Exhibition

Another photo from the current exhibition of animal drawings at Winchester Discovery Centre.

****I am away at the moment, back later today****

Curly

It's World Animal Day today and so I thought I'd post another of one of Robert Davies drawing's currently on show at the Discovery Centre, this time of a sheep called Curly. Many of the animals in his drawings are rescue animals being cared for at the Farm Animal Sanctuary.

Sea the Stars

 

Here is the horse drawing that I mentioned the other day. It's amazing, looks like a real one doesn't it? Only it's more expensive at £52000! Actually the drawing it's probably cheaper because this is a drawing of Sea the Stars, the first horse to win the 2,000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the same year. Not sure if you can appreciate the size of the drawing in this photo, the drawing is 2 metres 40cm high, that's around 7 feet 9 inches!

Chicken

Like chickens, but perhaps don't have the space for them in your Winchester city garden? Then pop down to the Winchester Discovery Centre with a spare £3000 and you could snap up this beautifully detailed pencil drawing of one by artist Robert Davies which is currently on exhibition until 6 November. The detail is amazing and I'll post some more from the exhibition during the week, his horse drawings are really something!

Crafts at the Library

At the library/Winchester Discovery Centre there are a number of craft groups, there's a Knit & Natter group once a week during the day and a weekly craft group in the evening. Here are some of their creations, knitted cupcakes and a chocolate chip cookie!

Take Flight

Currently at the library (Winchester Discovery Centre) is an art exhibition called Take Flight which features work by artists inspired by the world of birds and the environments in which they live. Here are a few of the paintings. Normally they don't like you to photograph in here, but this time they didn't raise any objections! This weekend is the Hampshire Open Studios where artists in Hampshire open their studios to the public to visit, so I hope to be able to get some photos over the next few days.

Tea Tales

Until 11 September at Winchester Discovery Centre (formerly know as the library!) is the Tea Tales exhibition. Hampshire County Council's Museum Service is displaying their finest china, oldest tea pots and fanciest tea gowns, to tell the fascinating history of tea. There are also a number of tea related events are being held, including a tea dance, afternoon tea and a Mad Hatters Tea party for children.

Forgotten Emperor

The Winchester Discovery Centre (Winchester's Library) currently has an exhibition on "The Forgotten Emperor" that is the Roman Emperor Carausius. Winchester is more associated with the Saxons (King Alfred the Great etc) than the Romans, but long before the Saxons the Romans ruled Winchester, from 70-410 AD. In those days Winchester was called Venta Belgarum, meaning the marketplace of the Belgae (a local tribe).

In the late 3rd century AD the Roman British Feet was commanded by Carausius. Britain was often raided by pirates looking for treasure and slaves and it was Carausius's job to stop them. However there were allegations of corruption, theft and pirate deals, which lead to Carausius's execution being ordered by Rome. When Carausius learned of this sentence he responded by declaring himself Emperor of Britain and northern Gaul (France). He appears to have appealed to native British dissatisfaction with Roman rule, he issued his own coins printed with Restitutor Britanniae (Restorer of Britain) and Genius Britanniae (Spirit of Britain). However he was eventually assassinated by a rival in 296AD.

Unfortunately there is now very little that is visible of the old Roman town above ground in Winchester. At the exhibition there are a number of local finds, below some of the coins Carausius had minted

And a Roman Amphora found nearby in Southampton water