10th DECEMBER 2025 2:30pm

NB: This is an afternoon talk starting at 2.30pm.

This is the story of a historic discovery that gave an artist her voice.  From 18th century Sweden to the Peak District of the 21st Century.  This is the tale of bonad painting from simple church walls to aluminium panels in Peak District places, via egg tempera paint, name changes, royalty and organic farming! Sue’s work has described the history of Staffordshire Churches in the form of community artworks, now displayed in those churches.  The origin of bonad painting in Sweden was the creation of decorative pieces that were displayed only during the advent period in the simple houses of farming families, so this is the perfect time to be talking about them!

Sue Prince OBE DL is a contemporary folk artist living on a Peak District Farm near Dovedale where she has her studio and a gallery in a beautiful restored barn. She also runs an award winning eco tourism business with three holiday cottages, one of which is fully wheelchair accessible. She was awarded her OBE for creative work linking farming and tourism in the east and west midlands.”

The above image is of ‘Hard along mid-winter’s path’ (or the Three Kings).