five go adventuring

Two textile exhibitions [Two!! count them] in one day. Five ladies [how old, count them - over 300 years between them!!] motored out of Suffolk into the depths of Essex, for my foreign readers this has vast class significance, which rankles with me as I am originally an Essex girl, and I can get defensive.

The conversation, all crammed into one car [for my foreign readers British cars are small, as are the roads] got a bit interminably WI [foreign readers look it up as i may incriminate myself, and the WI has been proven to have some firepower in unexpected places].

Two young persons had flown the family home only days before to fledge at University, so there was much chat and competition about angst and food parcels involved. I become insensitive and irritable after the first five rounds of repetition and reassurance, it is all bonding i know, but these young peeps are off on quite a well upholstered ride, even in these days of huge loans that will cripple graduates in future lives. And I got mine for free, oh dear I am old and guilty, and worse still envious.

anyway back to us older peoples break for creative freedom [not financial success, not if you are a textile artist mate].

The first to be seen was this Dress of Memories, it stood at the entrance, next to a window so the light shone coldly through [it is ruddy cold this week] next to it's sister dress that has crumpled fragments of paper stitched into it.

It was rather beautiful and romantic, sad, ethereal all those words. The sister piece that I didn't like so much has been bought by the Museum in which it is presently it is exhibited for £300, so much for my moans of textiles not being dignified by oodles of monetary recognition.In times of Financial Crunch too.

Janette has been doing some years of research at the Foundlings Institution of largely Victorian times and probably too long afterwards, where women had to leave their babies to enable them to have some food and warmth and thus a future. Not University Students then, which of course is good progress.

The women left little tokens and messages to be kept for when their children grew up, to remember them by. Each little pillow, nestling in the basket records a message. Say no more.

Margaret has done some pieces focusing on the sea shore, i really took to this one as it reminded me of the time I was on a boat going up? the Thames to Hampton Court Palace and we stopped in Teddington Lock. It was so peaceful, a sunny day, peace and quiet with just the trickle of water as the lock filled and we could pass through back to the City. probably an experience that will not be repeated. But this perfectly recalls it when ever I look at it. Not the art works itself, just the pic as i rarely spend money on textile art either................

This last piece [detail]appealed to me because I thought I could use the framing textured edge round my next doggy walk stitching, and reduce the actual walk to about this scale. I'm afraid I was too excited by my ah ha experience to note what the piece is actually about, or by whom, but it is obviously rural - and accomplished.

Mine was more primitive.

As it happens second show will have to take place after this "short break" as I have to take said doggy for a walk she tells me, and as she is an older lady one must not delay these things.