Visiting exhibitions is something all artists and craftspersons should make time for. They can educate, inspire and make you look at things differently, and sometimes its just good to meet up with friends and do something that makes you feel good about the world.

So last week I went to Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery. The purpose of the visit was to see the Sublime Symmetry Exhibition which was about the mathematics behind William De Morgan's ceramic designs so I managed to cajole my partner into coming as he's into science and maths.  The ceramics were wonderful but I felt the explanation about the mathematics was unconvincing, apart from talking about symmetry and some geometrical shapes, it didn't really explain anything else about maths. However it was worth the visit to see the wonderful tiles and pots and admire the skill behind the designs.

Tiled panel showing flowers that have inspired my jewellery

 

During my foundation year I did a project on Victorian Tiles so I already knew a lot about William De Morgan, plus there is a huge collection of his work at the Museum in Birmingham which is my hometown. Popular themes for his work were plants and animals, some of the plant designs have influenced my flower jewellery and the qualities of aluminium can sometimes shimmer, a bit like the lustres used on his pots. So all in all I enjoyed the exhibition and then had a wander around the museum looking at other exhibits.

 

 

some of my early brooches inspired by Turkish and Victorian pottery designs

 

A couple of things caught my eye. The Exeter puzzle jug in the medieval manuscript exhibition. In case you don't know, a puzzle jug has a number of holes in the rim and hollow handle. The challenge is to drink from the jug and to do this you usually have to suck from the right hole whilst putting your fingers over some of the other holes. Failure to get it right means you will be pouring the wine or ale over yourself.

 

The Exeter Puzzle Jug

 

The other exhibits I was drawn to were the exotic butterflies. Their shapes and patterns were, well sometimes unbelievable.  It just goes to show how inspiring nature's patterns can be and have been in the past.

 

 this one is so pale it almost looks like lace

 

Sublime Symmetry Exhibition runs until 10th September 2023