Sniffing the sea air

Blackpool Sea Front

Festival Fever

Derbyshire has some wonderful festivals and I have been lucky enough to visit many with the band Ferocious Dog this year... Check out the roof on this venue and my hubby lugging his equipment in the road! ... Not forgetting the wonderful dancers who are Ferocious Dogs wonderful fans

3 Original Pieces for sale £20 Each

Howdie all.., get on down for Pedestrians secret postcard exhibition party sale this Friday! 3 of my pieces are up for grabs... Can you spot them?!

From Pink to Peach

The Gower - Wales - With The Magic Number

Then the world turned PINK

Moe/Gary
Sunsets
Music
Cheeks
Conversations
Carpets
Walls
Skin
Laughter
Chicken
Squash
Lips
Eyes
Insect Bites
Petals
Wine
Western Balls

Pure Shores

John and Gary are playing Scatch on the beach whilst I listen to Etta James sing 'At last' whilst smoking a menthol filtered rolled cig wrapped in liquorice paper. Considering the recent arrival of bad news I feel at comfort enjoying this nicotine and sipping a strong measure of dark rum cooled by cherry coke. Part of me out at sea, part of my nose catching the chicken cremating on the instant BBQ.

They have both just ran up the Dune searching for me among the tall rushes... I'll be back later ...

Lost To The Sea

My little baby is gone.

He got put down yesterday and the reality of that and what it means for returning to a empty house hits me in waves at different intervals.  My heart goes out to my husband who is dealing with this alone, at home.  In some selfish way being here makes it easier as momentarily I am lost in conversations without the urge to check he's not at my feet, or waiting on the sofa and I can escape the fact that he is not there any more because I am here. But on this 'turning away' I know I have to almost tread through this grim grief twice.
Last night when we (the magic number) sat on the beach until all we could see was the dark and the foam on the waves  I feel like I have lost something very special and the landscape that surrounds me thrives on this somber.

Moe

Today we (The Magic Number) have begun creating Moe! Moe is our leading character in our film.
We woke up this morning with inspiration after watching 'Womb' last night. It was haunting waking to the similar landscape and hearing the ocean greet our sleepy eyes.
Gary has been Moe's double and is supporting flamingo legs for the afternoon :D

Whimsical Wonderment

There is something about the light and presence here in Foxfield Barn, Lechlade. I am staying here for a couple of days with John and his parents before the Magic Number (Me, John & Gary) head off to Gower in Wales tomorrow on a creative adventure. I find this garden magical. A quiet catalyst to row my mind and take the time to slow down and consider. Consider everything. Measure it all up in a fizzy haze.  Not many places have this direct effect on my mood & mind. 

 I find myself in awe when sitting in the garden at twilight, then later under the fairy lights at night in the deepest part of the garden in the patio area, just taking in the surroundings and moving my eyes across the flowers & bushes in a whimsical flow. Those amazing trees, I have often thought J.K Rowling must have seen them and incorporated their contours in Harry Potter. This barn's garden gives me wonderment and I give it all of my thoughts

In The Night - Elizabeth Jennings

Out of my window late at night I gape
And see the stars but do not watch them really,
And hear the trains but do not listen clearly;
Inside my mind I turn about to keep
Myself awake, yet am not there entirely.
Something of me is out in the dark landscape.

How much am I then what I think, how much what I feel?
How much the eye that seems to keep stars straight?
Do I control what I can contemplate
Or is it my vision that's amenable?
I turn in my mind, my mind is a room whose wall
I can see the top of but never completely scale.

All that I love is, like the night, outside,
Good to gazed at, looking as if it could
With a simple gesture be brought inside my head
Or in my heart. But my thoughts about it divide
Me from my object. Now deep in my bed
I turn and the world turns on the other side.

YP In Blackthorn Northampton want MORE!

John and I have spent two days with the Blackthorn Near Neighbours Charity creatively consulting with their young people about bettering their area and future! Above is Friday night's creation developed and made by the young people with our facilitation.

The young people want MORE and SOMEWHERE To....

Watch this space!

A Man's Best Friend

Last night we sat down and watched Finding Nemo, trying to ignore the fact that Dino was changing positions in his basket every five minutes or so because he couldn’t stand the pain.  We have had that basket for about three years and it’s become a depot for Gary’s belongings because the chance of us getting Dino in it was never going to happen especially when he could share our sofa, blankets and even our bed.

Today we sat in the Vets waiting room and his tail was wagging violently as other dogs greeted him.  Wagging so hard that his little rack of ribs were plunged left and right like huge waves were jumping over him and pulling him back. The smell of a vets waiting room is a little more like ‘Vosene’ than the sterile fragrance of hospital wards.  The receptionist made three phone calls, all of which asked three dog owners to come in and collect the ashes. It was here that I felt my throat swell, eyes drown and I lost my voice to a broken squeak for the next 30 minutes. Luckily Ellis was able to talk to the vet whilst I just gripped that cute little face and warm eyes trying to steal and encapsulate what could be the last looks and response of my friend. 

That silent drive home lasted forever, but at the same time I don’t remember taking in a second of the passing landscape.

 After a few coffees, too many cigarettes and plenty of dead daydreaming the phone rang and displayed ‘Vet’. The vets had previously warned us that an early phone call meant that when he was ‘open’ on the chopping board there would be a decision to make, otherwise they would just remove the tumour and we would collect him with a lampshade over his head later.  A Man about early forties spoke directly telling me that he had not yet ‘opened’ Dino. The pre X-Ray showed that the tumour was spread into places that an operation couldn’t reach.  His lungs were affected and parts of his spleen, possibly other organs and areas of his spine. He had worsened and could not be operated on. The vet told me that he could not fix Dino. He said he could remove some of the tumour but it would be lengthy, costly and would be fatal. He said that it would be unlikely for Dino to pull through the Op and recovery and would die a few weeks later and still be in pain during that process. I don’t remember much of the conversation after and I had to tell Ellis to phone the vets again to see what the options were and hope Dino had one waiting.  Ellis rang me after his phone call and he was at a blur also… we both cried for a long time and reminisced about our little babba and what a little fucker he had been in the early days at Elm Tree Row, to how he was our family and faithful friend now. We decided that we wanted to bury him if we had to let him go. We both said it would be hard to carry his body and for a while Ellis said getting him cremated might be better for us – but after hearing the receptionist doing those calls this morning I couldn’t bare to be on that to do list of hers.  Ellis rang the vets again and asked his advice as we were too blinded by tears and hope to decide on anything.

The vet advised that we should not get him operated on and collect him at 2:30pm. He advised to give him a chance on medication that aims to shrink tumours. If Dino takes to the medication it could buy him 6 months of pain free life. If he is not improved by Monday then we will need to consider removing that pain and letting him go to sleep forever. 

Dino in Uncle Gary's Sling

I feel like I have gone the full circle today having the biggest hopes and faith in knowing he will pull through, to choosing a plant to commemorate where his body may lay.  For some people he is just a pet, but to us he is everything and his presence fills our house and life.

When we collected him from Union St in South Normanton, November 2006 I plonked him on Ellis’ knee and he said ‘Jesus Jodie that dog is going to be with me until I’m 40’…. I remember laughing wildly as it was Ellis’ biggest commitment to date. Somehow I hope Ellis’ statement could somehow come true. 

The Magic Number in a creative remote caravan for a whole week...

I'm sooooo Happy.... & excited!

THE MAGIC NUMBER ( Me, G & John) are heading to here:

http://www.britishholidaysdirect.co.uk/accommodation-gower-secluded-holiday-retreat-near-to-beach-for-w-377

For a creative getaway in August...
                                                             ..... Who knows what we will create :D

I'm hoping to get plenty of creative blogging in so please stay tuned :D

Curating the Summer Open for Pedestrian Gallery was FUN!

Applications processed and selected, Wine Ordered, Works installed and hung..... and now it's time to enjoy the exhibition!

Come on down to the Gallery to Vote your public winner!

These young people have spoken out!

Today young people have been tackling some scary stuff & questions......

They have put services to rights! 

 David's voice has been heard! 

 Harry's voice has been heard! 

Speak Out Now and complete this Survey HERE 

YP Speak Out On Services

BETHINK's CURRENT MISSION:

If you are 25 or under you are classed as a young person.. This means your voice is VALUABLE! Make it heard!!

Help put the services to rights! 

By completing a simple survey you will be contributing to a regional research conversation that serves to improve and fill in gaps on the services that are lacking for young people in the East Midlands. 

Bethink Arts has been commissioned by an East Midlands Consortium to gather information to inform the nation about your needs and experiences. Bethink has formed a focus group but needs more voices from every corner of the East Midlands from as many young people as possible. If you are aged between 13 - 25 Bethink Arts needs you! 

The first 50 surveys completed will be entered into a competition and prizes will be awarded to three lucky entrants. 

I WANT MY VOICE HEARD - I WILL TAKE THE SURVEY

CLICK HERE

Drawing up ways to help plight of young beggars - Local - Derbyshire Times

Look what I found! This was a few years back now :D Drawing up ways to help plight of young beggars - Local - Derbyshire Times

The Distance Between

 

The Distance between is an introspection; a body of work exploring relationships, asperity, disposition, ephemerality and time. Perspectives executed by Jodie Cresswell-Waring & Sally Newham

Jodie Cresswell-Waring

'For me the notion of ‘the distance between’ began ruminating as a subject in 2009 when I was responding to the absence of someone across the miles. My work became concerned with communication and undetermined destiny. I wanted to involve ‘uninformed others’ by chance into baseless responses of ‘the distance between’ to query how ephemeral disposition can sensationalise emotions. Through these undertakings it was important that the methods I used reflected the sentiments I was investigating. I chose to use ephemeral and illusive modes to reach people that could be interacted with or ignored. These modes took the form of messages in bottles, questions in library books and on Chinese lanterns

 I leave this chapter open and await communication that might not return?'

The Distance Between #1, 2009

Digital Image

The Distance Between #2, 2009

Digital Image

The Distance Between #3, 2009

Digital Image

Over the past year ‘the distance between’ has transpired into several introspections. A majoring thread throughout the works is the distance of time and how this evokes external and internal perception. I am ever intrigued by the middle ground, reflecting on the past and second-guessing what is to arrive.

Despite trying to directly avoid confessional pieces much of the works are self-narratives or opinions upon gaining the title ‘wife’. This bestowed title has gifted an unfamiliar awareness of personal disposition. Some of the responses to this sentiment are cultivated, fictitious and some are in the realms of asperity. Others are based upon ‘expectancies’ and are portrayed through ambiguous expressions or dark humour.

The construction process and methods in creating the works are integral to informing the substance of the piece, as are the materials and objects used.  

Housewife, 2011

Cross Stitch 

Untitled, 2012

Bird Nest & Cactus

Left

Tick, 2012

Potty & Crushed Velvet

Right

Tock, 2012

Commode & Crushed Velvet

Me To You, 2011 

Me to you Cards, Balloon, Side Stand & Wilting flowers

 Below

Sally Newham & Jodie Cresswell-Waring

You To Them, 2011

Blank Cards, Writing Tools & A Line

An interactive piece executed by gallery visitors

Instructions

Populate a valentine’s card with text inserting the ‘unsaid’ to them. Then hang    

‘And they grow’ is a series of drawings investigating fictitious fertility. Linseed oil is injected with wood dye and crushed charcoal. From here the drawing organically grows uncontrollably over a period of 6 hours.  When reaching its final form the products are 6X greater than the original size and look embryo like.  

And They Grow #1-6, 2012

Raw Linseed Oil, Wood Dye & Charcoal On Paper

 

They Grow #2, 2012

Co-codamol & White Coffee 

_______________________________________________________________

Sally Newham 

February was a very important time for this show to see its debut.  The thoughts and questions asked relate very much to the relationships we share with our loved ones.  In my mind it started with thinking about the being in a loving partnership but then my mind drifted to other important relationships that people form with each other and the world around them.  The pieces I created in response to my explorations of the theme have taken on some of the relationships that I feel are the most fundamental in life. The relationship with our parents informs us of who we are. The relationship with our home and the world informs are sense of place and happiness. Finally the relationship between life partners impacts on our values, aspirations, self-value and our sense of belonging. 

What struck me about these three relationships was how differently we all experience them and for me this is ‘the distance between’ people.  I felt I could only speak for myself and struggled with the idea of making sweeping statements about these fundamental human relationships and also not wanting to focus on my own experience. I was unsure how to create work that represented what I was thinking.  I realised that coming from a Live Art perspective where I normally ask people their ideas about the world I was not comfortable with giving answers and it seemed right for me that the works should be interactive. I wanted to be able to ask questions about these relationships, not give answers, but provide opportunity for the audience to give their answer and enable them to take control of the work; changing it or adding their own opinions. 

The answers will change as the audience interact with the work and this in itself will create conversation about the relationships and their views will represent ‘the distance between’.  

To hear about Sally's work in this exhibition visit: http://sallemanda.blogspot.com/