Newsletter No. 25 Spring 2007 archival material relating to the history of the Gallery. I am From the Chair currently studying for an MSc in Archives Administration at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth by distance learning, and hope to start my dissertation in the not too appy New Year from the SSAH – though I distant future. suspect by the time you read this, the bright shiny newness of 2007 will have worn off Gillian Peebles H somewhat! Apologies for the fact that this issue is both I became an art historian last autumn, graduating with an later and shorter than intended – my co-editor Venda MSc from the University of Edinburgh. I took the course Pollock now has an exciting new teaching post at the Uni- part-time while working as an Advocate at the Scottish versity of Newcastle which has meant that time has been Bar. I am now pursuing my career in the arts full-time. limited. We are hoping to recruit further assistance with Born and brought up in Glasgow, I studied Law at the newsletter soon. Glasgow University. After my legal training I moved to Those of you who were at our AGM at Kelvingrove Edinburgh to work as a litigation solicitor. I served as a in December will know that there was unanimous ap- Board Member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board in 1992-96 proval for our proposals to alter the society’s constitu- and as a Writer to the Signet. I called to the Bar in 1995. tion in order to increase the size of the committee. We Despite my professional career, I have always loved art. are now able to have up to 13 committee members with My initial enthusiasm came from my mother (a would-be a further five co-opted members. This should help us to architect and interior designer), inspirational school increase the scope of our activities, and you can read teachers and school visits to the ‘old’ Kelvingrove where I about some of our plans for the new year in this issue. won two medals in the annual Glasgow Schools Painting We have already taken advantage of this expansion to Competition! Despite a busy legal career, my interest in sign up several new committee members, three of whom art and the arts never waned and I made regular visits to introduce themselves here. Before that, however, we galleries and museums at home and abroad. Studying art would like to thank two retiring members of the commit- history for pleasure through the courses of the Friends of tee, Belinda Thomson and Nicola Kalinsky, whose work the National Galleries of Scotland led to the degree. on our behalf has been much appreciated. At Edinburgh I studied Golden Age Spanish Painting, th Matthew Jarron Figurative Art of the first half of the 20 century and Committee Members French Art & Culture of the Third Republic. I also gained Here our new committee members Imogen Gibbon, curatorial experience in the Library of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, cataloguing the drawings produced at Gillian Peebles and Ellen Graves introduce themselves. th Inverleith by 20 -century botanical artist Lilian Snelling. My Imogen Gibbon th dissertation was on Velázquez and the 19 -century painter I graduated in 1996 with an MA Hons in Art History from and art critic R.A.M. (‘Bob’) Stevenson, cousin of Robert the University of St Andrews. During that time I Louis Stevenson. I am currently pursuing my research volunteered at the Scottish Fisheries Museum in interests in Snelling and Stevenson while seeking a fulfilling Anstruther, where I gained a foundation knowledge in a source of arts employment. My other enthusiasms include few things maritime. This led me to take up the post of film, fashion, music, theatre, opera, travel, cooking Curator of Historic Photographs and Ship Plans at the (particularly French and Italian) and walking. My worst fear National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, where I spent is of finding myself without anything (sensational or five enjoyable years. I moved back up to Scotland in 2002, otherwise) to read on the train. having been appointed as Curator of the Reference Ellen Graves Section at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. My work at the Gallery consists of a wide variety of activities I am currently a tutor for the Open University in Scotland. including dealing with public enquiries, curating I got an MA Hons in Art History at St Andrews in 1993, exhibitions and devising a catalogue of the primary specialising in Renaissance art history. Since then I’ve done 1 research in various Trecento topics, but also have an The Réseau Art Nouveau Network interest in exploring the roots of art collecting behaviour th The Réseau Art Nouveau Network was launched in 1999 amongst the early 19 -century intelligentsia in Britain. through the Culture 2000 programme. The evolution of Since graduation my main employer has been the its membership and actions reflects the changing reality of Open University, though I have also tutored for St Europe, taking in countries from both central and Eastern Andrews University. I have taught many courses with the Europe. The fundamental pan-European nature of Art OU over the past 12 years, mainly in Art History but Nouveau makes it an ideal vehicle to increase European some wider-ranging interdisciplinary Arts courses also. citizens’ awareness of their common heritage. With the The OU has just brought out a very innovative course in support of the EU the network is able to reach a broader Renaissance Art History, Renaissance Art Reconsidered, audience and develop actions that are both visible and which looks to be truly exciting for both those of us accessible, while offering a full representation of the style. tutoring on it, and students taking it! By providing a blueprint for best practice in the field of Over the last few years I’ve also worked as a cultural heritage the network aims to achieve a sustainable volunteer for Matthew Jarron, writing interpretive text framework of protection and promotion for Art and cataloguing various parts of the University’s art Nouveau. Central to the network is the desire to make collection. Recently I’ve also done some writing for OU cultural heritage a modern-day relevance for all European course production teams. citizens, hence the use of innovative methods of interpretation and ways of making cultural heritage both socially and economically beneficial. Notices Under the general title of ‘Art Nouveau & Society’, the Réseau Art Nouveau Network has devised a pluri-annual Research Grants programme (2005-2008) of core and optional actions to be realised under three structures: innovation labs, One of the society’s principal aims is to support the study historical labs and exchange platform. of art history in Scotland. At the AGM we announced that The core feature is a multimedia presentation entitled we would shortly be introducing a new series of small ‘Art Nouveau & Society’, examining European Art research grants to support art history students and Nouveau and its social, political and economic context, independent scholars. The grants will cover travel, linking cities in the past and present. The research and reproduction and other research costs up to a maximum iconography gathered at the Historical Labs will also be of £300, to be awarded on a case-by-case basis. Recipients included. In total six plenary meetings and Historical Labs of the grants will be expected to write a short report on will take place during the period 2005-2008: International their work for publication in the newsletter. The full Exhibitions and World Fairs (Brussels, 22 nd October 2005), details of the scheme have still to be worked out, and will National Identity and International Trends (Ljubljana,10 th be published in our next issue, but we hope you’ll agree March 2006), Decoration in Art Nouveau (Riga, 20 th October that this is a very worthwhile way of investing the 2006), Urban Quality (Como Lake, May 2007), Patrons society’s funds for future benefits. (Nancy, September 2007) and East meets West (Bad Design Competition Nauheim, May 2008) The Historical Labs aim to establish an exchange As ever we are keen to attract new members to the platform of knowledge and know-how for those in- and society, and are intending to produce new publicity outside RANN. The Innovation Labs include an materials over the summer. To maximise our impact we educational package for educators and school children are intending to create a new logo and visual identity for (including a new publication on dream and nightmare the society. In keeping with our aim to promote and creatures in Art Nouveau, activity sheets, activities on-line support new artistic talent, we have launched a design and teachers’ sessions), a project for the visually impaired competition for art students to come up with a new logo public and an Art Nouveau guide through mobile phones for the society. The prize is £250, the deadline is 2 nd and personal digital assistants. The Multilateral exchanges March, and the competition is open to all art and/or provide the opportunity for those working in the Art design students based in Scotland. If you are interested in Nouveau cultural heritage sector to exchange their entering or wish further details, please email knowledge and experience across Europe on three [email protected] specific subjects: Tourism and Art Nouveau (Ljubljana,14 th March 2006), Education and Art Nouveau (Provincia di Apologies Varese, May 2007) and Art Nouveau Interpretations Centres In our last issue we inadvertently forgot to include details (Nancy, September 2007). All the educational materials are of the author of the review of Anatomy Acts and A Healing downloadable from the network’s website, free of charge.