Broadway Modern

There are quite a few galleries in Broadway, but Broadway Modern is my favourite. Their collection of ceramics is not as good as it used to be, but there were some nice pieces when we visited last week.

Large bowl by Hilary Laforce - I like the combination of shiny and volcanic glazes that she uses

Same bowl, different view.

The gallery's garden looked wonderful

with lots of sculptures dotted about

ceramics flowers

and two heads

I could not find out who the artist is.

A ceramic bird by Linda Warwick

and another one.

Another large bowl by Hilary Laforce

and a different view of the same bowl.

Large sideways Barn Owl (ceramic) by Anthony Theakston

a closer look at the head

A large head by Janice James (ceramic with barium blue glaze)

Broadway

We spent a day in Broadway last week.  It was a hot, sunny day and the village looked at its best.  A quintessentially English village of the Cotswolds, Broadway has one of the longest High Streets in England.





The village is nestled at the foot of Fish Hill where apparently monks used to store fish. The village is known for its association with the Arts and Crafts movement and is situated in an area of outstanding beauty and conservation.

Honey-coloured  limestone buildings dating back to the 16th century and earlier are what gives this village its distinctive character.

Lots of lovely shops too: gift shops, tea shops, restaurants, a fantastic even if pricey deli, and lots of art galleries. It's a nice place to wander and window shop.

This is the centre of the village with a green in the middle

We walked towards Station Road, a walk we had not done before

This building was built in 1450

nice cottage garden

everything is immaculately kept

I don't know what this building is

a closer look at the gorgeous gatehouse

Lots of lavender around at this time of year

which looks so good against the honey-coloured stone.

Leamington Peace Festival

Another Leamington Peace Festival last weekend, the 39th. It's the longest running free festival in the UK, featuring two days of music, community performance and 130 stalls. The event is organised by local volunteers to promote 'peace, environmental harmony and living in co-operation with others'. Charities, peace campaigners and community groups set up their stalls, alongside food, drink and global goods. 

Sunday was hot and sunny and lots of people were already wandering around even though it was 11:00 when I arrived.

I was helping out at the Keep Our NHS Public stall. Our stall was a bit out of the way, but it did not seem to matter, people kept coming up asking to sign our petition and to discuss concerns about the way the NHS is underfunded and in danger of being privatised. 

I did an hour on the stall and then had a wander around the park with Ken. We were surprised at the number of people because normally Sunday mornings are quiet, most people arrive in the afternoon to lie on the grass and listen to the music.

A girl's choir at the bandstand

attracted a good crowd.

I was particularly pleased to find this female beekeeper's stall as I've been looking for local honey for a while now.

This stall selling homemade lemonade was run by kids

lots of clothes for sale, as usual

hats

Save the Pixies, appropriately named for a Peace festival






too sweet for words - there is something about children's shoes that tugs at the heartstrings

Very few people listening to music, but by the afternoon this section would have been packed

delicious food

this is the stall where I get my samosas every year

Amnesty International, but I have to say, that I have gone off them since their line on prostituted women, or sex workers, to use the phrase Amnesty use

Justice for Palestinians, a cause very close to my heart

plants

Kenilworth chiropractic,

yoga

Soroptimist, a group I have not come across before, who campaign around women's issues

gay rights.

We did not stay as long as we would have liked, the heat was a bit too much, but it looked like another very successful Peace Festival.