Last week gorgeous girl and I went to "The Beetroot Tree" at Draycott in Derbyshire on my birthday. Most of the time it isn't cool to come to galleries with me but because it was my birthday I got to choose!
The glass work is by Gill Hobson and I liked these impressive large pieces (some) mounted on stone plinths. Not to sound too morbid I thought they'd make delightful headstones!
Loving the ceramics by Karen Shapley whose work is inspired by the rituals of tea.
Her pieces often include fabrics or vintage spoons, sugar tongs etc...
I also liked the work of Judith Williamson who clearly gets through a lot of biscuits and chocolates to release the tins to make delightful pieces like this!
And closer - see that giveaway "Fox's" name on one of the petals?
After lunch we went to the Djanogly gallery in Nottingham to see this ...
This was a slightly crazy set up where you breathed at your peril for fear the arrangements would fall . All the exhibits seemed to be made up of the pieces from the cupboard under the stairs balanced against each other. As life's now back to normal after all the festivities I set up my own arrangement as I was cleaning today : - hoover, polish, mop, bucket and window cleaner but it all collapsed as I ran for the camera! But is it art?
It's still snowing and I had to laugh at this in one of the housey magazines - suggesting we fill a pair of gloves with some greenery and hang it up on the gate as a nice welcome gesture for guests. I'd love to know if anyone tried it. I didn't think shoving some hastily grabbed vegetation into my old gardening gloves frozen rigid would have the same effect as a pair of beautiful fairisles!
It is very, very cold here and although the snow looks lovely it has not been fun defrosting hte car at 7.30 each morning. The last couple of mornings I've not been able to unlock the drivers door or the passenger door, but surprise surprise, I could open the boot. I looked at gorgeous girl and she looked at me, her face blank, clearly not realising what was coming next. Right, I said, I'm going in. So in I went head first into the hatchback. Not my most elegant entry! Needless to say yesterday I insisted on GG going in first.
Hope the snow isn't putting you in inelegant poses!
Love Wend
Hi Wend, glad to hear you had a good birthday. I love the glass and the Karen Shapley ceramics ... we have some of her work in the galleries down here. I'm also on your wavelength and was going to do a similar post about the picture that is on my calendar for January suggesting we put cushions and blankets on outside benches to make it snuggly outside (!)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your Sunday
Carolyn ♥
Lovely exhibition and glad you got to chose where to visit! Those magazines do have some weird ideas don't they? All fine and dandy for the photo shoot but imagine what it would look like later with the greenery all dead and the wooly gloves all wet and dirty!!
ReplyDeleteJane
Wow how gorgeous are those jugs??? I want/need one! Happy belated birthday wishes xx (I have a birthday on Sat 16th, feel free to enter my giveaway) Love Lucey xx
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy, Happy New Year and belated birthday wishes. I am glad you had a nice day out. I really love the tea theme part of the exhibition, very altered art. Know what you mean about the snow I have had enough now and have started planning my summer hols in the sun!!!
ReplyDeleteDebbie
I love all those things, especially the milk jug. My daughter loves purple, so would really like the first two.
ReplyDeleteThe story about climbing into the car was very funny. My husband has been going to work dressed in a suit and mountain boots! Very city gent!
Belated Happy Birthday. xx
love Judiths tins although I think they could have been better shown without the plank of wood behind!
ReplyDeleteHappyWendDay :
blowoutthecandlesandmakeawish x
Hi Wend, love the glass pieces. I love stained glass and painted glass and have quite a collection of glass . I think the tin flowers are great too, very original. I know what you mean about getting in to the car. My friend picked me up in her mini the other day and I had a similar experience with the passenger door frozen shut. I had to scramble through in a very confined space and got my leg stuck ! Oh well it makes life interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnn x
I love the thought of you getting in the car via the boot! And I love the idea of eating lots and lots of biscuits in the cause of art!
ReplyDeletePomona x
Love those tin flowers...beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSomeone would surely pinch those nice gloves! Just love the jugs, and I too could eat as many biscuits as you like - all in the name of art you understand!
ReplyDeleteVicky x
That artwork is magnificent! I suppose most anything can be considered artwork if it utilizes the imagination. Hope it warms up your way soon. Been pretty cold here for East Texas.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
really impressed with all that art there....huge variety , what would cap it all would be a martin parr type photo of you getting into your car via the boot .....that i'd even pay to see.....
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy
ReplyDeleteI am just about to take the car out, first time in over a week! I am hoping that the locks are not solid and that the roads are passable as I have to take poor Flo to the vets tomorrow for a lump removal that was postponed from last week, trouble is they forecast more today and frost tonight!
I love the piece that looks like coral fan.
Tracey
The tin flowers are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI know that thing of climbing through the boot - the doors can then be opened from inside with a heft shove. Not very elegant, i do agree!
Glad you had a good Birthday. I'd have loved to see you getting into your car!!! xxxx
ReplyDeleteHi Wend. I just found your blog and i love it! I'll be back! Happy New Year! Love, Amanda xxx
ReplyDeleteLovely post, lots of gorgeous artwork - glad you managed to get out for your birthday.
ReplyDeleteThere always seem to be odd gloves lying on the pavement perhaps they can be rescued and used in flower displays ;-)
Have a great weekend
ReplyDeleteVictoria xx
How lovely that you could spend your birthday with your daughter, I am sure that would've made it extra special. Amazing art works at the gallery. As for the car boot incident, sometimes there's nothing for it and a girls gotta do, what a girls gotta do!
ReplyDeleteSending warm wishes from "Downunder"