First outing

This was my first proper walk after my operation, and it was such a delight! I drove up to the middle of Old Milverton village, parked the car, and we made my way towards the church and the fields. A sunny, glorious day, not many people about, given the restrictions due to the coronavirus, and I was in ecstasy.

Cottages hidden behind hedges and tress on one side of the road

the magnolia just starting to bloom

on the verge

and a field on the other side of the road. I could see some sheep in the distance, but no new-born lambs

We reached the old barn

this is apparently a copy - the original sign is in Warwick Museum.

Daffodils on the verge

The Community Hall

A clipped hedge - they have a pond and water feature in the garden, and we could hear kids having fun with the water

St James' Church

The Old Vicarage across the road

We entered the church grounds - Vera Britain is meant to be buried here, but I have never been able to find her grave, even though I have looked many times.

I love the spire of this church

We reached the gate that leads

to the fields and ultimately to the river and the Saxon Mill, a very popular pub and restaurant.

But, I had walked too long, on my single crutch. We retraced our steps, had a last look at the church and walked back to the car.

A lovely day out.

Ceramics in Gallery Nine, Bath

Ceramics in Gallery Nine, Bath.

We discovered this gallery on our way to the Royal Crescent and were pleased with what we saw.

Sue Binns:

Ashraf Hanna:

Walter Keeler:

Justine Allison:

Christiane Wilhelm:

Elisabeth Renton:

The Circus in Bath

The Circus in Bath is a short distance up the hill from Queen Square.

A circle of large townhouses, designed by architect John Wood, the Elder, built between 1754 and 1768, it is a pre-eminent example of Georgian architecture.

The Circus is divided into three segments of equal length, and it therefore has three entrances. There is a lawn in the centre. Each segment faces one of the three entrances, ensuring a classical façade is always presented straight ahead.

When viewed from the air, the Circus, along with Queens Square and the adjoining Gay Street, form a key shape, which is a masonic symbol similar to those that adorn many of Wood's buildings.

The central area was originally paved with stone setts, covering a reservoir in the centre that supplied water to the houses. In 1880 the Circus residents enclosed the central part of the open space as a garden. Now, the central area is grassed over and is home to a group of large plane trees.

Victoria Art Gallery - Bath

Victoria Art Gallery, Bath.

Located next to the Pulteney Bridge, the gallery houses a collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts. Unfortunately, we missed the Toulouse Lautrec exhibition which was going to start shortly, but we nevertheless, had a good time looking around. We started with their small collection of studio pottery.

James Tower, Oval Form

James Tower, Bowl, 1958

Lucie Rie, Long-necked vase, 1960

Eddie Curtis, Pot

Howard Hodgkin, Silence, 1997 and 2004

John Armstrong, Psyche Crossing the Styx, 1925

William Scott, Bottle and Fish Slice, 1949

Howard Hodgkin, Untitled (Reclining Woman), 1950

Walter Sickert, London Street, Bath, 1941

Paul Klee, Small Harbour Scene, 1919

William Roberts, The Dressmakers, 1931

Glyn Warren Philpot, The Pearl, 1914

Joseph Southall, Children at Play, 1920

John Nash, Canal Bridge, Sydney Gardens, Bath, 1927

Frank Brangwyn, Sketch of Two Figures, 1895

The Lichfield clock, mid-18th century. 

Peter Randall-Page, Solid Air III, 2010

Kenneth Armitage, People in the Wind, 1950, (bronze) front

the back of the sculpture

Taut, streamlined shapes. The long necks of the four figures recall the stalks of a plant growing at Armitage's studio door. He explains however, that the sculpture is concerned primarily with movement.

'If you look at a crowd, you do not count the arms and legs, you just see odd arms swinging and the odd leg moving...  looking out of the window on a very windy day I saw a woman walking, holding two children, all three leaning against the wind, and this gave me an idea. I started making tiny maquettes with, I think three figures with long necks'.

side

E. Whitney Smith, The Scarab, 1924