JANE Renouf's Lake Artists Society Centenary Celebration book is a superb read.

Published in 2004, Jane’s hefty, award-winning tome, shines a creative light on one of the most prestigious and revered art groups in the UK as well as provide a historic and informative record about the region’s cultural landscape.

One particularly fascinating part of the book is the section on the founding fathers of LAS and the references to the Tucker brothers.

Artists Edward Tucker (1815-1898) and his wife Julia (1829-1912) lived in various places around England before settling in Langdale in 1865. They had five sons and Edward senior taught all of them to paint and like their parents, the brothers - Edward, Albert, Hubert, Fred and Arthur - went on to be successful watercolour artists.

Three of the siblings changed their names to avoid confusion with their father: Edward Arden, Albert Maile and Hubert Coutts were the three oldest sons; Fred and Arthur the two youngest still painted under their Tucker name.

Four brothers were founder members of the Lake Artists Society at its inaugural meeting in 1904.

Hubert was elected the first LAS president. He lived at Hammarbank, Windermere, now Windermere Manor Hotel.

Alfred was the only son not associated with LAS. His life took a different direction. He join the Church and became Bishop of Uganda, although he did continue to paint all his life.

As well as highly thought of artists who captured the fells in paint, the five brothers also made their mark climbing the towering heights.

Famously, at 4.20 on a June morning in 1877, when it was just coming light, the five Tucker siblings set off from their home in Elterwater to climb four of the highest fells in the Lakes: Bow Fell, Scafell Pike, Skiddaw and Helvellyn. They arrived back at Elterwater at 11.58pm. In 19 hours 38 minutes they had walked 65 miles and set a fell walking record that stood for years.

All five brothers also played football for Ambleside, Arthur captained Windermere at cricket and Hubert was later chairman of Windermere Football Club.

Come July 27 and this year's Lake Artists Society exhibition begins its annual six week run at The Hall, Grasmere. Without doubt one of the must-see art exhibitions on the region's cultural calendar.

Two talks on the Tuckers, their lives and paintings, will be given by Dr Andrew Bolton and Dr Joan Plubell Mattia on Friday, August 2 (7pm-8.30pm) and repeated the following day, Saturday, August 3, at the Grasmere hall to tie in with the LAS summer exhibition.

Some of the works by the brothers will be on display during the talks.

Andrew is the great grandson of Hubert Coutts Tucker, brother of Edward junior, Bishop Alfred, Frederic and Arthur. He says, as a boy growing up among fells, he was caught by the "atmosphere" of Tucker paintings - rugged fells, sheltering sheep on wind swept moors, and the often wild skies of the English north west.

"I was touched by the mystical in their landscapes," explains Andrew.

Andrew did a degree in horticulture and a PhD in plant genetics, made a career in education, and later worked for a church, including serving nine years in Asia.

Joan Mattia is an American academic who teaches African studies in a university in Hungary. She took her PhD at Birmingham University on Bishop Tucker. She read and then word processed all Bishop Tucker’s letters to and from the Church Missionary Society, apparently nigh on 4,000. She also looked at all the Bishop's African sketches.

Additionally, Canon Dr Tudor Griffiths will preach about Alfred R Tucker on Sunday, August 4 (10.30am), at Holy Trinity Parish Church, Langdale, the church the Tucker family attended while they were living at Elterwater.

"I grew up surrounded by Tucker family pictures," adds Andrew. "Growing up among fells I was inspired by both their fell walking stories and their art that caught north country scenes and weather so well. Bishop Alfred Tucker was particularly inspiring as an all round human being. To be able to share these stories with the help of Canon Dr Tudor Griffiths and Dr Joan Mattia is wonderful. These are Lakes stories but touch also far away places and can inspire many hearts. What happened to descendants of other branches of the Tucker family? Does anyone have a painting by one of the brothers or Edward senior? I am interested in making connections."

What a wonderful way to raise the curtain on what promises to be another terrific LAS show of art.

The Tucker Family - Athletes, Artists and an Apostle talks are co-sponsored by the Lake Artists Society and the Armitt Museum, Ambleside. Tickets are available by emailing abolton2@live.com. Profits and donations will go to The Welcome Project for Refugees and Asylum Seekers run by Glenthorne Quaker Centre, Easedale Rd, Ambleside LA22 9QH.