The Embroideress

Yesterday morning offered a few hours to sit in the textile study room and thoroughly examine some Stuart era whitework bands. Two of our tour participants tore themselves away from Portobello Road and other assorted shopping delights to stop by the museum and have a lively discussion about early blackwork.

It is always a joy to talk about embroidery when there are original examples to put before students.

Then on to Covent Garden for a little visit to the performance artists and a last meal together.

Today to be spent transcribing museum notes and contemplating a visit to the British Museum tomorrow.

Labels: London, Victoria and Albert Museum

London remains one of the most diverse, sensory overwhelming cities in the world.

All our tour group arrived by Thursday. Friday was filled with a visit to the National Art Library, the National Archives and a walk about Kew. Libby took several members on an alternate tour of the reopened Kew Palace and everyone caught up on news and gossip in general.

Saturday was a trip to Hampton Court for some and the Art and Design Library and British Library for others. Sunday was filled by a visit to Harrow Bead Show by one group and the Tower by another.

Tomorrow is the V&A, the National Portrait Gallery and a browse down Charing Cross Road.

The weather has been great and only minor tube frustrations have plagued us.

Signing off for now.

Labels: London, National Portrait Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum

Moline was wonderful. I did miss meeting up with my friend Kim McCool but I'm sure I'll be back that way again. There is much to see in the area and I barely got a whiff of the history that abounds in the Quad Cities Area.

Again, many thanks to the chapter members for their hospitality and to Cindy Valentine for a preview of her upcoming designs. When designers who are truly professional get together, they throw aside the issues of competition and freely exchange excitement, ideas, inspiration and encouragement. I came away with a good dose of enthusiasm administered (and fond membories of one of the best hamburgers I have ever tasted).

It was home to Nashville to meet my longtime friend Judy B. at the Nashville airport and drive home. It was a mad, mad day putting together orders on Sunday and putting them out for "the guy in brown" to take to Cindy for distribution.

Then back on the plane to Newark and a rather long wait for the London flight. Judy B. found one of those rare treats in airports these days ---- a block of seats without arms. That means I can stretch my creaky back out and catch a snooze between flights.

Good flight to London and an incredible wheelchair pilot at Heathrow. Michael is a US Civil War re-enactor (in a Confederate artillery unit made up of Brits). He informs me there were over 200 British volunteers fighting for the Confederacy during the conflict. We have only to remember England's trade ties in the cotton industry to see why. He has visited the US several time to participate in events and will be at Gettysburg next summer for the entire battle.

Then on to our hotel, the Byron and crashing for recovery. Judy B. is a gem and after she walked over for a visit to Kensington Palace laid in food for me and then crashed. She is undoubtedly dreaming of all the geocaching she is going to accomplish while here. I guess the GeoCoins with travel bugs amused the TSA folks as well as her GPS unit.

Off to the V&A tomorrow to see what is closed, what is open and what has been transformed. We'll report tomorrow on the good the bad and the ugly on that scene.

Signing off from London

Labels: Cindy Valentime, London, Moline, Victoria and Albert Museum

I'm a strange visitor in an art museum. I peer with great concentration at portraits to see if the artist (in my humble opinion) has captured the fabrics, the embroidery, the lace correctly.

It is seldom we have examples of a portrait and the costume worn by the sitter displayed together so we can take a critical look at them in tandem.

One modern example has come to my attention.

The Harris Art Museum and Gallery, Preston England has in its collection a portrait of Marie Pauline Miller. "Pauline in the Yellow Dress was painted by Sir James Gunn and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1944, where it was bought by the Harris and has been on show in Preston ever since. "

"The painting features the artist’s second wife as the subject and the bright mustard yellow dress worn by her has remained with the Gunn family until their recent generous donation to the Harris Museum and Art Gallery. "

A much earlier example of course is the jacket of Margaret Laton held by the Victoria and Albert where it is displayed with her portrait.

I would be most interested to learn of other examples of museums with portraits and the costume of the sitter exhibited together.

Labels: Harris Art Museum and Gallery, Margaret Laton, Victoria and Albert Museum