Exhibition at Tourist Information Centre, St Davids

 Last week I spent three and a half days with Nigel from the Tourist Info Centre in St Davids moving and hanging the exhibition that will be on there until the end of January. The TI Centre shares its space with Oriel y Parc, the beautiful and small gallery that houses a part of the Museums and Galleries of Wales collection. At one time they ran an artist in residence program in the building, but with cutbacks this is one of the things that has fallen away and the room has been idle and little used. Somehow I managed to talk my way into becoming an 'artist in residence' there, using the studio space and having an exhibition that runs through the length of the building.
Today will be my first day working there. I have never worked away from home before and require solitude when working so the idea of working in such a public space is, at the moment, filling me with dread. The residency is not a paid position, but even so I feel some, pressure isn't the right word, maybe obligation would be better, to be a little accessible to people. So, how to get the balance right?
This week I will be open to the public between 2 and 5 on Thursday afternoon, working in my studio and available to sign books. Then in the evening a more formal opening from 6.30. ( If you would like to attend please let the Parcs know as they are trying to get some idea of numbers attending.)
Other than that if people want books personalised they can leave them to be collected and I will sign at the end of the day. 
Moving my studio has been more disturbing than I thought it would be and so I am moving tentatively at first. I am hoping to be able to 'play' with some new ideas at home during the evenings. Meanwhile will see how things go one day at a time.
And for those who find Pembrokeshire too far here is a sneak preview of the show. It will be on until end January and the exhibition at Oriel y Parc in the Museums and Gallery space will change on around 25th November. At the moment is a Turner, Cecil Morris, John Bellamy and Graham Sutherland. Also beautiful silver work and exquisite glass pieces. A small but richly rewarding exhibition.

Caro Flynn is also showing some work in the window of the centre. Emma asked if I would help her to arrange the display, so, despite my better judgement I said yes. We were chatting and she had been cleaning the glass doors and shelves and I was saying how I didn't really 'do' ceramics because I am such a clutz, but, being brave I picked up the most expensive and very beautiful jug and went, 'I'll put this here then" and slammed it straight into the glass door! The noise was awful and I felt sick and Emma's face was a picture and the room ( where there was a meeting going on) went silent and everybody looked at me, and the jug, still in my hands, and fortunately for me and goodness knows how, unbroken. Well, if Emma hadn't cleaned the glass so well I would have seen it!

Glad to say the rest of the window disply was put together with more care and the jug looks beautiful, as does all of Caro's work. I am particularly taken with the small, round, owlpot.

I had many words to write, but wanting to make the most of the time that I have today, instead put only pictures.

In my studio

My studio is now run by dragon time. I chose to have the large clock without numbers and although at first I thought that the clock was a 'bit plasticy' have decided that it does look good on the wall. Will do some more designs soon to add to the ones at the gift shop for The House of Golden Dreams.https://www.facebook.com/TheHouseofGoldenDreams

First mug design almost finished. One more to go, and a powerpoint for Sunday ( talk at Oriel y Parc) and daughter to wave off to Peru, and cousins to see.

I want to play with the idea of time and make clock designs.

Musicians Benevolent Fund Christmas Card 2011

Tuesday, New Baby

Later

In the afternoon I listened to The English Patient while I painted. There are moments in that film that I love so.

Time passing in colour.

I know when I am working well because I use the hour glass to count away the passing of time. I love its silent elegance of accounting. Sand falling steadily through glass. It has its own sense of poetry and gives me a peace of mind.

 

Music

New Books

A parcel of books, Robin Hobb covers and Meg Lindholm. They look and feel good. And inbetween all the things like blogging and taking Hannah to doctors for jabs and shopping and trying to sort out money things I managed to do a few hours painting. When working on the rough for this years MBF card I wanted to do something more simple in design, and very much had Japan on my mind.  Soon off to Porthgain to film men in a boat. And still looking forward to working on new books by Hobb.

 

Two bowls.

Sound travels differently those air thick with mist. Walked this morning, with Sarah, to the top of the hill, each with a healing bowl where we played them together. Sarah's bowl is larger than mine and makes a wonderful deep sound. Together they filled the air with a siren song.

 

Above is first rough for this year's MBF card which I hope with be in reds and snow.

The mist is burning off now as sunshine comes through. Yesterday the dentist pulled my tooth out and I still feel rather fragile from the whole experience. It has been a hard few weeks since fininshing The Cat and The Fiddle.

Christmas

This year's MBF card is now for sale, but they are experiencing 'some difficulties ' with their website. The shop is impossible to find but you can get to it through this link. I would advise calling them by phone to place an order though as all is not well with the website. Their phone number is 020 7239 9100. Email address for them is info@helpmusicians.org.uk. Mugs are also still available, but selling fast I am told.

As for the book cover, I am getting there. Slowly. 

Signing books later today in The Shed in Porthgain ( if the sea is calm enough for rowing to be on).

The passing of time

Jo, with Tom and baby Hannah

I moved to St Davids almost 19 years ago, when I was in the early stages of being pregnant with Tom. In the house down the road we would always hear children laughing, behind high garden walls. When Tom was born we got to know them better. Rowanna seemed tiny, until Tom was born, Jo Jo was the middle child and Noona the oldest and they were all wonderful wild. I still remember them tumbling into the house one day through what was a large catflap in the back door.

Now time has passed. They couldn't fit through a cat flap now and yesterday I went to hear Jo, now Jocelyn, playing piano in St Davids Cathedral. There was a time when she held my Tom, cradled in her small arms. Yesterday she held a whole audience in her hands, filled the cathedral with a beautiful sound, painted images through notes, was wonderful. How amazing it is to see and hear such elegance, all grown up.

It was a while before Jocelyn and I realised that we had a connection other than living as neighbours. I think it was one time that I had asked Anne, Jo's mum, to look after and feed the cats for me when I was away. She noticed a Christmas card lying around the house, a card I had designed for The Musicians Benevolent Fund as a fund raiser. Jo had just received a grant from them to buy a new piano. In the subsequent years she received bursaries during her studies from the MBF. This is such a hard time to be a student, especialy a student of the arts where it is always a struggle to make a living. How wonderful to have such a close connection and see so clearly the benfit of the MBF.

This year's card will be available soon, I am told on 6th September, and the mugs are available now from the MBF. The artwork for the card will be on display and for sale at the Imagine Gallery from 5th September.

My house is full with flowers from the garden and paintings waiting to go to The Imagine Gallery, Long Melford, Suffolk, for exhibition. The preview is 5th September. For more details and invitations please contact John.