you design and make a wooden
spoon puppet and cardboard stage to entertain your family. As part of the workshop
you will also explore the Painting the Theatre: Garrick in Action exhibition. Booking
required on 01833 690606. Suitable for children aged 5+ who must be accompanied
by an adult, for whom there is no charge for the event.
Seaside Fun
Date 20 & 21 Apr Time 10.30 - 4.00
Visit the Only in England photography exhibition and take part in a
variety of fun seaside themed crafts in this drop in session. Children
must be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Painting workshop - Early Watercolour Landscapes
Date 24 Apr Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc
morning refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to learn the methods of early watercolour
painting in the eighteenth century and use them to create a landscape painting.
Gallery Talk
Date 28 Apr Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti, to learn more about
the Museum’s collection of Spanish paintings, the largest public
collections in the UK. The first in this series of talks highlights the
outstanding Tobias Restoring His Father’s Sight, by Antonio de Pereda.
North East Early Music Forum Performing Day
Date 30 Apr Time 12.00 – 4.00
Enjoy varied performances around the Museum from the North East Early Music
Forum, a group of amateur musicians who specialise in early music from the
medieval to the baroque periods. A full programme will be confirmed nearer the date,
but further info about the group can be found at www.neemf.org.uk
MAY 2017
Gallery Talk
Date 5 May Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti to explore the recent acquisition
St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child by the workshop of Dieric Bouts, now on
display in the Museum’s picture galleries.
Painting workshop - Unusual Historical Picture Making
Date 22 May Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc morning
refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to create a painting using an early form of `Automatism`
developed from Leonardo de Vinci and promoted by the artist Alexander Cozens
(1717 – 1786). This imaginative method of picture making uses black and white, and
the result can form the basis for a colour picture.
Gallery Talk
Date 25 May Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti to learn more about
the Museum’s collection of Spanish paintings, the largest public
collections in the UK. The second in this series of talks highlights the
exceptional Portrait of Mariana of Austria, Queen of Spain, by Claudio
Coello.
Ready, Steady, Action! – Family Fun Day
Date 30 May Time 11.00 - 4.00
During this fun packed day of drop-in activities you can listen to Tillytoo Tales
performing her fantastic stories and try a variety of theatre inspired crafts. Children
must be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Fantastic Founders – John and Joséphine Bowes
Date 31 May Time 10.30 - 4.00
Learn about the founders of the Museum, John & Joséphine Bowes, in this
interactive drop-in workshop before exploring their amazing collection. Children must
be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
JUNE 2017
Fun with Clay
Date 1 & 2 Jun Time 10.00 –12.00 or 1.30 - 3.30 Cost £4.50 per child
Explore and sketch in the ceramics galleries before creating your very own clay
creation in this fun workshop. Booking required on 01833 690606. Children must be
accompanied by an adult, for whom there is no charge for the event.
Gallery Talk
Date 2 Jun Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti to explore the recent acquisition
St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child by the workshop of Dieric Bouts, now on
display in the Museum’s picture galleries.
Painting workshop - Colour Themed Paintings
Date 12 Jun Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc morning
refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to explore painting with new and limited colour combinations.
Many of the best paintings are those with a limited number of colours (for example
Thomas Girtin only used five).
JULY 2017
Gallery Talk
Date 7 Jul Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti to explore the recent acquisition
St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child by the workshop of Dieric Bouts, now on
display in the Museum’s picture galleries.
Painting workshop - Line & Wash Illustration
Date 21 Jul Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc morning
refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to develop a character, human or animal, which is suitable for
a child’s picture book.
Wild Birds - Family Fun Day
Date 25 Jul Time 11.00 – 4.00
Come and join this fun packed day of drop-in activities for all the family. Watch the
Walworth Castle Birds of Prey display in the Museum grounds before taking part in a
variety of bird themed crafts and exploring the galleries with a themed trail. Children
must be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Silk Painting - Animals
Date 26 Jul Time 10.00 - 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.30 Cost £4.50 per child
Sketch your favourite animal in the Museum galleries and transform it into a
spectacular silk painting to take home. Booking required on 01833 690606. Suitable
for children aged 6+ who must be accompanied by an adult, for whom there is no
charge for the event.
Amazing Animals
Date 27 & 28 Jul Time 12.30 - 4.00
Explore the Museum and see lots of animal inspired artwork before recreating your
favourite creature in this fun collage workshop. Children must be accompanied by an
adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Terrific Tulips
Date 31 Jul Time 12.30 - 4.00
To celebrate the opening of the Turkish Tulips exhibition try a variety of tulip themed
crafts including printing and 3D paper sculpture. Children must be accompanied by
an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
AUGUST 2017
Terrific Tulips
Date 1, 2, 3 & 4 Aug Time 12.30 - 4.00
To celebrate the opening of the Turkish Tulips exhibition try a variety of tulip themed
crafts including printing and 3D paper sculpture. Children must be accompanied by
an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Silk Painting – Turkish Tulips
Date 3 Aug Time 10.00 - 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.30 Cost £4.50 per youth
Explore and sketch in the Turkish Tulips exhibition before learning how to create a
silk painting to take home. Booking required on 01833 690606. Suitable for 11 -18+
(minors need not be accompanied by an adult).
Gallery Talk
Date 3 Aug Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti to explore the recent acquisition
St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child by the workshop of Dieric Bouts, now on
display in the Museum’s picture galleries.
Painting workshop - Plein Air Painting
Date 4 Aug Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc morning
refreshments
Enjoy a day in The Bowes Museum grounds with artist Linda Birch to paint in the
style of the Impressionists.
Felting – Turkish Tulips
Date 4 Aug Time 10.00 - 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.30 Cost £4.50 per youth
Join us for this wet felting workshop and create a colourful 2D tulip to take home.
During the workshop you will also have the opportunity to explore and sketch in the
Turkish Tulips exhibition. Booking required on 01833 690606. Suitable for 11 - 18+
(minors need not be accompanied by an adult).
Summer School – Arts Award
Date 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 Aug Time 10.30 – 12.30 Cost £30.00 (for 5 sessions)
If you enjoy art this is the perfect Summer School for you! Throughout the week you
will explore different parts of the Museum’s amazing collections via a variety of craft
activities. As well as being a great way to meet new friends, learn new skills and get
your creative juices flowing, you will also get a Discover Arts Award! Booking
required on 01833 690606. Suitable for 6 – 10 years, (minors need not be
accompanied by an adult).
Picture Perfect
Date 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 Aug Time 12.30 – 4.00
Take your time and sketch your favourite painting in the galleries before recreating it
in this fun drop-in workshop. Children must be accompanied by an adult, for whom
normal admission applies.
Simple and Sparkly
Date 14 &15 Aug Time 10.30 - 4.00
Explore the Museum with a themed trail before designing and making a simple piece
of sparkly jewellery for you or a loved one in this fun drop-in workshop. Children must
be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Date 16 Aug Time 10.00 - 11.30 or 1.00 - 2.30 Cost £2.50 per child
Bring along your favourite bear and take part in our teddy bears’ picnic! Children and
parents will also have the opportunity to explore the Museum, make a ‘crafty’
creation, and enjoy a play and song time. Booking required on 01833 690606.
Suitable for children under 5 who must be accompanied by an adult, for whom there
is no charge for the event.
Tick Tock!
Date 17 Aug Time 10.30 - 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.00 Cost £4.50 per child
Back by popular demand. Explore the Museum and see how many clocks you can
see before decorating your very own working clock to take home! Booking required
on 01833 690606. Suitable for children aged 5+ who must be accompanied by an
adult, for whom there is no charge for the event.
Design a Robot
Date 18 Aug Time 10.30 - 4.00
Robots are the theme for this day of drop in fun. See a selection of robots in our toy
gallery before trying a variety of themed crafts. Children must be accompanied by an
adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Roll Up, Roll Up – Family Fun Day
Date 22 Aug Time 11.00 – 4.00
Come and join The Bowes Museum in this fun packed day of drop-in activities on a
circus theme, guaranteed to entertain the whole family! Learn some new circus skills
and be ready to be entertained. Children must be accompanied by an adult, for
whom normal admission applies.
Picnic in the Park
Date 23 Aug Time 10.30 - 4.00
Bring a picnic and spend the day in the grounds of The Bowes Museum. Children,
who must be accompanied by an adult, can try orienteering and a simple craft activity
as well as playing in the park.
Printing Fun
Date 24 & 25 Aug Time 10.30 – 4.00
Try printing in this fun drop-in workshop suitable for all ages. Children must be
accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Stone Age to Iron Age
Date 29 Aug Time 10.00 - 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.30 Cost £4.50 per child
See a variety of Stone, Bronze and Iron Age artefacts in the galleries before making
a clay pot in the style of a Bronze Age beaker. Booking required on 01833 690606.
Suitable for children aged 5+ who must be accompanied by an adult, for whom there
is no charge for the event.
Romans
Date 30 Aug Time 10.30 - 4.00
Learn about the Romans and take part in a variety of themed crafts. Children must
be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Terrific Tudors
Date 31 Aug Time 10.30 - 4.00
Meet a Tudor maid and learn about a Tudor feast before making a herb filled bag
called a tussy-mussy and creating a Tudor inspired headdress to wear! Children
must be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
SEPTEMBER 2017
Victorians
Date 1 Sep Time 10.30 - 4.00
Try a variety of Victorian themed crafts including writing with a dippy pen and learn
how to make a proddy mat. Children must be accompanied by an adult, for whom
normal admission applies.
Gallery Talk
Date 7 Sep Time 2.15
Join Assistant Curator of Fine Art, Bernadette Petti to explore the recent acquisition
St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child by the workshop of Dieric Bouts, now on
display in the Museum’s picture galleries.
Painting workshop - Tulip Fever
Date 15 Sep Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc morning
refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to make a vibrant tissue collage painting using tulips, in
celebration of the Turkish Tulips exhibition.
OCTOBER 2017
Painting workshop - Still Life in Pastel
Date 23 Oct Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc morning
refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to create a still life painting, using the many examples in The
Bowes Museum’s collection as inspiration.
Silver Spiders
Date 23 Oct Time 10.30 - 4.00
Inspired by our Silver and Metals gallery, children can try a variety of fun crafts on a
spider theme. Children must be accompanied by an adult, for whom normal
admission applies.
Spooky Folk Tales – Family Fun Day
Date 24 Oct Time 11.00 - 4.00
Popular storyteller Adam Bushnell is back, telling his spooky tales which are being
published in his new book Durham Folk Tales. In addition, families are able to take
part in a fun packed day of craft activities linked to the stories! Children must be
accompanied by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
Halloween Crafts
Date 25 & 26 Oct Time 10.30 - 12.00 or 1.30 - 3.00 Cost £4.00 per child
Be brave and take part in fun Halloween themed craft activities. Booking required on
01833 690606. Children must be accompanied by an adult, for whom there is no
charge for the event.
Planting Tulips
Date 27 Oct Time 10.30 – 4.00
Be inspired by the Turkish Tulips exhibition and plant a tulip in the Museum grounds
before creating a watercolour painting to take home. Children must be accompanied
by an adult, for whom normal admission applies.
NOVEMBER 2017
Painting workshop - Gentle Abstract in Coloured Pencil
Date 20 Nov Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc morning
refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to make an abstract work by adapting a painting from The
Bowes collection, experimenting with colour and shape.
DECEMBER 2017
Painting workshop - Doll’s House Diptych
Date 8 Dec Time 10.00 – 4.30 Cost £35 Adult, £33 FOBM, inc morning
refreshments
Join artist Linda Birch to make a miniature painting with doors on the theme of a dolls
house, richly coloured in watercolours or acrylic.
Christmas Market
Date 16 & 17 Dec Time 10.00 – 4.00 Cost tbc
The annual Christmas Market will take place this weekend . . . watch this space for
further details!
End
Editor Notes
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The Bowes Museum was created over 100 years ago by an extraordinary couple, John and
Joséphine Bowes. Together they built up the greatest private collection of fine and decorative
arts in the North of England and constructed a magnificent building to house them in. The
collection contains thousands of objects including furniture, paintings, sculpture, ceramics,
textiles and many other items covering an extensive range of European styles and periods.
The Bowes Museum receives a core funding grant from Durham County Council and as a
Major Portfolio Museum receives support from Arts Council England.
The Bowes Museum has undergone major redevelopment, supported by the Heritage Lottery
Fund, One NorthEast through the County Durham Economic Partnership, English Heritage,
Northern Rock Foundation, The Monument Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Foyle
Foundation, The European Regional Development Fund, DCMS/Wolfson Museum and
Galleries Improvement Fund, Designation Challenge Fund, The Shears Foundation, The
Richard and Suzanna Tonks Family Fund at County Durham Foundation, Durham County
Council, The Friends of The Bowes Museum, The Headley Trust, Sir James Knott Trust,
Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust, Fenwick Ltd, Mercers Charitable Foundation, Welton
Foundation.
The Bowes Museum is a member of the Discover Durham partnership of attractions. Our
commitment is to promote Durham as an exciting and vibrant group travel destination and to
provide the travel trade with a professional and knowledgeable service: hotline number 0191
301 8531, www.discoverdurham.co.uk