The Moseley School of Art Association News Page
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Obituary
Frank was born in Birmingham and attended our school from 1948-51. He had a prodigious talent for music, playing the piano from an early age, and played the piano at our school during assembly. He later earned a place at the Royal College of Music to study piano, but later changed his studies toward conducting. He was reputed to have received training from Sir John Barbirolli, and to have been assisted by Herbert von Karajan before his first major appointment with the Berlin Opera in 1973. He went on to conduct many of the world’s most famous orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, La Scala Theatre Orchestra, and the Royal Stockholm, Helsinki and Moscow Philharmonic Orchestras. He also worked with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the English National Opera. As well as conducting, Frank provided master classes and served on the juries of a number of international conducting competitions. We were pleased to meet him when he attended the 2003 Moseley School of Art Association Reunion. Frank had always loved fast cars, and died following a collision with another car while driving his Jaguar XJ8 on the 6th. August 2014 at Wedhampton, near his home at Devizes, Wiltshire. The driver of the other vehicle suffered minor injuries. Frank had moved to Wiltshire in 2009, having lived at Malvern, Worcestershire for many years. He leaves his widow, Carmen, his daughter and stepdaughter.
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Attendance at the 2017 Annual Reunion - Payment by Bank Transfer Only a week to go to our 2017 Annual Reunion at the Kings Heath Cricket Club! Please ask all your ex-MSA friends to join us! It would be a huge help if anyone wishing to attend our 2017 Reunion & Exhibition (details below) could forward payment of their subscription of £17.50 by direct bank transfer. Our bank details are: HSBC Church St. Kidderminster Sort Code 40-26-08, A/c 100272, The Moseley School of Art Association unless you have already paid by standing order. We're delighted by the number of former students who've renewed their membership by standing order - we have very nearly achieved the number of members we had at the time last year when the decision was made to disband the Association. We take great heart from this support and are, again planning a happy future for our members. Admission will be available to members only - those who pay their annual subscription, which entitles you and one other person admission to the reunion and a super lunch for two. We are trying to avoid payment at the door, so do please forward your transfer if you haven't already paid - we're only days away from another great reunion!
As usual, there will be cash prizes for the works displayed which are, in the opinion of the judges, the best on the day. Please feel free to bring your own works - we'd love to see them. Please remember to bring cards to show the name of the artist, the name of the work, and the price, if offered for sale. You'll also need to bring the means to display your work - an easel, tabletop easel etc. See you there! Everyone who attends will receive a free MSAA keyfob, and the last remaining copies of Professor John Swift's excellent "History of the Moseley School of Art" will be available at only £6 (one copy per person only) Above all - please let us know if you're coming AND the name of anyone accompanying you! |
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Membership of the Association and Attendance at the 2017 Annual Reunion As members of the Association will remember, the decision was taken at our 2016 Reunion to dissolve the Association. Due to the large number of messages asking us to reconsider, we're happy to announce that we're happy to continue, given the large amount of support for the decision. In order to streamline our admission, attendance at our Annual Reunions will only be available to subscribing members - those who pay the annual subscription of £17.50 in advance by standing order. Membership entitles the member to receive newsletters, attend our Annual Reunion and Exhibition of works by former students on the third Sunday in May each year (this year on the 21st. May) including a super lunch for yourself and one other accompanying you, and to vote on resolutions at the AGM held on the same day. If you attended Moseley School of Art and would like to attend our reunion, please download and print the Standing Order mandate HERE and forward it without delay as it will not be possible to pay on the day. The first payment will entitle members to admission to our 2017 Annual Reunion. If you are in any doubt as to whether you have a valid subscription, just forward a new standing order form - any existing order will be automatically cancelled. |
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2017 MSA Reunion and Exhibition of Works
Our 2017 Reunion and Exhibition will be held on Sunday, 21st. May 2017. The venue will be the same as last year - Kings Heath Cricket Club, 247 Alcester Road South, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 6DT. We had a large number of compliments about the venue last year, with members particularly liking the quality of the food, the exhibition space, the availability of a bar and the abundance of parking space close to the entrance. We hope to see as many former pupils as possible from the 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's and 1970's for a warm, happy and meaningful reunion. Our reunions are very well attended, and you'll receive a very warm welcome. - please tell all of your MSA friends and ask them to join you. Your husband, wife or partner will be welcome. We're aiming to make this reunion special and the higher the attendance, the greater the enjoyment. Please sign up to our Update Notification (below) so that you don't miss out on news from our website. Following the funeral of former teacher and headmaster Jack "Butch" Taylor on the 9th. February, we have invited Hilary and Martin, his children, to join us for the day. We're also aiming to produce an automated continuous-play slideshow of hundreds of photos of the school, teaching staff and pupils. If you have any photos you'd like included, please forward them to the email address at the top of this page. In the meantime, why not start preparing a work or two to enter in our open exhibition? Any medium, any number as long as it's not a work previously exhibited. No entry fee, just bring a means of displaying the work(s) e.g. easel etc. Cash prizes will be awarded for the best works, and you can, of course offer your works for sale. We're always anxious to find 'new' contacts - if you haven't yet been in touch with us, or if you know someone else who attended our school, wherever they now live, please drop us a line at the link at the top of this page. We've established a worldwide network of former students and would like to add more - they aren't making any more of us! |
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The Moseley School of Art 2017 Venice Reunion Our 2016 Venice Reunion was a great success, and most of those who joined us have already booked to join us again in 2017.
The dates of our fabulous 2017 trip (3 Nights) are:
Our Reunion Dinner will take place on the 30th. June - we'll enjoy a beautiful, sophisticated Italian dinner for which there will be a charge of approx. 38 Euro pp. These prices can only be guaranteed for a fixed term after which the normal commercial rates will apply. |
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Free Website Update Notification - ChangeDetection.com Fed up not knowing if something new has been added to this website? One way of making sure you're made aware of a change immediately its made is to use the free ChangeDetection.com facility. Things can change rapidly when it comes to the Internet, but this company have been providing change monitoring for websites since 1999. Just go to their website and follow the simple instructions. The address to enter for this webpage is - http://www.moseley-art-school.co.uk/news.html Setting this up takes only a minute or two, and once set up you'll receive an email notifying you every time this webpage is updated. You can, of course, enter as many webpages to their service as you want, from this or any other website. |
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Obituary We are sad to announce that Philip Galley, who attended the Moseley School of Art between 1958-61 has passed away following a battle with lung cancer. His widow, Pam informs us that it has been a bad time for their family. Pam intends to remain in Kenya, where their eldest son has married and made his home too. She asks us to let old friends from his school days know about his passing. Philip was a very talented pupil at MSA and later studied Fine Art and Lithography at the Plymouth College of Art and Design. He later worked as a graphic artist which took him to East and West Africa where he became captivated by the wildlife in the numerous game parks which led to him becoming a successful wildlife artist. His work has sold at Christie's and he has assembled a body of work with his son, Alexander known as the Leo Collection. |
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Obituary We are sad to announce that Tony Donnelly, who left our school in 1975 passed away on the 29th. March 2017 following a long illness. We have received the following details from Tony's daughter, Sophie. "Our dearest and best friend Tony Donnelly passed away last week as many of you are aware. The funeral will take place on Wednesday 26th April at 12:00. The service will be held at the Heart of England Crematorium Eastborough Way, Nuneaton CV11 6WZ. After the service we will celebrate Tony's fun filled life at The Red Lion, Burbage. Tony requested no flowers but donations to Macmillan Cancer Trust would be much appreciated on his behalf". |
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The Funeral of Former Headmaster Mr. Jack Taylor The funeral took place on Thursday, 9th. February 2017 of our highly respected former MSA teacher and Headmaster Mr. Jack "Butch" Taylor. The second part of the funeral then took place at 11am by a service of thanksgiving and celebration at Solihull Methodist Church, where Mr. Taylor was a regular worshipper. The service, which was well attended, was conducted by Rev. Kenneth Howcroft, and the eulogy was provided by Jack's son, Martin. He read aloud many of the messages of condolence from our book of condolences (below - if you'd like to add your message, please submit via the email link above). The most appreciated message was that of Nick Ajao: "A real gentleman and always very pleasant. It was great to have met him at one of the MSAA reunions a few years ago. I have worked in a few secondary schools with a number of so called "Super Heads" but l can't think of any of them who have half of the qualities that Mr. Taylor had. Top man, lucky to have had him as a Head". A good number of former MSA students were present to mark the passing of our former teacher and headmaster, all from the 1950's and 1960's. A significant number of the leavers of 1957 attended, thanks to the organisation of Graham Williams, their year rep. We all appreciated the opportunity to mark the passing of a memorable figure from our time at the Moseley School of Art. The service was supplemented by a projected 'slideshow' of images from Mr. Taylor's life, from his birth through to his later life, including a number of images provided by our Association. The congregation was surprised by some of the revelations about our former teacher. Born in Chorley, Lancashire, he was educated at a private boarding school in Yorkshire, where he learned such skills as opening a can of beans and eating them, cold, with a ruler - in the dark! Apparently, far from being the rather aloof character we knew, Jack was a keen jazz guitarist a la Django Reinhardt, regularly playing with friends, and was a keen sportsman, playing several sports including badminton, cricket, lacrosse, tennis and bowls. He was, together with his wife, very sociable and enjoyed a large social circle. He was a committed Christian and attended Acocks Green Methodist Church for many years before becoming 'part of the furniture' at Solihull Methodist Church, where he was very highly regarded. Mr. Taylor's wife passed away in 2010. He suffered from Parkinson's Disease during his final years, but managed the symptoms of the disease, maintaining his family, church and social commitments very well until his passing. Mr. Taylor leaves his son, Martin, his daughter, Hilary and grandchildren.
We received the following message from Hilary, Mr. Taylor's daughter during the following day:
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Book of Condolences - Former Headmaster Mr. Jack Taylor
We have received a number of messages from those who won't be able to join us at Mr. Taylor's funeral service. We thought it proper that we should upload these messages so that they may be seen by Mr. Taylor's family and friends, together with our own members. If you are a former student of our school and were taught by Mr. Taylor, whether or not you will be attending, please feel free to forward your message via the email link above.
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Former Headmaster Mr. Jack Taylor It is with great sorrow that we have to announce that Mr. John (Jack) Taylor passed away on the 12th. January at the age of 94. The vast majority of former students of our school alive today worldwide will have been taught by Mr. Taylor and will be greatly saddened to hear of his passing. Jack is pictured here with Marjorie Yates at our 2007 Reunion. Jack, also known to students as "Butch" was a very highly respected teacher, Deputy Head and Headmaster during his time at Moseley. He commenced his career at Moseley in 1951 as a general art teacher with special interest in Illustration and Printmaking. He once said that he realised he was at a very unusual institution when, on his first day at the school, being designated to take the boys for Sports, he asked the head, Mr. C. "Harry" Adams what he should do as it was raining heavily. Mr. Adams replied that he should take them to the nearby cinema and tore off forty tickets from a roll hanging near his desk! Mr. Taylor was a very competent artist in his own right, and fascinated students with his demonstrations of drawing, even on a blackboard. He became Deputy Head in 1961, replacing Mr. Elwyn "Dickie" Davies, who had been promoted to Headmaster. He continued as Deputy Head under Mr. Bill "Washington" Davies when he was appointed Head in 1964, and became Headmaster between 1968 - 1975, leaving to become Headmaster of Lordswood School until his retirement. Living in later life in Solihull, Jack attended some of our Annual Reunions at the old school, amazing everyone with his ability to remember, in detail, former pupils who he had taught 40, 50 and even 60 years before. The funeral will take place at 10am on Thursday, 9th. February at the Robin Hood Crematorium, Streetsbrook Rd, Shirley, Solihull B90 3NL. The short service will be followed at 11am by a service of thanksgiving and celebration at Solihull Methodist Church, Blossomfield Road, Solihull B91 1LG. Should the car park be full, parking is available at the Tudor Grange Leisure Centre on Blossomfield Road. Parking here is free for the first three hours but you are required to take a ticket.
Mr. Taylor suffered from Parkinson's Disease for many years, and it is his family's wish that contributions in lieu of floral tributes be passed to Parkinson's UK. There will be a collection at the church. We hope that former students will take the opportunity to pay their respects to a man who was such an important part of our time at the Moseley School of Art by joining us at the funeral service. Mr. Bob Ashby will be among the former teachers who will attend. Refreshments will be provided for those who attend at the Church Hall. Hilary and Martin have asked that we let them know if former students wish to attend so that they can calculate quantities for refreshments, so it would be very helpful if former students who are going to attend could let us know so that we can pass on figures. It would be wonderful if there could be a good turnout of former pupils - maybe adjourn later to a local hostelry?
The photo was taken in 1951 - Mr. Taylor's first year at our school. |
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Obituary We are sad to announce, especially at this festive time of year that former student Reginald Webb, who attended MSA 1954-57 passed away on the 15th December. Our condolences go out to his family at this sad time. Further details regarding funeral arrangements will be posted here as they are received. |
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Christmas message from Brian and Val Bailey (USA)
A lovely couple, they haven't enjoyed the best of health during 2016 so I'm sure that you'll want to wish them a happy and healthy New Year. Merry Christmas! |
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Obituary It is with sadness that we have received news from his friends that Roy Seeley, who attended Moseley School of Art from 1946-49 has passed away. Roy's funeral will take place at 2pm on Thursday 22nd. December at the Robin Hood Crematorium, Solihull. We hope to receive further details before the event. Roy had lived in Solihull for many years. Prior to retirement, he had worked in Commercial Art, especially in advertising and he was also a professional Roy was often very generous in sharing his artwork with others or giving others gifts of his work as a token of friendship, for example. He had a great appreciation for the beauty of buildings as well as the local area and scenery, especially features of the towns and villages of Warwickshire which were reflected in his work. During last year, Roy supported a local Residential Home by donating some of his framed prints to a raffle in aid of the Alzheimer's Society. He had a number of creative interests, which included being a member of the Birmingham Midland Operatic Society. Roy was always very modest about his abilities but it seems that he enjoyed singing and dance very much. He also had a special way with cats and, over the years, a number of his Siamese cats lived well into older age. In retirement, Roy lived quietly, keeping his reflective nature and his own endearing brand of dry wit! Roy always spoke very fondly of his time at the Moseley School of Art, and his tutors, friends and fellow students there. He kept photographs from his time at the school including a visual record of an outing to Elstree Film Studios with teachers and fellow students back in his final year at our school, 67 years ago. Further details about the funeral will be uploaded here as we receive them. |
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Obituary We are very sad to announce that we've been informed by the representative of the 1957 leavers, Graham Willams, that former student Marguerite Tranter ('57) passed away peacefully on the 29th. October 2016 following a very short illness. Marguerite was a supporter of our Association reunions for a number of years. Marguerite's funeral will take place at 11am on Friday 18th. November at Lodge Hill Cemetery, Weoley Park Rd., Birmingham B29 5AA. Attendance by family and friends is welcome, flowers from family only. Donations in lieu of floral tributes are welcome and will be passed to the Air Ambulance and the QE Hospital. Please check here again for any further details which may be posted. |
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We're delighted to have received some images of great works by Tony Williams ('61) - they can be viewed HERE |
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Exhibition Paul Bartlett, a prominent member of our Association, and other artists, many of them former students of the Moseley School of Art are taking part in an exhibition entitled "Baker to Bartlett: The Changing Face of RBSA Printmaking" - on at the RBSA until 12th. November 2016. |
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A Reunion in New York!
The four friends, who left MSA in 1972, hadn't seen each other for up to 39 years, and three of them had special birthdays while they were there - they all turned 60 years young, and the fourth had her birthday just a month later. The friends were Eileen Huckett, Eileen MacLean (Allen) who lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, and 'The Twins' Susan and Sandra (Riley) Mead, who live here in the UK. Eileen wrote: "Well! It was the best time ever! The twins (Sandra and Susan) and I had seen one another spasmodically over the years but Eileen and I hadn't met up since we were 21 ( which was - gulp - 39 years ago). It was unforgettable. It was if no time had elapsed at all. We had a huge laugh together - it could not have been more perfect. The twins and I celebrated our 60th (another gulp!) while we were there. We've all arranged to meet again in 5 years time, if we can wait that long!" It's fantastic to see that the spirit of our old school and the friendships formed there was celebrated by four old friends from three of the four corners of the world. |
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Obituary - Phil Orchard We've been informed that it was Phil's wish that he didn't want a funeral so, in accordance with his wishes, his nearest and dearest are planning a party to celebrate his life instead. A provisional date has been set of Saturday, 16th July at his home in Leeds, Yorkshire. All will be welcome but the organisers will probably have to ask for confirmation of numbers wishing to attend a little nearer the date. More details will be posted to our Facebook page when they become available. Phil endured ill health for many years, and recently underwent a double lung transplant which appeared, initially, to have been very successful. Phil was cheerfully looking forward to a full recovery, but, unfortunately, luck didn't bring him that recovery and he passed away during the morning of Tuesday, 21st. June 2016. |
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The Moseley School of Art 2016 Venice Reunion It’s nearly time for us to depart for our reunion in Venice! NB: If you’re NOT travelling via Monarch flight ZB5480 from Birmingham on the 28th. June, please let me know so that I can advise you on transfers etc. As you know, Wendy and I have visited Venice each year for the last ten years, so, while we don’t know everything there is to know about the island and it’s treasures, we certainly know enough to help you to get the most from our Reunion trip. Whether you want to explore on your own or join us for all or any part of our flexible itinerary, you’re going to have a great trip. We’ll all want to do and see different things during our three days but some will, I know, want to do things with Wendy and me, so we’ve put together an outline itinerary of things that Wendy and I will be doing – please feel free to join us or do your own thing. We don’t want you to feel restricted in any way from doing what you’d like to do. Tuesday 28th. June: Transfer from Marco Polo Airport direct to our hotel on Venice (approx. 20km.) via Water Taxi in groups of six or eight. Approximate charge 35 Euro pp. payable in cash at time. Following check-in, unpack and comfort break: Purchase 3-day Vaporetto (Waterbus) Pass (unlimited walk-on walk-off) Wednesday 29th. June: Early Start – Breakfast / depart hotel at 7.45am Gondola Ride (6 persons per gondola, negotiated best rate on day) Visit to St. Mark’s Square Breakfast / depart hotel 8.30am Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace) Breakfast / depart hotel at time to be confirmed Transfer from hotel to Marco Polo Airport (approx. 20km.) via Water Taxi in groups of six or eight. Approximate charge 35 Euro pp. payable in cash at time. * The Reunion Dinner: will take place at our hotel on Wednesday 29th. June, with us meeting in the garden with drinks from 5.30pm, sitting down for our dinner at 7pm for 7.30pm. The food at the hotel is very good. We’ve been offered a suggested menu choice of three dishes - meat, fish and vegetarian: 1. Meat Dish Maltagliata Fresh Pasta Irish Beef Cut Water and Coffee (Wine not included) 2. Fish Dish Tomato Gazpacho Shi Drum Water and Coffee (Wine not included) 3. Vegetarian Dish Melanzane alla Parmigiana With Mousse of Burrata Cheese Potato Dumpling With Vegetable Ragout and Smoked Ricotta Water and Coffee (Wine not included) Please remember to bring your essentials:
It’s a good idea to download the Google map of Venice to your phone or tablet while here in the UK. Tripadvisor has an excellent range of guides to Venice – worth checking them out before leaving. We’ll meet at Birmingham Airport next Tuesday and we’ll stay together until we reach the Hotel Sant’Elena, Venice. Questions? Just drop us a line at the email address link above. We’re looking forward to seeing you for a super trip! |
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Newton Stewart Community Hospital We have received a very warm letter of gratitude from the management of the hospital for the cheque we forwarded on behalf of the members of the Moseley School of Art Association as a donation in memory of the highly respected former MSA teacher Dr. John Swift. |
The Late Dr. John Swift John passed away on Friday, 20th. May 2016 at Newton Stewart Community Hospital, a short distance from his home at Garlieston, Dumfries and Galloway. The cause of his passing was Bronchial Pneumonia, although he had suffered frailty for some time having grieved over the death of his wife, Jacquie on the 23rd. January 2013. John's funeral service took place at 12pm on Wednesday the 1st. June at Roucan Loch Crematorium, Collin, Dumfries & Galloway, DG1 4JF. If anyone would like to make a donation in memory of John, please send cheques made payable to ''Newton Stewart Endowments', ref. Dr. John Swift 20.05.16 to Marcus at John's former home address: Seaside House, 2 South Street, Garlieston, Newton Stewart DG8 8BH Given the contribution that Dr. Swift made to our school and the early development of the Moseley School of Art Association, a donation of £100.00 was made in gratitude on behalf of the subscribing members of the Association in lieu of a floral tribute. Having agreed to write a eulogy for John Swift's funeral, I thought it more appropriate that someone who had actually been taught by John should write the eulogy on behalf of ALL former students, rather than just the members of the Association. I invited Dave Allen to do this, knowing how highly he regarded John as a teacher, and his eulogy, together with many others, was duly read out at the service by Marcus, John's eldest son. The eulogy (reproduced below) was very well received. Marcus has described the funeral as a hard but excellent day, with a number of people reciting poetry and personal tributes from friends and former colleagues. Marcus asked that the family's gratitude be passed to Dave and the other contributors, also for the donation to John's chosen charity (above) by members of the Moseley School of Art Association. Eulogy for Dr. John Swift by Dave Allen: John Swift was a maverick. If that sounds like a disrespectful thing to say, it is not. Maverick, noun: When he taught you it felt like you were being taught by a bloke, a great bloke, who had found himself teaching. He spoke with great authority and gravitas about Art and the arts, without adopting the conventions of most teachers and he didn’t react like most teachers would. There’s a certain amount of acting in teaching and students know this. Yet we were confronted by a man who didn’t seem to be acting. And, far from following a conventional teacher-actor approach he seemed to think from first principles on just about everything. We hung on his every word. My first reaction when I heard of his recent passing was blurted out on social media: “It wasn’t just that he was funny, drank his whisky, smoked his Gauloises and was a generally great bloke that I liked John Swift. Like Robert Hughes, he talked about Art in a direct and no nonsense way, an intellectual we were lucky enough to have as Art teacher and head of Art at Moseley Art School. A massive role model.” Others said: “Expressing a three dimensional form on a flat picture plane possessed him and he passed this onto us.” (Phil Orchard) “I always remember his odd socks!” (Deborah Dormer) “Monthly crits at school with John swift were an institution. All art work was pinned up around his big room to the left of the main staircase. He allowed us students to be casual for this, as if for some ordeal. We were allowed to sit on the desks for the plenary discussion. A characteristic little cough and a swing of the leg could indicate that he was not going to be very complimentary about the homework done for the for the crit. You always got good advice about your work and it was usually spot on. He was a plain speaking, fair minded thoroughly decent guy.” (Cate Hadley) “He turned a blind eye to us being in the pub at lunch times.” (Dave Mattock) “Although we were an art school, most of my early music education was through John. Rounds (Viva la Musicaaaaaah) and the odd madrigal.” (Ross Moore) “I loved listening to tales of his life in Sheffield I remember him telling us about the steel mills and how if anyone fell in the vats of molten steel they would be pushed under. Gruesome, but a great diversion when you're supposed to be working!” (Antonia Ajao Burrows) “Due to the teachings of John Swift somewhere between applied art, history of art and art theory a switch turned on in my brain and the whole world exploded: a great gift he bestowed on me and many others.” (Maria Cataldo) “He introduced me and many others to folk music at MSA and the Jug of Punch Folk Club in Digbeth.” (Dave Mattock) “My memory is that he was the first person to show that it’s possible to have a passion for painting. He also allowed us to think outside the confines and restraints of traditional work and be "cool". I always wanted to be Bryan Ferry. My brother always wanted to be John Swift. He showed a sense of relaxation, always had a roll up on the go; the first teacher that you could call John rather than Sir. Our group used to spend most of the theory lessons counting his little cough after each sentence.” (Rob Allen) His unique approach combined with a huge intellect is a compelling combination. Moseley Art School was already on the map of pioneering teaching methods, as seen in the work of Marion Richardson, and John Swift was perfectly suited to MSA environment. He told me that he would not teach us to pass the One of his last publications was An Illustrated History of Moseley School of Art: Art Education in Birmingham 1800-1975 (2004), a project had wanted to undertake when approached by Graeme Collins of The Moseley School of Art Association. Through my years at Art College I still referred to him as much as to my lecturers, taking my work to his house and getting private ‘crits’. And then we’d often have a drink and a long conversation into the night. This was typical of him. He stayed in touch with his students and attended their degree shows, even after he had moved into the world of academia. “He encouraged me in my love of Renaissance art and was totally self-effacing when I spoke to him in recent years about the book on MSA's history! He clearly remembered me after 35 years. A lovely human being.” (Susie Venable) I’ve been teaching for a long time now, and still, when pondering an issue, I ask myself what would John Swift have thought about this? Not everybody has the opportunity to touch the lives of so many others, and not many are capable of doing it in the way John Swift did: an artist, an intellectual and a maverick". |
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2016 Reunion and Exhibition of Works - Update
Thanks to all who are helping to make our 2016 Reunion & Exhibition special! We now have 14 exhibitors bringing works including former teachers Bob Ashby, Barbara Faulkner (Woodward) and our former Exhibitions Secretary Pam Headford (Gilbert). We already have a great attendance pre-registered and it's going to be a meeting to remember. Thanks go to all those members around the country and around the world who have wished us success and have forwarded their apologies for not being able to attend - a full update on proceedings following the meeting will be posted as always. 2016 Reunion and Exhibition of Works - Final Call! FINAL CALL for the Annual Reunion this Sunday at Kings Heath Cricket Club, 247 Alcester Rd South, Birmingham B14 6DT this coming Sunday, 15th. May 2016. We have to get the final order to the caterers by 6pm this Friday. If you haven't yet confirmed your intention to attend, it's essential that you PLEASE PRE-REGISTER so that security badges may be prepared and the catering order arranged - failure to pre-register could result in long waits. Please email your pre-registration HERE stating your full name, years attended MSA and the full name of the person attending with you. Admission is for Members Only - your subscription fee may be paid at the door and will entitle you to admission and lunch for yourself and one other person. If you have any doubts as to your eligibility for membership, just email us. The doors will open at 10am, and coffee and biscuits will be available. Our (brief) AGM will commence at 11am and our super lunch will be served at 1pm. The bar will be open from 12.00. We already have a great attendance pre-registered, and we're looking forward to a very full day filled with friendship and happiness among our members. Everyone attending will receive a Moseley Art School keyfob, and copies of Professor John Swift's 'History of the Moseley School of Art' will be available at the specially discounted price of £12 to members (one copy only per member). Payment of your membership subscription of £17.50 entitles you to free admission and a sumptuous lunch for yourself and one guest. You can pay at the door by cash or credit card. You'll be in good company - there'll be former pupils present from every era of the school, and there are no strangers . . . only friends you have yet to meet.
We're also likely to have our highest ever number of exhibits thanks to our hardworking Exhibition Coordinators Cate Hadley and Jan Williams. It's going to be a great day! We look forward to seeing YOU at Kings Heath Cricket Club for a very happy day full of renewed friendships and happy memories of our old school, no matter what years you attended. |
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We are very sad to announce the death of one of the Moseley School of Art’s most famous former pupils, Frank Shipway who, after leaving MSA went on to become a world-famous conductor and Professor of Music.
ONLY A FEW DAYS TO GO!
The Hotel Sant'Elena Last year (2016), our rate at the Hotel Sant'Elena was 500 Euro per double room for the 3 days. For 2017, we've secured an offer for the 3 days of 555 Euro per room. The hotel has raised their nightly rate by 12% across the board, but our rate of 555 Euro is still a very good saving on the lowest quoted rate elsewhere of 700 Euro. 
The first part of the funeral took place at the Robin Hood Crematorium, Birmingham. At the end of the service, our late Headmaster was committed for cremation. 
Jack is survived by his daughter, Hilary and son, Martin who have asked if anyone has photographs of their father (other than the annual school photo) that they can let them have as they are planning to have a display following the funeral service. If you have any photos, please send them to us at the email link above so that we can pass them on.
Former MSA student Brian Bailey and his wife Val have sent us their best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Brian and Val, who live in Los Osos, California have been very generous in recent years, sponsoring the Brian Bailey cash prize for our annual exhibitions - a gesture for which we're very appreciative and grateful.
Tony Williams ('61)
We were delighted to hear from former student Eileen Huckett (Weaver), who now lives 300km north of Perth, Western Australia, telling us about a very special reunion of friends who, last June organised their own Moseley School of Art Reunion in New York!
"John Swift, teacher and Head of Arts and Crafts at Moseley Art School, Birmingham, and subsequently Emeritus Professor of Art Education at The University of Central England, was a man who’s work impacted many lives. I am writing as one of those individuals, but I hope this resonates with many others who knew him.
Additional Exhibition Prize We are delighted to announce that former student BRIAN BAILEY ('46) and his wife Valerie have once again very generously donated $150 to the Association to be used as an additional prize in our exhibition this Sunday. Both Brian and Valerie have had health problems recently and I'm sure that all our members will join us in thanking them for their generosity, and wishing them a speedy recovery. Brian is pictured (left) at his recent Reunion attendance.
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