Open Exhibition at Ferens Art Gallery.

I had a day out in Hull today, I wanted to see the Open Exhibition at Ferens Art Gallery, before it closes next month. You may remember I entered three pictures in this last year but didn't get accepted. I didn't  apply this year. 

It was rip roaring windy today, and the bus battled it's way over the Humber Bridge. It was rattling and knocking, and there was a massive bang which appeared to come from the back end. It sounded just like a tyre blowing. That happened to me once when I was driving a coach over the Thelwall Viaduct in the third lane of the M6, at 70mph. Luckily it was a back tyre, not a front one. Today it wasn't a tyre, I don't know what caused the bang. 

I see they have modified the bus route slightly since I last traveled on the 350 from Scunthorpe. There is a new shorter cut into the Paragon Bus Station, entering it from the back instead of getting stuck in traffic going round the front of the railway station. Same coming out, much better. 

I took quite a few pictures of the artworks. Mostly I was interested in the textile pictures, but some of the paintings were also stunning. I'll divide them up into separate posts, too many to put them all together. 

This is a quilt, about the size of a toddlers cot. Very small pieces, with hand stitching embellishments. A lot of metalic threads were used. 

The green cords are couched on with very small neat stitches.

I bet you can't guess what this picture is made with. They look like small tiles, until you get closer.

Feathers, cut into tiny squares and stuck on with glue.

These are long pieces of calico, strips torn off a larger piece, and stretched out between two pieces of wood at each end and secured to the wall.

On closer inspection they have small pictures painted on and stitched over with free motions machine stitching. The odd thing is all the threads have been left loose to hang down. I couldn't leave my work like that, I would have to tidy up and trim them.

How to turn an ironing board into an artwork. Paint a body with a colourful costume on a piece of board and screw it on.

A small painting with lots of texture, on a piece of broken pallet board.

Couldn't quite work this out. It looks like layered papier mache with plaster added to it, to give it thickness and strength, then painted and glazed.

A woven wall hanging. I like the wavy lines.

I didn't buy a brochure for £2.50 so I can't give you any artists names or prices. I did see a lot of little red dots however, so quite a lot have sold.

I'll put some more pics on tomorrow.  ilona