Monday 18 June 2012

The Shell Grotto

A weekend down in Kent was primarily a family visit for my nieces naming day.  The rain didn't fall, the sun shone, just the wind blew.  A lovely Saturday was spent at my sister in laws home celebrating little Kitty.  I completed the picture I did for her last week, which I can now show.

23 x 23 cm
On the Sunday we took the train from Whitstable to Margate.  We were interested to see the new Turner Contemporary Gallery that has recently opened.  While we wandered through the old town I spotted a sign for the Shell Grotto.  It reminded me that I had seen a piece about it on the TV programme Coast a while back.  Intrigued we walked along a back street and eventually came to Grotto Hill!  Half way up the hill we entered the shop where the grotto is located.  At the back of the shop is an archway which you enter and then go down chalk steps.  Underground you are greeted by the most magnificent sight of thousands of shells decorating the walls.  It is unclear what the grotto was made for and unclear when it was built.  But the designs are very Pagan, the link is here as the website can give a much better explaination of the grottos known history http://shellgrotto.co.uk/history/.  All I know is it was an amazing place, unlike anything I have seen in Britain before. The photos were taken with my iphone so are not the best quality but you get a feel of it.  Well worth a visit if you are in the area!



















The Turner Contemporary was good too.  Tracey Emin's exhibition She Lay Down Deep Beneath The Sea was great.  I was expecting not to like it ( never got the unmade bed thing) but I did.  I had to distract the eyes of my 8 year old occasionally from quite graphic sketches but really lovely fluid work in blue gouache. The building is great too, what a boost for Margate.


2 comments:

tanya said...

That shell grotto looks fab. You are right the turner gallery is a nice space and on a sunny day the sandy beach is fun too. Like your Kitty pic. Very you.

Laura Bevan said...

Tanya you must go to the Shell Grotto! So wonderful!

I was pleased how the Kitty pic came out, I did a bit of Wheres Wally but in this case did Wheres Kitty (she's in there somewhere)

Good to hear from you X