Let’s try not to see this month as a dreary lull between winter and spring, but more of a time to cocoon ourselves in culture, and maybe visit the odd open garden.
On the big screen there is a great crop of new film to watch. Top of our to-watch list are Triangle of Sadness, Tar, and Women Talking. Then there are the box sets - if anyone else finds it almost impossible to make time for unabashed telly watching, February is your month. Sarah Lancashire has had us spellbound (and up rather late) as PC Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley, while White Lotus series 2 is a riot of extravagance and super rich folliesbeen brilliant whilst White Lotus series 2 is a riot of extravagance and super rich follies. All perfect reasons to curl up under a warm blanket and get stuck in.
If you were to venture out of the house and make it to London, there are some fabulous exhibitions running this month. There is still a chance to get inspired by the Cezanne exhibition at the Tate Modern, which runs until March 12th, and charts the different stages of the artists career, to mesmerising affect. Then there is Spain and the Hispanic World at the Royal Academy, showing over 150 works by artists from El Greco to Goya, plus ceramics, lusterware, jewellery and textile, telling the story of Spanish and Hispanic art and culture from the ancient world to the early 20th century. Another top tip is the late American artist Alice Neel exhibition, Hot off the Griddle, at the Barbican. With over 70 works on display, the exhibition showcases the work of this figurative painter who liked to depict the often marginalised, always under-represented, subway riding population of New York city in the 60’s and 70’s.
Beyond London, head to the Lowry Museum in Manchester and feast your eyes on Going to the Match, the famous Lowry work that was saved for public view in November last year and which is now on permanent display. We also have our eye on a fascinating knitwear exhibition at Edinburgh’s Dovecot studios. Chanel to Westwood presents over 150 inspirational knitwear pieces from the past century and should inspire budding craftswomen to take up their needles and up their games beyond the baby hats.
A last word: there are some very lovely gardens open at this time of year, so if you were to venture outside, have a nose around the National Garden Scheme website to see what is open near you. Look out for jaw-dropping snowdrop displays and knock-out winter colour.
We are donating £5 from every Snowdrops in the Woods 1/2 Pint Mug, and £3 from every Snowdrops in the Woods Small Mug sold to the National Garden Scheme.
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