I have been having a hyper fantastic time- my head is spinning. I have posted 20 photos below because they come easier than resolved words right now. I’ve been packing up my things today, ready to fly home on Sunday. I feel really sad! A big part of me feels as though I live here now, and that I love it!
But anyway, onward we go. Here’s what I’ve been up to:
For James: Mary taught me how to make Chickenley lanterns too!
Chickenley: We finished off a series of silk paintings with our gorgeous story tent Year Two’s.
Postcard making: And then they wrote postcards to Poppy and I, which will be posted to us- we’re going to write back! Isn’t this one heart melting?
Incy, Mary and I: Blurry photo by a year two!
Huddersfield Salon: Organised by the lovely Deborah from Open Art, this Salon featured a ridiculous amount of delicious food and an exquisite moorland location. Oh, and also great discussion (Mary will post on this!). (photo by Talya and her new iPhone!)
The Gift: The day after the Salon, Poppy and I headed out to the Deighton Estate for The Collaborator‘s (an awesome collective of artists who make films) big end-of-residency public event, as a part of an ongoing Open Art residency series called The Gift. They’ve been making films with the people that live in this estate and this was a screening of everything they’ve made + The Fantastic Mr Fox (complete with taxidermied woodland animals!). It was a truly wonderful event. Thanks Poppy, for teaching me how to take photos in the dark (clearly I am still learning!),
London: I went to London for the weekend. I saw so much art- it was overwhelming! I think I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve been working on a sculptural project that references playgrounds? Well I mentioned this to the lovely friend of Mary’s that I was staying with, and it turns out her cousin has been making adventure playgrounds for 40 years!! He is THE industry contact to have, and he took me on a private tour of lots of the playgrounds he has built and explained the London history of play structures to me! Mind. Blown. I want to come back to work with him.
Chickenley: The last lunchtime (I love these perfect oranges that come with leaves on).
Beautiful drawings!
Signing my apron
Story Tent: We finished the story tent, with silk paintings and blue birds by the year twos. Poppy and Mary checking out the finished product.
Story Tent: The kids showing the head teacher their work!
Off to Durham: After a wonderful seminar run by the Centre for Medical Humanities and a dinner with the core crew, Poppy and I got to sleep at Durham castle!
The Bishop’s Suite: My personal living quarters!
Princess bed / punk head. (photo by Poppy)
Also for James! This (Durham)….
… and this (Newcastle on Tyne)… are in response to your very familiar sunny Rottnest pics! You give us sunshine and nature, I give you cloudy cold and historically drenched architecture (which I am in love with! You can keep the sunshine!).
Apparently… this is for when it snows!
And this: is just beautiful.
So that’s where I’m at. I will post something more intellectually insightful soon, for now I hope you enjoyed the photos!
Best,
Renae