When the cat's away 2.....

It can't all be work, work, work, so I headed up to London to see Annie, Ivan's (Mr Bicknell')lovely sister for a bit of relaxation and culture - well I am an art teacher.....

First off is dinner in Newington Green with Annie, her partner Rainer, and Renchi and Nessa, Ivan (Mr Bicknell) and Annie's dad and step mum. Lots of good conversation was had, lovely food was eaten, wine was drunk and I relaxed!

Me, Nessa, Rainer, Annie and Renchi.

The next day was a busy one...

After breakfast with the olds we waved them goodbye and headed over to Hackney to have coffee with Ned, Michelle, Merryn and Ned's mum Bridget. It was Ned's birthday and nice to see him again, what was even nicer though was that Michelle had been super domesticated and made jam with some of the cherries they took home from our house a few months ago - New Cottage Jam, how nice!

Afterwards it was a quick hop over to Chelsea to meet up with our friend and very brilliant painter Diarmuid Kelley - he paints Annie on occasion and today he was being photographed for the catalogue for the one man show he's having in November - it was great being in a "proper" artist's studio drinking tea, flicking through Tatler and watching the artist at work - it has to be said that the photographer wasn't bad either....            

Where it all happens...

Interesting, Annie with a table runner on her head!

Taking instructions...

Initial sketches.

Tomo - the photographer.

The scene perfectly captured.....

Painting.

Next we met up with another friend of Annie's for smoothies in Bethnal Green (glad I've got an Oyster card!)  - Albert is a Spanish artists who collaborates with Annie at the Tate, he is super inspiring and it did cross my mind that I might be able to convince him to come and give at talk at the college. Next was a private view - another colleague and friend of Annie's, Alice Walton who specialises in assemblages and the juxtaposition of found imagery.

On the way to dinner in Hoxton Square we cam e across Squint on Shoreditch High street, lots of my students love this designer and I hadn't previously seen her work in the flesh, so this was a bit of luck....

The next day we headed over to the Southbank - this is, without exception, my favourite part of London - it is definitely worth a visit any time, but in the summer it is particularly brilliant! we actually went to Somerset House first though to see the Martin Margiela exhibit - if you haven't seen it yet - GO! It was SO inspiring and I can see a lot of influences popping up in next term's project briefs!

On the way back to Waterloo I happened upon this exhibit by the Royal festival hall - again, worth a butchers!