WILLIAM MORRIS AND THE ART OF THE HOME

To use his own words, William Morris "set out to transform the world with beauty" believing "the most important production of Art and the thing most to be longed for... is a beautiful house". Through his firm Morris & Co. he sought to elevate the so- called Lesser Arts (decorative arts) to the status of the Fine Arts with a move away from mass production and a return to craftsmanship. He believed beautiful surroundings promoted creativity and happiness. This copiously illustrated lecture explores his design philosophy and examines Morris's life and work in the context of his own homes.

THE ARTS SOCIETY ACCREDITED LECTURER

Mrs Fiona Rose

Fiona Rose has been lecturing about topics she feels passionately about since 2010 including William Morris and his circle, the Arts & Crafts Movement, Frida Kahlo and Frank Lloyd Wright. She has a BA in Social Psychology and aims to include the human story behind the artistic endeavours of her subjects. After an early career in public health Fiona founded and runs a home interiors business featuring the work of the great C19th designers such as Morris, Dearle, Voysey and Mackintosh. Fiona is a member of the Museum Collections committee for The William Morris Society and a former Trustee serving as Chair of their Communications and Business Development committees. She is also a regular contributor to the Society’s Magazine and a book reviewer for the Journal of William Morris Studies. Fiona is a House Guide and specialist lecturer for the David Parr House in Cambridge.