Toowoomba

Wednesday 12 March 2025
THE PITMAN PAINTERS
Presented by Robert Ketton
Venue & Time: Burke & Wills Hotel, Cunningham Room, 5.45pm for a 6pm start

Coal mining underground is a perilous occupation. In the 1930s, a group of miners in Northern England sought more from life and invited an academic art lecturer to teach them art. The resulting classes revealed the social gap between the working man and the academic; however, despite initial misunderstandings, a unique collective of painters emerged. Robert will take you on the fascinating journey of The Pitman Painters.

In a long career as Lecturer in Theatre at the University of Southern Queensland, Robert taught acting and directed dozens of plays for the University’s Performance Centre. Since retirement he established “Floodlight” a federal government funded organisation aimed at helping flood victims. Robert has published books and plays and is currently working on an illustrated children’s book with his artist wife, Catherine.

Wednesday 2 April 2025
THE CHAIR – 2000 Years of Sitting Down
Presented by Marc Allum
Venue & Time: Burke & Wills Hotel, Cunningham Room, 5.45pm for a 6pm start

This engaging talk looks at the history of the chair and ‘sitting solutions’, charting the humble to high design, from antiquity to the 21st century. Never again will you take your seat for granted!

Marc Allum is a freelance art and antiques journalist, writer and broadcaster based in Wiltshire, UK. He has been a specialist on the BBC Antiques Roadshow for over 25 years. Marc regularly writes for mainstream magazines and is an author, antiques consultant and lecturer. He also runs a fine art valuation and consultancy service. Marc’s interests range from pre-history to modern design, and he is a self-confessed ‘collectaholic.’ Marc has lectured widely to organisations in both the public and charity sector, including travel companies, The National Trust and at literary festivals including Cheltenham, Bath and Wells. Marc is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Wednesday 21 May 2025
A HAAAAND BAAAAG? The Importance of Being Oscar (& Earnest)
Presented by Simon Whitehouse
Venue & Time: Burke & Wills Hotel, Cunningham Room, 5.45pm for a 6pm start

This lecture explores Oscar’s literary successes, beginning with The Picture of Dorian Gray,1890. Simon will focus on The Importance of Being Earnest, one of the funniest, most performed and most quoted plays in English. Described as ‘A Trivial Comedy for Serious People’, it was of its time and yet ahead of its time, satirising the shallowness of upper-class Victorian society. Simon explores the hidden elements which the audience then (and now) were not aware of and we discover that, for the author, this triumph heralded the beginning of his own fatal final act.

Simon is a (recovering) actor, presenter, Alexander Technique and voice teacher, and award-winning London Blue Badge guide. He has worked as a guide in-house at Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Opera House, the BBC and the National Gallery guiding both public and private tours. He is on the faculty of Ithaca College and lectures for the Blue Badge Guide training course on the performing arts and English literature. Simon’s specialisms and passions are theatre, literature, fashion, and art history but whatever the subject, Simon will weave a wonderful story from it.

Wednesday 18 June 2025
THE ART OF MAPS: Ancient, Medieval and Modern
Presented by John Williamson
Venue & Time: Burke & Wills Hotel, Cunningham Room, 5.45pm for a 6pm start

This lecture discusses the development of maps of the world from the earliest civilisations to the most recent digital creations. They show gradual improvement for purposes of shipping, trade and national sovereignty. This evolution of maps includes more accurate coastlines, the addition of longitude and latitude and the placement of a consistent North; however, maps have always shown what their creators desired or hoped for. Most of all Maps ancient, medieval or modern are frequently pieces of great artistic skill and beauty.

John is currently the Coordinator of Humanities and Senior Teacher, Fahan School. Until 2019 John was also Associate Lecturer Bachelor of Antarctic Studies Programme, IASOS, at the University of Tasmania. He has operated as a Historian / Guide for the Quark Expeditions, “The Wonders of the Ross Sea” Antarctic Voyage and Researcher and Tour Guide for “Hobart’s Waterways Tours”, Hobart City Council. John has also been an Antarctic History Researcher, ‘Antarctic Tasmania’, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Tasmanian Government. John has written numerous published articles on his areas of interest.

Wednesday 23 July 2025
PARACAS: The Most Splendid Textiles of the Americas – Peru
Presented by Maria Chester
Venue & Time: Burke & Wills Hotel, Cunningham Room, 5.45pm for a 6pm start

The Paracas civilisation developed from 800 BC. Paracas textiles recovered from burial sites beautifully preserved by the desert climate include complex weaving techniques, elaborate plaiting and knotting. In this lecture we explore Paracas embroideries which are considered the finest ever produced in the Americas and are remarkable works of art: turbans, shoulder mantles, ponchos, feather tunics, leather capes, headbands and loincloths. Designs were by painting, embroidering, sewing feathers of rare tropical birds and using 3D technique called “structural weaving”.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, multilingual Maria Chester studied Fine Arts and Art History and is a Professor of Pre-Columbian Art. She taught in several South American universities and at private institutions. She is a Senior Lecturer and tutor on Art History for BEA – Berwick Educational Association in the Scottish Borders, where she lives. She also works for Berwick Visual Arts delivering conferences linked to art exhibitions complemented with guided tours. In May 2018, she was made a Visiting Research Fellow at CAUA Research Centre for International Elderly Education, Shanghai, China. She became an Accredited Lecturer for The Arts Society in 2018.

Wednesday 27 August 2025
MINIATURE ADULTS? Images of Childhood in Western Art
Presented by Sophie Oosterwijk
Venue & Time: Burke & Wills Hotel, Cunningham Room, 5.45pm for a 6pm start

Children can be found in art across at least five millennia. The question is whether these pictures are recognisable to us as children. When we look at early child portraits we often see diminutive figures, stiff and often dressed in adult-like clothes: the stereotypical ‘miniature adults’ that confirm our worst fears. Yet what can depictions of children from Antiquity or by artists such as Holbein, Velázquez and Reynolds, really tell us about childhood in the past? Does art present us with reliable historical evidence or should we know how to read each image properly? Recognising the (artistic) conventions behind images of children in art may help to discover more about childhood throughout history, and about social expectations. With insights from this lecture you will probably never look at portrayals of children in quite the same way again.

Born in Gouda (Netherlands). Sophie has an MA in Medieval Studies (York) and a PhD in Art History (Leicester), as well as an MA and PhD in English Literature (Leiden). Sophie has taught at the universities of St Andrews, Leicester and Manchester, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, National Trust, V&A, U3A, WEA and other organisations, and organised many study days, tours and visits. She is also a regular lecturer for Cambridge University and travel companies, and Vice President of the Church Monuments Society, and has numerous publications to her name.

Wednesday 24 September 2025
A VIRTUAL TOUR OF MOMA NEW YORK 
Presented by Anna Moszynska
Venue & Time: Burke & Wills Hotel, Cunningham Room, 5.45pm for a 6pm start

‘Travel’ to New York and experience the excitement of visiting its premier modern art museum, MoMA. We look at its fascinating history and architecture, and tour the art collection. Established in 1929 the museum offers a superb range of art ranging from Impressionism to the present day. Enjoy this lively introduction without the jet-lag!

Anna is a London-based lecturer and writer specialising in contemporary art. During the 1990s, Anna oversaw the development of the first British Master’s Degree in the subject at Sotheby’s Institute. She has also taught at institutions including The City Lit, the Royal Academy and Tate London, as well as lecturing globally from Dubai to New York. Anna currently teaches in London and continues to write on art. Her books include Abstract Art and Sculpture Now. Anna enjoys introducing art to audiences in a lively and approachable way to make modern and contemporary art both accessible and interesting.

Wednesday 29 October 2025
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PICTURE RESTORER
Presented by Sarah Cove
Venue & Time: Burke & Wills Hotel, Cunningham Room, 5.45pm for a 6pm start

This lecture discusses the nature of oil painting materials and common problems associated with the ageing and deterioration of, and damage to, easel paintings. These can be on canvas, panel, board or paper in a range of mediums: oil, acrylic, egg tempera, or mixed media. Problems can involve natural deterioration and neglect, accidental damage, vandalism and even war. Modern approaches to conservation and restoration will be illustrated with slides ranging from early Italian religious paintings via rapid oil sketches on paper to 20th century British paintings and modern abstract works.

Sarah Cove ACR is an accredited paintings conservator-restorer, technical art historian and lecturer with several decades of experience working on paintings for the heritage and private sectors. She is London and Falmouth based and is a specialist in British portraits, 19th-20th century British landscapes and oil sketches on paper and board. She founded the Constable Research Project and is the leading authority on Constable’s materials and techniques. She has lectured for The Arts Society since 2003 and lectures independently at major public and gallery venues across the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand. Her presentations are lively, enthusiastic and passionate about her work and research.