Friends of Penlee House Talk: The Bowerman Collection, Methodism and the Art of Newlyn

Thursday 5 November, 2.30 pm at The Queens Hotel, Penzance

£7 for Friends of Penlee House. £15 for General Admission 

Book Now- Friends of Penlee House Talk: The Bowerman Collection, Methodism and the Art of Newlyn

Join Mrs Janet Taylor, Chair of the Bowerman Charitable Trust, and Revd Simon Downham, Curator of The Bowerman Collection, for a fascinating exploration of the story behind one of the country’s significant collections of Newlyn art.

The Bowerman Collection was initially brought together through the enthusiasm and generosity of David Bowerman, whose passion for Newlyn art led to the creation of a collection intended not simply for private enjoyment, but to be made accessible for everyone to appreciate.

Janet Taylor will share the story of her father, David Bowerman, his passion for collecting Newlyn art, and his vision for making these remarkable works available for public enjoyment.

Revd Simon Downham will explore another important and often overlooked aspect of the Newlyn story: the influence of Methodism and evangelical faith on the cultural life of Newlyn and on the artists who worked there. Drawing on David Bowerman’s own evangelical faith, Simon will consider the connections between faith, community and artistic life in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Newlyn.

The event also offers an opportunity to discover more about the Bowerman Collection’s current work to celebrate and share Newlyn art. The Collection has appointed Alison Bevan to curate a travelling exhibition, which launched at Penlee this October, alongside her new work, The Art of Newlyn. A new monograph, The Art of the Newlyn School, has also been commissioned.

Whether you are already fascinated by the Newlyn School or are discovering its artists for the first time, this promises to be an illuminating afternoon exploring the people, beliefs and passion behind an important collection of Cornish art.

Speakers

Mrs Janet Taylor is Chair of the Bowerman Charitable Trust and daughter of collector David Bowerman. She will offer a personal insight into her father’s passion for Newlyn art and his vision for the collection.

Revd Simon Downham is Curator of The Bowerman Collection, with responsibility for developing the Collection and its Newlyn holdings, as well as commissioning and supporting projects including Alison Bevan’s The Art of Newlyn exhibition and the new monograph The Art of the Newlyn School.