Found

I found some pictures from Hastings on the camera . I do love the bleakness of an English seaside town out of season.

Picnic at The V&A

So for me this is heaven. Another day another exhibition. This time it a quick waltz around the V&A beloved jewel in the artisan and craftmakers  crown. Currently  British Design is installed in the gallery spaces and I have earmarked that for a solo outing. Instead we busied ourselves with lunch on the lawn and a fast foxtrot around the glass, the Samuri swords and the spectacular cast room. And my guilty pleasure the shop. I truly believe that the brilliance of a Museum is highlighted in it's shop or not as the case maybe . The V&A  has a wonderful shop as does the Tate (pull your finger out The Natural History Museum). Look out for the 1950's print tea towels and the archive fabrics at 50% off.

Damien Hirst

So silly me i didn't realise when I included this sculpture before all wrapped up and being positioned that it was a Damien Hirst piece for the new retrospective at the Tate. Well I do now!
We tootled along yesterday me and the boys after a hard morning of cake decorating courtesy of the lovely Sweetthings Bakery practically next door to us. Thanks Natalie!

This is all the boys own work. We were impressed! I kept saying"This can be a job you know". Anyhow after all the sugar , off we popped to the Tate as you do for a sugar coated pill of a different kind. All the usual suspects were there. Spot paintings, the Pharmacy pieces, the stained glass windows of butterfly wings and the boys favourite the shark in formaldehyde.

Or to give it it's proper title. The Physical Impossibility Of Death In The Mind Of Someone Living. Well he went to Goldsmiths what do you expect!

Around and about

The sun shone yesterday and the seaside still looks good.

Jerwood Hastings

So the weather couldn't last and low and behold it's grey and cold today. However yesterday was a different story, one of Art galleries and sun , of grilled octopus and buckets of tea and cake.

Now the Jerwood Gallery has caused quite a stir in Hastings with many people objecting to it being built. For my two pence worth I thought it was a great space and much better than the coach park that was there before and I think architecturally it  is a successful echo of the famous black net huts.The art was British ranging from the First World War to the 1960's with the current main exhibition being Rose Wylie's Boys sit in front. Now Rose Wylie is an interesting artist discovered in her 70's and painting in a naive narrative style. I liked it. I like how she dresses too. Just how I want to look when I grow up.

So onto  tea and cake in the lovely cafe . Below is the view from the cafe. That may be something I paint but it looks like a Stanley Spencer right now. Replenished we set off around the old town. My favourite lovely place.

Bluebell woods

With the sun shinning and two dogs and two children in need of exercise we set off for a walk in woods dotted with Primroses , Wood Anemones, Violets and a few Bluebells. We collected swords and staffs from the forest and the dogs chased each other and the occasional stick.

Apparently the trees are Hornbeam. Such a lovely name.

Holidays

We have left the city for the sea. The weather has been amazing but it is due to change but we have enjoyed it while the sun has shone.