HMS is going to Gotland in August. This will be the second leg of an exchange with artist led space, Gocart Gallery in Visby www.gocartgallery.se. Gocart will be coming to Long Eaton in June. Accomodation in Visby is fully booked …. well there are rooms, but way beyond my budget. We have finally found a place 20 minutes away. Apparently, Gotland is very beautiful. I’m looking forward to to seeing a place which I probably wouldn’t have considered had it not been for this exchange.
It was the second anniversary of mum’s death yesterday and I still feel like I could pop round for a cup of Yorkshire tea and a bakewell tart. Even though I read the words on her grave stone and took her favourite spring flowers. I still feel that she will be at home ready for a ‘brew’. I received the ‘unfortunately’ email from the British Council yesterday. Lots of competition etc. More worrying is the scheme has been suspended from1 April 2011-31 March 2012). Apparently, they are currently in discussion with Arts Council England for an expanded scheme jointly managed by both organisations. Alison and I will still be going though. We are drawing in the window of Art on Armitage for the first week and then installing David’s and sooky’s photographs for the second. We are trying to sort out visits to the various colleges too The power jack to my computer is broken and currently being repaired. It means certain tasks have to wait as I haven’t backed up since Christmas
I am naturally an untidy person. However, one consequence of my Wednesday book illustration classes is that the house is more organised. The sessions are going well. Penny has written numerous stories for the grandchildren, but always without pictures. As she hasn’t drawn and painted since her school days I thought it might be a challenge to teach her skills which have laid dormant for over 50 years. Her imaginative tales need pictures to tempt children into her warm and wonderful world. And after 6 session I think she has surprised both of us on how well she has progressed. She has a curiousity and openess which makes Wednesdays a pleasure. I look forward to seeing the book in print.
There has been little movement over the past year in relation to artists leaving the studios. Then… 3 artists have handed their notice in quick sucession. It’s always sad to see people leave but on the other hand it is also exciting to see new artists transform their workspaces into unique environments. The waiting list is shrinking – i have been forwarding enquiries to other studios but maybe I ought to check the health of the current list first.
Sometimes the case really gets to me. The trigger can be unexpected. This time it was a recent case Jem had picked up on the web – Haydon v Charlton which went before the High Court of Justice in Dec 2010. Diane Charlton represented herself and the other side were professionally represented. What struck a chord was the behaviour of the legal profession. The unanswered letters, the paperwork handed to us on the day of the hearing by HFC solicitor – not just once but at all three hearings. I don’t expect the solicitor on the other side to ‘mother’ us through the proceedings but it feels like our inexperience is being exploited. Whatever the verdict, the process of justice is painful.
