Life as a Recluse

Today is the first day of summer, so I’m celebrating with a blog focusing on nature.  I love spring - days get longer, warmer, new life unfurls and there is such beauty in blossom.  But my favourite season is summer.  I adore the sun.  It probably comes from my upbringing in Kenya.  We’ve been so lucky in UK with these blue skies, although watering the fruit and veggies has become a daily task and there is concern about the effects of drought. 

Like so many, I’ve become a recluse.  In my own home and garden I feel safe.  I am not alone, the birds and insects keep me company.  The garden, in particular, has become my world and route to wellbeing, providing me with a deep sense of peace and purpose. There’s so much to do - planting homegrown seedlings, weeding, tidying, creating a fully functioning veggie zone, and digging soil to prepare a space for an outdoor studio bay.   I’ve been selling my surplus rich topsoil to local residents (safe distancing) - a circular economy!  The veggies are coming on nicely. I don't want to use chemical pest control, so have put down copper rings around my raised tyre beds and planted marigolds to keep the aphids off my beans!  The other day I spent hours watching a baby tit in the garden. At one point I thought the neighbour's cat had got it, long story but after an emotional blub, I was overjoyed to find it safe.

Creativity must happen too.  My garden feeds my art and art feeds my garden.  This has formed my self-directed project Life in the Undergrowth.  I’ve been particularly inspired by upturned turf, roots, worms and shoots.  I’ve made drawing tools from natural materials, and a series of maquettes and larger sculptural works are developing.  I was very fortunate to receive Arts Council England Emergency funding so am looking forward to purchasing a micro lens among other useful technical aids to document my discoveries.  I’m allowing the project to evolve organically.

I have appreciated my studio at home.   I’m doing some digital training to broaden the scope of my work.  I’ve started to embed video documentation in my practice, one of the outcomes of lockdown.  Videos attract more traffic on social media, improving audience and networks, though they usually take longer to create.

This covid19 period has made me realise that much of my travel is unnecessary, costly, polluting, stressful and time-consuming.  I will enjoy visiting exhibitions in the future, but make a greater effort to utilise travel and only make journeys that are necessary. Covid19 has catalysed an urgent need to adapt to the growing requirement for online creative provision and engagement.   I completed my online teaching course and will soon be launching my own online course.  Please pass on my details to anyone you think would be interested and suggest they subscribe to my website to hear more. I will be offering a free giveaway as part of the launch!  I think online courses will become more popular in the future.  Advantages of convenience, flexibility, extended reach, instant access, no travel means digital engagement is a sustainable way forward.

I’ve shared my free video resources on BBC’s Get Creative at Home and taken part in the following online art initiatives this past month: shareyoursky - Pound Arts; #artistsupportpledge (sold Mini Dung Beetle and Ball!); RSS Sculptors at Home; RSS #10gramchallenge; 44AD Gallery’s online exhibition A-Z - Between & Enveloped; Anna Souter’s Vegetate; SAW’s Somerset Reacquainted.

Root-inspired piece for 10 gram challenge. This will be cast in bronze at the Milwyn Foundry.

I was interviewed by Art Tour International.  Here’s a link to .the recorded Facebook Live interview with Viviana Puello, based in New York.

Safe distance walks and meet-ups will become more frequent, but I hope the new normal won’t be like it was and that we heed nature’s big message.  

A massive thank you to all of you who have given me and my work so much support! Here’s to nature, summer and happy times ahead! 

Summer Events

It’s going to be a very busy summer…

step in stone is absorbing most of my energies as curator and I hope you’ll visit the artscape when it opens this summer!  A collaborative multi-disciplinary art project featuring work by fourteen leading artists, step in stone offers a unique opportunity to encounter contemporary artworks in rural Mendip while exploring spectacular, wild landscapes of abandoned and working quarries.  Opening on Wednesday 8th July and stepping up in 3 phases to its finale in October (part of SAW Festival’s Momentum programme), the event will occupy 6 different venues. Trail, exhibitions and guided walks are free while there will be a small charge for our workshops and artist talks.

Together with some of the step in stone team I'll be speaking about the project to a drop-in audience as part of Bristol’s Big Green Week outside at The Hub, just above the cascade steps, (near the Watershed) on Sunday 7^th June at 12 noon (http://issuu.com/biggreenweek2015/docs/bgw_2015_programme).  If you're in Bristol at 12 noon - please come along!  We’re also taking stands at Collett Park, Shepton Mallet on Saturday 13th June and The Sustainability Show in Taunton on Sunday 14^th June, so people can learn more about the project.  I'll be there at both.

Friend Jo Martin created a beautiful hand painted map for our leaflet.  The signed limited edition map will soon be available to buy at step in stone venues and the leaflet will be downloadable on our website and in various outlets throughout the region.  My cousin Jack Offord made our trailer film for the project.  I’ve loved teaming up with friends, family and colleagues on the project!

We’re looking for volunteers to man and/or help in our workshops at Somerset Earth Science Centre so please get in touch if interested, or pass this on to others.  For further details about step in stone or to book a step in stone workshop, guided walk or artist talk visit: www.stepinstone-somerset.co.uk

This June my work will feature in GROW London, Hampstead Heath, London (18-21 June) and the Hidden Garden Art Show, Hampstead, London (see previous post), represented by Gallerist Maureen Michaelson.  I'm happy to say that one of my pieces on show there has already sold this week!  My work will also be on exhibition at ArtParks International Exhibition, Sausmarez Rd, St Martin, Guernsey GY4 6SG.

I hope you can visit some of these events and wishing you a happy, hot summer ahead!