Artist in Residence

So for the last three weeks, I've been lucky enough to be staying at the most beautiful of schools, Shiplake College,

where the hub and I scored the deal of being artists in residence.

Set on the River Thames, it's like Harry Potter with rowing facilities. (Their Dep.Head is an Olympian Gold Medal Rower, don't you know...)

As you can see, the beautiful surroundings, wall-to-wall sunshine, misty mornings and general eagerness to explore and learn at the college were hellish....

With the luxury of an orchard all to myself, I was able to while away the hours crocheting on the trees,

using neolithic principles to build a loom

and creating a 12th Century-inspired spinning wheel from 21st Century junk.

I span Herdwick on the newly-built wheel. The resulting cob made my heart leap, as it mirrored the huge cones on a nearby fir. Pleasure perfection.

I ventured into new realms of natural graffiti, creating leaf stencils

and veneer marquetry to reinstall in nature.

Along with students, we explored the space amongst the trees using threads and fibres,

then challenged our egos by taking them down, often without even a photographic record. (These are two of the few taken.)

Ask yourself, as an artist, do you need everyone to know that you created a piece, or was the process satisfaction enough? Ironic to discuss on a public blog, but I for one, do not show and tell a great majority of my work. Sometimes it's a secret between me and the piece.

So the adventures continue to bloom and blossom, not just in England, but in just a fortnight across the pond, in the USA, too. Again with the hub, I will be exploring all these ideas and more, with the students of St Lawrence, Canton, NY. I am beside myself with excitement and cannot wait to meet them all. I hope they're looking forward to it, as much as me.

Comments

[Nell]

I just found you via a friend on Ravelry, and all I can say is

LOVE!!

What you do, how you see and that you share.

[rockpool candy]

Thank you Nell. I'm glad that you get something out of what I do. It's feedback like yours that drives me to continue to share.

[mary jane]

I agree, Love! How wonderful to be an artist in residence at such a beautiful spot...you so deserve it!

Will you visit Rhinebeck while you're in NY?

[rockpool candy]

Oh, had I been smart enough to realise that Rhinebeck was on...

No, I shan't be there, I will be driving like a mad thing to get from Chicago to Canton.

doh!

[Emanation]

Love your work sweetie, as a teenager I loved going into the local parks and fields modifying leaves and twigs and hoping that someone would notice (usually threading small twiglets in and out of leaves and zig-zagging the edge... and it was lovely to see how you have done the stencilling, I LOVE IT!!!!! You are so fantastic, all of this stuff is brilliant and inspiring! Love from Emanation xxxx