I mentioned a while ago that Stella Harding was exhibiting at the Aspex Gallery in Portsmouth. It dawned on me that if we didn't get down there soon, I'd miss it, so I twisted Wensleydale's arm to head down to Pompey. (He feels about going there like I feel about going to Southampton - after daily visits for work for years, we'd rather avoid the place.) Yes, I could have driven myself, but he knows the roads round the centre of the city far better than I do - and he enjoys these trips too.
I've only been to Gunwharf Quays once, on the way to the Spinnaker Tower, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that once you get away from the shops, it is quieter and interesting - and probably a good place to take small people. Little ships to sail in! Floating rolly balls to play in! Bouncy castles and sand pits! Yarn bombing outside the gallery!
Just a pity it costs an arm and a leg to park...
I hadn't realised how small Aspex is. One largish room with an installation by Suki Chan which means more to me now I've read that web page - now I understand the Dickens connection! - and other exhibits in the cafe (good coffee and flapjacks) and near the shop. We looked at Harding's work - every bit as inspiring as I expected - indulged in some retail therapy, talked to a fellow ex-student who we bumped into, and came home.
Today's purchase was the ceramic sea urchin - not sure who made it till I've Googled the names on the Aspex website. The pot behind it was our 25th wedding anniversary present to ourselves, bought in Stratford but made, it turned out, by Peter Lane in Hampshire.
Tonight will be spent watching the Vuelta, and turning this into some sort of vessel. The semi-binding is because one insomniac night I came across the work of Sheila Hicks, bought a too-expensive book (sleep deprivation and ABE books are a dangerous mix) and got inspired. Of course my version is a little smaller than Hicks, and she doesn't turn hers into bowls.
Today's app is Grungetastic, which does what it says on the tin. It's another Jixipix app (another of theirs, Kyoobic, is free at the moment if you like odd apps).
Like all the Jixipix apps I've tried, there are lots of options, and things to adjust, and a randomise button for when you are feeling lazy.
Definitely 5 star. I even like the portrait!
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