Tonal London and the dementia darnings

At the painting class today, we were going to be looking at the tonal still-lives of the Italian painter Morandi.   Before that I went to City Hall to see the Dementia Darnings by Jenni Dutton.  A grey day ,and the walk there, gave the opportunity for some tonal studies of my own concerning light and shape.

The Dementia Darnings are remarkable pieces of work and really  convey the fading of a life, not into obscurity, but into a different place.  There is a tremendous sense of pathos and surprisingly, calm, in the later pieces.  The exhibition is small, and on until 27th March, but so worth a visit.

An added bonus was a little display in the lower ground floor of City Hall, called "Second Skin" highlighting the work of four Irish textile designers.  I absolutely loved the work of Jennifer Rothwell, whose recent collection was inspired by stained glass.  The colours on the silk were a vibrant contrast to the rest of the sombre colour scheme of the day.

I wasn't so convinced by the wearability of the wooden shoulder pads by Lennon Courtney, but they were beautifully made.