5 things to do in and around the Hemel Hempstead area

Here is our guide to some of the events taking place in and around Hemel Hempstead this week
Sarah CoveSarah Cove
Sarah Cove

1 MusicFastlove, A Tribute to George Michael, Watford Colosseum, 7.30pm tomorrow (Thursday)Packed with crowd pleasing anthems from the Wham classics to the chart topping success of the Eighties album Faith and including Jesus To A Child, Careless Whisper and Freedom. Relive the passion, flare and unique sensitivity of George Michael in this incredible concert featuring special guest Ed Barker. Tickets £29.50. Box office 01923 571102 or book online:www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk2 ArtJohn Constable RA: “A Jackson Pollock of the 1830s?”, Boxmoor Trust Centre, Hemel Hempstead, 7pm Tuesday September 18The Arts Society Gade Valley is holding its first ever evening lecture. Well known Constable expert from the BBC1 series Fake or Fortune?, Sarah Cove will draw on many years of technical and scientific examination of Constable’s famous works to bring his painting techniques and artistic temperament to life in a new and exciting manner. Revealing how some of his most famous compositions evolved from small pencil drawings and oil studies into iconic compositions such as The Haywain and Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, she will challenge their chocolate box label and ask whether Constable was in fact the Jackson Pollock of his age. Tickets £8, including a glass of wine, can be purchased from www.eventbrite.co.uk. Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm. For further information visit:www.theartssocietygadev.org.uk3 ArtHand to Mouth II, An exhibition of paintings and drawings, The Ivory Suite, The Grove, Watford, 10.30am - 6.30pm Saturday September 15 and Sunday September 16Henry Fraser is a British artist, author and motivational speaker. At the age of 17 a tragic accident severely crushed his spinal cord. Paralysed from the shoulders down, he has conquered unimaginable difficulty to embrace life and a new way of living. Using a specially developed stylus he has become an accomplished mouth painter. His first solo exhibition two years ago was a huge success.www.henryfraserart.com4 ArtHerts Open Studios, various venues across the county, now through to Sunday, September 30This popular annual event continues with more than 150 artists taking part at almost 70 solo and group venues across Hertfordshire. Visitors can enjoy a rich mix of free-to-enter experiences, including personal studios, live demonstrations and exhibitions. With painting, drawing, sculpture, print making, glass, photography, ceramics (pictured below), textiles, jewellery and a blacksmith, the artists are ready to show, demonstrate and talk about their work, or just allow quiet browsing if preferred. Regardless, a warm welcome is assured at every venue. For full details of all the events taking place see the brochure available at public locations across the county or:www.hvaf.org.uk5 HeritageHalton Heritage Day, Halton House, The Officers’ Mess, RAF Halton, Wendover, 10am - 4pm Sunday September 16A rare opportunity to see the interior of this historic house, built by Alfred de Rothschild in 1883, a lasting reminder of Victorian decorative taste. The house has been used as a location in many major feature films.www.haltonhouse.org.uk