I was recently invited to judge an art competition for the Winchester Art Club, an invitation I was delighted to accept. And yesterday was the big day - a lovely drive down to the ancient city of Winchester marred only by getting caught up in a hideous one way system - but I finally got parked up, found the Discovery Centre, met my fellow jurors and settled in for an enjoyable morning.
Lunch was at Brasserie Blanc, and lived up to it's reputation then back to pick the prize winners. There were three of us on the jury and although we came from very different back grounds, we were pretty unanimous on our top choices. So a big success and a lovely way to start the week.
I said my good byes and wandered through the beautiful circular library and in to the cafe area where I stopped dead in my tracks - could not quite believe what I was looking at. A vast and beautiful stitched panel running some sixteen and a half metres long by three metres high. Rich in colours and textures, and ethereal figures, it was unmistakably the work of textiles artist Alice Kettle, and titled 'Looking Forwards to the Past'. A visual delight and made all the more so for being totally unexpected.
If you are ever in the area I highly recommend a visit.
