National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“MEMBERS of Grayshott Decorative and Fine Arts Society heard a lecture on Russian Art: The Avant-Garde and Visual Russia.
Theodora Clarke gave a fascinating insight into the major movements and artists of the early C20th in Russia.
Before the late C19th, artists in Russia relied on the sponsorship of the Tsars and the Church but by the turn of the century there were wealthy individual collectors and patrons. Two traditions had emerged. One group of artists sought to rediscover their Slavonic culture and roots and thus rejected the Western and, in particular French, influence favoured by the other group. The late C19th saw a revival of specific Russian subject material in art, sculpture and music.”
Petersfield Post
“I so much enjoyed meeting you this morning and hearing your wonderful lecture, which I judged as outstanding. Your deep knowledge of your subject and of Russia was manifest from the outset and it was a privilege to be in the audience. My congratulations!”
DFAS Ashridge
“Thank you for a very informative and enjoyable talk. Everyone enjoyed it and felt inspired to find out more about Russian art.”
DFAS Sutton Coldfield
“Thank you very much indeed for such an interesting lecture that you presented to us so beautifully today. It was a subject that was new to most people, and that intrigued and entranced everyone. There were many comments from the audience later on how much they enjoyed it.”
DFAS Ashridge
“Thank you so much for coming to give us such an excellent lecture on Marc Chagall and the Avant-Garde in Paris last week. Everyone I have spoken to since has said how much they enjoyed it and how clear your delivery was. I just wish we could have heard more about Chagall’s fascinating life but felt lucky to find out more over lunch.”
DFAS Wylie Valley
Betchworth DFAS, Article in the Dorking Advertiser
“On behalf of the Committee at BDFAS, I would like to thank you for lecturing at our Study Day!
The feedback from our members showed that they thought your lectures to be excellent and they really enjoyed the manner in which you presented them.
I am sure you will have inspired many of us to find out more and, maybe, our Society would be able to plan a trip to St Petersburg!”
Basingstoke DFAS
“I am writing to thank you very much for your superb lecture to us in January on Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes. There was a mix-up over who was to write to you and it wasn’t until our February lecture that I realised the mistake, so please accept my apologies for such a late letter of appreciation. Our members thoroughly enjoyed your erudite and well-researched lecture and excellent slides, and the wonderful film clip.”
Tyneside DFAS
“I was at a lunch yesterday for past members of SIDDFAS committee members and several people came to speak to me about your lecture last week on Kandinsky. They found it very informative and enjoyable, especially as some hadn’t heard of the painter before. I felt very pleased that I had enabled them all to learn something new and emerge from their (sometimes) conservative shells!”
NADFAS Sidmouth
“In a stimulating talk, Theodora Clarke, an expert on Russian and Soviet art, introduced 130 members of Neroche Decorative and Fine Art Society (DFAS) to artists such as Kandinsky, Malevich, Tatlin, Lissitzky, Goncharova, Chagall, Rodchenko and Popova.”
Neroche DFAS
Read the entire review of the lecture here
National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“Many thanks for your wonderful lecture on Thursday evening. You entertained, educated and inspired us all. It was the perfect lecture to start the year.”
Amersham DFAS
National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“Theodora Clarke, a young and knowledgeable lecturer, spoke with enthusiasm and clarity. She condensed the art of Russia into a lecture lasting just over an hour, an amazing achievement.”
Cranleigh DFAS
Read the entire review of the lecture here
National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“We are so glad you came! I’m sure that you were aware, from the response of the audience at the lecture (and even in the Mill Yard at lunch ) how much everyone enjoyed and appreciated what you gave us this morning. It was a feast for the senses and an education for the mind. We all thought the video clip at the end was icing on the cake!”
Westmorland DFAS
National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“This was a brilliant day of Russian art through stunning images. Theodora Clarke lived up to her billing as an entertaining, informative and expert lecturer. ADFAS thanks…all the team who helped make the day so successful.”
Abingdon DFAS
National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“In ten years of coming to NADFAS that is the best lecture I have ever heard. Outstanding, well done.”
NADFAS Member, Gerrards Cross
National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“I attended a local Special Interest Day on Russian art given by Theodora Clarke. She went down an absolute storm – very fluent, excellent slides and managed to pitch the tone just right (which can be difficult!).”
NADFAS Member, Abingdon
National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“It was lovely to meet you again last week at Chipping Sodbury and, as usual, your study day was excellent. You covered several centuries in Russian art which was so interesting and absorbing but we did not feel as though you were just rushing through it. We were all in agreement that we very much enjoyed the day and cannot wait to attend more of your lectures.”
NADFAS Member, Chipping Sodbury
National Association of Decorative & Fine Art Societies
“I just wanted to let you know that I received a good number of favourable comments following your excellent lecture yesterday. Members contacted me personally, by phone and e-mail to say how much they enjoyed it. So did I! Спасибо”.
Chairman, Welwyn Garden DFAS
Fred Olsen Cruise
“First of all, a huge thank you for the lectures you gave on the cruise. I really enjoyed them in fact you were the high spot of my cruise and I know a number of other people felt the same.. I think you are very talented as a lecturer and as you can see from my profession, I do know what I am talking about! Your lectures were interesting, informative, educative and not at all patronising. You have made me more determined than ever to do an adult course on modernism and those artists and the whole of what was going on in art post impressionism. The sign of a good teacher is to leave the student hungry for more which is what you have done for me.”
Member of the public
Pushkin House
I just found out about your site last night when at a talk at Pushkin House… I love Russian art and am a Russian graduate too so delighted to find this as REALLY useful to know what is going on…
I am amazed we haven’t met but hopefully will meet you in June as I have just booked for your talk… and am at Pushkin House again tonight for the art talk so may see you there! WELL DONE!!!!!
Member of the public
Victoria and Albert Museum
“I would like to congratulate you on your excellent lecture last Saturday at the V&A. You were truly outstanding, especially at such short notice. Out of six lecturers you were by far the superior! I could have listened to you for hours. I have heard the curator and the charming fashion lady speak before, they are both good but they others who read their lectures just lose me! I am in awe of all that you have achieved at such a young age and wish you success with your PhD.”
Member of the public
Ultimate Travel Company
“We so much enjoyed enjoyed meeting you on our wonderful visit to St Petersburg. Thank you for giving us that inspiring talk before we saw the Impressionist paintings in the Hermitage. I hope we meet again one day soon.”
Private collector on tour to St Petersburg
Russian Art and Culture
“The website is an invaluable resource in terms of bringing together the commercial and academic elements of the Russian art world. Well-maintained and up to date, it is the first place I turn to for the latest news on Russian cultural events in London.”
Director, Russian Pictures, Sotheby’s
“The Russian Art and Culture website is a terrific resource for anyone interested in Russian cultural matters. Before its launch there was no one source for Russian cultural information and information had to be extracted from many different areas. Its success and rapidly growing readership is testimony to the outstanding coverage it provides under the skilful direction of its founder and editor, Theodora Clarke.”
Lindsay Fine Art Agents and Dealers
“The web magazine/blog Russian Art and Culture is exactly what is needed to keep people involved in the Russian art world informed and aware of exhibitions, events and new publications. The editorial is intelligently written, very well presented and clear and is in no way political.”
Chief Executive, Hermitage Foundation UK
“The most comprehensive website on Russian art and culture in Europe (and probably the rest of the world as well)! I always recommend it to all my friends interested in Russia, colleagues and students – all the news on Russian events in London can be found on this one site.”
Academic and curator, Courtauld Institute of Art, London
“The terrific energy and entrepreneurial vigour of Theodora R. Clarke has made the website Russian Art and Culture indispensable for anyone involved in teaching Russian art and culture, learning about it, exhibiting it, buying it, simply looking at it, or even maybe doing it. Supported by dedicated young scholars of ability and commitment, this website is essential reading in itself. It captures Russian cultural events worldwide, allows galleries and museums to keep abreast of all their different ventures, and it lets you compare salerooms from Bond Street to Bermondsey when Russian art week is underway. This is a wonderful way to steer into or out of your special fields, taking in a Russian concert or film festival when you are mostly running courses, exhibiting in galleries, or seeking contacts. The website is growing with many more links and useful contacts, leading articles, essay competitions, reviews, debates, and interviews. Keep up if you can – it is excellent.”
Academic and curator, Courtauld Institute of Art, London
“Russian Art & Culture has come out of nowhere to be the indispensable English-language portal to all aspects of Russian culture. It is the single resource for an ever-increasing community of scholars and amateurs who probably did not know they were so numerous until Theodora Clarke made them this gift of a platform. For that she has been widely lauded in the Russian art world, and deservedly so.”
Russian Art Consultancy
“Every now and then one sees a new business idea which after the fact seams absolutely obvious and necessary, but before no one had thought of. Theodora Clarke’s guide to Russian Week is such an idea. And the related Russian Art & Culture website is equally proving essential to anyone following this area in Britain and beyond. She is rapidly becoming one of the most important people in Russian culture in Britain.”
Director, MacDougall’s Fine Art Auctions
“Russian Art and Culture is the forerunner of all sites devoted to Russian Art, a trailblazing concept that features all that is best and notable about Russian Art. It has a scope and breadth of reach that others cannot hope to emulate.”
Russian art expert and dealer
“Theodora’s site is the most vibrant and informative internet portal about Russian art and culture in the UK.”
Member, London Collectors Club
Theodora Clarke is founder and editor of the online arts magazine Russian Art & Culture. She also set up Russian Art Week in London and publishes a bi-annual guide to this major event.
She has previously lectured at institutions which include the Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Britain, Harvard University, the Courtauld Institute of Art, the University of Bristol and Cambridge University. Theodora has also taught adult art history courses and day schools at the Royal West of England Academy in Bristol on Russian art and twentieth century avant-garde art.
