Hi everyone
And three cheers, I’m so happy, as we’re back to doing what I enjoy most which is ‘looking’. This is a first since January!!! Never mind, as I’m not looking back but looking forward (see what I did!) to all the catching up we’re going to do visiting various art galleries.
We’ve started with a jaunt last week to an art gallery nearby – it was the Towner in Eastbourne. This is a coastal town a few miles east of Brighton with a variety of architectural guises but as you drive by the seafront you see the fading grandeur of the Victorian terraces now all hotels – it’s amazing that they can fill all their rooms. Have a look at this link to YouTube for a glimpse of the seafront.
I’d forgotten what a nightmare it is to park in Eastbourne and it was much worse this time as many roads around the Towner gallery were closed in preparation for this week’s tennis tournament, which always has famous names playing there, probably to practice their skills on grass, before they get to Wimbledon which begins next week. It really feels like summer has begun in the UK, what with our sunny weather and the tennis.
I like to dress up a bit when I visit art galleries. I wore my polka dot black dress as it’s so thin, which was welcome for most of the heat of the day, apart that is, from the gallery where the air con was very fierce. Despite most Brits complaining about the humid heat we get, we’re not used to air con, and definitely one disadvantage of this feature is the contrast in the outside temperature and inside. The gallery was absolutely freezing and poor Mr F only had a short sleeved shirt, he just about managed to stay and see the exhibits. Fortunately, inside my garish yellow backpack was a long sleeved linen blouse I’d brought with me, that went on and stayed on for the duration of our visit.
Everything, apart from the white trainers and the yellow bag, was bought from a charity shop at very little cost, hat included.
I can see I shall have to buy a more neutral coloured backpack as these days that’s the only kind of bag I really like.
The exhibition was of Barbara Hepworth’s sculptures and paintings. Hepworth was born in Wakefield in 1903 and became one of the leading lights of a group of artists living in St. Ives, Cornwall. She was married twice, to the sculptor, John Skeating and then to the artist, Ben Nicolson.
She was a prolific sculptor working with marble, bronze, clay and wood.
Hepworth had four children, three of which were triplets but despite her domestic and maternal responsibilities she still managed to produce many pieces of sculpture. She exhibited around the world and one of her best known works is a large sculpture (Single Form) which stands in the plaza of the UN building in New York in memory of Dag Hammarskjold.
I loved the simplicity and spareness both of the exhibition and Hepworth’s work.
Once we’d seen it all we had a great little brunch at the Towner’s new restaurant. We sat out on the terrance in the warmth of the sun and peeked over the edge to see the Eastbourne tennis club getting ready for this week’s tennis tournament. The grass was just mind blowingly green! I should imagine the Towner will be packed this week especially on the terrace as you get a great view of the courts.
What a lovely day – back to normality, I think!
That’s all for now, with love, Penny, the Frugalfashionshopper
Loved this post as I went to the exhibition yesterday with a friend. It was raining as we walked there from the station and still raining as we walked back at 5. Exhibition was lovely as was our light lunch in the new restaurant. One great feature of the gallery – they have free lockers, where we deposited our all-weather gear – sun hats (just in case), brollies (wet), raincoats (also wet). Wish I’d brought a cardi though, as it was indeed freezing in the air-conditioned exhibition rooms.
PS loved your outfit!
Wasn’t it good! I had been to her studio in Cornwall, but I’d forgotten what her sculptures were like up close as it was such a long time ago. But gosh, how cold it was! And that day you went it rained and rained! Interesting to hear about the lockers.
It was a good day out. Thanks Jen 🙂
So glad that you and Mr. FFS had this lovely excursion! What a charming location and interesting exhibition! You look lovely, Penny. I like the photos Mr. FFS captured of you in your outfit. Like you, I prefer a backpack purse. It’s all I have carried for years but now I am looking at one of those “sling” type bags worn in the front. My globe-trotting sister has one and loves it’s comfort and the security it provides worn in the front.
I’m looking forward to a thrifting excursion this week with a friend. Lunch will be a treat as we will experience Julia Child’s favorite Mexican restaurant in our destination. Nothing fancy at all but absolutely delicious and authentic flavors!
Glad to see you back to good health and out and about!
Charlene H
Thank you Charlene, it was a very good exhibition and day out in a really good local art gallery. How interesting to go Julia Child’s favourite restaurant. Seen the film with Meryl Streep as Julia Child – what a fascinating story.
Enjoy the thrifting and thanks again 🙂
So glad you are now feeling up to doing things again. Why does air con have to be so cold? Shouldn’t it be used to reduce the indoor temperature not freeze us. I particularly dislike it in restaurants and have to move away from the ceiling units to feel comfortable. FA shawl is indispensable to combat fluctuating temperatures as you don’t have to get your arms in and out of it like a cardigan. It’s still pretty warm here and very little rain so far ; we are hoping to refill the water butt to use on the bedding plants. I actually bought 3 dresses in my local Oxfam today, I can’t remember when I last bought anything in a charity shop. 2 are linen mixes (9.95 each) & one is a smart lined dress by Adrianna Papell, an American brand. It was quite a lot at £17.99 but if I’d bought it new it could have been around £150 so a good quality buy. I might take it with me when we go up to York on Wednesday for our daughter’s wedding the following day. We are going out for a meal the evening before. Now what am I going to put in the charity bag to make room for them…………………
Have you had a downpour this morning though? Absolutely pelted down in a curtain of rain at around 6.30am plus thunder and lightening which hopefully hasn’t caused any flooding. It has though filled my empty water butt and for that three cheers!
I was wondering whether the fierce air con was for the benefit of the sculptures?? It was very humid outside and the wood sculpture for starters would have suffered if any of that humidity had got near it. I agree with the shawl v cardigans.
Good to hear about the Oxfam dresses. I, on the other hand, feel slightly faint at the price of a dress I bought new yesterday from a typically posh Lewes shop. I loved the look of it but was being sensible, telling myself, no, no and no. However, I took a friend with me to show it to her, reasoning that she’d say, ‘no, Penny, don’t’. Unfortunately she said, no, do buy it. So I did! Oh well, I hardly ever do anything like that and I usually allow myself one treat a year – that was the treat!
Thanks Lynda 🙂
What a lovely day! Sculptors amaze me. The ability to look at lump of wood, clay, or stone and then make it into beautiful object is something my brain just doesn’t understand. I know what you mean about the air conditioning. It can be a shock here in the States too in some businesses. I suppose museums are especially prone to cranking it up in order to protect the art work from the humidity. And your outfit is perfect for the museum and then lunch.
Michelle
Indeed, yes, Think you’re right re: the air con being used to prevent the humidity reaching the sculptures. Outside it was very humid which would have caused havoc with that wood sculpture for starters. But we didn’t have any warning and most people were bare-armed and it was freezing!
Elsewhere the dress was a perfect fit for the weather.
And the exhibition was fab as I’d forgotten a lot about Hepworth’s life. Was amazed at her prolific output alongside triplets and an older child!!!! What a woman.
Thanks Michelle 🙂
We always drive th through Eastbourne when we visit Seven Sisters. It’s such a clean town. And Wimbledon next week already??
Beautiful sculptors!
Enjoy the summer Penny!
I got that wrong, Nancy. Eastbourne starts on the 25th June and Wimbledon on July 3rd. It was seeing the Eastbourne courts last week from the Towner that made me think it must be sooner!
Eastbourne is a funny mix and very easy to get lost in when you drive off the sea front, but the sea front is very elegant.
Enjoy the heat, mind you it’s a bit cooler today as we’ve just had a humungeous rain and thunder storm early this morning.
I love the yellow backpack, and I was thinking how perfect it went with the neutral outfit.
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Oh interesting – thanks for the feedback Jodie, that’s helpful 🙂
I’m so glad you and Mr. F were able to visit an exhibit! During lockdown, that was one of the places I missed so much…the Indianapolis Museum of Art. I love your dress, and that hat is divine! Love the ribbon (?) hanging down in the back. I think the yellow backpack is quite a nice pop of color, but if you feel it’s no longer right, then you should definitely get another…or try painting it? I have a Vera Bradley (quilted fabric…really a big deal here) backpack I bought probably 10-12 years ago on eBay.
Enjoy the rest of your week, Penny!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
It s a great exhibition and the start of many visits I hope 🙂
The hat has a lovely big ribbon/almost scarf tied around it. And thanks for the feedback the yellow backpack – it is so useful.
I will enjoy the next few days as we are away for 3 nights – three cheers for that. Thanks Marsha 🙂
So happy for you that you were able to go to that exhibition. It reminds me that I must check out the museum near me that had been under expansion for the past three years. I think it just reopened this month and is more than doubled in size. You do look quite stylish as always. I actually have a similar dress, black with polka dots. I have had it for at least a dozen years, actually I think it is my favorite dress. Here’s hoping that there will be many more such excursions over the Summer. Love from New York, Darby
Thank you so much Darby and gosh it was good to visit an exhibition again! I hope this was the first of many more visits.
I’ve had the dress for some time now – it’s quite the favourite for something that calls for a slightly more formal look in the height of the summer.
Thanks again, Darby 🙂
So glad you’re feeling like being up and about, Penny. I think art feeds parts of our brains that nothing else does.
On the subject of bags, I ordered a Vadoo cross-body sling bag for a 2-week international trip, and LOVED it. Designed to be worn under a jacket and to hold flat things like your phone, passport, etc. I felt very secure with it wherever we went. But, not big enough for a cardigan or jacket – I still like a lightweight tote with long handles to put over a shoulder for lightweight but bulky things like jackets.
If you ever come ‘Up North’ you should visit the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield, Hepworth’s birthplace. A beautiful calm gallery sitting by, almost in, the river Calder. You could combine this with a visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park nearby. Bring a jacket, and a mac maybe!
Keep the yellow backpack, it’s glorious.
As an ex-nurse with a bad back, I like the Healthy Back bag, which can be worn cross-body in front or at the back, and has lots of secure pockets. I have a purple one!
https://www.thehealthybackbag.co.uk/
I had a very good friend who lived in Wakefield and often when I see it on the news I remember my visits to her. Funnily enough we are thinking of getting to Yorkshire next year and you have reminded me why I should visit Wakefield again – thanks for that!
I was a nurse for only 11 years so it was just my age and gardening that did it for me, but thanks also for the tip about the bag – I will now look at that link!
Good to see that you are back to enjoying visiting galleries again. I was fortunate to view some of Hepworths work at Heide Gallery in Melbourne last December.
I rather liked your outfit for the gallery visit , shame about the air con, , at least you were prepared.
Enjoy your Summer , a freezing , dull Winter day here.
Thank you Jill – it was great to be out doing my thing of looking at stuff! My favourite pastime.
And yes, thank goodness I had that long-sleeved blouse in my bag so actually I wasn’t too cold but my other half really felt it! It was OK elsewhere in the galleries so it was obviously just for the Hepworth exhibition. Glad you got to see some of her work up close in Melbourne.
Thanks again Jill, we are having a good summer 🙂
I love Barbara Hepworth. Her house in Cornwall is gorgeous and I too went to the Hepworth Gallery, so good.
My life took and sudden dramatic turn last week my dear partner had a stroke. He is home now and luckily has no physical problems just speech and thinking problems. Our NHS have been fantastic and today a speech therapist visited. Life is precious and this reminder was a shock but I am grateful that he has help and that he is on the mend. I have no family nearby
and he is such a private person he won’t want help but on we go.
Life is beautiful.
Oh my word, Carole, what a shock for both of you. Ill-health is indeed a huge wake up call as to our mortality and how we need to live in the present and, well, just live. So pleased to hear that the NHS was good to you. Also, just saying but you take care of yourself too, it’s so easy to get on with everything. Make sure you have some ‘me’ time.
Very very best wishes to you both – sending virtual hugs across the ‘net 🙂
All good wishes to you and your partner Carol. I too have found the NHS to be very good when you have a serious problem. It’s never easy to accept help but you will both need it. Life is indeed precious.
Sounds like a delightful day. Where I live in El Paso, Texas, our summers are miserably hot. But even so, I can be miserably cold with the air conditioning. My husband and I have an ongoing disagreement about what the thermostat should be set on when I am home all day (and shivering) with the AC. He claims the AC has to work too hard to try to cool the house down if we turn it off during the day and then turn it on at dinner time. But I am so cold!! And in the interest of saving money, too, I wish he would agree to letting me turn it off or way up until he is due home from work.
I like your bright colored backpack with the polka dot dress. But I can see having a more neutral backpack, too. This summer I am embracing tennis shoes with everything. And my feet are celebrating.
Hepworth’s sculpture is very soothing. I like the smooth, rounded lines of most of her pieces. Much prefer curves and roundness to angles and straightlines. She was a busy lady to raise 4 children and make a name for herself in the art world, too.
Hi Leslie, the thing I don’t understand about air con is how very cold it can be. I do get why the art gallery was so cold as the wooden sculpture would have been destroyed by the outside humidity. But inside a house could it not be just a comfortable temperature? We (as in the whole of the UK) don’t have air con in our houses and if it ever gets to needing air con (and it might come to that) personally we definitely won’t have it on cold!
Hepworth was such a brilliant and renowned artist, I think she couldn’t not sculpt, if you see what I mean, it was just part of her life – but with triplets? I haven’t read a biography but she must have had some help.
Thanks Leslie, I do love hearing about life in other countries – so interesting. It was lovely to get your comment 🙂