The Oxford Ceramics Gallery - April 2022

The Oxford Ceramics Gallery, April 2022.

This exhibition features nine artists in celebration of a golden era of studio pottery.

Norah Braden, (1901-2001), Bowl

Shoji Hamada, 1894-1978, Bowl, 1960 (stoneware with shino and iron deoration)

Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie, 1895-1965), Bowl with drips

Bowl, 1920s, (stoneware)

Janet Leach, (1918-1997), Ash Vase with Lugs, (stoneware)

William Staite Murray, (1861-1962), Miniature Pot, 1924

Shoji Hamada, 1894-1978), Square Jar

Janet Leach, Vase

Michael Cardew, (1901-1983), Bean Plate

Bernard Leach, (1887-1979), Large Decorated Bowl

Bernard Leach, (1887-1979), Bottle Vase, 1930, (Early Korean style vase with porcelain slip inlay)

Bernard Leach, (1887-1979), Stoneware Tile

Janet Leach, Bowl

Janet Leach, Bottle Vase, 1970

Katharine Playdell Bouverie, Dish

Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie, (1895-1985), Large and Small Vase

Shoji Hamada, Set of Six Hexagonal Serving dishes, 1930s

 

Hampton Wood and Meadow

Hampton wood is an ancient woodland near Sherbourne, and we decided to go for a walk there after our visit to Sherbourne food festival which was three weeks ago.  Next to the wood is a meadow that is situated alongside the river Avon. Most of the woodland is dominated by oak and hazel, but it was the bluebells that were the star of the show.

We took this path

that leads to the meadow

sheep grazing, including two black lambs

the river on our left

a nice, gentle walk

cat o nine tails grasses abound

wonderful contrast of colours

The circular path lead us back to the wood

and the bluebells - a real feast for the eyes

They were everywhere

a thick carpet of them.

Hampton wood is a very small wood and we did not want to leave

we could not get enough of this brilliant blue on the woodland floor

so we kept going off on narrow paths which were not the designated path, but ones that people had created

needing as we did, to prolong this experience

Lovely combination of white and blue.

We eventually arrived back at the car park, got in the car and drove to 

All Saints church in Sherbourne, which was close to Sherbourne Park where the food festival was still going on. Unfortunately the church was locked but we walked around the grounds

and around the gorgeous pond.

Then, it was time to head back home.

 

Love Food

Love Food Festival

at Sherbourne Park.

The ha-ha that you can just about see in the photograph separated the house from the grounds where the festival was held

in various marquees and stalls.

Lots of lovely cheeses for sale,

moonshine,

sausages,

a stall that sold Meditarranean food

which included nuts,

loukoumi (Turkish delight)

baklava and other honey sweets

olives,

and lots of other goodies.

More moonshine,

Pasta and pasta-related products delivered to your home

we loved the tins.

More nuts

Italian products which included saucepans and frying pans

I don't know about the Viking drinking horns - what can I say?

We tasted lots of cheeses

There were cheese boards

and charcuterie products to taste.

It was a beautiful, sunny day and people were enjoying themselves

The organic vegetables looked wonderful

and there were ... shoes for sale

There was kombucha 

and hemp products.

Lots of drinks, including cocktails.

The brownies were moist and very chocolatey

We then moved on to the next section of the festival where street food was sold

The queues for the Greek stall were very long

The tandoori looked delicious

more Mediterranean food

the noodles looked delicious and tasted it too, as Ken testified

more Greek food

and Lebanese.

The brownies were delicious

as was the Thai food.

Paella

fried chicken

giant sausages and hog roast

the sausages are very big as you can see.

There were pizzas too.

We managed to find somewhere to sit, and enjoyed our food. Ken had noodles with beef, I had Thai, and the two friends we were with had Greek wraps. We had brownies for afters. It was a good day.