Dundee’s new V&A museum of Art and Design had plenty to offer Paisley & District University of the Third Age (U3A) Art Appreciation and Architecture groups during a recent visit.
Members felt right at home looking at Paisley Pattern shawls and a famous poster of ‘The Slab Boys’ set from Stoddart’s carpet factory in Elderslie. The group admired the stunning waterfront building created to resemble a ship by renowned architect Kengo Kuma.
Seeing such important exhibits outwith their home town appealed to chair Kathleen O’Donnell and her fellow U3A members.
Kathleen commented: “It was fascinating to find out the history behind some of these Paisley shawls. This red one was woven and printed over 175 years ago.
“The pattern was registered in 1845 by its designer Charles Burgess. Paisley designers and weavers went on to develop ever more complex patterns which increasingly covered the shawl’s traditionally plain centre. We learned a lot from this visit and enjoyed a meal together with views of the Tay.
“Anyone who is semi or fully retired is welcome to come along to a Paisley & District U3A monthly meeting.
“The next one is on Thursday 6th December at 2pm in Paisley’s Salvation Army Hall in Mill Street.
“Journalists and authors, Jill Scott and Bill Hicks, will give us a peek into the history of Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel.”
For more information on Paisley & District U3A meetings and group activities, visit: https://u3asites.org.uk/paisley/welcome.
Photo credit: Trevor Bailey