Serpentine gallery, pavilion and cafe

To the Serpentine, so see this summer’s pavilion, designed by Francis Kéré, a festival of triangles, so lots of resonance for a quilter. Superb blue colour, great shapes, wonderful shadows. Apparently it is designed such that when it rains, there is a waterfall of water cascading down in to the middle.

Then in to the gallery, after a short wait to see the free  Grayson Perry exhibition. Pieces in many media, and some that were on display recently at the British Museum. There are two small cases with his sketchbooks, which I always love to see. The largest piece is the tapestry “Battle of Britain”. Ten of these have been made. For the quilters reading this, there are several quilt designs in the background of this tapestry, but I can’t find commentary about why Perry has chosen to include these. Don’t look any further if you want to go to the exhibition and find them yourself. The subtlety of the weaving matches that of the colours in the Chris Ofili tapestry, but Perry’s tapestries are machine woven by Flanders Tapestries.

Finishing off with a walk across the bridge to a cup of tea within the sinuous curves of the Magazine restaurant, designed by Zaha Hadid.

 

 

 

May journal - still in fresh water

I’ve got very behind posting about this year’s journal quilts.  May is still on the theme of blue-green algae.

Testing out prints in the sketchbook with acrylic paint

Trying out different way of appliquéing silk, rouleaux strips

Final piece

Life drawing

Two sessions of life drawing as part of the course at Mary Ward have been scary, exhilarating, confusing, frustrating and rewarding in equal measure. We drew two different models, both beautiful young women, in a series of 3 minute and 5 minute poses, clothed and naked, with and without props. All A1 size with charcoal.

The clothed figure was the most difficult to capture

This one could be rendered in stitch at some point.

Lots of work needed to capture faces, hands and feet, but at least they don’t look like aliens.

Eigg - rocks

Besides the ever-changing colours of the sea, Eigg has many examples of different rock formations

Rock or macaroon?

Too much inspiration and not enough stitching.

Off to Eigg - water

Eigg is a community-owned island, celebrating 20 years of community ownership this year. A yoga retreat beckoned, but the weather on the way over on the ferry did not. That great blur on the horizon is the island.

The dampness however does lead to beautiful mosses and lichens.

When the sun shines, the transformation is astonishing - Rhum from the north of Eigg

Singing sands beach with mist over the ridge

Galmisdale harbour

On the way to Kildonnan beach, with mainland in the background

These colours inspired some watery piecing

Forgive me internet, for I have sinned...........

….it has now been 4 weeks since my last blogpost. I have been trying to absorb too many wondrous experiences this month, involving travel, art, stitching and yoga.

At the beginning of the month - train from London to Vienna, via Cologne. Does anyone know why the square outside Cologne Cathedral is the stag and hen party destination of choice for young Germans? None them were looking at this quirky door handle

or at the stained glass,

There is a very modern, pixellated stained glass window by Gerhard Richter, no photo as the light was not good by then, but information is here.

The sleeper to Vienna was fun, starting with the grids on grids spotted at the station

Five separate knocks on the door from the guard to bring in quick succession: water, savoury snack, prosecco, menu card for breakfast, extra towels. I’m still not sure why he couldn't bring the first four all together.

Four days in Vienna, just too much to see and absorb.  Commemorative rose bushes stood out in the gardens in the centre of Vienna.

Then through the mountains to Graz.  Double spiral staircase.

It was a bit hot, so iced coffee helped with energy levels.

Stolpersteine were discovered, as moving and thought-provoking as ever.

Skyline views - these towers took up several sketchbook pages

Surfers on the standing wave in the middle of the river Mur

Home again, and a sketch / collage piece is in progress using sketches and photographs of the trip.

Using overlay of tracing paper to try out various elements of composition

I seem to be more observant of my more usual environment when I return fro a trip.  Seen on the underground

An installation commemorating the work of Frank Pick, 

and then off to Eigg, for yoga, but that’s another post.