The Inspired by Becker Art Society is holding its annual exhibition in Wenhaston in the summer, which brings together over 30 East Anglian artists in a celebration of the 19th century artist Harry Becker, who lived in Wenhaston from 1913 – 1924.

Harry Becker was born in 1865 in Colchester, Essex and studied art in Belgium and France before moving to Wenhaston to create works which recorded the hardship of rural life and the farming community. Having sold little of his work in the latter part of his life, Becker died in poverty at the age of 63 in Ipswich Hospital in 1928.

Seventy years after his death, a collection of his work was discovered in the store room of a picture dealer in Woodbridge, by the art historian David Thompson. A few years later, Thompson wrote a book about the painter called Becker (available at the Wildlife Art Gallery in Lavenham), which brought the artist’s work to a new audience and some of his paintings are held by the Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service.

The ‘Inspired by Becker’ exhibition showcases the work of East Anglian artists who have been inspired by the artist and takes place from 31st July to 3rd August 2015 in St. Peter’s Church in Wenhaston, where their work will be on sale.

Two guided walks will take place during the exhibition period: on Saturday 1st August, a walk through Becker’s landscape in the Blyth Valley will take in beautiful scenery, ending with breakfast in the old Church Room in Wenhaston.

On the evening of Sunday 2nd August, the second walk will be led by bat expert Alan Miller from the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Starting in St. Peter’s Church, which will be lit with candelight, Alan will give a short talk about bats and the Wenhaston Doom (medieval painting) after which visitors will then take a stroll around Church Common for some bat watching.

Scything and Sketching: On Saturday 1st August (weather permitting), the Wenhaston Commons Group will put on a scything demonstration in Wenhaston and artists from the exhibition will be available to help visitors who would like to have a go at sketching them. Materials will be provided.

For more information on these events please contact: ibbartsociety@gmail.com for details of the exhibition.