Visit the Birmingham Art Gallery on 12.2.14

Been told by my lecturer that some famous female artists works are having their in the  exhibition at Birmingham Art Gallery which is free admission and it worth every pence to pay a visit.  My husband drive me there on Wednesday and we park our car at the China Town in Birmingham and walk to the gallery.  The exhibition is held at the side of the Birmingham Art Gallery,   walking into the gallery and it is free admission and also allow us to take photos of the artist's works. It is very rare that we can take photos of the artists works.

Good, Good Boy by Artist Barbara Walker


I have chosen a few artists' works which  I like the best.  Artist Barbara Walker  - "Good, Good Boy" base on the world of Ladybird children's books. I love her painting which based on every day life story and her drawing look like illustration  paintings which are amazing beautiful works.

Condor and the Mile by Artist Lynette Yiadom Boakye

Artist Lynette Yiadom Boakye  - "Condor and the Mile"  - base on her imaginative to create her painting and all her drawing base of black women, children and men.  Her  painting base on 2 black children at the beach the pose are so natural  and beautiful.

The Dorothy Series by Artist June Wayne

Artist June Wayne  - "The Dorothy Series" base on her visual mother  biography. Wayne uses traces of objects to represent her mother at different stages of her life.  Simplicity in the  abstract artwork and beautifully added  in painting to create a series of artwork. 

 My touch by Artist Hermione Withshire


"My touch" by Artist Hermione Withshire. She uses a range of media to suggest the human body on her artwork. "My touch" is made up of ten fragile glass which protrude from the wall which represent touch, imprint and a person's finger tips.  I love the sculpture and when it pin to the wall it create shadows and reflection and it look like a hand with 5 fingers. Beautifully present and display to create extra depth.

Smooth metal body by Artist Alice Channer

"Smooth metal Body" by Artist Alice Channer.  A 3-D dimensional rendering of drapery is turned into a distorted 2-D digital print on fabric. On the reverse of the silk, smoke rings are printed to the
approximate height  of a person's mouth when standing represent a human body. I simply fall in love with this piece of sculpture, it create a 2-D to 3-D on the drape when you look around it and  on the reverse side of the silk where you can see a human body where it is reflected on the fabric.  Incredible beautiful work.

 Costume for mourning and several of her paintings by Artist Estella Canziani.

"Costume for mourning,  Saint Colomban" by Artist Estella Canziani. She imitate the convention of fashion illustration, in the profile on three quarter length formats and focus on the costume. I love her painting especially the details on the costumes are amazing beautifully detailed.

I can't really comment on the artists works, during our this foundation course of art and design we been taught to look into the depth of the painting on how it represent. It is a learning curves and I only able to appreciate  the artist works and amaze by their beautiful works.

Enjoying myself at the exhibition and then we proceed to Birmingham Library which my friend, Maggie told me it is a must to have a look as it is beautiful. Amazing beautiful building with 6th level high, every level with shelves full of books. At the 1st floor where the reception  and some of the students artworks are display at the gallery from our Sutton Coldfield  college.  I feel proud that our school student artworks are display in this main gallery.

After taking some photos and it is time to get some food and then head back home. I have a wonderful time enjoying something that I love to do which is browsing the artists work and taking photos.

Place: Birmingham Art Gallery and Birmingham Libaray
Date:  12.2.2014
Photo By: Catherine Suen
Scored: 9 stars

Day Trip - Llangollen Steam Train - on 24.8.2013- with Wicksons

Our Llangollen Steam train day trip with Wicksons. We meet at the pick up point 8.40 a.m. It took us about half an hour to reach Telford and stop at the motorway  cafe for an hour break due to our stream train trip is book for 12.00 p.m.

We reached the Carrog Village at 11.30 a.m.  and stop for a cup of tea as it is quite cold around here.  The Wicksons had book a carriage for our group of 18 people and we go as a group again and will have to take a train back at 4.00 p.m. at Llangollen station. We only have three and half hour to walk around the city Centre of Llangollen which is not enough time as there is so much to see.

There is 2 sections of the carriage is closed for wedding function and another one carriage section is for a 70th Birthday celebration.  The old steam train split from 1st class and economy class and the 1st class section comes with individual rooms and seats.  It took half an hour to reach Llangollen station and we alighted the train to take photos in the city centre.

As I try to find the way to the Horseshoe Falls and been directed to follow the River Dee canal and walk all the way up  it will take us pass the Chain Bridge  then the horse fall. Unfortunately, if we walk up to the horse fall we probable just manage to catch our train back to Carrog.  So we decided to walk back to the city centre. There is a walk path from the restaurant where it lead to the limestone  where the water flow from the horseshoe falls.

After spending another an hour and half walking at the Llangollen train station. we follow the foot path near the station and came to the back yards of the private house as there is no other walking path and at the back of this house there is a platform which is built by him. We waved and try to get the home owner's attention and hopefully he can let us go over the back garden gate to the front door which the road lead back to the city centre.  The kind owner finally came over to speak to us and let us go through his garden to the front and guide us to the correct path again.

We spend another hour walking the centre and went back to the Llagollen station for our train and this time the train which we take is a electric one instead of steam train. It is a good experience and it cost  £14.00 gbp per person for this one to and fro trip. It is value for money for a free and easy. Our trip cost £31.00 gbp per person which included the train ticket. I would recommend for anyone whom is keen on the steam train and love a free and easy walk at the River Dee then this is the trip to go for it.

We reached our drop off point at 6.30 p.m. and we went to do some shopping at the supermarkets near my place to shop for food for dinner and end up with a fish and chips meals for the nite. A happy ending for a happy day.


Place Llangollen Steam train
Scored for the Place: 8 stars
Photos by: Catherine Suen
Dated: 24.8.2013
Day Trip Tour: Wicksons

Walking along the canal of Whittington,Lichfield

When my husband need to  go to work for a few hours so that I can follow him for a free lift to Whittington, Lichfield.  I love the canal at the Whittington  but lack of the time to walk at this beautiful canal. I do not know this place is so beautiful and it full of long boats parking at the side of the canal.

I have no ideas that the walking paths or tracks that leading to Burton and another one leading to Lichfield.  My first time, when I took my walk  which lead to Lichfield and it about 2.5 miles to Lichfield but unable to complete the walk so I will make it another time.

Today my husband need to go to work so decide to follow him so that I can walk along the canal. Unfortunately,  in England it have been raining for a few weeks now and  the walking path is muddy and slippery.  Due to I did not wear the proper walking shoes and it is a rough walk for me, slipping on the mud but decide to carry on even it is a rough walk.

Walking about 2 hours and have no ideas where this path is leading to so luckily there is a gentleman walking pass and stop ask for direction and been told that this path which I am walking leading to Burton.  I took the wrong walking path as I want to go to Lichfield and not Burton. So now I have to walk back again.

Luckily, it is a beautiful day with blue sky and sunset and saw a young man catching a big fish what an rewarding day even with the fall it still deserve it. I will comes again as it is a beautiful canal with beautiful woodland surrounding it.

There are lot of bridges over the canal where I can go over it and stand on it to enjoy the full view of the canal.  This place deserve a visit as it is so beautiful along the canal.

Place: Whittington Canal
Scored: 7 stars
Photos: By Catherine Suen
Dated: 16.1.2014