ON THE TRAIL OF ART

Yes, we did it.

We opened our doors to art.

Took part in the Ilkley Art Trail.

Gave folk the opportunity to view six paintings from the acclaimed Methodist Modern Art Collection.

Not reproductions, not images on the I-pad or smartphone, here one
oment gone the next. Real pictures, pictures with depth, pictures with layers
of meaning waiting to be discovered… pondered upon…discussed. And so
they were, by the two hundred or so people who came in through those doors
over the four days, who often commented on how thought provoking the
paintings were and how effectively displayed they were in the Tower area of
our church.

And then there was the added bonus. The opportunity for first time visitors
to the church to see a different form of art, a fine stained glass window.
The name of Harry Stammers may well not be so well known as
Graham Sutherland or Elizabeth Frink, both represented in the exhibition,
but he was a key figure in the revival of the now world famous
York School of Glass Painting and his window “A sower went forth to sow”
is a particularly fine example of his work.

It’s a sermon in itself in fact. As were the paintings. It was good to have them.

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However, it has to be said Ben Rhydding Primary School stole the show with some stunning artwork they produced and some creative poetry and imaginative letters home from soldiers.​

All of this was on display for the whole weekend and received many admirers.

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Ben Ryhdding Methodist Church would like to say a huge thank you to all the children who took part and to their teachers for encouraging them and taking the project to heart. 

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Here is some of their fantastic work, with apologies that we couldn't include close-ups of all the writing.  Click on the image below and a larger viewing window will open and you can scroll through the images.

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