Exhibition wanderings

I have l had little blogging time due to a very busy January, but several artistic visits have been made.

Monochrome at the National Gallery, an unexpectedly absorbing exhibition of works in one tone, including several textiles. on until 18th February

Hannah Ryggen, a most Swedish / Norwegian politically involved  artist / artisan weaver - tapestries at Modern Art Oxford until 18th February. I was fascinated by these works, particularly the variety of themes and how she literally wove her domestic life into her art alongside depictions of huge political events. She raised her own sheep, carded her own wool, spun it, dyed it with natural materials and wove without any preparatory sketches or backing cartoons.

My eye was drawn to the shadows created by the gallery lights on the fringes of the larger tapestries

The Lost Words, the most marvellous display of watercolour paintings on gold leaf , from the book of the same name by Jackie Morris and Robert MacFarlane.  At The Foundling Museum until 8th May. Truly beautiful, and although I own a copy of the book, to see the paintings glow in the light of the gallery in a way that is impossible to convey in a printed image is a wonderful experience.

A visit to Warwick University Theatre ( younger son was playing bass guitar for a production of Rent) allowed time to see an installation of huge oil paintings by Clare Woods , on until 10 March. These are so new, you can smell the oil in the gallery, and they invite such close looking it was very difficult not to touch them. The educational activities attached to the exhibition are really superb, with a range of art materials and papers available for anyone to make their now work inspired by what they have seen.

Wanderings in St James to The Portland Gallery to see firstly the superb pantings of Scottish landscape by Frances MacDonald. ( exhibition now finished, and over 90% of works on display were sold) She uses a palette knife with such gusto, she sweeps you in to her paintings.

Then to The White Cube to see puzzling works by Korean artist, Mindjung Kim. I can appreciate the artistry of the works in ink on mulberry paper,( emending me of the shadows above)  but the assemblages of strips of coloured paper didn’t stimulate a great deal of interest for me.

 

Great fun at the Philip Mould Gallery , until 18th February, with an exhibition of hats by, and a painting of, the millinery maker, Victoria Grant

 

Multiples of objects seen with reflections of London life

 

 

 My own multiples are also developing in a charcoal drawing inspired by the necks of gannets and the twisting structure of a wisteria pod

 

Sewing has been functional rather than artistic: repairing cushions; making hessian bags to use when transplanting garden plants; sewing hems, so no point in showing any of that.