Richard Jefferies Museum

An invitation to run a children's workshop as part of the Swindon Poetry Festival, with an opportunity to install an exhibition at the victorian writer's once upon a time home, from festival organiser and writer/poet Hilda Sheehan.  However, the workshop is cancelled due to poor numbers and I discover the museum, run by volunteers, is now closed for the season. You could be artist in residence, it is suggested.  I install in the hidden away room, my first ever makings of bundles, which had been inspired by working with artist Alex Madden at Coleshill, and developed whilst on holiday in Cornwall.  I present outcomes from Lacock Abbey artist in residence project, and hang the book/bag/bundle created in collaboration with Glen Mason, leather artist, on the quiet walls of the empty space.  With no footfall, I wonder why I am here?  Perhaps, time to meet specific professionals, and a photographer comes to take my photo, and a journalist called Juliet Platt, who also loves journaling, writes a feature on my practice for a local magazine The Link.  New curator, Janice Botterill, comes to talk about possibilities of taking the artist in residence @ Lacock project forwards in a new collaborative exhibition.  Perhaps the museum is a good space in which to write, suggests Janice. Hmm, I say, Yes, I could, I had originally thought to stitch bundles and write, but it doesn't feel right.  Richard Jefferies was a stalwart enthusiast for the great outdoors, but here, outside the farmhouse window a major redevelopment of the landscape takes place, with the building of hundreds of new homes.  I consider how to respond to the spirit of the place as the roadworks outside the window drill loudly.  I decide to call it a day, gather my books, bags and bundles and go home, to reflect, review, write up my notes, evaluate the year, and prepare to bring things to a close.  On arriving to bow out, I discover the jackdaws have nested in the chimney, and their nest has collapsed into the Victorian fireplace.  I think this is a sign, but I not sure what of....!

The Hidden Room

Book, Bundles & Writings,  inspiration from spirit of place - Prussia Cove, Cornwall

I find tiny medicine bottles, and Shiphams Paste jars and decide to borrow a small item.

I reflect on how central it is to my practice to engage in creative conversation and the importance of a dynamic of an audience.  However, it is also about balance.  A quiet space to distill, remember and reflect. I have been asked to give a lecture to Swindon College M A Drawing students.  I decide I best use my time to write up and review, put together affairs for the final days towards the Curious Narratives journey, complete the accounts and report for the Arts Council, England.  Also, consolidate and put together a creative portfolio of best practice which I can share with others, hopefully in the creative/professional/academic circles and think about how the Lacock archive of images can be presented for the future.

COLESHILL CAFE/SHOP/GALLERY

Art exhibition, celebratory evening & workshop in a community setting, a venue where I had previously shown work after my travels to India.  Here now in the old carpenter's yard, transformed to volunteer run cafe/shop/gallery,  I enjoy contemplating how to install the artworks made on my travel bursary journey to Italy, in response to the RWA Residency & Solo Show, plus new works.  The event is days after the highly positive artist in residence one week only experience at Lacock.  I was feeling it was all too much.  However, with the amazing help of local artist Alex, it came together over two days.  Alex and I had been meeting and collaborating every Tuesday during the summer, and was she brilliantly decisive, practically helpful and encouraging about where and how to place work.  We are both deep in thought when Duncan, landscape painter and exhibition co-ordinator, enters the space and gasps, he is horrified my exhibition hanging gear resides in my handbag.  You need a proper toolbox, he said.  I have one, I reply, pointing to a carpenter's wooden toolbox now full of all my tiny treasures gathered on my journey around Italy.  The collection of work feels good in the space, with a shrine created in the alcove, with flicking lights and offerings.   I sit and ponder of the difference between being in the Royal Academy with a large room,  academia's, arty professionals and off the city street public visitors and this smaller informal rural space with a range of local folk, business and creative professionals, ramblers and cafe visitors.  

"Your textiles look good here" said a visitor sipping tea.  "Amazing"...said a volunteer offering me a slice of her orange polenta cake. "Spooky", said the cleaning lady.  "A cut above the rest", said another volunteer, "I just love looking at your work"... 

"The exhibition is generating many comments" he said.  

A visiting textile artist comments that the three exhibited story dolls
are like Peruvian Burial Chamber Dolls,
and tells me to put up the prices of my scroll books.

 Drawing Breath Sunday workshop:cafe/gallery transformed into pop-up studio, and participants,
draw with inks, write, knit, gather, bind, make iStop motion movies in the gifted doll's house, "I love your work ...very theatrical" said a mother of teenage daughter who creates her very own diorama.