On Friday we went to Swansea for the first time in a year or so (we no longer have offspring living there). The remains of Swansea castle now have the skyscraper BT building as a backdrop . . .
After buying Keith new sports trainers for his birthday, we sat down for a drink and a quick on-the-go snack lunch, and were surrounded by hopeful looking seagulls, although this youngster was the most persistent . . . Young Herring Gull I think.
Then we had a wander round the Glynn Vivian art gallery, which includes some of their collection of Swansea Pottery (some bits very rare nowadays.)
There was a whole case of beautiful paperweights, but sadly they didn't photograph too well.
More delightful object d'arts . . .
Painted enamel watch faces.
A miniature of Good Queen Bess . . .
This little boat is solid silver and exquisitely made.
This translates to "Cellar Corner" . . . Gloomy yes,but I rather liked it.
Two textile pictures from one of the Display galleries.
My sort of art - lovely scenery at Oxwich Bay.
A view of Swansea Bay before Swansea proper existed. This would have been about the late 1700s I think. Where the white camera glare shows, is where we might have been standing then. This is long before Copperopolis came into being.
Part of a larger canvas (Three Cliffs Bay?) - 30s I think and absolutely lovely.
Near the gallery was this steep hill. Believe me, it was a LOT steeper than it appears here. You would need a VERY good handbrake to park up at the top . . .
You are very lucky Jennie seeing so many beautiful items. That dark painting looks as if it has an interesting subject painted.
ReplyDeleteThe Gutav Dore painting was quite unusual - the swirl of light from the Butterfly's flight -and the only other light focused on the window.
DeleteLove the 1930s picture overlooking the bay, Reminds me of the railway tourism posters.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly saw some interesting things there
I reminded me of the same Sue. It was lovely. We shared the china and emphemera display with a class of excited schoolchildren (hopefully not germy ones!)
DeleteNot keen on the location of the BT skyscraper!!! There are some very beautiful items in the art gallery - thanks so much for sharing. I loved the photos too of Herefordshire in your last post.
ReplyDeleteI think like most cities, they just bung buildings up where there's a gap! Glad you enjoyed the photos.
DeleteHave you ever gone in to Swansea on the train from the West? It feels like it needs a man with a rope holding on for dear life, to stop the train going down too fast - folks, it really is that steep!
ReplyDeleteWe've not been to the Glynn Vivian since the re-vamp. What did you think?
Yes, a few times. I normally have my nose in a book so don't notice! We'd not been before the re-vamp - I got the impression there was too much room allocated for exhibitions and a BIG cafe area and entrance and then there was a complete pig's ear jumble of unrelated pictures on the main gallery wall, which I thought was very poor. Nice paintings there, if you sought them out, but overall poorly choreographed.
DeleteGreat photos of what you saw. Fascinating stuff. Never been to Swansea. Did you walk up that hill? No way I could have!
ReplyDeleteWe quite like Swansea though it's gone downhill a bit since we first moved to Wales. No, I avoided that hill but the one behind our house is nearly as steep and I can manage that, with pauses for catching my breath!
DeleteWow, those enameled watch faces are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.