I’ve been a bit blue lately. all the cores and errands I’ve been doing before I leave the UK for Australia have been weighing me down. And the weather hasn’t helped much either. And yet today, I decided to pick myself up with a bit of art. I headed down to the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull for some inspiration …and I got some!

I’ve lived here 6 years and had not been before. I guess I’d thought “pfft! …art?! …in Hull!?!?!”. It was really quite enjoyable. Following the floor plan, I worked my way through chronologically, as one does. There was a Caravaggio, and some of the Dutch masters. Then a brief interlude came in the form of some photography, before continuing on with the chronology. I then came to an exhibition of the art of Shirley Craven and Hull Traders. Craven is a local lass who led the way in textiles art in the 60s. I hadn’t realised this until today. Her designs really are fantastic. She worked with Hull Traders (who aren’t actually named after the city, but after their founder), who hand-printed her designs and those of other artists. I’m finding it hard to explain, but seeing the bright colours and intricate patterns at the very least lifted my mood.

I then moved on to discover some paintings from Hull’s past. Hull was a major port in the UK for centuries, and it’s growth and recent decline are well documented here. This final part of my visit was less inspirational, and more factual. Today I learned that there is some depth to Hull and it’s people. It’s such a shame it is fast being forgotten. I’ll leave Hull with a positivity about its past but a sigh for it’s prospects.

As for me. My mood was lifted. I’ve been inspired to do nothing more than write this blogpost, but that’s a start. Next week, after all my chores are done, I will return to my research …readying myself for the next chapter.