Welwyn Garden studentslearn from top graphic artist For its latest Young Arts event, Welwyn GardenDFAS sponsored a leading graphic artist to visitMonks Walk School. Last November Kev FSutherland, who has worked on Beanoand Dr Who, spent a day sharing his knowledgewith Year 7 and GCSE students. He answeredquestions about his career and demonstratedvarious techniques, including perspectives fordrawing skyscrapers. In the morning, Kev (pictured right) helpedstudents to develop ideas for their very owncomic strips. After lunch, the drawings wereready for inking in. By 3.30pm each studenthad a comic book to take home - to whichthey had all contributed. They also received a caricature of themselves drawn by Kev, who claims to be the fastest caricature artist in the country. 60NADFAS REVIEW / SUMMER 2010www.nadfas.org.ukSOCIETIES NEWSThe Ulster DFAS Church Recorders formed tenyears ago when they began a journey that hasseen them research the histories of threedifferent churches in Belfast. The first church tobe recorded by the Society was the FirstPresbyterian Church in central Belfast. Notedfor its unusual oval shape and elegantserpentine gallery, the church was opened in1783 and praised as "beautiful in the highestdegree" by John Wesley. The Church Recordershave also compiled and presented a Record ofa Victorian church with RAF associations. Morerecently, they have embarked on recording athird place of worship -the oldest Church ofIreland church in Belfast.A decade ofChurch Recordingin Ulster

www.nadfas.org.ukNADFAS REVIEW / SUMMER 2010 61Glaven Valley and King's LynnHeritage Volunteers (pictured leftand below) have been workinghard on a textile project atRaynham Hall, Norfolk. Here theyare helping to conserve ten 18th-century high-backed upholsteredchairs. The original silk damaskfabric is damaged - leavingstuffing exposed and threadshanging loose. The Volunteers'painstaking work involves insertingnew fabric, repairing loose threadsand adding a layer of fine net.Although the process is slow,the result is an impressivetransformation of the chairs totheir former glory.Heritage Volunteersrestore 18th-centuryupholsterySOCIETIES/AREAS NEWSCultural city tripfor West MerciaA party from West Mercia Area (which includedmembers from 10 Societies) enjoyed awonderful trip to Istanbul in March. The visitfollowed four study days on Byzantine Art withJane Angelini last autumn. The group found Istanbul to be a city ofspring flowers, with millions of tulips andpolyanthus. Highlights of the trip included theBlue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palaceand the Church of St Saviour in Chora. A boattrip on the Bosphorus and visits to the GrandBazaar completed a memorable week. They are seen here (left) on the roof terrace oftheir hotel,against the backdrop ofthe BlueMosque (indeed, many were awoken eachmorning at 5am by the call to prayer!).Paddy Bushell and Midhurst DFASChairman Sue Ryan presented thecompleted Church Record of the beautifulSussex church, St James, Selham, to thepriest in charge, Derek Welsman, inFebruary. The Church Recording groupconsists of a dozen individuals whometiculously recorded all details of thechurch.The Church Recorders have spent the last two years working on the Record of thisancient church, which is reputed to be lateSaxon, and is of considerable interest. TheRecord has been put into safe keeping, butcan be seen on request.Pictured are Derek Welsman, PaddyBushell and Sue RyanMidhurst team presents finished Record