Having been away for 10 days, and having kept a journal, of sorts, of my experiences, I would like to include some extracts here. But first to put my ‘get-away’ into context: I was offered a residency at *Brisons Veor, Cape Cornwall, on the most rugged and beautiful north coast of Cornwall – a very different place from the flat, constantly busy landscape of East Kent.
10Nov – arrived at last after a long drive – completely exhausted! Not only by the drive, but by events of past few weeks, a couple of unexpected exhibitions, moving my studio, family stuff of one kind and another…
The house is quiet, but for the sound of the sea, powerful, below.
11Nov – this house was once part of the Cape Cornwall mine – it was originally the boiler house, now reconstructed into two dwellings. It stands at the very end of the Cape, facing the Brisons and the Atlantic.
A short walk to familiarise myself with new surroundings: the sea – large turquoise green waves that break spectacularly into white drifts, they have a relentless grace, and white horses streaming in.
12Nov – The sea has a different character today, greyer and more sluggish, it pulls back slowly from the cove, a thick white net of constant motion.
I have no desire to do much but watch the sea, but I set up my chargers, get out my laptop (that I look at with loathing!) check my cameras are ready. Found out that my camcorder, not having been used for a while, has decided to malfunction – all I have is my phone.
Later: explored the cove, now that the tide is out. The slipway is steep, the shore covered with rocks and rounded boulders – I wish I knew what I was looking at, there are so many different kinds of rocks, and of course the residue of the mining industry.
13Nov – Today the wind has moved round to a biting south-easterly (I think) and the sea is grey and flatter, but constantly agitated, picked at by the wind. Later I drive up to Lanyon Quoit and take photographs – it’s cold, windy and boggy, but still that wonderful quietness.
14 Nov – Each day more captivated with the sea, and bitterly regretting not having my video. I’ve made do with my SLR and phone video, not ideal.
Wish I could step out onto that sea, if it were to stop, and become solid, so that I could peer down into its depths, like looking through a glass-bottle window. Its rhythm has lulled me into a lazy hypnotic state, I’m never tired of watching it. Made a small book of colour studies to send in to the Beta exhibition.
Took a wild and windy walk to the Botallack mines: over the hill, down into the valley and up again to Kenidjack Castle ruins. The wind was so strong I could lean on it, and I was grateful to my heavy backpack for weighing me down. On the other side the ground is flatter and walking easier – I
photographed the Crown Mine from a distance, and then scrambled down to see it close up. All the time I was conscious of my age and physical condition in a way I wouldn’t have been when I was young. I still take risks – but they’re more cautious and considered.
‘Brisons Veor is a wonderfully inspiring workspace, where creatives in any branch of the arts can take time out to work and think. It offers space and freedom in a peaceful setting with superb sea views and glorious sunsets.
‘Brisons Veor is managed by a Charitable Trust, set up in 1992 to help practitioners in the arts with limited income, to pursue their creative activities. Previously only available to women, it is now adopting an equal opportunities policy, and from 2012 will be open to all applicants in the arts. It is available year-round for self-funded residencies at affordable rates for periods of up to four weeks’
