Lots has happened since last Blog; Christmas came and went.
Shirley came and told us new secrets about the Nicholson family but always with love.
We went to London and everyone soldiered through the snow to get to the coach at the crack of dawn – what troupers! I would love to know what other people considered the highlight of the trip? I felt the ghosts of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn pass by me in Hampton Court. Arts & Crafts Wightwick Manor was very near the top of my list. But for after dinner conversation nothing will beat the Judy Chicago exhibition at the Ben Uri Gallery – it really sorted out ‘The Bolters’ from ‘The Addicts’
Yesterday I had two wonderful experiences at the Gallery
Started the day at the Tuesday Talk given by Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt she has “exposed the endemic corruption in commercially derived approaches to culture, most recently as Researcher-in-Residence at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Derry, in relation to UK City of Culture 2013”. ( Blog comment; wonderful Cultural Anarchy) But I realised, from a brief comment made by Rebecca, that sitting three rows in front of me was an artist from whom I had bought a painting 30 years ago. BIG re-union. Image: Kinder Scout by Langley Brown.
You need to stay with me for the next voyage of discovery.
I have been introduced to the art of Keith Vaughan by Ian Massey, who will talk to ‘Friends’ on Friday 5th April. I have also started to learn about The Edinburgh Weavers who have made many of the C20th textile works in the Whitworth collection. Keith Vaughan designed for the Edinburgh Weavers when Alastair Morton was art Director of the company 1931 – 1943. I found on the website that there are some in the WAG collection. I e-mailed Frances Pritchard and she invited me to look at a new book just published about Alastair Morton with lots of pictures of Whitworth collection and she had also got out three of the Keith Vaughan fabrics. Gill & I had a breathless 10 minutes gazing at these unusual beautiful & colourful rolls of cloth. A wonderful privilege and experience and we hope Francis will be able to display them in an exhibition at some stage for everyone to see. Gill, always the journalist, had a camera – might have pics later.
Oups, garden fence just blown down, must dash, I feel a day of hard labour coming on!
joanatfow 