Barbara Hepworth, sculptor extraordinaire.

Hello, I thought I'd have a bit of escapism today, (escape into someone else's world) seeing as the wind is whipping round the house making whoo-hoo-hoooooing sounds, and the windows are dark, and it would be nice to step out of the histrionic weather into a peaceful place. I think I just heard a scratching at the back door..................... Never mind, I've lit the wood burning stove, turned on all the lamps, made a cup of tea, and it's as cosy as a rabbit's burrow in here (I imagine bunny burrows to be very, very cosy). Lovely.

Thank you for all your lovely comments on the photos from my last post, so glad you enjoyed them. I mentioned in that post that we'd been to the Barbara Hepworth Museum in St.Ives when we were in Cornwall, and we loved it.

I hope the poor people in Cornwall who are suffering from the terrible floods are o.k. St.Austell is one of the places affected, and we were staying in the village next to it, Charlestown, whilst on holiday last week, they haven't been affected there. I'm thinking of those people in distress, their lives suddenly ruined by flooding.

And on a happier note, I feel I should mention the happy news of Prince William's engagement to Kate Middleton (or Catherine as she is to be known from now on), because I just want to mark it on my blog. I think it's fantastic, they're so sensible and cheery, and come across so well don't you think? Hugo is already bored to tears by the media coverage of it, but I'm afraid I'm quite fascinated by the whole thing! They just seem to be a safe bet somehow, you can believe their marrige will last, which is a cheering thought.

Anyway! Barbara Hepworth, that's what I was meaning to talk about! I wasn't very familiar with her work before we went to the museum. I'm sooooo glad we did go, it was fascinating. On arriving at the museum we walked through her indoor studio, housing a few 'placed' sculptures. Such beautiful work, and powerful, it's very difficult to really explain their aura unless you're standing next to them.

Then we went out into the garden, which was the exciting bit. Huge sculptures positioned between the trees and shrubs, and it wasn't a big garden.

For me the most intriguing bit was her studio in the garden, which was left just as though she had popped out for lunch.

I don't know about you, but I find artist's studios fascinating. Seeing where they create can give you clues about why their work is as it is.
To see the work coats of Barbara Hepworth, and maybe her assistants, left hanging on their nails, spattered with materials they worked with, is very real.

I spent a while gazing at it all, ready for the ghost of Barbara Hepworth herself to walk in and resume chiselling at one of her pieces.

And this must be where the great artist took her tea breaks on a fine day, whilst she chatted to a visitor or cast an eye over her sculptures she'd placed in the garden.

The visit has really stayed with me.

We were fortunate that there weren't many other visitors, I imagine in peak season it gets very crowded and difficult to see things properly. I think it's the sort of place that benefits from only a few wandering about.

I left with a strong impression of a powerful personality behind the work. The sculptures are very powerful themselves, and beautifully made, which I always appreciate in art. If we return to St. Ives, I'd like to go back to the museum again.

Just before I go off to my Wednesday night knitting group, I must show you this crochet blanket I saw in a shop window in Falmouth, Cornwall.

It's gorgeous don't you think?

I took a close up, to try and understand the stitch pattern used, which I think works beautifully.

I haven't worked it out yet, but I think I have an idea of how it goes. When I work it out, I'll let you see the pattern.

And I'm very aware that I've been very neglectful in not doing the pattern for the Sarah London Scarf for you, below. I'm ever so sorry about this. I know some folks want to crochet it as gifts for their loved one's for Christmas, so I must make doing the pattern my next priority.

Well, I must be off, off to knitting. Cheerio! Love Vanessa xxx

Comments

[Lucy]

The girls at my knitting group have been making this blanket all year in the most loverly colours. It is online and called a shell pattern. If that is helpful x

[Planet Penny]

What a wonderful experience, it really brings you so close to the art itself. As I was reading what you had to say about the royal engagement it was atually being woven into the Archers script. They are SO topical! Penny xxx

[Meredith]

Your trip sounds just lovely, and your scarf is so bright and cheerful. Thanks for sharing your vacation.
Have a wonderful day,
Meredith

[Gill]

Hi Vanessa
Glad you had a lovely break - you timed it well didn't you?? It looks awful on the news!
I agree with your comments on the Prince William/Kate Middleton engagement - good luck to them
I look forward to you working out the pattern for the crochet blanket - I love it!
Gill x

[kate is greedy]

So intriguing looking through the studio with you! Now I must say, what is wrong with having a Princess Kate... or dare I say Queen Kate - I have been waiting for this moment for all my life... I am so excited about the engagement that when Prince William and Kate Middleton were being interviewed on t.v. last night I let them hop back out of bed to watch (we are extremely strict when it comes to bed time). Hugo is very lucky to be able to watch coverage whenever he likes - the boys were sent straight back to bed when it was over. Love Kate xxooxxooxx.

[Penelope]

Oh I adore Barbara Hepworth, we were fortunate to have an exhibition with her sculptures in the De La Warr Pavillion about 3 years ago and I couldn't get enough of it. I LOVE going into artists spaces , it's a sensory delight for me. Our daughter, Alice is very excited at the prospect of a royal wedding as she is fascinated by royalty...she even once wrote letter to HRM (which I must find and do a post about ;0) thanks so much for sharing xox

[Teish]

Oh my gosh! That afghan in the store window... I made one of those for my great-aunts when I was a kid! Sadly, I no longer have the magazine the pattern was from, and I don't remember how it went. (Sorry I won't be any help!) Still, it was just crazy seeing an afghan like the one I'd done all of those years ago! :-) Sorta made my day.

[Judith]

Hello,

I know this pattern, I made a scarf out of it:

http://chezchouke.blogspot.com/2010/07/crochet-scarf.html

It's very simple! Maybe you can work it out with the picture on my blog...
Good luck!

[Liz W in Missouri, USA]

What a lovely trip! The Museum looks like a serene, peaceful place to be and I envy you being able to be there in the quiet.
And then the afghan - a beautiful contrast in colors from the white stones of the museum.
Isn't it fun to have "prettiness' all about?
I totally agree about William and Kate. I think they will make it. They've been together for a long time (8 years, is it?).

[greenrabbitdesigns]

That is a gorgeous blanket! :)
I agree, great news about William and Kate!!

[Jenni at Baame Kniits]

I love your photography Vanessa!

How does England feel about Kate getting Diana's ring??

Loved that blanket too!

[paintdropskeepfalling.wordpress.com]

Lovely to see those photo's - it made me work out that it's been 11 years since I last went! And that was with a four year climbing on things. So you can imagine our experience! But I agree that there is a real presence there. Didn't Barbara and Ben Nicholson hitch up, leaving our beloved Winifred all alone? I can't quite like Barbara for that but she was a good sculptor. Claire x

[Richard Rose]

The photos look real nice. The blanket looks simple enough, and I definitely don't need a pattern for the scarf as I have already made one. I would like to know what the stitch is called though, if you have a name for it.

[julie]

sounds like a wonderful trip and the BH Museum is definitely on my list now. We did the Tate when we were last in St Ives and the children and Mike were all cultured out by the end of that, so had to leave BH much to my disappointment. Shame we didn't know you were coming down, if you are down this way again, you must stop by for a cup of tea (we are just outside Exeter, so a perfect spot for breaking your journey!)

I agree it's lovely news about Kate and William, although I do hope that after the initial excitment they will be left to get on with their lives as they were doing - they do seem like such a lovely couple, how can anyone do anything except wish them well for the future ?

Hope you enjoyed your knitting group x x

[frances]

Vanessa, thank you so much for all the photos and your excellent description of the BH Museum. It's a place I would love to see in person, but truly feel that I have had a very good visit via your post. I loved that you mentioned the sense of scale of sculptures in the garden, and had all those close up views of the studio. Lucky you to be there off season.

And yes, how awful is that flooding!
Best wishes to you.

[Siobhan]

It really does look like she will be back at any minute! Thanks for showing us round, fascinating to see. I too find the news about the royal wedding surprisingly optimistic. They seem a really nice, well suited couple don't they? Flooding is a dreadful thing to have to deal with - the effects last for months. I really do empathise. Talking of blankets, the pattern looks to be mainly shells but with a spike stitch going down into the previous row at regular intervals. It really is a lovely one isn't it? I adore wooly blankets, knitted and crochet and sewn. Here are some you may like. This is just so colourful and lovely - a simple idea but so well done, you may have seen it already. The 2nd picture is best. http://rosehip.typepad.com/rose_hip_blog/

You may want to remortgage your house if any of these takes your fancy
http://www.skmclauchlan.co.uk/blankets.htm
prices (if you can bear to look), are at the bottom of the page)

[Alice and Raymond!!!]

Beautiful pictures as usual Vanessa!
How moving to go into someone's space when they are no longer there and just be with all of that energy.
Love the crochet blanket! Delish! It almost looked like a rag rug to begin with... yes! Crack tht pattern!!!!!
XXXXX

[Aussie Maria]

Love the scarf colours and pattern

[Teresa Kasner]

Hi Vanessa,
I'm very excited about the royal wedding too, I do hope things go better than they did with Princess Diana and whatshisname. :-)

I have done that scarf pattern for years, only in a baby blanket and lap blanket sizes - it's a diagonal stitch. BUT for the life of me I am not sure how she does the 2 points coming down at the bottom. I will try to figure it out too. Here's a great tutorial for it.
http://www.crochetcabana.com/stitches/diag-box-st.htm

Love your blog!! ((hugs)) Teresa in Corbett, Oregon

[Teje]

Hello Vanessa! Thank you for this facinating post with exiting photos! So nice to see that work room!
The blanket is wonderful and doesn't look too difficult to make by your photo!
Best wishes! Teje

[Veronika / Lalomino]

I'm so the same when it comes to taking a sneaky-peak at other artists' studio! They can be so inspirational and can give you great ideas!