The Arts Society Tours with Fred. Olsen

Born in France, where she studied art history before moving to Copenhagen.  In Denmark, she focused on research work and completed a PhD on the relations between art and religion in contemporary Scandinavian art.

After graduating in 2013, Caroline moved to London and started teaching art history for several education providers. I have since developed a range of courses and lectures focusing on 19^th & 20^th century Western art.

Dr Geri Parlby is rather idiosyncratic art historian who studies history through art rather than the history of art. Having spent her early career in journalism and PR she went on to study for a Masters in Byzantine Art at the Courtauld Institute followed by Theology PhD.  She is currently a honorary research fellow at the University of Roehampton. She has a particular fascination for religious art and deciphering what clues ‘holy images’ might be offering us as to the politics of religion. One week she is researching prehistoric goddess images from central Europe the next she is clambering into underground catacombs in Rome to investigate early Christian art.  From Rome it is on to Ravenna to unpick the mosaic imagery of the early Byzantine empire and then across to Russia to decipher the mysterious symbolism of Icon art. When she is not decoding art, she is a regular lecturer for the Arts Society both in the UK and internationally.

From 1982 to 1993 I owned a wine shop in Maidenhead known as David Alexander Wine Merchants. We were a creative outlet and specialised in wines from around the world and also an international range of beers (speciality Belgian beers) and malt Whisky. In 1987 we were recognised by Decanter Magazine and named ‘Most Promising Newcomer’ in the Wine Merchant of the Year award.

From 1993 to 2005 I was a salesman then director of Siegel Wine Agencies, a company founded in 1895 and a specialist in fine Rieslings among other things. It was here that I created a brand called The Naked Grape that enjoyed several years success in Waitrose and various independent wine merchants.
In that time Siegel was bought and became Awin Barratt Siegel (ABS) Wine agencies named Wine Importer of the Year five times between 2007 and 2015 by the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

I left ABS in September 2016 after 25 years, as it seemed the time was right to take on a new challenge. I joined an old colleague James Fleetwood in his company Delibo Wine Agencies, importers and agents for a number of producers around the world.

I have been importing and distributing wines for over twenty-five years, prior to which I owned and ran an independent wine merchant, David Alexander Wines, which still trades today. I still import wines from around the world and have customers across the breadth of the UK. I consider wine an essential ingredient to a contented life, a role it has played for thousands of years.
In addition to A Brief Story of Wine, I am available for tutored tastings in many shapes and forms.

In 2019 I became an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society.

Eileen is an experienced lecturer and published author with  an MA in Egyptology she has specialist knowledge of the ancient civilisations which bordered the Mediterranean, including Egypt, Greece and Rome, and has also studied extensively the history of the Caribbean with special reference to piracy, and the history of neighbouring Mexico with its Olmec, Inca and Mayan civilisations. She also has a keen interest in the Myths & Legends of the Ancient World. She has been a regular guest speaker for seven years on all her subjects on cruise ships and for three years with The Arts Society.

Anthony Peers is an architectural historian with a training in building conservation. In his work he engages with those proposing changes to historic buildings, providing evidence and guidance to ensure that schemes are planned from an informed standpoint.

Anthony studied Art History as a Bachelor’s Degree at Manchester University and has an MA in Building Conservation from the Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies, University of York.

In his first job in the historic buildings field, at SAVE Britain’s Heritage, Anthony wrote reports on buildings at risk and made a special study of military buildings. Following a spell working with English Heritage’s Listing Division Anthony travelled to Mumbai, India where at the behest of the British Council and Department of Trade and Industry he set up and ran an innovative programme to restore the Grade I Listed George Gilbert Scott designed University library and teach conservation philosophy and traditional repair techniques.

Joining Rodney Melville & Partners (Architects) in 1998, and becoming an Associate in 2000, Anthony fulfilled the role of Architectural Historian for the practice dividing his time between the office, archives and libraries (undertaking documentary research) and site (recording and analysing historic fabric). Whilst in the practice’s employ he wrote thirteen Conservation Plans, incorporating detailed accounts of the historic evolution of buildings ranging from the Royal Institution in London and the Paine/Adam/MacVicar Anderson designed stables at Nostell Priory (Yorkshire) to the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and the Barber Institute in Birmingham.

In summer 2009 Anthony left Rodney Melville and Partners to focus on writing up the architectural history of Birmingham Town Hall. His book on this subject was launched in September 2012. Anthony has recently been working with Nick Cox Architects on projects at Winchester Cathedral and Kedleston Hall and has been providing guidance on the repair and re-use of farm buildings in the West Midlands.

Anthony commenced his study of Birmingham Town Hall in 1999 when, then in the employ of Rodney Melville and Partners, he researched and compiled a report on the building’s history and significances. In addition to providing guidance to those planning the £35 Million scheme of works at the Town Hall (2005-7) Anthony also carried out an extensive programme of fabric recording whilst the building was being worked upon. The findings of this fabric recording and analysis, combined with the associated documentary research, provided the wealth of evidence upon which his book’s narrative is founded.

Dr Helen Rufus-Ward is a published art historian and university lecturer with a BA, MA and an AHRC funded doctorate (DPhil) from the University of Sussex. Helen lectured at the University of Sussex for eight years on all aspects of art history but with a specialism in early Christian and Byzantine art.

Helen has published elements of her doctoral research on 19th century responses to Byzantine ivories as well as her post doctoral research into collections of 19th century plaster casts of late Antique, Byzantine and medieval ivories. These are known as ‘fictile ivories’ and were manufactured to fill gaps in collections in order to illustrate the development of European sculpture.

Helen is a very experienced speaker with a relaxed and friendly style. Since 2016 Helen has worked as an accredited speaker for the Arts Society (NADFAS) delivering popular illustrated powerpoint lectures. Helen’s lectures open up a world of wonderful treasures. From the romance and excitement of Late Roman buried treasure to the otherworldly magic of St Catherine’s Monastery, at the foot of Mount Sinai, and their breath-taking icon collection. The aim of Helen’s lectures is always to inform whilst entertaining and amusing, at the same time revealing the diverse richness of material culture from the Late Roman and early Byzantine periods. Splendid architecture, glittering mosaics, opulent silverware, exquisite ivory carvings, delicate enamels, gleaming glassware, and sacred relics. And then there are the characters – the decadent Byzantine Empresses and the mad holy men…there is even the shock of some 10th century pornography!

Helen has a Higher Education Academy teaching qualification, is a member of the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies, a member of the Society of Jewellery Historians, and Chairman of the Eastbourne Arts Society supporting the Towner Art Gallery.

Kate Garnon-Williams graduated from Bristol University with a degree in Ancient History and Archaeology; her Master's thesis was on early metrical translations of the Comedies of Aristophanes.

When her husband was seconded to the UN in Cyprus in 1971 for 3 years, Kate taught at the English School in Nicosia, and at weekends guided groups of interested UN personnel to sites of historic interest on the island.

She also visited Classical sites in Greece, Italy, Syria and the Lebanon during this time. On returning to the UK, Kate began teaching a course on 5th-Century Athens for the Open University, and more recently she devised a course on the History and Culture of Ancient Greece for the Distance Learning programme run by the University of Birmingham.

She has published a number of articles in Classical journals - the most recent of which concerned Pythagoras and Broad Beans!

She has also been lecturing for the past 25 years on Cruise ships operated by companies including Swan Hellenic, Noble Caledonia, Saga and, more recently, Voyages to Antiquity.​

Paul is an Art Historian and a National Gallery trained guide with many years of experience working in education. As a freelance Paul delivers courses and lectures for a wide range of educational organisations and is a fully accredited Arts Society Lecturer.

Paul has also given talks and tours for art associations/societies and is a guest speaker in local schools giving talks and assisting pupils with their art history projects. Paul has a long standing commitment, in conjunction with the N.G as a tour guide at the Longford Castle art collection and he is also tutor at MCSS.

Alice has lectured for the University of Oxford for over 20 years. Her busy freelance career includes tutor-guiding study groups to Europe, lecturing for the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, and writing and running history of art courses for the Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock. She runs independent classes in Oxfordshire and Worcestershire. Alice has been a guest lecturer at New College, Oxford, and at the University of Bristol. She is President of Banbury Fine Arts Society and recently President of The Arts Society Northleach - a role she was proud to accept. She has been an accredited lecturer with The Arts Society since 2004 and has lectured all over the UK and in Europe. Alice regards her Arts Society work as highly stimulating and has enjoyed meeting people from many walks of life, with a diversity of career expertise.