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Sunday, February 03, 2008

Oxford - a nostalgic day

A fellow artist invited me to her Private View at Wolfson College today. Click here and have a look at the Virtual tour, can you see the Marble staircase... incredible. The building is modern and light, built in 1966, and the exhibition space is brilliant.. overlooking the River Cherwell. Her artwork was presented well in the setting. So the day started with some modern textiles. No photos sorry and she does not have a web presence.



Of course Oxford is known for the number of bicycles!


We then decided to do the nostalgic tour of Oxford... many years ago I worked there for the University, and my Aunt still lives there. It was a bitterly cold day and very windy. It was wonderful as many sightseerers decided not to venture out. The roads were fairly empty, we managed to park the car very easily and for free and wondered around. We walked down the Banbury Road into St Giles and stopped to photograph the Taylorian Institute


and the

We wandered down Broad Street towards the Bodlian Library. My most favourite place. Investigate their website, its worth clicking around, there are some real treasures to be seen (click here).. the manuscripts are unbelievable.
I was lucky enough to be able to see many of them in the flesh when I was younger. No chance now, they are deemed too valuable. However their website is comprehensive and with excellent images.





They were shut today, being Sunday.

We wandered to the end of Broad Street, and resisted the temptation to go into The large Art bookshop for a warm up and spend up.

We then strolled in the bitter cold wind, down The Parks Road, until we found ourselves outside the Pitts Rivers Museum (click here).



We decided to go in for to warm up. A good move as I found the Exhibition I had wanted to see (Treasured Textiles) is still running. I was so pleased.

If your in Oxford at any time it is running until June 2008.


Returning back the the car, it seemed to be getting colder, and the view of Oxford became very wintery. We were glad to be going home after a very enjoyable textiley day.

2 comments:

margaret said...

Ah, the Pitt Rivers museum -- what a fabulous place! Always something new to discover....

Dorothy Gibbs said...

Ah what memories this brings back from my own trips there when I could still walk well enough to do it! I love the Boleian too... did you have to stand up in the middle and make an oath out loud that you wouldn't burn the place down and such? I did, in a very squeaky voice because I was so embarrassed!
I saw and handled the most beautiful calligraphy pieces on one occasion.