Adventures in Art History

Welcome newsletter

Helen Frankenthaler, April Mood, 1974

Hi and welcome to my Substack, susiewillisart.

I’m a UK based Art Historian and one of the things I do is host discussion groups and give talks and lectures on a wide variety of topics, mostly about art and artists but also about the history, thinkers and events surrounding the works made or the situations the artists lived in. This Substack came about as an extension to the email lists I have been using as a way to keep in touch with past and current students, and a way to share ideas about exhibitions, books, and all things art historical in a more engaging format. Hope you like it! There’s something for everyone,  even if you have not attended one of my talks yet, or if it has been a long time.

At the moment I give weekly classes at Charleston House Museum, the country home of the Bloomsbury Group in Sussex. https://www.charleston.org.uk/whats-on/

I also help university Art History students with their assignments, bibliographies, and presentations.

One of the things I’ve noticed particularly since the Covid pandemic is the energising and transporting nature of looking at and discussing artists’ lives and works of art and how this can lift people who are going through difficult times. Many of my students tell me the classes help them during times of stress, perhaps health, work or relationship related, and I have been reflecting on this idea and using it to inform my planning. Others appreciate the chance to flex creative thinking muscles that might have taken a back seat for a while, for a variety of reasons.

Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts, questions and ideas - I love to hear from you and some of our best sessions have come about because of student suggestions so keep them coming.

I’ve got a few plans for new ventures coming up, and there will be different ways to engage, so watch this space. Do let me know, for example, if you are planning any visits to arty cities like New York, Madrid, Paris, Barcelona etc and with a bit of notice I can put together a bespoke art guide for you.

Here’s to a year of great art, and keep an eye on your inbox for messages and newsletters from this substack, or add me to your contacts so it doesn’t get lost in junk.