Making Blocks

Today we had an open day at work for potential students. It isn't a long day as we are open 10 till 3 but during that time we have lots of visitors and I always go home feeling very tired. Considering that all we do is talk to the potential students and their parents or partners there isn't really a reason to feel so tired but I do. Whilst driving home I made plans for the evening, a cup of tea, a short nap and then catching up on some reading. My plans changed once home and after I'd enjoyed my tea. I pulled out my Christmas quilt and started to put the blocks together. I managed to get three done before I stopped for the evening. There are 9 blocks in all to make so this was a good start. 

I'm hoping to get the other six done over the next two days. I have to do some marking tomorrow so it can't be a day of nothing but sewing. I'm feeling very positive about completing this quilt top this month.

Yesterday evening we went to the Tate Modern to see the Olafur Eliasson exhibition. Eliasson is a Danish-Icelandic artist whose work includes immersive installations, sculptures, photography and paintings. His art features three important interests, his concern with nature, his research into geometry and ongoing investigations into how we perceive, feel about and shape the world around us.

This wasn't an exhibition where I took loads of photos. The first room picked up on his research into geometry and it contain many models or prototypes. It was interesting to see the geometric shapes.

He uses a vast variety of materials in his work. One of the exhibits was a room filled with fog. I went through it because I thought it would be a short walk but it seemed to go on for ever and I found it difficult to breath.  When I looked at a map of the exhibition I found it was a long and narrow room. I wish I'd realised before I went into it..There were also lights changing colours and that completely disorientated me. All in all I found that part of the evening very unpleasant. I did like this piece.

The sphere created patterns on the ceiling and walls.

There were several exhibits that involved convex shapes. Me upside down taking a picture.

I missed out the room with the strobe lighting as I was still feeling unsettled from the 'fog'. John went into the light room but was unimpressed.

In the turbine hall there was this large piece that i think was done by another artist.

Walking back along the embankment I took these photos across the river.

I love the coloured light under the bridge.

I also liked the large poppy on the building. Tomorrow is Remembrance Day here in the UK. Just before we reached the station I took a couple of pictures of The Shard.

The first one shows more of the building but the second shows the top and it looks like it's blowing out black smoke through an open mouth.

I didn't really engage with the exhibition fully but I did find bits of it interesting. It was late night opening and there were far to many people visiting for me to feel comfortable.

I'm going to get up early to fit some sewing in before getting on with the marking. I hope it's a little warmer and the rain stops soon.

Lyndsey