Open West Midlands Exhibition Open Night

The exhibition has been running through the summer at the Wolverhampton Museum and Art Gallery in Lichfield St and I went along for the open evening. It was good to look at the art and discuss with the other artists their pieces on show. I do like to hear artists explaining the concepts behind their work, often you can understand people saying “my 5 year old could do that” and then your told the context and it all takes on a new level. I’m sure people look at my work in a different way once they understand its beginnings.


There are several other shows on in the gallery at the moment; one I noticed records in photographs the troubles in Northern Ireland

and I just couldn’t resist taking some shots of this image.

I travelled over to Wolverhampton on public transport so that I could have a drink in one (or two) of the excellent pubs in the area or even and on the tram route back to Birminghams Snow Hill station.

White Rose at Bilston

Number one on my list was the White Rose at Bilston where they serve an excellent pint of Guinness. However, when I cam out of the art gallery the rain was very heavy and just walking a short distance to the tram I got soaked so I didn’t really feel in the mood to get off again and go for a drink I ended up staying on the tram.

Delivered Shared Earth to Wolverhampton Art Gallery

My piece for the Open West Midlands 08 Exhibition had to be delivered to the gallery this week ready for installation by them on Monday and Tuesday next week, I had a window of Thursday, Friday or today Saturday and decided as I don't know the parking areas, roads and one way system around the gallery the weekend option was best rather than trying to negotiate through busy weekday traffic in the city centre. I'm recovering from an elbow injury and so this plan didn't effect my usual game of cricket.

Normally when I go to Wolverhampton I jump on the Metro tram at Snow Hill station in Birmingham and this takes me right into the heart of Wolverhampton. A tip for you if your driving into the city: you can get Free City Centre Parking for a limited time at the Sainsbury's store providing you spend £5 in the store. So a quick shop for something your going to buy somewhere anyway and just enough time to get the business done. I found that out one day when I got lost, took a wrong turn and thought the Sainsbury's car park would be a good area to consult my map and get my bearings.

Both these options were no good because I had to carry a piece of glass almost a metre square so I therefore wanted to get as close as possible, with the aide of an illegal parking space and a very nice traffic warden and a bit of smooth talking I managed to work it just right. It makes me feel so good.

After the delivery I had to drive about 20 miles through the Black Country (Tipton, Dudley, Oldbury) and then across to the West of Birmingham to Kings Norton. The stretch of road between Wolverhampton (Birmingham Road) and Birmingham (this end is the Wolverhampton) is notorious for traffic lights about every 50 yards which means that you are in single line traffic because the 2nd lane is used by drivers who are turning right. From Kings Norton I went another 20 miles across the city of Birmingham to Sutton Coldfield and relaxed watching my son play cricket.