On Tuesday 11 March, ARTS SOCIETY WOKING’s talk is A Personal Heaven. The Paintings of Stanley Spencer. One of the most original British artists of his generation, Spencer’s art was dominated by his personal life and his profound religious faith. Cookham, his birthplace, was for Spencer an earthly paradise whose people and surroundings possessed a mystical quality. This was the setting for many of his great religious works and he spoke of “the rich religious significance of the place I live in”. Despite the failure of his two marriages, Spencer continued to believe in the power of love and some of his most important works were inspired by his feelings for the two women whom he married. The paintings inspired by his military service in World War I, concentrating on hope and redemption rather than on suffering, reveal a similar basic optimism. This lecture will examine the eccentric and visionary world of one of the most creative and imaginative British painters of the 20th century. The talk will be given by Val Woodgate, who is a lecturer and guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern, for the Art Fund, and other organisations. Talks start at 10.30am but doors open 9.45am for tea and coffee. The venue is Normandy Village Hall, GU3 2DT. Members may bring a visitor, who may want to make a donation to the Society of £6. Visit www.wokingdfas.org.uk/talks-arts-society-woking-2024.htm.