Art in Action 2011

Sometimes life is just too busy to blog and then things get a little out of hand. Art in Action was so busy that for the first two days of being there I found that I still had not wandered around with my camera. Despite arriving early I had so much work that it took all day to hang and then once the doors were opened it just seemed chaotic.

The evenings at the lovely Judy Dyble's with Hannah Willow, Catherine Hyde, Tamsin Abbot, Anji Spangle and Robin. Over the weekend my sister Maxine joined us too, and organised the chaos of the day.

I have more photos and will make a page on my website later but for now this was my stand, or rather, a small part of it.

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And in the Best of the Best tent this is the piece I voted for. I love Karen's work. 

Since being home I have tried to settle to work. I have to finish the cat book, do the cover for City of Dragons, work on the calendar image for KNTR, sign and number and post the calendars, try and organise things for an evening of words and music at Theatr Gwaun in Fishguard on 12th August at 8pm

Hoping for dry weather tomorrow as despite all that I have a wish to ride in the morning on the heavy hoofed Uther or great patience through a valley thick with meadowsweet.

More photos of Art in Action later. Time for bed.

Boxes of Delight

Hannah Willow's boxes sparkled, each a small jewel. And inside each box something more precious, made with heart and soul, a wild charm, magical.

 

 

 

But one in particular was wrapped in tissue of silver and ribbon. Inside the bear slept, waiting to enter the world. To enter and then to search for his love. East of the Sun and West of the Moon.

 

St Anthony and an overdue confession.

Last year I went to Norfolk and as part of my visit I was miked up to record talks etc. As the mike went on the necklace came off. The necklace that Hannah Willow made for me to wear when I performed at events to publicize the Ice Bear. The totemic beauty of a necklace that combines the bear, fox, owl, stars, moon and raven, the shamanic spirits of the book. The one off, beautiful handcrafted silver necklace that I love.

I put it in a safe place.

That was the last I saw of it.

 

I searched my bag, my wallet, the car, I emailed Marilyn form the bookshop, but I knew that if she had found it she would have let me know. I asked the hotel, and then I just hoped that it would give joy to whoever had been lucky enough to find it. For months after it made me sad when I thought of it.

Today Robin drove back to Milton Keynes. I reached into the car to say goodbye to Larry, Robin's dog. Something glinted at me from the dark, something silver, chain, amber. And there it was. And I remembered the 'safe place' I had put it, and the sound of the metal against the small pocket in the car came back. My necklace, back again.

 

Tomorrow Hannah is coming to visit for the first time ( bringing jewels and things that shine). And she has something for me. 

I do love a happy ending and cannot say how glad I am to have my beautiful necklace back, how glad I am hat it was me that found it.

 

Small tricks to still the turning world

It is always difficult when the world is busy and noisy, when there is too much to do, to centre and ground yourself.
In the process of tidying my space I spread out the hare oracle designed by Hannah Willow on top of one of my plan chests.
I shuffled the cards then laid them out, at the moment like a clock as I have a curious obsession with time. Each morning, if I remember, I shake the bag with the rune stones in and let one fall into my fingers.
Today it was the ancestor hare.
It gives me time to think, opens pathways, stills the world that spins too fast.

Today I have put the stone into my pocket and will carry it with me as I ride over the hill, above stone, and look out across the sea. We ride past a site of ancient burial where our ancestors placed their dead in cromlechs.

Silver and amber and strange pathways

Some months back I was asked if I would be happy to contribute images to the Earth Pathways Diary. I was very happy to be included, and when I received a copy of the diary found some wonderful work in the pages of the diary as well as times of moonrise and other things that are good to know. Among the other artists I found Hannah Willow. Some years ago I bought a beautiful pair of earings from The Bluestone Gallery in Devizes, with hares, made by Hannah. So I looked her up, found her on facebook and after a few emails we arranged a swap. I sent her the text for Icebear and she has made me something wonderful that is like a talismanic amulet.

 

Not only is this beautiful to look at it is also lovely and empowering to wear with silver animals and amber beards. And being a generous soul she also made me some beautiful cat earrings.

I will be wearin the necklace and arctic hare earrings at Art in Action in July, and before then at an evening event at Howe Dell School in Hatfield where I will be reading The Icebear for the first time, and also The Panda's Child.