The people living at Hunters Down Care Home in Cambridge recently enjoyed observing some beautiful artwork via Fitzwilliam Museum’s new programme.
Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge have created a new programme which features seven of the most popular paintings from the Museum. The films can be used in groups or on a one to one basis, and are designed to help busy or agitated minds, promote wellbeing, generate conversation and absorb people with great art. They can be accompanied by packs of beautifully produced A5 postcards.
Hunters Down have received the postcards and said that they truly are wonderful to look at. Dorothy, Molly, Pam, Carol, John, Connie & Mavis from Kings Community have enjoyed looking at the postcards and discussed their individual thoughts about the paintings.
Dorothy is an excellent artist and has many of her own paintings in her room, so she certainly knows what she likes when it comes to art. On looking at the postcards she said that the ‘Springtime’ painting by Claude Monet was really not her thing as it was all brush strokes and no outlines. However, she was a big fan of the ‘A Street’ painting by Alfred Sisley because it had more outlines and the people looked alive. Plus, she thought the colouring was far more interesting to look at.
Connie found the painting ‘94 Degrees in the Shade’ by Lawrence Alma-Tadema very interesting as it brought back memories of her father. He worked on a farm and she remembers that he used to cut sheaves just like in the picture. Although she did say that she never remembers him relaxing a reading a book like the gentleman in the picture!
When Carol got to the painting ‘Children paddling at Walberswick’ by Philip Wilson Steer, she said it reminded her of when she used to go to the seaside. Mavis also really enjoyed looking at the paintings, as they reminded her of her last visit to Fitzwilliam Museum. Mavis has a beautiful oil painting of a ship that is anchored in the bay of Hartlepool. Her grandson has loved the picture since he was a little boy and she plans to ask him if he wants to have it to keep.
Everyone was asked to choose either one or two of their favourite pictures and all of them chose the same painting: ‘Return from the Fields’ by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. They said that the colours were very striking, and they felt like they could step into the picture.
This was a great activity session for all involved, and you can get involved for yourself via the YouTube videos here.