every so often when doing this

the most bizarre coincidences occur
so, you all know I have one of those things that people have for 1950s fabric. . . so the lovely and thoughtful dinahmow sent me this link. . . which shows these fabrics: remember that image on the top left? why! we were looking at it just the other day. . . (with regard to Jacqueline Groag) (you were paying attention that day, weren't you?) (yes, you!)

and then yesterday, when I was researching Kathleen Raine, I notice an interesting link in the obituaries column, informing me that Lucienne Day has died. . . and she created the fabric on the top right of the image above. . . and these:and this:
Lucienne Day inspecting Aspects of the Sun, 1991
installation for the John Lewis department store at Kingston upon Thames

(which is really really really really strange, because I sat in the John Lewis cafe at Kingston many a time in my penultimate life, wondering about that piece); and her fabrics were used for a book cover too (which was one of the weird things I discovered about Jacqueline Groag, if you'll recall):
and Lucienne grew up in Croydon, as I did (not usually something I'd confess to, but for the purposes of today I shall - but I expect you to immediately forget about that fact) and then of course we musn't forget that Hepworth also created work for John Lewis. . .
so let's just leave coincidence aside for a moment and look again at some of the beautiful words of Raine. . .
.
Confessions

Wanting to know all
I overlooked each particle
Containing the whole
Unknowable.

Intent on one great love, perfect,
Requited and for ever,
I missed love's everywhere
Small presence, thousand-guised.

And lifelong have been reading
Book after book, searching
For wisdom, but bringing
Only my own understanding.

Forgive me, forgiver,
Whether you be infinite omniscient
Or some unnoticed other
My existence has hurt.

Being what I am
What could I do but wrong?
Yet love can bring
To heart healing
To chaos meaning

9 comments:

KAZ said...

I absolutely adore these designs.
My 50's coffee table has a Jacqueline Groag cityscape design.
I love it - and it was such a bargain.

Christopher said...

There's so much about the 50s just waiting to be rediscovered, some of it - it has to be said - from beneath the rubble of contemporary civic architecture.

Where were you brought up, I? I'm afraid I've forgotten.

Dave said...

I reember all that.

I'm from the 50's. I'm just waiting to be rediscovered.

I, Like The View said...

Christopher I was born in Cheltenham, where I lived until the age of seven (so, I have many happy memories of an early childhood spent in the countryside avoiding adders, trying not to disturb hedgehogs and that kind of thing); lived in *ahem* Croydon from eight until eighteen (thereafter never to return); universitied in central London; then Blackheath, Mortlake, Shropshire (near Ironbridge), Putney, Mortlake, Sheen, Barnes and now ensconced in I,LTV Towers near (but not quite near enough) to the banks of the Thames in Putney again. . .

I'm not quite sure why I'm so delighted by the 50s, but I am

KAZ I only just discovered her the other day, but I'm very glad I did

is your Jacqueline one of these?

I, Like The View said...

Dave your time will come, my friend

X

KAZ said...

This is the one on the table.
But I'm familiar with all her designs.
I can't believe I missed your fab post devoted to her.
Thanks

I, Like The View said...

that's gorgeous! (etsy's great for 50s stuff, isn't it)

I can't believe I hadn't come across her before - and now Lucienne Day. . . (at some stage in my life I'll learn how to study and research these things properly!!)

(-:

mig said...

I can't immediately remember why I should think this is a coincidence or what it could possibly be coincidental with but I was born in Croydon. And spent all of the 50s there.
Last time I saw it, most of it had vanished under a lot of concrete rubble.

Mel said...

Spent a lot of time along the Thames, eh?

Well then....in this house, we seem to have a passion for the end of the 40's and start of the 50's. I blame himself, of course. I didn't say it was his fault...LOL I just said I blamed him.

What fun fabric and design. I had a good time following Groag links before--don't make me ....LOL

Gotta TRY to sleep at some point, yaknow!

:-D