Art Society to focus on top US painter in May lecture

THE Arts Society Dove Valley has announced details of its latest lecture, which will be held this month over the Zoom video-conferencing platform.

The latest event in the society’s line-up is entitled “Georgia O’keeffe in New Mexico”, with James Russell.

Taking place on Wednesday, May 12, from 2.15pm the society promises a colourful lecture exploring the relationship between an extraordinary American painter and the picturesque state of New Mexico.

Having visited the mountain art colony of Taos for the first time in 1929, Georgia moved permanently to New Mexico after World War II.

Fascinated by the mountains and desert, adobe churches and sun-bleached bones, and by the brilliant light and vast skies of the state they call the Land of Enchantment, she painted constantly.

Having studied history at Pembroke College, Cambridge, James Russell enjoyed a lengthy stint selling contemporary paintings and sculpture in Santa Fe, New Mexico, an experience that inspired him to begin writing and lecturing on 20th century art.

He had curated major exhibitions at Dulwich Picture Gallery and for museums around the country.

To find out more about the free lecture, and other events in the society’s programme, email Andrew Bownes at andrew@bownes.uk.net