'If you make happiness your goal, then you're not going to get to it… The goal should be an interesting life."

Dorothy Rowe

Tuesday 9 September 2008

Tuesday trip - and another pincushion, definitely the last, - probably

Our trip today was to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, near Petersfield, for a textile exhibition by the group Odyssey:


Last year we went to their exhibition 'Layers of Meaning: from sketchbook to stitch' at Farnham Maltings and found it very exciting. A large space meant they could show some large and innovative pieces and - joy of joys - you could see and handle their sketchbooks!

Unfortunately I found the latest exhibition rather disappointing. The exhibition was in the cafe: although this had some advantages - you could enjoy the work and coffee and lemon drizzle cake at the same time - they were outweighed by the disadvantages. There was no room for big pieces, no sketchbooks, and you couldn't get up close and personal because there was always someone sitting under the piece you really wanted to look at.

The topic was 'Threading through Nature'. I have been to exhibitions inspired by nature before - and also found then a bit underwhelming. There were some interesting pieces - a series of green men [I am very fond of green men!] and some tiny hand made books, no more than 2 or 3 inches square, filled with drawings, photos and stitch. Unfortunately I neglected to write down the names of the artists, and of course I've forgotten them.

We also managed to get a walk in the park in the one dryish period, found a nice toddlers' playground for future use, and then retreated to the car for a picnic in the rain.

Since coming home I have completed another pincushion, and, inspired by the exhibition, started another book, of which more tomorrow. Maybe.

This is the pincushion. I realised while I was making the last one that if I used minidiscs [thanks. A. - thought of you in the park] I could make a wrist pincushion - so I did. The unattractive white bit is the elastic. I think this one will really have pins in it. i have no plans for any more - although I do have a lot of CDs left ...

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