23 September 2006 Miscellany

Miscellany sang at my in-law's Diamond Wedding celebrations - reminded me how very professional they are - and good fun into the bargain. Here they all are, left to right:

Carolyn Morgan, accompanist Sue Gregory, Andrea Argent, Ann Seabright, Audrey Barnes, Wendy Sargeant, Alison Pemple, Marianne McAleer, Chris Parfitt, Helen Hill, Pam Pimm.

Abbreviations and Who's Who of Windows

1898-1899
Brangwyn produced 6 designs for stained glass panels for Tiffany:
Baptism of Christ, Child Picking Gourd, Flute Player, Youth and Age, Nymphs and Herma, Girl with Fruit Bowl.

1912-1917
East window and Nativity window in north aisle, St Mary the Virgin, Bucklebury, Berkshire

1920
East window, United Reformed Church, Abington Avenue, Northampton

1927-1928
Memorial window in south aisle, St Winifred's, Manaton, Devon

c1936
Single lancet in Holy Cross chapel, and 5 double lancets in Chapter Hall, St Andre's Abbey, Zevenkerken, Bruges

1937
Memorial window, north transept, St Patrick's, Dublin

1937
West window, St Andrew and St Patrick, Elveden, Suffolk


Just so's you know:

FB = Frank Brangwyn
FBSG = Frank Brangwyn. Stained Glass (i.e. the planned DVD)
CM = Charles Mapleston
Film Farm = CM's home, a secret location in deepest, darkest Lincolnshire

WHO'S WHO?

LIBBY HORNER

The brains behind the project! Libby discovered Brangwyn in 2000 and since then the two have become inseparable. Libby is the world's leading authority on Brangwyn: she curated the most comprehensive exhibition ever held of Brangwyn's work (2006, Leeds, Bruges and Swansea); co-edited and contributed two essays to the accompanying publication Frank Brangwyn 1867-1956; wrote Frank Brangwyn. A Mission to Decorate Life for The Fine Art Society/Liss Fine Art selling show, Spring 2006; presented and wrote the script for the Brangwyn DVD, ART? It's just a job! (2006); lectures about the artist; writes about the artist; lives and breathes the artist - and started the website: http://www.frankbrangwyn.org/


Libby combines the tasks of researcher, writer and presenter of the DVD.

CHARLES MAPLESTON

The filmmaker. Charles produced and directed the Brangwyn DVD, ART? It's just a job! (2006). His production company Malachite is an Independent production company which produces work for the cinema and international broadcast television, as well as for corporate and business clients. They originate work on both film and digital video but the final product is increasingly on DVD, often with sophisticated menu structures and bonus material. They have a track record for producing long-running series as well as quality 'one-offs'; from observational documentaries to stylish education programmes and lifestyle television, specialising in making tightly controlled imaginative films with strong story lines and a focus on people. The subject matter ranges from design, technology and environmental issues to the arts, dance, music and entertainment. They are also developing micro-budget fiction. For more information visit the website at: http://www.malachite.co.uk/

GARETH MORGAN

The artist. Gareth Morgan studied Architectural Stained Glass at Swansea, following an academic career in Modern Languages. He has been a stained glass artist for the past twenty years, working to commission. He undertakes all aspects of the work himself, from the design stage through to the installation. His windows are in private houses; public buildings, e.g. The Royal Bolton Hospital and Trinity College Carmarthen; and numerous churches in England and Wales. He also creates autonomous panels, a number of them inspired by Welsh myths and other works of literature. He has been interviewed about his work a number of times on SC4, Radio Wales and The World Service.

MIKE WESTBROOK

The Composer. Mike has led and composed for a succession of Big Bands and small groups since the 1960s. He has toured extensively throughout Europe and further afield and made 40 albums. He has written for classical ensembles, choirs and brass bands, for radio, TV, theatre and cinema. His principal compositions for Jazz Orchestra include Citadel/Room 315 featuring John Surnam, On Duke's Birthday dedicated to the memory of Duke Ellington, Big Band Rossini which was featured in the 1992 Proms. His television music credits include the award winning BBC drama Caught on a Train by Stephen Poliakoff starring Peggy Ashcroft. Compositions for voice include settings of European poetry, notably in The Cortege and The Westbrook Blake. A documentary of the jazz oratorio Turner in Uri premiered in Switzerland in 2003, was filmed for Swiss TV by Malachite. Turner in Uri is one of a whole series of collaborations with Kate Westbrook that ranges from their first jazz cabaret Mama Chicago to the current Waxeywork Show. His opera Coming Through Slaughter based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje, was premiered in 1994. Jago, with libretto by Kate, was commissioned by Wedmore Opera in 2000. His latest album Chanson Irresponsable, performed by the New Westbrook Orchestra, a group that combines jazz and classical musicians, is released on Enja Records.

Mike was awarded the OBE in 1988. For more information see: http://www.westbrookjazz.co.uk/

MISCELLANY

The heavenly choir. The vocal ensemble Miscellany, formed in 1982, is based in Clevedon, North Somerset and comprises eleven female singers. They have won classes at festivals including the Bristol Eisteddfod, were highly commended finalists in the HTV televised Sing Out Competition in 1996 and 2000, and were the first musicians to perform at the National Trust Property, Tynestesfield in 2003. For more information: http://www.miscellany.org.uk/

2006 The Back Catalogue

Sometime April/May 2006 I was contemplating life, my navel, oranges and other things. The Liss Fine Art/Fine Art Society show was a great success, the BIG Brangwyn retrospective had started in Leeds, the corresponding books were published. The world was an open door again - which direction to take? The Catalogue Raisonne now the main goal, but how to produce it. One tome including all 12,000 or so works ranging from murals, to oils, watercolours, etchings, lithographs, woodcuts, interiors, furniture, carpets, stained glass etc etc would be mighty expensive and mighty heavy. Perhaps the best thing would be to publish each discipline separately.

Having worked with Charles Mapleston on the Brangwyn film ART? It's just a job! I'd begun to appreciate the possibilities of film and we began to discuss the concept of publishing a catalogue as a DVD. The catalogue I felt to be most complete was stained glass, it's also the shortest, and co-incidentally the most cinematic. A painting can be appreciated on any wall, but to appreciate a stained glass window one needs to see the environment, the architectural setting - preferably in 3 dimensions.

The actual academic stuff could be produced as a PDF file printable on any Mac or PC to produce a hard copy. The DVD format would give me the freedom to add information as necessary, to film the glass in situ, to interview practitioners and experts on camera (Peter Cormack and Martin Harrison have both agreed to be interviewed and you can't get any better than a line up like that), to produce a slide show of windows, details and studies. The initial seed grew exponentially. We'd had problems with copyright on music for the Brangwyn film, so Charles suggested commissioning some music - we ended up with the concept of 'Ella meets the monks' a capella, and his friend, the jazz composer, Mike Westbrook agreed to write some music. My sister in law, Carolyn, used to sing with a vocal ensemble called Miscellany, based in Clevedon. I contacted their leader, Andrea Argent, and they were on board. This was becoming multi-layered and hugely exciting!

I dislike 'art speak' with a virulent intensity - it means nothing whatsoever to me. And I also feel strongly that if people understand more about the processes involved in creating art, they might actually appreciate it more. Which led me to consider commissioning someone to recreate a Brangwyn design for stained glass - possibly one he produced for Tiffany back in 1899 and (as far as we know) never manufactured. But it had to be someone exceptionally competent. By chance Gareth Morgan contacted me shortly after the Brangwyn exhibition began in Swansea. He admired Brangwyn and explained, apropos of nothing in particular, that he designed stained glass. I reviewed some of his work, more exchanges of emails, and I've got my glass maker!

Next a detailed budget - places to go, people to see, fees to pay. UGH! More than I'd earned in the previous 2 years, and almost equivalent to the amount Brangwyn research had already cost me. I needed to get some sponsorship for this venture. So then I produced a glossy proposal setting out the aims, which was checked over and finally approved by Graham (by far my better half) and Charles.

First port of call, Richard in his flat in Albany. Richard is extremely intelligent, a successful businessman and in some ways quite scary, but I always feel at ease with him. He looked through the proposal, cooked me lunch, offered his flat as a venue, and gave me a good starter cheque. What a man! He also suggested all sorts of leads for sponsorship.

Then the problems. Frank Brangwyn Stained Glass (FBSG) is unique. As far as I can gather, no-one has ever produced a catalogue raisonne in this form. It just doesn't fit the standard requirements for grants from such bodies as Paul Mellon, British Council, etc. I talked to a lady from Yale publishing - 'Brilliant idea' she opined, but we couldn't give you an advance. I wrote to wealthy collectors of Brangwyn, whose works must have escalated in value through the voluntary research I've undertaken in the last few years - which produced one cheque.

But by this time I was completely hooked on the concept, and all the gallery owners and art historians I've spoken to (except for a few Luddites - just kidding PC and DB!) think it's a brilliant idea. So it has to be done. Sometimes sponsorship rolls in when a project develops, so who knows?! Not me.


Carpe Diem, Non Est Vivere Sed Valere Vita (It's not the living but the force of life - a tag FB often used) and all that stuff. Go for it girl!