Almanac

Richard Hatfield & Tim Needhams’ interest in painting stretches back through careers that began just one year apart. Working independently, both find common ground in their references to landscape, yet it is their divergent approaches which spark the dialogue in this show.

I paint out of doors and in the studio. Landscape embodies form, colour and light. Painting can reflect these primal elements and leave us with an object akin to poetry. I play with the picture plane and use paint on various surfaces, abstracted to convey feelings and form with a sense of the drama of the place.
Tim Needham

The subjects are the amalgamation of the remembered, the fleetingly observed and the repeated, emblematic motifs left, like an afterimage imprinted on the retina. I look for a sense of the unfamiliar in the ordinary – a gentle disquiet. Some pieces recall a particular moment or episode, often dramatic and transient such as the effects of light or weather, frequently in the extreme. It is at these times that nature can reassert itself into our consciousness and provide us with a taste of something that is awesome in the true sense of the word. Other paintings are less dramatic and conjure up emotions and associations of particular memories and universal fears from early childhood.
Richard Hatfield

Max Marschner was born in London in 1929. His early life was interrupted by World War II and evacuation, but in 1943 he enrolled in the Junior Department of Camberwell School of Art. He stayed there until the early 1950s with breaks for National Service and matriculation. He excelled in the design department. These were the wood engraving years.

Throughout his life Max delighted in the unexpected; scenes and buildings which had a tale to tell, or that presented a mood or sharpness which suited his work.

By the beginning of the 1960s he was experimenting with linocuts, monoprints and basic etchings, often using ideas from old postcards and encyclopaedias, which he hoped would depict a sense of surprise and strangeness.

A move to Lincoln at the beginning of the 1970s brought changes. Screenprints was possible: The same ideas, but larger and more colourful prints.

In 1973 Max bought his first ‘real’ camera, a Pentax Spotmatic. This he used for the rest of his life. He enjoyed experimenting with the old ways of photography, developing and printing in his darkroom. Eventually he taught himself Photo Etching. This involved infrared film, large negatives and acids, though changing over the years to safer methods of working.

ALMANAC – the seasons they rolled in and they tumbled

Ron Wilson and Jan Stead hail from the West Riding of Yorkshire. They met whilst studying art and design and teacher training at Bretton Hall over 40 years ago, they have kept in touch – sharing a passion for Yorkshire, art and design and in particular, printmaking.

ALMANAC

An Almanac can be described in general terms as an annual calander which contains a wealth of information such as important days, times of the sun rising and setting and changes in the moon and tides. In the past the Almanac was particularly important to farmers but perhaps their relevance is somewhat diminished. Ron and Jan have each produced a visual Almanac based on the four seasons and the wheel of the year where they have attempted, in their printed pieces, to re-establish the natural connections of the rolling seasons.

Ron: My Almanac wraps localities and phenomena in folklore and myth, elements within the work are symbolic and at times esoteric. The images in the Almanac are lifted from Anglo Saxon and Medieval almanacs and bending them to a response that will resonate with contemporary audiences. I invite the viewer to create their own narrative.

Jan: My Almanac is in Astronomical Seasons where the equinox and solstices mark the beginning and end of each season. It does, therefore, span two calendar years. Spring, Summer, Autumn and the first month of Winter – December are set in 2018. The remainder of winter – January and February, are in 2019. I am concerned with the equinox, solstice and moon shapes on key dates in each month. The images are a mix of Pagan, Christian and general traditions.

Ron Wilson and Jan Stead October 2018

The Box Gallery is housing everything you need to go back to school, college, university and work. From textiles kits to lino kits, book binding kits, notebooks, handmade pens, bags and accessories, there is something to make you stand out from the crowd.

A rare opportunity to acquire books from the personal library of one of area’s most noted local historians, Geoff Bryant, takes place on the penultimate day of Barton upon Humber’s Heritage Open Days.

The collection of general history books will be on sale as Mr Bryant has taken the decision to reduce the size of his personal collection that he has built up over more than five decades involved in local history particularly during his time as tutor organizer with the Workers’ Educational Association.

“The Heritage Book Fair will include a programme of talks by local authors and historians as well as heritage book stalls giving those with an interest in local history the chance to delve further into the town’s fascinating history in the company of other enthusiasts as well as building up a personal collection,” said Liz Bennet of The Ropewalk.

Mr Bryant begins the series of talks at 11am in the Humber Room when he will highlight books published about the heritage of Barton upon Humber and their importance. He will also discuss the merits of the publications and give his recommendations for the must reads.

Three quarters of an hour later bicycle enthusiast Nigel Land will talk about Elswick Hopper Cycles, the company that grew from a small whitesmith’s business in Brigg Road in 1880to become one of the largest bicycle factories in the country with the factory based on  Marsh Lane and run from a prestigious office building at the corner of Brigg Road and Market Place.

His first brand was Ajax, first marketed in 1890 and just 20 years later the assets of a prestigious Newcastle company – Elswick Cycles were acquired. Owner Fred Hopper experienced many ups and downs over the years, but finished up employing more than 600 people becoming Managing Director of the Elswick-Hopper Cycle and Motor Company Ltd.

In Nigel’s book, Elswick-Hopper of Barton-on-Humber, the full history of cycle manufacture in the town is recorded, including the early Falcon story and that of Nigel Dean Cycles. His talk will include many photographs of the business, many of which have not previously been shown.

At 12.30pm Richard Clarke, an adult education tutor and well-known speaker and tour guide, will be talking about housing in Barton and will be presenting ideas from his publication Housing in a North Lincolnshire Town, a comprehensive study of domestic architecture during 19^th century Barton upon Humber.

The afternoon is given over to a talk by local historian Brian Peeps who, at 2pm, will be talking about Barton upon Humber shops and public houses

His illustrated talk will use images from his vast collection of historic Barton photographs and postcards that spans more than 100 years of the town’s history and this talk will concentrate on notable shops and public houses as they were and how they are today.

The fair runs 10am until 4pm along The Ropewalk’s corridors starting at the Artspace and stalls include, as well as general history books belonging to Mr Bryant, an Oxfam book shop collection of history and antiquarian books, Fathom Press local heritage books, and a large collection of art history books from The Ropewalk as well as the Wilderspin National School Museum.

ST-ART is a charity based at The Ropewalk that provides creative activities for young people that take place during school holidays and after school. The activities are led by professional artists and there are opportunities for young people to gain a qualification in the Arts by completing their Arts Award.

The Art Club was set up in 2012 and takes place each Wednesday evening during term time and caters for young people aged seven to 19 years in two separate groups and the activities are chosen by a steering group made up of 10 young people. All young people have an opportunity to share their ideas via a suggestion box.

The activities are made possible with a grant from The People’s Health Trust until May 2019, with in-kind support from The Ropewalk and with the help of a bank of volunteers.

The young people have been working on this exhibition since Easter 2018 after an Art Club trip to Thornton Abbey.  Since then they have been developing their drawing and observation techniques and have created an exhibition of artwork exploring the local landscape.