Visit to Manchester Gallery 3.12.2009

The exhibition was dedicated to an all female group of artists and depicted some extraordinary sculptures , paintings and photographs.
The surealist exhibits were difficult to understand at times and nightmarish at first sight on occasion. The curators had taken four years to mount the exhibition and no doubt considerable time had been taken to obtain many of the paintings form other countries.
As many artists were from privalidged families it was an indication of the rebellious young women in the twenties when the role of women changed during that era after the first world war.
The title of the exhibition is Angels of Anarchy and covers many more artists' work than we had time to see and have described to us by the curators and Ann Hornsby.
The Gallery is having a special public day on the 21st January when they will give us an escort and a described tour of this exhibition by prior arrangement.
One of the exhibits was of a plaster cast of the artist's partners head which was then covered in silk scarves and feathers and other items concealed within the coverings.

The curator of the exhibition was Fiona C
orridan and was assisted by Kate Day who had organised the visit for us and who is filling in or Meg who is on maternity leave.
There are five different sections to the exhibition, which is quite complex and we looked at work byFrida Kahlo and Lee Miller, two of the most influential artists of the 20th Century.
We were only able to look at a few of the works and literally ran out of time after listening to the enthusiastic information given to us by Fiona.
I have never been overly interested if surealistic art in the past but now have a very different take on it. I have been left with the impression of some tortured souls seeking their own freedom of expression after decades of suppresion of the female, who was given one role.
We rounded off the visit in true Chriastmas style with a mince pie and tangerine, followed by a welcome hot drink.
A very interesting exhibition and our thanks to Mary and her volunteers for getting us there and safely guiding us throughout the morning.
posted by Elaine

Manchester Museum 22nd October 2009

We visited the Charles Darw[n exhibition which had been produced by Henry McGhie and Peter Brown from the wealth of their Darwin collection.
Yhe story boards show Darwin as a young boy of ten through to later life and records his many adventures and discoveries. Due to their fragility, some specimens are shown in a dim light and it would have been of great help to me if they could have been mounted on a contrasting base and background.
Henry told us about Darwin the man who at age 16 had been sent to Edinburgh University to study medicine and then age 18 to Cambridge to study theology but \ttended few lectures and devoted his time carousing with his friends. His real passion was for collecting and studying items of natural science. We were enthralled by Henry's descriptions of Darwin's life and his amazing ability to understand the progress of evolution.
We had the opportunity to handle some items such as a duckbill platipuss, tawny owl, the shell of an armourdillo, a sponge two very different corals and many more with the help of Alan, Michelle and Vivienne who are Museum volunteers.
Ann gave us her usual vivid and detailed descriptions, when she could get a word in edgeways that is, because of Henry's enthusiasum about Darwin.
We rounded off the morning with a welcome drink and biscuit and thanks to Mary and all of the volunteers who make these visits possible for us.
The Museum has published maby of Darwin's texts in the form of a newspaper in braille and large print as well as the normal format.
posted by Elaine

Gallert Oldham Thursday \st October 2009

The artist we were all thrilled to meet was Gary James Williams who had worked hard with Jennifer Vickers from the Gallery to put together a hands on selection of pressed flowers, moulds and exhibits for us to enjoy.
Gary explained that he had researched the use of different materials to create sculptures and one of these was the materials used in the manufacture of prosthetics such as false teeth and the re-construction of bones after injury.
Some of the items on display were quite amazing, such as a branch, a cup saucer spoon and sugar lump. A cotton reel complete with thread and needle was fabulous and Ann Hornsby gave us her usua; entertaining and colourful descriptions of everything in the exhibition, including the huge paper planes flying above our heads.
We had all been invited to bring an item from which to make our own mould and sculpture and there was a lot of hilarity as we got to grips with the materials which Gary then filled with plaster and cooked to create our own personal sculpture.
During yhe cooking process, we had a cuppa and chocy biscuit to end the visit, much enjoyed by all.
Thanks to Mary and all of our volunteers for getting us there, to Ann for her descriptions and the Gallery and Artist Gary Williams for a memorable morning.
Posted by Elaine

3.9.09 Vusut to Victoria Baths

We had a very interesting visit to see all of the re-furbishments taking place an d to learn zome of the history of the baths which opened in 1902.

Many original features have been losr but the most important have been replaced.

When first opened, there were three swimming pools - men's 1st class and 2nd class and another for ladies. In men's 1st, if they wished, the men could have a hot bovril drink brought to their changing cubicle when they finished their swim session. Luxury indeed for the wealthy.

The entrance to the main baths is wonderful, with the original tiles on walls and floors and even on the balustrades on the imposing staircase.

Parts of the baths have been used as settings for some tv and film productions and this has given extra money towards all of the worl srill needing to be completed.

Coincidentally, the driver of the hospital transport I used the following Monday, used the baths when he was a young man up to the age of twenty two.

There are some superb stained glass windows which have been preserved, one in particular which is called an angel, but which experts say is a fairy, as angels have feathered wings.

The staff conducting our tour had gone to great lengths to accommodate visually impaired visitors and we sincerely thank them.

Many thanks also to our drivers and Mary for organising such a good trip and to Ann for her detailed descriptions of each of the sites we visited.

posted by Elaine

Trial and ERROR

My Good friend Ken has told me that one can alter one's blog. I have been able to change an error that has occured with the comments. So (here) is my error. my errorwas there in the brackets


T.T.F.N.Bu-cket

P,S Thanks Ken for reminding me that one can correct one's post

P.P.S over to the publishers. B

In memory of an old friend

This is in memory of my dear old friend

Harold James Gulley DSM

Who past away on the 4th July 2009.

PSALM 107

They that go down to sea in ships: and occupy their busimess in great waters;

These men see the works of the Lord : and his wonders in the deep.

For at his word the stormy wind ariseth : which lifteth up the waves thereof .

They are carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep :

their soul melteth away because of the trouble .

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man : and are at their wits' end .

So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble : he delivereth them out of their distress.

For he maketh the storm to cease : so that the waves thereof are still.

Then they are glad, because they are at rest : and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.

Rest in peace.

Making contact

It seems as though at the monent the zoomer group is stuck on the ground! If we don't look out we will be becoming the sremooz group.
It was interesting to see Capt Kens piece on operation Neptune.
So I trust that I will not have to wait to long for a report from our Elaine.
Fingers crossed, so keep your chins up. Don B

Operation - Neptune and D-day

The whole operation was named " OVERLORD" and the last face of the extensive planning took place in Southwick House outside Portsmouth where Admiral Sir Bertram H. Ramsey resided. The Admiral was chosento command the maritimeopation, which was named " Neptune". With his experience from leading the evacuation from Dunkirk and the landing on Sicily, Admiral Ramsey had the best qualifications. Bur the allies also needed the element of surprise - a goal almost impossible to achieveregarding the giganticproportionsof the operation.

Visit to Manchester Gallery 30th April

We looked at the Holman Hunt and Pre -Raphaelite exhib9tion with curator Melva Croale who gave us a great deal of background information about the artists and their work displayed. There were a number of voluptuous female figures depicting historice scenes and which gave Ann Hornsby plenty of meat for her descriptive powers to flow about pert breasts and rounded bums!! By contrast, we viewed a paintng of The Good Samaritan which clearly depicted a good man helping the frail figure of a man who had been robbed and injured in the roadsude.
We moved to a different Gallery and had a different curatorSandra Martin to continue with us and agan give us a great deal of information about the two Manchester artists Lowry and Valette who had both painted many scenes of Manchester. We also saw a self portrait of Valette which had not been completed.
During our tour of the galleries, the curators and Ann were in competition with various other activities going on with school groups and photographic opportunities. I am quite sure that as a consequence Melva, Sandra and Ann more than rose to the challenge and delivered an even more than dynamic lecture for us. It brought home to us that the gallery has to manage many different group visits to them and just occasionally things can go a little fraught - certainly nothing that Mary should beat herself up about. Also, the gallery is not deserving of too many negative comments after ahe many occasions when visits have gone loke clockwork.
We all enjoyed a welcome cuppa and biscuit or two in the education suite before wending our way home.
Many thanks to the curators and Ann for a memorable morning and to Mary and volunteers for making it all happen.
posted by Elaine

Visit to Manchester Gallery 30th April 2009

On Safari

It is possible that if I go on safari! I might come across a Tiger! (obviously ) one that speaks English Or of course any other enlightened plainsman. The query is that a panel comes on the screen saying . (this action is only valid for products that are currently installed . So I can get listen again but not from the desktop icon. So I hope someone can clear the undergrowth away! Bye for now Bu-cket

Visit to Gorton Abbey 27.3.09

We visited this this building which was originally built as a Friary in 1861 when some Friars cane over from Belgium and a couple of them went to Ireland to learn English, no doubt they returned with a most interesting accent. A young man named Patrick joined them from Ireland and set about helping to build this Parish Church whilst occupying a cottage in the ground.
Tony Hurley, who was our guide, enthralled us with stories from the past on each step of our journey through this beautiful building which is being re-furbished with the help of Lottery Funds and local donations.
When the Friary ceased, the building was bought by a developer, who systematically stripped it of the wonderful valuable artifacts and then went bust, abandoning the Friary to the elements and vandals. Fortunately the Bank which had owned the building had boarded up the three strained glass windows behind the alter, which was reduced to rubble, and the windows were intact when re-furbishing was put in hand.
The crucifix which is life size and is suspended from above in front of the alter was rescued from a Christies' sale at a price and during renovation was found to have the ends of the cross missing. Some years before, a member of the local community had contacted the restorers and handed to them some - bits of metal - and these were found to be the missing parts of the cross.
There were originally six statues on each side of the main body of the church standing on top of the columns and again, these were rescued from auction at a cost and are currently be repaired but hopefully will soon be atop their columns again.
The amount of restoration is quite amazing and there are photos of before and after the rescue showing the vast amount of work already completed.
The acoustics of the building means that it is now used for orchestral concerts and choirs and Tony Hurley played a CD of The Priests singing Ave Maria and announced they were prepared to give a concert in the near future.
We rounded off the visit with a drink and sandwiches, thanks to Mary and during the visit, we all enjoyed Ann's very detailed descriptions of the architecture and restored sections which have been carried out to the highest degree.
Our thanks to our guide and staff and Mary, Ann and all volunteers for a most memorable visit to a truly magnificent building.
posted by Elaine Gallagher

1945 and all that.

EIleen&Ken What a wonderfull piece of news! It is marvellous 64yrs and still going stromg
Our very best wishes for the 3rd
Sheila&Don

Advanced thanks!

This is a calulated guess that at the rate Elaine is typing their is something of interest coming out on to zoomers ! ( But I Could be wrong) anyway it has got my fingers moving around the pad which is quite a feat, to say the least.

Cheers for now Don B

And it ain't been a day too long.

Tomorrow on the 3 rd March 2009 my wife and I will be celebrating our 64th wedding anniversary. I met my wife in Plymouth while we were both serving in the navy, When people ask us where we met, we tell them in the back of a one ton Bedford lorry, and thi is quite true.

It just remains for me to say it's been a wonderful time, thanks ny darling, I love you very much. Ken.

Warm air

This morning has been a warm one, and that has not been the heating! There has been all together seven folks in the zoomers slot. It is great to exchange thoughts and views on a wide range of topics. These topics have been from football to politics, plus a few others.
So bye for now. Don B.

I must try Harder.

Well hello there friends. I regret that I have not been putting any posts on for a while but I am still about and will try to do better in the near future. I trust that you are all keeping well.

Tjursday 22.01.09 Visit to Chinese Art Centre

We were visiting the Centre to have a preview of a new Exhibition by Eric Fong who had enlisted the help of Henshaws to film visually impaired and blind people experiencing a visit to the Whitworth Gallery to look at a visual art work using lights and fabrics. I was quite disappointed to realise I could not see well enough to understand what the artist was portraying. The three people who took part all discussed with Eric what they had garnered from the visit.

Eric fong told us that he had been born in China, then from the age of eight had lived in Canada and grown up to practice as a doctor for twenty years. He had become interested in visual art and studied in London for a Fine Arts Degree. He also explained that he had always been interested in visual impairment.

He had recently travelled to Shanghai to look at how China was embrasing western medicine alongside their traditional chinese products. He had taken photographs of different people working in various jobs together with a display of the brand name tabletsand creams they were using. It appeared to me that there was an emphasis on health care and vitamins. Their homes seemed to be sparse and lacking in the luxury comforts we take for granted. One exception was a young couple who appeared to have a modern and more spacious living space.

There was film showing groups of people exercising in a park in front of a statue of Marx and Lenin. Also that film went on to a scene in a street, where a band was playing, with lots of people enjoying some ballroom dancing.

Whilst we all had a taste of deliscious chinese tea a team of security guards came into the centre with sniffer dogs to sweep the premises. An MP was visiting Manchester that day to meet with various Chinese Groups and Communities, so I am assuming he would have been one of the VIP guests at the official opening of the exhibition later that day.

Our grateful thanks to Ann Hornsby for her vivid descriptions and all of the members of the Art Centre for their warm welcome. Mary worked her usual magic to get us all there safely and ensure that we enjoyed our visit. Many thanks to all volunteers who dedicate their time to us.

Posted by Elaine

A spiders web

Hello folks Trust you are full of the coming of spring! If not I do hope it is only a small reason why you are not full of a coiled strip of metal!
To bring a smile to the faces of Chowo&Tiger I am messing about with getting a photo to join a feline and a k9! in the comments area, So watch out for dp space 9! but do not look to hard or you might strain your eyes
I thought I would type this bit of nonsense instead of trying to add a space station to the comments area(this time). Nice to see you nice.
Don B

More belated greeting to all Zoomers

So to all of the Zoomers who might! look at this page a very healthy new year.
I do trust that you have come through the Christmas period unscaved. (leaving out money)

God bless and do take care Don Bu-cket

Belated Greetings tozoomers

I had every intention of keying in this piece on Wednesday! but *** so I do wish everyone a healthy new year. I look forward to seeing some of you in the newyear.
toodle pip Don Bu-cket