Fiona McLees
@mclees-fiona.bsky.social
Paper conservator in Wales. Manuscripts, drawings, artists’ materials, studios, sideline interests in holy wells, roodscreens, and all manner of heritage at the end of long country lanes. Colour-related Instagram posts @chromatic_dispatches
Do Ho Suh at Tate Modern (exhibition just closed). A perfect approach to translating insubstantial memories of space into ethereal structures that can be experienced but not interacted with. Brought to mind many lost spaces from my own life
November 13, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Do Ho Suh at Tate Modern (exhibition just closed). A perfect approach to translating insubstantial memories of space into ethereal structures that can be experienced but not interacted with. Brought to mind many lost spaces from my own life
I’m fascinated by artist studio museums and am working my way (slowly) through a list of those in the UK. This announcement from the Gagosian (Paris) reads like catnip to me: “Filmmaker Wes Anderson Re-Creates the Legendary New York Studio of Artist Joseph Cornell” gagosian.com/media/galler...
gagosian.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:36 AM
I’m fascinated by artist studio museums and am working my way (slowly) through a list of those in the UK. This announcement from the Gagosian (Paris) reads like catnip to me: “Filmmaker Wes Anderson Re-Creates the Legendary New York Studio of Artist Joseph Cornell” gagosian.com/media/galler...
“When the mind swings by a grass-blade
an ant's forefoot shall save you” - was trying to remember this piece of Ezra Pound, and in doing so ended up reading this. My mind feels very small against Clive James’ observations but I enjoyed the read very much: www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazi...
an ant's forefoot shall save you” - was trying to remember this piece of Ezra Pound, and in doing so ended up reading this. My mind feels very small against Clive James’ observations but I enjoyed the read very much: www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazi...
The Arrow Has Not Two Points
Poems, readings, poetry news and the entire 110-year archive of POETRY magazine.
www.poetryfoundation.org
November 8, 2025 at 9:33 PM
“When the mind swings by a grass-blade
an ant's forefoot shall save you” - was trying to remember this piece of Ezra Pound, and in doing so ended up reading this. My mind feels very small against Clive James’ observations but I enjoyed the read very much: www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazi...
an ant's forefoot shall save you” - was trying to remember this piece of Ezra Pound, and in doing so ended up reading this. My mind feels very small against Clive James’ observations but I enjoyed the read very much: www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazi...
Proofing some pages from a forthcoming book about Gwen John! Focusing largely upon her technique, materials, and working processes, this is a snippet of the chapter on Colour
November 6, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Proofing some pages from a forthcoming book about Gwen John! Focusing largely upon her technique, materials, and working processes, this is a snippet of the chapter on Colour
Reposted by Fiona McLees
Obviously hospitals can be stressful places so it is good that the walls contain works of art which can calm worried visi… WHAT THE FUCK
November 5, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Obviously hospitals can be stressful places so it is good that the walls contain works of art which can calm worried visi… WHAT THE FUCK
The tallest apple tree I’ve ever seen, and rather bedraggled with it, in the lower walled garden at Aberglasney. Same garden, the neatest and most impressive espaliering I’ve ever seen, reaching 5.5m high and 25m long, in a lattice-work pattern called “the Belgian Fence”, using 40 trees.
November 3, 2025 at 10:19 PM
The tallest apple tree I’ve ever seen, and rather bedraggled with it, in the lower walled garden at Aberglasney. Same garden, the neatest and most impressive espaliering I’ve ever seen, reaching 5.5m high and 25m long, in a lattice-work pattern called “the Belgian Fence”, using 40 trees.
Pentre Ifan c.1910, with the Cardigan Library & Debating Society #StandingStoneSunday
November 2, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Pentre Ifan c.1910, with the Cardigan Library & Debating Society #StandingStoneSunday
I hope fans of stiles know that they are notorious for attracting ghosts and malevolent spirits on Halloween, as such creatures are drawn to boundary lines. Many mentions in @folklorewales.com book on Welsh ghosts!
October 31, 2025 at 4:06 PM
I hope fans of stiles know that they are notorious for attracting ghosts and malevolent spirits on Halloween, as such creatures are drawn to boundary lines. Many mentions in @folklorewales.com book on Welsh ghosts!
Reposted by Fiona McLees
My new garden love, now that Dewstow is out-of-bounds. The Ninfarium at Aberglasney was completed in 2005 in the ruins of the mansion house, planted with subtropical species. The garden was inspired by the Italian gardens of Ninfa where wisteria drapes the ruins of an abandoned medieval village.
October 30, 2025 at 11:08 PM
My new garden love, now that Dewstow is out-of-bounds. The Ninfarium at Aberglasney was completed in 2005 in the ruins of the mansion house, planted with subtropical species. The garden was inspired by the Italian gardens of Ninfa where wisteria drapes the ruins of an abandoned medieval village.
That is a good desk tidy. What is the strip of red?
It's Halloween-een so let me tell you a real life ghost story from my research. It concerns this guy, William Windover, successful merchant from Salisbury in England, and owner of one of the most impressive desk tidies in all of art history.
October 31, 2025 at 7:59 AM
That is a good desk tidy. What is the strip of red?
My new garden love, now that Dewstow is out-of-bounds. The Ninfarium at Aberglasney was completed in 2005 in the ruins of the mansion house, planted with subtropical species. The garden was inspired by the Italian gardens of Ninfa where wisteria drapes the ruins of an abandoned medieval village.
October 30, 2025 at 11:08 PM
My new garden love, now that Dewstow is out-of-bounds. The Ninfarium at Aberglasney was completed in 2005 in the ruins of the mansion house, planted with subtropical species. The garden was inspired by the Italian gardens of Ninfa where wisteria drapes the ruins of an abandoned medieval village.
Autumn in Parc Cefn Onn, one of my favourite places in Cardiff. The beautiful park with former bathing pool & summerhouse was created by Ernest Prosser in 1911 for his son Cecil to recuperate from TB. Prosser planned to build a house on the site but his son died in 1922 and he never did so.
October 30, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Autumn in Parc Cefn Onn, one of my favourite places in Cardiff. The beautiful park with former bathing pool & summerhouse was created by Ernest Prosser in 1911 for his son Cecil to recuperate from TB. Prosser planned to build a house on the site but his son died in 1922 and he never did so.
Reposted by Fiona McLees
Three Trees in Grey Weather - 1891
https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/10479
https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/10479
October 28, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Three Trees in Grey Weather - 1891
https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/10479
https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/10479
Thinking of the Troy Towns & Caerdroia that once contrived our grassy verges & village greens into sinuous convoluted paths: for ritual or fair-days or religion or superstition. Lost labyrinths may have no ends, no centres, no conclusions; even more tangled and unnavigable than any surviving maze.
Country diary: A mini maze that was always in my midst — The Guardian
Dalby-cum-Skewsby, North Yorkshire: I had no idea it was here, just a few miles from home, yet its roots go deep into history
apple.news
October 27, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Thinking of the Troy Towns & Caerdroia that once contrived our grassy verges & village greens into sinuous convoluted paths: for ritual or fair-days or religion or superstition. Lost labyrinths may have no ends, no centres, no conclusions; even more tangled and unnavigable than any surviving maze.
Excited about this gift left at my desk by a lovely colleague! Porcupine quills - haven’t used them before myself but I know conservators who use them for gently removing encrusted dirt and deposits, where they can be kinder than a metal point. Looking forward to incorporating them into my tool roll
October 25, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Excited about this gift left at my desk by a lovely colleague! Porcupine quills - haven’t used them before myself but I know conservators who use them for gently removing encrusted dirt and deposits, where they can be kinder than a metal point. Looking forward to incorporating them into my tool roll
Today’s tea break was even more blessed than usual: lebkuchen accompanied by some water from St Winefride’s Well, Holywell, kindly retrieved by a work friend who knows my enthusiasm for holy wells
October 24, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Today’s tea break was even more blessed than usual: lebkuchen accompanied by some water from St Winefride’s Well, Holywell, kindly retrieved by a work friend who knows my enthusiasm for holy wells
Reposted by Fiona McLees
I also saw what is surely the best sign ever made:
October 24, 2025 at 9:11 AM
I also saw what is surely the best sign ever made:
Reposted by Fiona McLees
This photograph was taken in February 1912 and shows the opening of the ‘new’ Cardiff Exchange. This followed significant remodelling and refurbishment work undertaken on the coal exchange building by architect Edwin Seward. The image is one of many in the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce collection.
October 24, 2025 at 7:49 AM
This photograph was taken in February 1912 and shows the opening of the ‘new’ Cardiff Exchange. This followed significant remodelling and refurbishment work undertaken on the coal exchange building by architect Edwin Seward. The image is one of many in the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce collection.
Candy-pink brushstrokes, in Piles of French Novels, Van Gogh, 1887
October 24, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Candy-pink brushstrokes, in Piles of French Novels, Van Gogh, 1887
Reposted by Fiona McLees
The Birnam Oak, close to the south bank of the River Tay at Birnam in Perthshire. The tree is said to have helped inspire Shakespeare's "Macbeth" after a visit by the playwright in 1589. More pics and info: www.undiscoveredscot...
#Scotland #BirnamOak #Oak #Tree #Birnam #Perthshire
#Scotland #BirnamOak #Oak #Tree #Birnam #Perthshire
October 24, 2025 at 6:01 AM
The Birnam Oak, close to the south bank of the River Tay at Birnam in Perthshire. The tree is said to have helped inspire Shakespeare's "Macbeth" after a visit by the playwright in 1589. More pics and info: www.undiscoveredscot...
#Scotland #BirnamOak #Oak #Tree #Birnam #Perthshire
#Scotland #BirnamOak #Oak #Tree #Birnam #Perthshire
Reposted by Fiona McLees
Caerphilly, Senedd constituency by-election result:
PC: 47.4% (+19.0)
REF: 36.0% (+34.2)
LAB: 11.0% (-34.9)
CON: 2.0% (-15.3)
GRN: 1.5% (+1.5)
LDEM: 1.5% (-1.2)
GWL: 0.3% (+0.3)
UKIP: 0.2% (+0.2)
Plaid Cymru GAIN from Labour.
PC: 47.4% (+19.0)
REF: 36.0% (+34.2)
LAB: 11.0% (-34.9)
CON: 2.0% (-15.3)
GRN: 1.5% (+1.5)
LDEM: 1.5% (-1.2)
GWL: 0.3% (+0.3)
UKIP: 0.2% (+0.2)
Plaid Cymru GAIN from Labour.
October 24, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Caerphilly, Senedd constituency by-election result:
PC: 47.4% (+19.0)
REF: 36.0% (+34.2)
LAB: 11.0% (-34.9)
CON: 2.0% (-15.3)
GRN: 1.5% (+1.5)
LDEM: 1.5% (-1.2)
GWL: 0.3% (+0.3)
UKIP: 0.2% (+0.2)
Plaid Cymru GAIN from Labour.
PC: 47.4% (+19.0)
REF: 36.0% (+34.2)
LAB: 11.0% (-34.9)
CON: 2.0% (-15.3)
GRN: 1.5% (+1.5)
LDEM: 1.5% (-1.2)
GWL: 0.3% (+0.3)
UKIP: 0.2% (+0.2)
Plaid Cymru GAIN from Labour.
On a crowded commuter train so this brief vision of cool stone and green curling ferns is particularly soothing
Country diary: Mountain plants take root in a derelict chapel — The Guardian
Allerton, Merseyside: This cemetery is the resting place for famous names, and home to plants that are far from their preferred cliffs and rocky slopes
apple.news
October 22, 2025 at 6:32 AM
On a crowded commuter train so this brief vision of cool stone and green curling ferns is particularly soothing
“Where friends…park”
“Where friends…films”
“Where friends…films”
October 22, 2025 at 4:45 AM
“Where friends…park”
“Where friends…films”
“Where friends…films”
Reposted by Fiona McLees
Here’s a different view of it, from the same print - perched right at the top
October 20, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Here’s a different view of it, from the same print - perched right at the top
Reposted by Fiona McLees
