Visiting and Exploring

After the jumble sale on Saturday, we ventured through the tunnel to East London, to visit this very 60s looking building where...

 ...we found lots of fascinating art! 'Now What ' is the name of the Sussex University Illustration and Graphic Design department's degree show. Our niece Isobel was on this course, and we went along to see her work, not knowing if she would be there-but she was! So it was good to be able to talk to her about her work and the exhibition. I was really impressed with the whole thing, especially when she told me that the students on the course arranged it all themselves, and all this started three years ago when they started the course. Here is the Now What website that one of her friends put together-with links to all the artists. The same friend I think that had a tall box with a big red button on top, inviting you to press it. When pressed it issued a pink receipt with all his details on it-his version of the little cards and postcards the artists provide with their details.

Isobel's work..the book on the left was made by Isobel. It contains beautiful photographs of different places in London, paired with quotes from Dickens set in those places. It is really beautifully made and fascinating. She also did a lot of work on the relationship people have with animals, and had made another lovely book, and some large photos relating to this. The shirt is her response to a college project on self-promotion-how better to promote yourself than to wear your work?! Well done Isobel! We loved seeing you and your work.

 After leaving the exhibition, we had some time before the parking ran out, so we wandered around the local area where we found a great market, stripey dogs and coffee (delicious coffee which I waited about five minutes for, while it was lovingly crafted by some young men, one of whom returned to the stall and casually offered his headache pills around-"Would anyone like some nurofen?"-as if they were sweets!)

 The stripey dog was obviously interested in some good dainties!

We didn't have any hot jellied eels-I can't imagine many things more disgusting-but I do love the front of this shop. There was a great crafty shop nearby, with a sleeping cat outside and great music playing,  where I got a ball of purple wool, and a bag with the words 'emotional baggage' printed on it which I thought was most amusing!
We are definitely going back for another explore soon as it is great round there!