The Arts Society at 50: the Chiltern Society President’s story

Lionel Anthony, President of the Chiltern Decorative and Fine Arts Society, on why he is delighted to be continuing the work of our founder, Patricia Fay.

Photo: John Millar

I am proud to be part of the Chiltern Decorative and Fine Arts Society (CDFAS), the founder Society of what was to become NADFAS, but began life in 1965 as The Chiltern Antiques Group, thanks to Patricia Fay’s inspiration. I’ve been President of the Chiltern Society for two years and was Chairman for three years, as well as spending many years on the committee. It is an honour to be continuing Patricia Fay’s work today.
 
Lectures and Study Days form a key part of our activities, while our most rewarding work has been our outreach and heritage projects, such as school art competitions and the digitising of library systems.
 
We also set up a five-year awards programme supporting a number of arts and crafts organisations. The Society has helped to restore the damaged frame of The Last Supper by Stanley Spencer, purchased a set of World War II uniforms for the Chiltern Open Air Museum and supported many school visits.
 
But our ongoing work at Chequers, the country seat of the Prime Minister, remains close to my heart. During CDFAS’s golden anniversary in 2015, I arranged for our Heritage Volunteers and Awards Committee to fund the conservation of Anthony van Dyck’s painting of Henrietta Maria, the wife of Charles I. The painting was later displayed at the National Portrait Gallery. Our Volunteers also spent several years cleaning and cataloguing the Library’s collections. I am proud to have established a link with Chequers, and look forward to further projects here.
 
Our Societies allow people to encounter and engage with art locally, nationally and internationally. Through our organisation, I have participated in many cultural tours overseas. From exploring the settings of the Dutch landscape painters to viewing Istanbul’s remarkable mosaics, there have been numerous art wonders to experience. Some of the most spectacular tours I have been on were even closer to home, such as visits to Birmingham’s Barber Institute of Fine Arts or Norwich Cathedral. I hope these types of activities can be developed further – there is so much out there to discover.
 
It is so important to encourage people to participate in the arts and help to preserve our culture. I joined the Society to broaden my own understanding, which eventually led me to complete my Masters in Art History last year. In fact, one of the Society’s lectures influenced my final research project, which explored the rise of the coastal art colonies around Britain.
 
The Arts Society is a valuable organisation for many communities – as the largest arts education establishment in Great Britain, it provides fellowship and an opportunity to discover different aspects of the art world.
 
As told to Elizabeth Oliver for The Arts Society Magazine spring 2018.