Join the Elwell Tour at Beverley Art Gallery as part of a celebration of Beverley's most famous artists

There will be a chance to join Treasure House Curator, Sally Hayes, to hear about the paintings of Fred and Mary Elwell which are on display in Beverley Art Gallery, on Wednesday, 8 June, from 1pm - 1.30pm.

This short informal lunchtime tour will provide an enjoyable introduction to the renowned artistic Beverlonian couple, and will be the perfect companion event to the performances of Gordon Meredith’s new play, 'Paint the Town Fred', at East Riding Theatre in Beverley on 9, 10, and 11 June.

There is no need to book the tour - arrive just before 1pm at Beverley Art Gallery on the first floor of the Treasure House in Champney Road, Beverley.

This event is free of charge.

For more information, please call (01482) 392782 or email museums.th@eastriding.gov.uk

East Riding Theatre are also putting on workshops to celebrate the work of both Mary and Fred Elwell.

‘Paint the Town with Mary Wells’ will take place at ERT on Friday, 10 June at 10.15 for 10.30. This will be a chance to reproduce Mary Elwell’s painting ‘At the Mirror’. Tickets for the workshop cost £15 and can be booked at https://www.eastridingtheatre.co.uk/paint-the-town-with-mary-wells-workshop-1    

A version of this painting can be viewed in Beverley Art Gallery before the workshop.

‘Paint the Town with Nick Matson’ at ERT on Saturday, 11 June at 10.15 for 10.30 will offer an opportunity to learn how to paint Beverley Minster in the style of Fred Elwell. Tickets for this workshop cost £15 and can be booked at https://www.eastridingtheatre.co.uk/paint-the-town-with-nick-matson-workshop-2/

Gordon Meredith’s play, ‘Paint the Town Fred’ will be performed from Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 June, 2022, at ERT, including a socially distanced matinee on the Thursday and a socially distanced talk by Wendy Loncaster, the leading authority on the Elwells.

Thanks to funding from East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Gordon was commissioned to research, write and produce the play by the Museums and Archives team at the council and received funding from Arts Council England, and the Humber Museums Partnership.

In this play, he uncovers the real-life stories behind Fred and Mary Elwell’s creative partnership. They lived full and fascinating lives as they travelled and toured widely throughout East Yorkshire, London and Europe, and a little known fact is that Mary was a skilled artist in her own right, often exhibiting at the Royal Academy, as well as other galleries and exhibitions around Europe.

The project was originally developed through conversations with Helena Cox, the former curator of Beverley Art Gallery, which has an unrivalled collection of works by the Elwells. Gordon then worked closely with Wendy Loncaster, the leading authority on the Elwells, as well as Val Wise, who has also written a biography about Fred Elwell.

Returning to the stage in June will be Hannah Levy as Mary Elwell and Michael Kinsey as Fred Elwell, with Laura Peterson playing the Housekeeper, Elizabeth Chapman, and Gordon Meredith playing Mary’s first husband Alfred Holmes. The play is directed by Richard Avery.

Tickets for ‘Paint the Town Fred’ are available now from www.eastridingtheatre.co.uk