Bath

BATH Exhibition

 

Susan and I drove down to Somerset intending to make a detour to Bath on the way to see the Kaffe Fasset exhibition at the American Museum of  Brittai at Claverton Manor outside Bath

 

Although we left home in good time (we thought) to avoid the worst of the peak hour traffic, our plans were once again impeded by the congestion of the M25 ring road around London. This is not my favourite road, but it’s the only route that makes sense to get on to the M4 without winding through endless villages which would be even more time-consuming and laborious. Sigh!

 

We crawled along at snail’s pace but eventually found out target, the M4 and then were able to zoom along the highway towards our destination. The GPS directed us down some back roads to Claverton. It was a lovely detour through some beautifully picturesque villages in the Cotswolds

Claverton Manor is set on a hill on the outskirts of Bath near the University. It looks out on to the most amazing panorama of rolling green hills dotted with the occasional house or copse of trees. We had lunch on the back terrace of the manor gazing at this wonderful view.

 

The terrace at Claverton Manor

In the garden at Claverton

the view from the terrace

Susan at lunch on the terrace

Barb was very excited to see the exhibition. Especially when the enormous tree outside was colourfully yarn-bombed and decorated with lanterns made of fabric lampshades of every colour of the rainbow. Magnificent!

 

tree covered in lampshades

Is this Barb's kinda tree or what?

Inside our eyes were assailed by an eclectic mishmash of pink patterned fabrics, pink painted walls and flowers. It was almost overwhelming, but a good tast of things to come. We entered the main exhibition room through a mirrored tunnel and found ourselves confronted with even more colourful designs and patterns.

 

Susan at the exhibition

Barb at the exhibition

Barb with an example of his fabrics

Susan looks at the pattern books

Kaffe Fasset started out as a painter, but became interested in the use of colour and texture in knitting and textiles .He was taught the basics of knitting on a train journey. He bought a bag of twenty shades of wool and used every colour in his first piece. By then he was hooked by the exciting artistic possibilities of fabrics and textiles and went on to make amazing colourful quilts, cross-stitched hangings and knitted garments. He’s also written many books of patterns for his designs and I really love his motto: “ If in doubt; add twenty more colours”. A man after my own heart!

 

coat and hats

varous wearable art

fabric for sale!

tapestry

a riot of colour

knitted shawl

In need of winding down after the very stimulating exhibition, we decided to wander through the very lovely gardens of the manor. The peace and tranquillity of the high-walled terraced garden was the perfect antithesis of the busy exhibition. We could now continue our journey.

 

gardens