I'm a remarkable woman - always was, though none of you seemed to think so.
Sounds like a line from an ageing Joan Crawford or Bette Davis? (Feud is my favourite binge-watch this week.)
Actually, it was May Morris in 1936.
Her exquisite embroideries were well worth the trek to Walthamstow and the William Morris Gallery this afternoon. (It feels like the end of the line - it IS the end of the line - but it didn't take as long as this confirmed west Londoner thought it would!)
It's a fascinating (and free) exhibition. There's more to read about it here. I did wonder what William Morris would make of the gallery shop and all the tacky souvenirs (floral print garden trowel, forsooth!) that wouldn't be my idea of useful /beautiful. However, the shop was buzzing with middle-aged ladies starting their Christmas shopping - there wasn't an empty seat in the café - and there was hardly anyone in the exhibition, so what do I know!
And just because it tickled me, here's William Morris on multi-tasking ...
If a chap can't compose an epic poem while he's weaving a tapestry, he had better shut up, he'll never do any good at all.
13 comments:
Pleased to hear the exhibition is worth a visit as I'm planning a trip there in a couple of weeks. I don't think I'll be doing my Christmas shopping though!
I would love to go but the journey puts me off! I may have to content myself with a winter visit to Standen instead. I loved the Russian propaganda exhibition too.
Her embroidery is beautiful, Gina - I can't begin to imagine having the patience!
IT's only the second time I've been there, Sarah - I do have a mental block against Walthamstow, such a dreary place! What a good idea about Standen - I think you might have inspired me! And I've never been to the Red House either. That's been on my list for years.
May was one of the topics on The Woman's Hour recently...she took on quite a lot of responsibility at only twenty-one. Beautiful needlework, but I'm suddenly feeling quite sheepish about a William Morris needlepoint kit languishing in a closet. There's something about matching skeins of wool to those little coloured squares along the edge that makes me doubt my ability to see colour properly, so I gave up. I should just go for it and if my cushion ends up looking more Picasso than Morris, what's the worst that can happen?
I know myself too well even to start projects like that, Darlene - but go on, you could be finished by Christmas! And I bet that kit was quite expensive.
I'm envious, Sue - that's a lovely pattern.
Found out about this by chance, and enjoyed a visit with my two sisters a couple of weekends ago. We were just in awe of the size of some of the works....how long must they have taken. To say nothing of eyesight. May Morris is someone I would have liked to have met. She sounded feisty and a strong character along with such an artistic flair.
Hello, Frances. Yes, they must have taken years - though I suppose some were joint efforts. Always makes me wonder what I might have achieved before the distractions of TV/internet! Well, not embroidery in my case - but something!
My lovely daughter lives in Walthamstow (to my grief - I mean, Walthamstow's ok as far as it goes but it's much too far from here - it doesn't seem any drearier than most of suburban London to me, but what do I know?) and we went to this exhibition on my last visit, with her then 10-day-old baby. Most of the ladies at the exhibition were extremely distracted from it by the baby. But the embroideries were amazing.
Sorry, Pam - that sweeping statement was based on my vast experience, ie the five minute bus ride from station to museum. That was brave venturing out with the baby!
She lives in Upper Walthamstow, opposite Epping Forest. Round the museum's not too bad, though, I think. But the area round the station is fairly dire. She could be living in Edinburgh (which is obviously much nicer!) if she weren't married to an actor, grumble grumble.
Finally made it out to Walthamstow. The bitter cold and drear day did nothing to improve my impression of the streets round the station. Have you ever seen so many cheek to cheek estate agents? We walked and found the beautiful Georgian mansion a breathtaking anomaly. So much for his futuristic vision of London!
It was very crowded and the cafe was slow and jammed as were the loos as one was out of order. But. It was still worth it. I marvelled at May's eyesight! How was there ever enough daylight to work such intricate stitches? The evenings must have been out of the question by gaslight or oil lamps.
The Red House is probably improving year by year as they continue the restoration and it is at least in a prettier area. Standen is an old favourite but I've yet to visit Kelmscott.
I'm glad you made it, Lucille. It's worth the trek, and doesn't the house look incongruous in such a dreary area! Imagine trying to do work like that on a grey January afternoon, and yet it seems a winter task to me. Would anyone feel like needlework in summer? (Well, not me, for sure!) I must make this the year I get to the Red House. At the moment, I'm suffering from a bad case of January lethargy.
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