Artist, Bruce Sherratt depicts the Covid-19 Pandemic in what he refers to as ‘Tropical Surrealism’.
PANDEMIC 202 is Bruce’s response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, expressed through his engagement with the emotions raised by the crisis. The colourful kaleidoscopic palette used in the painting suggests a dream-like, hallucinogenic narrative that combines with symbolic, mythological and surrealistic forms to intrigue and unsettle the viewer in equal measure. *
* From nformation next to the painting
Tags: Covid-19, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent
Just before Christmas I noticed that the missing fallen lintels at my local ‘Woodhenge’ had been replaced. After seeing them my intention was to walk to them to provide a photo update.
Christmas was busy and in January lethargy set in, it was lovely and cozy at home and so easy to curl up with a book when I wasn’t taking my mum to (suddenly more frequent) medical appointments.
Today the sun put its hat on beckoning me to go out for a walk! How could I resist…
I made the walk up as I went along so that I could end the walk by visiting Woodhenge. My walk took me through the hospital grounds to avoid the busy traffic and potential mud on the way to the Silkin Way and Apley Woods beyond. My choice turned out to be a mistake, there were more cars in the hospital than there were on the road!
The rest of my walk was uplifting apart from one tiny incident when a former colleague blanked me (not for the first time) as I smiled and said hello as we passed each other.
My arrival at the fully restored Woodhenge didn’t disappoint and I can see that in a few years’ time it will weather down to its former glory 
PS: I need to explore the newly created Coronation Walks. Todays walk kept crisscrossing one of the routes.
Tags: #walk1000miles, #walk1000miles2024, Apley Pools, Apley Woods, Shropshire, Woodhenge
We enjoyed a pleasant afternoon in the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. The museum houses some interesting galleries and displays; Spitfire Gallery, a Staffordshire Hoard display, natural science display, archaeology, local history along with galleries displaying art, design and ceramics.
The museum also has a cafe that serves delicious sandwiches and cakes, although we didn’t sample the latter.
Seeing the Staffordshire Hoard display made me want to revisit the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery to see their display of the Staffordshire Hoard, although it appears to be currently closed!
Tags: Portrait, Self Portrait, Stoke-on-Trent, The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.
Carl Sagan
Tags: Cherie's Place Thought, Gloucestershire, Slimbridge, Vacation
It is unfortunate that I am unable to share all my photo memories of our Malta adventure so I leave you with these final glimpses from our holiday.
I captured some lovely moments walking around Valletta; a lizard playing hide and seek with me in the upper Barraka Gardens, hidden gems of history, birds with their aerobatics around Triton’s fountain, harbour views, fortifications and the gaudy interior of St John’s Co-Cathedral. And, perhaps, I shouldn’t mention the indulgent Pistachio Wonder for lunch in the Haagen-Dazs Cafe.
My biggest regret is being unable to share the wonders of Gozo; The views, the saltpans, Fontana’s wash house, Ta’ Pinu Basilica (the miracle church), the Citadella along with the amazing views over the island of Gozo.
Those memories along with others will remain as ‘a memory’ for me until (maybe?) the next time I visit Malta…
Tags: Grand Hotel Excelsior, Harbour, Malta, Mdina, St John's Co Cathedral, Vacation, Valletta
… Malta’s National Museum of Art
On our last day in Malta we had just enough time to visit this museum which houses some lovely artworks.
MUZA is the National Museum of Art, branded as the Malta National-Community Art Museum. The word MUZA us a translation of the Maltese word for ‘inspiration’ and also stands as an acronym for MUZ(ew NaZZjonali tal-) A(rti), in English – Nationa Museum of Art. It also refers to the muses, the mythological figures from Classical Antiquity inspiring creativity and, in effect, the etymolobical source of the word, ‘museum’.
Tags: Malta, Muza, National Museum of Art
