Florence Trust

Today was a bit of a lazy Sunday, and the first thing we did when we left the house was to pop over to a local pub for a Sunday-roast lunch (tough day, I know). We both had the roast lamb, and although it took longer than usual for our food to arrive, when it finally did, it was well worth the wait.

All that food called for some walking, and we wandered over to our neighbourhood destination, which was very close to home, but found us on streets that we'd not yet visited--a perfect combination. This attractive house sat at the end of the street in a lovely nook, and when I stopped to take a photo, Bob pointed out the miniature version of the house sitting in an upper window.

In a nice reminder that spring was on its way, cherry blossoms were starting to make an appearance:

Situated on a gorgeous circular street filled with fantastic houses, we found the place we were headed: St Saviour's, a lovely Grade 1 listed Victorian church, whose architect is rather charmingly described as a man “who see-sawed between madness and genius, and ultimately fell off the wrong side.” Now the home of the Florence Trust, an arts organisation that oversees year-long artist residencies in the studio spaces that currently fill the church, the parade of buckets that greeted our arrival was an installation by one of today's exhibiting artists.

Comprised of buckets sourced from the neighbourhood, Elizabeth Alazraki's 300 Buckets was meant to create a moat-like effect around the church.

When we entered the church, we were greeted by an angel

and an old notice informing us that "there are no pew rents."

The church interior was fascinating, with beautiful architecture above, around, and beneath the studio and exhibition spaces.

This sound installation was quite wonderful, tucked away in a small room near the entrance to the church.

The art on display as part of this weekend's open-studios event sometimes competed with the church itself for our attention.

Elizabeth Alazraki's Bird Temple was in a mesh-roofed enclosure that allowed the birds to fly around, but only perch on or in the temple structure itself.

Each of the eleven studios benefited from privacy and the airy space of the church.

Samantha Mogelonsky's The Olympia Series used plasticine to creepy effect.

I enjoyed Rebecca Mears's installation of wooden spoons and fishing wire:

Not only were the soaring ceilings and stained glass of the church appealing, much of the interior brick was beautifully decorated.

We left St Saviour's just in time to catch the pink sky of sunset, and walked back home, happy to have found another gem in the neighbourhood.