Brushes with War

The lecture in September was given by Dr Neil Ballantyne and was about the exhibition “Brushes with War” which is currently in Kelvingrove. The aim of the exhibition is to tell the story of the First World War through sketches and drawings made by ordinary soldiers. Most of these come from the collection of Joel Parkinson, director of the World War History and Art museum in Alliance , Ohio.

Rats’, by Gunner Mears (British Army) in 1916. 

Joel Parkinson, © WWHAM (World War History and Art Museum). 

His collection was started with a drawing showing his grandfather, a lieutenant in WW1. The exhibition moves from the initial optimism of 1914 to the stark reality of the trenches. It is well displayed and explained. After the talk, any who wished had the opportunity to go into the exhibition and were taken round by Dr Ballantyne.

Jupiter Artland

Courtesy of Frances Dryburgh

On the 17^th September ,30 Friends travelled to Jupiter Artland, near Edinburgh. This is a sculpture park opened ten years ago in a wooded estate. As we wandered through the trees, we discovered contemporary sculptures by well known, and not so well known, artists. The sculptures vary from a giant shoe made from pots and pans, to a heart made from plastic pottery, to a shed built from dry stonewalls and even a giant spider’s web. A most striking cast iron sculpture is this giant rifle leaning on a tree, which our chairman is inspecting.

Thanks to Marion Maudsley for her careful arrangements on the day.