York Museums: Quilts,Ceramics and Hoards

 Recovering from a long  yet stimulating day in York visiting  various museums. The object of my  excursion was seeing the exhibitions at the Quilt museum before it closes  at the end of October. I spent some time looking round  'Quilt Art - Dialogues' - I was loaned a copy of the catalogue  so it was interesting to read more about the work and artists at the time ( and good advertising, I bought one  later).  I'd seen 'Small Talk' at FoQ  but with so many galleries there competing for your attention, it was good to have a longer look ( although the light was rather dim).
After tea and a chat  in the members room , I  headed over to York Art Gallery and after buying  a YMT card  had  delicious lunch ( with discount!) in the café there with the view above.  It's  run by the team at Café no 8 ( of rhubarb  and custard pavlova  fame!)

Suitably refreshed,  I headed up to the 1st floor to reacquaint myself with  some of my favourite paintings  including Paul Nash 'Winter Sea'.  The refurbishment of the gallery included comfy, quirky sofas, books and catalogues to look through, drawing materials  and  mini guides to looking at art incorporating a view finder.  I ordered the books on Paul Nash and Wilhelmina Barnes- Graham  this morning!  

I spent most time however in the fantastic  newly opened Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA). The first thing that caught my eye was this installation  by Sara Moorhouse, the interpretation of landscape reminding me of the piece 'Around Here' by Elizabeth Brimelow that I'd  been absorbed by in the morning.    

 Another installation   by Clare Twomey represents the 10,000 hours it is said to take to become a master craftsman ( each bowl takes an hour to make). In the same, light, space there were cabinets devoted to individual artists: Bernard Leach, Lucie Rie, Ewan Henderson etc

 

 The gallery next to it on one side had a whole wall of 4 shelves organised by colour ( following, appropriately enough , the 'Richard of York.... mnemonic spectrum) , I could have spent days looking at these wonderful objects! They have dedicated touch screen computers   in front of them so you can identify what you're looking at ( and computers to search for particular artists)

On the other side of the room the collection donated by Anthony Shaw was displayed in domestic style space with furniture and other artwork and artifacts, inviting the viewer to share the experience of living with a collection 

In the shop I added to my own  collection   with a small bowl by Barbara Wood, saggar- fired after burnishing, it's so tactile,  and sits very well alongside my sphere by Elspeth Owen and my recent  'Upwey' purchases. 

 

In the hour before I caught my train back,  I wandered around the Yorkshire Museum,  so many hoards of silver and gold , with other galleries devoted to Richard III and to the  Romans. There were plenty of  screens around with video clips of  experts  talking  with passion about the archaeology and the conservation behind some of these treasures.   

 

Being  still in 'pottery mode', it was the prehistoric vessels which as ever drew my attention- the hand of the maker is so evident, a connection through millennia

 

And a hoard just as precious in my eyes as the silver and gold - a  huge quantity of partially made flint knives and scrapers.  I have a few myself among the 'small treasures' I'm recording through drawing.  

 

Drawing Tuesday: Islamic Glass at British Museum

 I made good use of my watercolour pencils today  attempting to capture the colours and quirky shapes of the glass in the Islamic Gallery at the British Museum

  These  photos I took in April when I last visited - the light was rather better than today

  I chose this collection to sketch first  with a blind drawing  in watercolour pen , then in  pencil  before concentrating on the yellow-green bottle with the odd-angled twisted neck (a rose water sprinkler apparently!)

 

 

 

 

Having had enough of sitting down , I stood up to draw the even more bizarre shapes on the top shelf 

 It's always a dilemma whether to use waterbrush on the watercolour pencil drawing - decided not to risk  losing the fine lines  but did another little study of the  bottle top  where I did use a brush.
Loving colour as  I do, I'm inspired  be  use them  more and  maybe hunt out  my Inktense pencils.

Off to York very early tomorrow  for the ' Quilt Art -Dialogues'  exhibition - last chance to visit the Quilt Museum before it closes  for good at the end of October.

FoQ Purchases

Yet another new experience, updating my blog on the train! On my way up to Malham for painting course, via York to see my Tunisian door quilt at the Quilt Museum. Apart from Blogger initially being in Swedish, length of time to upload photos and sqwarking child in carriage , all is well I've brought my notes with me from Elizabeth Barton Masterclass, hoping to find some time to digest them and summarise (in between grinding pigments!)

My purchases were relatively modest: more shibori/tray dyed fabric from African Fabric shop;book on 3d embroidery(have idea about making a vessel for Slough Museum Challenge)

Under African Skies at Quilt Museum

Magie sent me a photo of my Tunisian Door quilt on display at the Quilt Museum as part of 'Under African Skies' exhibition. Seems quite appropriate to have windows either side, like a play house ! The other quilts and fabrics on show look great ( Magie has more about them on her website) and I look forward to seeing them on August 23 when I visit en route to my painting holiday at Malham. I'll be picking up some postcards made of my quilt which are on sale in the shop. The journal of SDA had just arrived and appropriately is titled 'African Sampler'!

Brilliant Birthday in York

Just back from a few days in York for my birthday based around giving a gallery talk at the Quilt Museum . The train journey of only 2 hours passed quickly. I've discovered the perfect travel sewing - preparing shibori for dyeing with very large needle and stitches. Even better on the return journey thanks to Sue and present of Empress Mills 'Teddy Bear Thread' which was a bit thicker. I was consulting Anne Maile's 1963 Tie and Dye book - for all the plethora of books around, this oldie has great diagrams and instructions and is a handy travel size ( my second-hand copy also has dye stains in various places -truly a manual to consult rather than a coffee-table book)
Ian was also reading... a military history book(what a surprise)
On our arrival , the first thing we saw was the daffodils and cherry trees in full bloom around the city walls - spectacular.
I had a very warm welcome at the Quilt Museum, such a wonderful setting for both traditional and contemporary quilts. During our stay we spent most of our time looking around York Minster (more about that in another post) and exploring the 'snickelways' between some memorable meals at Rustique(twice!), Ate O clock, Meltons Too, and Cafe No 8 with Alistair and Maggie joining us for dinner- lovely to see them. The Rhubarb and custard pavlova with rhubarb and custard ice cream was to die for - having seen it on the menu , I knew I had to budget my appetite with no starter and it was worth it!


I also had to honour my part of the birthday bargain in visiting a military museum ( as Ian had gone to QuiltFest for his birthday) Wasn't too bad ( I made some quite intelligent comments apparently) and as a reward Ian bought me this millifiori necklace spotted through the window of 'Monkey Puzzle' on our evening perambulations. What a sweetie (and Ian's not bad either!)

Bexhill Breakwaters at Quilt Museum

As the 'Breakthrough' Exhibition by Contemporary Quilt has now opened at the Quilt Museum,
I can finally reveal my entry displayed there "Bexhill Breakwaters"


It is 60cm square, based on photos and sketches of Bexhill-on Sea last year , constructed from an old Durham quilt, stitched and painted, with inserts of old Japanese Kasuri fabric.
I made lots of preparatory materials including the handling sample required and a 'toile' to solve problems along the way. I'll share more about the process in next few posts- good practice for the Gallery Talk I'm giving at the Quilt Museum on the 28th April!