The start of something...

 This is the very day that I start a year long project with a dear friend. She has I would say infinite knowledge of the town in which we both live...me for fifty three years...she since birth.

We write together every Thursday morning at a group called..."The Bold Street Writers". A prompt is delivered...and we write. This morning seven of us wrote about the words..."The Journey" ...each person's writing was so different...which I think is a joy in all that we share and have shared for more than twenty years.

Then we set off after a lovely cup of flat white coffee in a favourite cafe and a natter about our lives and a catching up after a busy week....on as Winnie the Poo always said.."A very great adventure". 

I'm going to save the journey for another blog...but this first day touched my heart at quite a deep level as we explored the streets we thought we both knew so well...and found new business in old places and old people in hard places.

Just this pic says it all maybe...a little miniature fern taking hold in a tiny crack in the stone work of an abanboned old 1800s property. 

Here is life.

New Ceramics in closeup...

The classes and groups of ceramic students have finished...

...covid put an end to all that.

But life goes on in the studio with an exhibition of artists' work , including Alan's, due to be curated in January at Technically Brilliant Art Gallery in The Golden Square Mall in Warrington.

I've taken these shots with the macro lens on my Canon EOS 5D.

They are on three large ceramic sculptural works based on the coast that we both love in Suffolk.

Southwold, Aldeburgh and Walberswick.

Alan also exhibits at Buckenham House, High Street, Southwold .  

 

Beach Huts and Boats. Southwold.

Harbour on the Blythe River Southwold.

I probably won't have time to blog next week.

So I wish any and all who may read my stories here....

A very happy peaceful and blessed Christmas time.

Sowing for the Summer

 

Half way through March already.

Today is spring equinox.

Also known as "Ostara"

And celebrated around the world.

Spring Celebrations Around the World

In ancient Rome, the followers of Cybele believed that their goddess had a consort who was born via a virgin birth. His name was Attis, and he died and was resurrected each year during the time of the vernal equinox on the Julian Calendar (between March 22 and March 25). 

A dynasty of Persian kings known as the Achaemenians celebrated the spring equinox with the festival of No Ruz, which means "new day." It is a celebration of hope and renewal still observed today in many Persian countries, and has its roots in Zoroastrianism. In Iran, a festival called Chahar-Shanbeh Suri takes place right before No Ruz begins, and people purify their homes and leap over fires to welcome the 13-day celebration of No Ruz.

The indigenous Mayan people in Central American have celebrated a spring equinox festival for ten centuries. As the sun sets on the day of the equinox on the great ceremonial pyramid, El Castillo, Mexico, its "western face...is bathed in the late afternoon sunlight. The lengthening shadows appear to run from the top of the pyramid's northern staircase to the bottom, giving the illusion of a diamond-backed snake in descent." This has been called "The Return of the Sun Serpent" since ancient times.

I'm trying to sow at least two trays of seeds each day...I've rather over stretched the packet situation...again!!

...meanwhile the chocolate vine is starting to bloom...

...and the light will last a little longer each day until the autumn equinox...

...morning arrives with light on the birch bark..

 

..buds burst expectantly on all the fruit trees, apple, cherry, plum, medlar, pear...

..and the grape vine sends out new tendrils and weaves it's way through the old love seat at the bottom of the herb garden...

...king alfred daffodils pop up in places I'd forgotten about at the bottom of the field...

...and the lingering evening sun encourages me to stay a while in the garden.

Here's to the "coming of the light"...as Hockney says...

“I had always planned to make a large painting of the early spring, when the first leaves are at the bottom of the trees, and they seem to float in space in a wonderful way. But the arrival of spring can't be done in one picture.” — David Hockney

Submission for galleries.

 Two lots of submissions...Technically Brilliant Art Gallery in the Golden Square Shopping Mall in Warrington. This gallery run by Jo and Matt and such a bonus in the Warrington Area.

And a black and white submission for LensCulture ..Black and White 2020.

I always have to psych myself up to do these things.....fear of failure maybe...egg on my face.

But if not they languish in my PC files and get dusty in my studio!

"Angel"...or "Venus"!

"Boxed in"

or

(Berliner Walls)

"Foot and Skull"

 "Saint"

or

(Tunnock)

These are Vanitas or Memento Mori works.

And for Lens Culture...

"Sandy Lane in the Mist"

or

"Immaterialising in the mist"

Here's an autumn pic...

 ...from the potter's garden...

September Garden at the Potters House Penketh

 It's such a lovely mild sunny day today.

Possibly one of the last before the colder weather comes and the autumn rains.

So I took some pics of the herb garden before it has to be tidied up for the year.

I'm listening to BBC podcasts in the summerhouse almost every day at the moment.

Today it was on solitude...another post yet to hear  .....

but I think that this year has made me think more and more about solitude...

...not lonliness...just having more time alone and with my thoughts.

Anyway here are the pics for those of you who still look now and again at my blog.

...what's not to love about a September pumpkin swelling gently in the warm moist air...

...box and bay and the overloaded pear tree...

...and the last of the little red roses still bloom...

Stay safe all my fellow bloggers.

Thankyou for all your blogs and sharing your lives.

Oriental poppies at The Potters House Penketh

This wonderful patch of oriental poppies has been one of the great joys in the herb garden over the years.

These pics are from many different years.

I still find it so encouraging when they start to open each May and keep blooming until some days into June...always sad to see them go..though they leave a gift of poppy heads to cut for winter. 

...almost always snapped in early evening at the golden hour of sunset ....

...soporific...even narcotic...

Poem...Gathering Bones

ipad drawing of bones at Largy

I’m gathering bones together

On the studio floor.

Crouching down and

Staring at an  assemblage.

Here a nest of bones as

Pale as shadows

On the polished wood.

There a craze of broken glass with

Distorted reflections.

I’m Alice.

Walking through a splintered world

Bridging the actual and

The probable.

 I’m pacing the room and

Glancing back at a vanitas. I 

hear the sound of my own wretched bones

And weep at coming death.

... after reading Gregory Orr’s poem…."Gathering the bones together".

*

I'm involved with an email post called

LITERARY COMFORT FOODS

It's such a good link with people who inspire me in so many different ways and with the lockin holding fast the internet is such a blessing.

*

This poem was sent and received and a grand kind critique along with it also.

*

I've plucked up enough techie courage to send it to 20 others.

Poets, artists, musicians.

My only mistake...as dad used to say...was not reading the instructions carefully.

20 women.

I put 3 men it there!!

Ooops

I think they deserve to be there!

Song for Spring

Song for Spring

Praise be to the swallows

Who dared to venture north this week

Praise be to those fellows.

Praise be to the sun

All glorious in the shadows it throws

Praise be to the sharp sun.

Praise be to the green grass

Softening the verges with the red bilberry

Praise be for the petrichor.

Praise be to the coal black ravens

Nesting high in the tallest beech trees

Praise be for cawing birds.

Praise be for the seasons

Catching us unawares each year

Praise be for the northern spring.

...there is time to enjoy and time to reflect...

Day Seven Art Challenge Alan Snape Potter

..and so we reach Day Seven of The Art Challenge for the potter...Alan Snape...

At the closing exhibition of his time studying art at St Martins Lancaster...every piece of work apart from two which we still have...sold! 

At that time Alan was working in wood, metal and ceramic. He was creating wall pieces with burnt wood and metal or clay..... big powerful pieces of art.

 I was always sorry that teaching at Penketh High...stopped all that influence. Too much else to think about...apart from family growingup etc!! 

So the commission for a wall mounted work to be placed in the foyer of the Oaks Centre  in Penketh was welcomed. 

The piece is composed of oak beams burnt in the bonfire, down the field, until charred to his satisfaction. Then formed into various sized crosses and three pure white ceramic balls placed within the sculpture.

If you ask him what it means you will receive a gentle shrug and...

 "what do you think?"

I'm adding this early pic of Alan's car....the beloved Nelly...car...circa 1967...in Rochdale with a friend from St. Martin's College Lancaster, the lovely sister @Rosiemcclellandart and yours truly...how glamorous, how young, how innocent we were!

I kept slim by pushing Nelly to start her most days!!

 

Art challenge...Day Six...Jonah in the Boat Asleep.

Day Six of the potters art challenge.

Many of the series Alan has produced have been based on well known Bible Stories. 

This is from the story of Jonah who disobeyed instructions...and ended up inside a BIG fish!....he eventually obeyed ...though still wasn't very happy...read it for yourself!

In this piece from the series Jonah is asleep in the boat...just before they throw him off to the fish!!!! Typical of the potter's sense of humour.

Art Challenge Day Three

Day Three of the potter's art challenge.

Most artists hate commissions...takes them away from what they want to do...it means they have to ask questions!!

But commissions are also bread and butter for an artist! 

This commission was however a pleasure for Alan.

This is a Baptismal Bowl commissioned by a newly renovated Liverpool Church. 

(pics by G)

A Poem for Thursday

The Midsummer Knight's Dream

This morning at the Thursday morning writers group the prompt was  from Margaret K.

" Brush up your Shakespeare"

.

But some of us were grieving for another writer of both comedy and tragedy ....

Victoria Woods. 

Then on top of it being Shakespeare's birthday this week...a double whammy with The Queen's 90th. today. What a week! Now whether you are for or against the Monarchy...to celebrate a 90th birthday and be the longest reigning Queen ever, deserves at the very least a mention.

 But my thoughts were about Victoria...the Queen of Comedy since the 70s......and this one is for her...and for her beloved Morecambe...and in particular Lubin's...a place of inspiration. We were lucky enough to eat there  many times before it closed its doors for good. 

I have read that..." Is it on the trolley?"... maybe a quote from Lubin's !!!!!

Some artistic licence in this mad sonnet.

The Midsummer Knights Dream

We sat on the crimson red sofa,

The potter, the daughter and me.

We ordered a platter with cheeses

Some bread and a big pot of tea.

When who should come in through the doorway

With her children and husband in tow

Victoria and the Magician

In his best Sunday suit and his bow.

The sun caught the top of his bald pate,

She heaved up her boobs from below.

Her kids ordered meat pie at Lubin's

And icecream to have on the go.

But the dream was just Midsummer Madness

For she's gone, and we're left with our sadness.

Discovering John Blakemore...photographer.

I've discovered the work of the photographer...John Blakemore...yes I know ...rather late in his life...but sooner late than never.

So I'm inspired by his work to try to push my own photography on a bit.

His work on tulips started me off as a pot in the living room was almost dead and yet still reaching out for the light....I did what "they" recommend...took loads and loads of the same thing but each one slightly different and that assessed them before editing.

 ...at the same time I had an article about Steichen and his iconic photo of Gloria Swanson around ...reading it from time to time in between other things...and so I tried the black net over the lens to capture a distance in the pics....
...fun and maybe a bit of success and a moving on in what I am trying to achieve.

...following Vivienne Maier...

 I watched the BBC art programme on the photographer Vivian Maier...well I watched it twice as it really caught my interest...you must see it for yourself if you are so inclined...
...anyway the thing that has stuck with me is how she put herself into the frame by getting her shadow there on the ground around whatever interested her....now that is poetry for me!

So off I went this morning and took a few garden pics...
...anyway the garden has done itself proud this week what with the arrival...albeit rather late in the day...of the sun!
Hooray!

I'm going to work on this idea.......

....I often say to the potter...

..."would you mind taking a pic of me?!"...well when you hold the camera...you are never in the shot!!

So here are a few from the morning cull...

...pot of perennial geraniums in the herb garden...

...I love how I caught the little forgetmenot as my eye...serendipity you must know!...

...field poppies are starting to pop....