More beautiful things.

More beautiful craft work from Ruthin.

The shop is always filled with superb pieces.

These photographs were some of the things I really liked.

Ruthin has wonderful craft publications, always good to look on their site to see what's available.
One book on the work of Alice Kettle is becoming more and more valuable ( currently in excess of £75 )
as it is out of print now.
I was lucky enough to given one a few years ago as a Christmas present, I won't be parting with it !

Just loved this family.

A view of the shop with display cabinets .

Contemporary Jewellery at Ruthin.

One of my most favourite places to visit is the Craft Centre at Ruthin .

The quality of the work on display there is of such high quality and the shop has some wonderful pieces.

Last Monday I went to see their latest exhibitions and to share coffee and conversation with a dear friend of mine, Roger, who works there.

The first set of photographs that I took where of enamelled jewellery.

All the pieces were so different, hardly any containing the precious materials associated with jewellery but all of them to my mind so interesting and innovative.

I loved these pieces hanging in their perspex boxes like miniature sculptures. Such interesting textures and colours.

This little vessel piece looked to me as if it was from another time, maybe made to hold something important or maybe a potion, just wonderful.

This piece again, maybe from the future, like a tiny sphere that has passed though space and time.
It has certainly been in high temperatures and reminded me of a piece of raku ceramic.

Now to some of the brooches.
I'm a lover of brooches, and this one I would have gladly added to my collection but I don't think the pieces were for sale and I was happy just to look and admire.

Having said that each time I look at it I think how wonderful it would look on . A real statement piece.

Another two brooches by the same designer jeweller.








I sail back to France tonight, I am so looking forward to being home and having my husband hold me in his arms, three weeks is a long time but I've seen so many amazing things and spent time with dear friends and family.
There'll be more posts of wonderful inspirational things to share with you.

Later today I'm going to Buckfast Abbey in Devon, and inspirational place that has stood there for  centuries.

Just for fun !!

When I was in Yorkshire last weekend I saw these wonderful figures for sale in the 

gallery of the YSP.

They just made me smile and I would so loved to have brought them home to France with me next week 

BUT ...... I have another week to go and more diesel to buy for the car, etc etc etc.

Instead I 'll just look at the photos and smile !

Figures in an Autumn Landscape.

Last Saturday afternoon whilst in Yorkshire I went to Bretton Hall where 45 years ago I studied art.

The college is closed now but the grounds have become a most wonderful sculpture park.

Many famous pieces of work are set in a most glorious landscape.

There were three almost life sized figures on the wall in
this gallery space.

I was especially interested to see the work of a Spanish sculptor called Jaume Plesna .

These heads are carved out of huge blocks of alabaster.

The heads were gently lit from above.

There was a great feeling of peace in this space.

 The whole experience of seeing his work was  just so inspirational and left me with a great sense of calm.

Set against the autumn sky this figure had a great sense of calm, beautiful.

These two heads are on a huge scale
 and sit on the turf roof
of the underground galleries.

This figure sits on a slope and gazes across the landscape.
It is so huge that people could walk in and out and some just to stop and think.

There were moments when the work just took you in and with the landscape and a beautiful autumn day it was just perfect.

This is a part of the path that leads to the galleries at the park.
People were invited to pay to have names there.
It was a wonderful way to raise money and also a lasting memory
 for so many families

The Hepworth Gallery, Wakefield.

This weekend I have been in Yorkshire and yesterday morning I went to the new Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield.







Barbara  Hepworth was born in Wakefield and spent her early life there.





She rose to be on of the UK's most famous sculptors, spending most of her working years in St Ives.





The new gallery is set next to a weir and seeing the water rushing by outside whilst looking at the sculptures was a very enjoyable experience.

In the afternoon I went to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, more of that in my next post.

Working towards Christmas.

Next week I'll be in England for a few weeks so I've been busy trying to get so many different things done.

Christmas cakes are made, most bulbs are planted and I've just finished the Christmas cards that are going off to friends and family in the UK.

  

This year the cards are printed onto old pages from some French books that I've bought at different brocantes.

The beautiful old wood letters I bought some years ago and I just love them.

How sad to think of the millions that were just burnt when new systems for printing took over.

The little hearts are especially significant for me as they are made from the papers from chocolates that I ate and shared with friends when I was in hospital after my stroke.

The chocolates were a present from a very dear French friend when she came to visit me in hospital.

I've tried to make the letters look old and rusty.
The little stars are cut from old sheets of music.

I'd decided that I would use them in some way in my cards this year .