Where next?

I have been on a trail setting out my stall.  It is definitely not the favourite part of my practice.  It would be easier if I just made a particular object, like a painting, and set them out for sale. It is so involved talking to different venues, writing proposals, putting together evidence, researching etc,exploring possibilities, when it is so difficult to explain what my practice is about and the process of working ORGANICALLY. However, discussions with Swindon Central Library together with my portrait looking out at me from the Swindon Literary Festival programme started to focus my mind.  Then a peek at the new exhibition room Richard Jefferies, a visit to Lacock Abbey, where the visitor experience manager kindly took me on a tour of the place, looking for ideas of how to respond to Lacock/story and find appropriate setting.  Then to Swindon College to follow up an idea of wondering if I, as an alumni, could organise a pop-up exhibition alongside their B A Degree Show. Hmm, there is a lot to think about, I don't want to appear as an odd on.

"Have you been making work?", said friend Curator, Karen, as we sat in John Lewis I mutter about my aching shoulders and we talk about blogs, clean cavasses, and stir pots of tea. I reply yes taking out from my bag my made-by-Nancy Chinese Sewing Book, in which I am popping out of the garden inspired folds. Discussions turns to what next? 

My Desk Thursday 10.00 am

I have been wondering how to respond to next setting and event, which will be a residency at Swindon Library 6-8th May, with installation up until 18th to link in with Swindon Lit Fest.  The notion of words/writing/speaking stories inspired me to re-find the warmth of friend and poet Hilda, her literary circle and time at Writers Kitchen at Lower Shaw Farm.  This meeting different people is interesting, we all inhabit different worlds. What will you be doing at the library, asks this rather nice lady called Eve.  Painting? I sigh, if only it were that easy. I think of emails I have been exchanging Sara, who has been brilliant at helping me research the Sibyls.  She has ordered me two books from the British Library, rich with verse, stuffed full of apparently:

Oracular Utterances 

We have been exploring the idea of collecting words, marking the element of time. I write to say thanks for email exchanges, they are so supportive and I tell her I shall be researching too, other women, who were keepers of the books. I tell her of the doll inspired by  Ela, Countess of Salsibury, once upon a time, Abbess of the Augustine Order who were keepers of the books.  Meanwhile, I find another couple of words here and there.

Miracle Child