Aidan Ridyard

Very pleasant afternoon listening to George and Michala talking about their art and collaboration at their new exhibition “conversations” at the Hesteltine Gallery in Middleton Cheney.

I trust your judgment so Let’s go into it with an open mind to see how my 50something self responds to Tess….. I would like to think I am a bit older and wiser now!! It’s always good to venture outside one’s comfort zone !

Certainly looking forward to a change of literary style, but I remember Tess as a very sad tale so I’m a bit apprehensive to be honest…..

Ah Wolverhampton - a happy hunting ground for me

here’s St Andrew, Whitmore Reans.

A late Richard Twentyman effort (completed 1967). Piper/Reyntiens glass too

I shall of course…. It’s good for my soul I am sure!

Rather cool retro shop front in Eastbourne

Blue sky in anticipation of a cricket season ahead…..!

I shall go out on a limb and say it’s Oxford’s most radical building….. ever? It is simply stunning and pushes boundaries of technology and craftsmanship to their C19th limits

And in the interests of ecumenicalism…. Arundel Cathedral…. A bit austere for my tastes- nice apse though albeit too dark in comparison to the rest of the interior

Heading south so time for a flying visit to Chichester Cathedral: looking lovely in the afternoon sunshine

Our first experience of Rugby League last night….. excellent!!

Excellent day dipping my toe into the Tenebrism of Joseph Wright of Derby
#awesome

That sounds very tempting but looks
like I will have to wait for an alternative source!!

Interesting: I read Ackroyd’s book when I was a teenager and have always had a soft spot for theories linking his churches into a grand geometric design ever since! Today I noticed how pronounced the separation from London was in C18th, so surveying at that scale would be comparatively easy??

Visit to National today for the Joseph Wright of Derby show….. fantastic paintings and my new word “du jour”
Tenebrism

Visiting The Queen’s House at Greenwich for half term. Stunning building,beautifully adapted as a gallery and FREE too!!
The gold leaf in the central hall was spectacularly effective- what an inspiration!
And a little ‘homage’ to Pepys into the bargain
@gretellemaitre.bsky.social

This is why no sane architect tries to curve an arch in plan…. But I am quite glad Thomas Archer gave it a go!!

My dad did a locum there in the 1980s and I will never forget its remarkable presence in that simple village church…..

A pleasure to see my colleague Howard Lee’s organ recital at Exeter College Oxford today.
An architect of many talents!

Hopkins designs Europe’s largest Passivhaus university building for Oxford

Hopkins designs Europe’s largest Passivhaus university building for Oxford

Waking up to a different view this morning!

Nice start to my day….

Lovely morning in Bromsgrove and so nice to see St John’s without scaffolding again!

Yes…. It’s on the A4189 road to to Ullenhall. Head west at the crossroads at the end of the town and it’s about 200yds on the right…. Can’t miss it!
There was a Goldfinger house in Henley too but I think that has fallen victim to a ‘footballers wives’ make over!!

I think so…. One will turn up. It’s scary but because we are a cattery a lot of cats just get abandoned on our drive…. As indeed Otto was. Hopefully one will choose me again.

It is magnificent!
There is another just down the road from me in Henley in Arden which I would love to get a closer look at!

My wife runs a cattery so I am not completely without feline company, but I do miss Otto….. or Otticus as he was often called….. a noble mog of excellent character. He was white so easily spotted in the next door field and would return home if whistled!

Around 40 years since I last went to Aston…. Surprised how coherently it all works between Hall Church and Football Ground!!

St Mary Woolnoth. The first of 3 Hawksmoor church I visited yesterday. English Baroque façade, dominated by two flat-topped turrets and a cube within a cube interior. Architectural mastery. The Solomonic columns & sunburst symbols give succour to writers of speculative freemason conspiracies

I love your pictures and the building but I couldn’t go as far as calling it Baroque…. I think Hawkesmoor is a talent all on his own way beyond stylistic labels….. similarly Mackintosh…. Or Soane?? Something
We seem quite good at on these islands!