Friday 28 September 2018

Serendipitous Stitchery

Tuesday began with a trip to nearby Corfe Mullen, to leave my overlocker, and embroidery machine at White Orchid. Andrew and Stella run this company from home.
She does alterations, and he services sewing machines. They also provide longarm quilting services.
We had a lovely chat to them, and said we were off to Poole for the rest of the Day Off. They mentioned the stitching exhibition at nearby Upton Country Park - so we diverted to that.

It was fantastic. Free entry, and so much to see. Lots of different stitching styles, and textile crafts - as well as a table full of craft books to look at - and armchairs for husbands to sit down and relax whilst their spouses ooh-ed and aah-ed over the exhibits. I took quite a few photos. As well as the general pieces on show, there was also a collection of embroidery hoops each displaying something on the theme of 100 years since 1918.
 I loved the folk art bag, with the deer on it. and the poppy field with the shadow and outline of 'Tommies'
The large poppy hanging was on loan from another embroidery exhibition, every other piece was stitched by men and women from Dorset.
Following pasties in the Upton Country Park Tea Room, we went on into Poole. Childish giggles when we stopped at a junction behind a septic-tank-clearing-lorry. Poo from Poole!
We were going into Poole to visit the Museum, as there was an Augustus John Exhibition. This artist - who led a very colourful life, in every sense, spent a number of years living in Poole. He was mentor to Henry Lamb [see here] John had various wives and lovers, and a number of children [nobody seems quite sure how many!] But he was a gifted artist - and his portraits were amazing. He was born in Wales in 1878, and moved to Poole in 1911. He was a war artist attached to the Canadian Forces, but returned to Dorset after the War, till he moved twenty miles to Fordingbridge, Hampshire in 1927. He remained there till his death in 1961. I loved looking at his portraits - they seemed to capture the essence of the sitters. 
That's TE Lawrence [of Arabia] centre left, and WBYeats, Irish poet, bottom right. The chalk sketches were stunning - just a few simple lines displaying emotion and expression. I wasn't so impressed with his bronze sculptures, they were less convincing!
We came back to Ferndown, and I cycled off to the British Legion to give blood. That took ages. I had an appointment time of 5.05, but did not get to the couch till 6pm. I was disappointed by the quality of biscuits and lack of stickers [I was hoping for 'Grandma gave blood today']  But Bob had cooked a lovely meal on my return and we had a pleasant evening. 
Dorset certainly seems to have a history of artistic and creative talent - and how good that both these exhibitions were free. Thankyou Stella for telling us about the stitchery [and thank you to the lady in Salisbury Museum who told me about the Augustus John one, when we were looking at Henry Lamb's paintings]
My stitchery is Strictly Nativity for the next few days!






3 comments:

  1. We are amused that the railway station code is POO for Poole.

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  2. Sounds like you had a very nice day, Angela. I, too, have one of my embroidery pieces displayed in its embroidery hoop!

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  3. Ooh, the embroiderery is wonderful!!x

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