Visit to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales
In August we went to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales. We had been planing the trip for July, but this summer we have had nothing but rain, so the July trip got rained off. Not to be deterred we set a new date for the end of August. A motorised scooter was booked from the National Botanic Gardens of Wales and members dug out there cook books to make food for our bring and share picnic.
What a good day it was. I can't believe that, of all the days we had to pick, we chose the one day in August that was not only dry but also turned out sunny too.
The company was excellent and the picnic was so enjoyable. So many good home cooked dishes on the table to share. We were the envy of a few of a wedding party there at the Gardens who only had a glass of Pims to tide them over. For two pins some of them would have eaten their fancy hats or buttonholes.
Our group enjoyed visiting the formal gardens and the apothecary’s display, with it's connected garden of medicinal plants. One member really found the scooter so helpful with getting round the Gardens that he intends to investigate buying one for future opportunities to get out and enjoy more time outside his home again. None of the group would have been able to push his wheelchair for the distances involved with the visit.
Later the group dropped the Staff at the Gardens an e-mail to thank them for the loan of the scooter for the day.
Members have expressed a desire to return again for another get-together to see the various parts of the Gardens we failed to get to.
Visit to the National Museum Cardiff 2008
On Friday 4th of January the group enjoyed a trip to the National Museum Cardiff. As a group HIV Cymru Wales was able to take a guided tour of the exhibition called "Industry to Impressionism - what two sisters did for Wales" Half a dozen of us met up and enjoyed seeing some of the most important Impressionism and Post-Impressionism work the world has.
The exhibition told the story of two extraordinary Women: Gwendoline and Margaret Davies collected French Impressionist and Post Impressionist paintings. The sisters later gave their collections to the National Museum of Wales. The tour covered their lives and works. After the tour, which lasted for about 45 mins we all headed to the Café for Coffee and Cake. A very happy time was had by all.
Cardiff’s Museum has ten paintings in this collection by Claude Monet who is famous for his waterlillies and views of London in the fog. That's as many Monets as you find in all of London's Museums and Art galleries combined. Among the collection bequeathed by the two sisters are works by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Turner and Renoir.
Here is a little bit of information about the Davies Sisters and their Gift to the Nation of Wales:
Gwendoline (1882-1951) and Margaret Davies (1884-1963), two sisters from mid-Wales, were among the first people in Britain to collect French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. They bequeathed their magnificent art collection to Amgueddfa Cymru (The Welsh Museum), completely transforming the range and quality of Wales's national art collection.
The sisters had a childhood dominated by the strict religious beliefs of Calvinistic Methodism. They were taught that it was their Christian duty to use well the great wealth they would inherit.
After a good and progressive education, they developed a passion for the arts and music. Art history was in its infancy in Britain, so the sisters travelled widely in Europe, studying art in Germany and Italy before beginning their art collecting.
Their sophisticated knowledge of art history was unusual for women of this period and their background.
In October 1951, Amgueddfa Cymru announced the arrival of 'the late Miss Gwendoline Davies' bequest. This was one of the most valuable donations in recent years to any public collection in Britain.
Margaret continued to collect art until just before her death in 1963, focusing on work by modern British artists, many of who were Welsh. Her works were also destined for the Museum and many of her later acquisitions were made with the Museum in mind.
In 1963 Margaret's bequest of 152 objects joined that of Gwendoline's. Together, the sisters' collections completely transformed the Welsh national art collection.