Lovely jubbly arty farty

Today was one of those lovely feel good days. A fellow Raveler, TheKnittingNurse, contacted me a few weeks ago as she was running out of a certain yarn for her sock project and through the magic of Ravely asked me if she could buy the leftover yarn I had in my stash. After some dithering I decided I wouldn't use the yarn up and giving it away would help reduce the size of my ridiculous stash. I'd met her briefly at a knitting event last year and we decided to meet for lunch. We went to an excellent Thai restaurant in Pimlico (I think it's called the Thai Cafe and is on the corner of Tachbrook Street and Charlwood Street, the food was excellent and good value for money) and got on very well.

We share quite a few interests, as well as knitting and it's always good to find new friends. I didn't want any money for the yarn as it really wasn't worth much so she's going to make a donation to p/hop, the knitting-fund-raising arm of Medecins Sans Frontieres UK. There will be more news on why this made me happy next week....?

After lunch I went to Tate Britain to catch up on the latest exhibitions. Turner is one of my favourite artists so I was looking forward to the Turner and the Masters exhibition. It was excellent although crowded with SAGA groups and sixth form college art classes so I whizzed round, having seen most of the Turners in the Tate or National Gallery several times.

I did take some time to breath in the majesty of his light work, his skies just blow me away. I hadn't realised how competitive he'd been and the exhibition showed how he tried to out do, successfully on most occasions, other prominent artists of his day. If Harry Hill saw the exhibition he would say "but who is better? Tuner or the Masters? There's only one way to find out......FIIIIIIIIIGHT!" This is how the exhibition works, Turners are hung next to the masterpiece he was trying to outdo so you, the viewer, can decide which piece you prefer.It's well worth a visit and gives a good insight into how his style developed. I'll definitely visit again, hopefully at a quieter time.

The ever controversial Turner Prize is also on at the moment and is much better than last years. All four contenders had something going for them. Enrico David's pieces have a surreal quality which is reminiscent of The Mighty Boosh.



Roger Hiorns work was interesting, reducing things to a final form, such as a jet engine reduced to dust which was spread out on the floor resembling a lunar landscape. Some of his sculptures included brain matter, which is very Turner prize. Think of that what you will.

Richard Wright produced what is in effect, beautiful wallpaper. I was drawn in by this piece, it's Blake like intricacy sucking you in so different forms appear on the wall.

Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images in Times Online

I think Lucy Skaer was my favourite artist although it was a close call between her and Richard Wright. I admired the deceptive simplicty of her work and the way she draws on natural sources. What will the judges think? Who knows, go and decide for yourself if you are in London or look the entries online. Let me know what you think, I'm not a professional art critic, nor do I play one on TV, I just like art.