‘One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art’.
So said Oscar Wilde, not only a celebrated Victorian author who happily clogs my bookshelves, but also a very important figure in the Aesthetic Movement in Britain, one which was dedicated to the artistic pursuit of beauty.
I went to Hampton Court Palace to see the Cumberland Art Gallery – a newly restored suite of rooms housing an inspiring collection of masterpieces by artists – including what may be Caravaggio’s earliest surviving painting, Rembrandt’s self-portrait aged 36 and portraits by Hans Holbein the Younger.
Continue reading Cumberland Art Gallery at Hampton Court Palace
I went to visit The Medicine Garden in Cobham for a bit of a rest and relaxation.
Movement was very important to artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954). His art has a particularly playful energy, and none more so than in his later works. Health problems in the early 1940s meant that his physical mobility was limited, but he would not let his creativity be held back in the same way. He created a new method of working by using cut out shapes from painted paper to produce a new form of art. The exhibition at the Tate Modern explores Matisse’s development of this technique: The Cut-Outs.
I was invited to two private views of graduate shows last week. The first was a fashion show at Brooklands College in Weybridge.
Students strutted their amazing designs down the catwalk. The show was very diverse, ranging from razor sharp tailoring:
Chic and sophisticated maxi dresses:
A local art exhibition has opened at Guildford House Gallery displaying beautiful images of Guildford past.
The collection includes paintings of the River Wey and atmospheric Surrey landscapes as well as ceramics from the borough art collection.
Landscape towards Peaslake by William Hyde (Image from Guildford Borough Council)Guildford House Gallery lends itself nicely to the character of the paintings as it’s such a lovely building, with a fantastic feature staircase, intricate ceiling design and charming panelled walls.
‘A Taste of Art’ is on until 22nd March 2014. Open Monday – Saturday 10am-4.45pm. Free Entry.
T: 01483 444751. Guildford House, 155 High Street, Guildford GU1 3AJ.
