Stone sculpture at RWA gallery, Bristol

We drove to Bristol at lunchtime today so that I could go to a photographic suppliers to check out some wireless transmitters and a few other accessories. While I did that Helena wanted to visit an exhibition of old photographs of Bristol being shown at the RWA, the Royal West of England Academy in Clifton, Bristol. I dropped her off then went to the suppliers only to find they were closed and I had been stupid in not checking that their 'weekend deal 'promotion referred to Saturday only!.

I returned to the gallery and found Helena in the photography exhibition 'Vanishing lives' showcasing the work of local man Reece Winston, who in 1959 became the first person to publish books showing life 'as it was'. It was a real treat.

We then went to the upstairs gallery, by climbing up the rather grand marble walled stair cases, under massive ceiling m set within ornate plaster cornices. The exhibition of painting entitled 'One hundred years' was a bit disappointing, with only a few individual items holding much interest for us. But I enjoyed the setting of the rather traditional gallery with a central vaulted ceiling window and curving walls running down to the hanging walls. I must admit to taking a few pictures of the gallery spaces framed by various portals, I have always been interested in how the frame influences the way we observe what is contained within it.

As we left to descend the flight of astairs i had a closer look at a few exhibits of stone sculpture that were in the main window looking out onto and over the Whiteladies Road. I didn't take much notice of them but my eye was caught by these two blocks of limestone and I couldn't resist taking a few more pictures. Now I am home they have become the obvious choice for my blip today, but I sam ashamed to say that I didn't note the name of the sculptor or anything about these sculptural exhibits.

I have now done a bit of research and found that there was a Festival of Stone in June 2013 here in Bristol when sculptors were invited to come and create new work on a site in the city where the public could see them and they could all meet each other. Paul Wilson, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, won the RWA Award, with this piece which was one of seven different prizes presented at the Festival. I love it. It is about three feet high to give you a sense of scale.
I found this out by watching this youtube video about all the carvers at the Festival. I found it very inspiring.