Monthly Archives: December 2012

The Spectator, 29th Dec, 2012, article by Laura Gascoigne: New Dawn for Newlyn School

Really pleased to see a photograph of a recent work, ‘Plant Spirit’, in today’s Spectator (easily accessable on-line) as part of an article by Laura Gascoigne on recent develoments in the life of Newlyn’s art community. This work is at Millennium in St. Ives.

Laura also reviews my show at Newlyn Art Gallery;  she will be on the panel at the discussion on January 26th, together with myself and Professor Penny Florence.

Dreams, and more

That dream of the bright windows in my body, I opened them and light was streaming from within them. Another, of looking at myself naked in a mirror; I peeled the skin away, my flesh was studded with jewels, ruby red and clear as pomegranate seeds.

A recent dream (Christmas night) of being in a large crowd of people at a show of my work and going around listening to what people were saying. One woman said she thought the figures reminded her of ants and I thought to myself in the dream, she is on a different wavelength, how can I get through to her? So I went up to the woman and I said ‘they are not ants, they are like little beings we don’t often see, which flicker at the edge of our awareness, which hover, dip and fly, such as we might see in a dream, such as exist between worlds.’ Then as I was speaking people crowded around me and it became dark with bodies and the human mass, and I asked them to move away from me. The gallery seemed like a very open space; there was no ceiling or roof; above was the sky (the world). I had the feeling of courage in the dream to speak up about my work.

The butterfly in my book, butterfly in face, butterfly in the sky of my veins, in my arm as I move it to sweep away that picture of you, right before my eyes.

Images of works in the show, and notes on blue light

There is a little blue flame burning at the top of my head. It comes from my crown. A blue light sometimes burns between us, Osiris. I step into a blue fire, I step into you. Your blue flames dance all around me, blue flames like wings.

A great wave is perpetually about to break in me. I contain this wave, the blue flame, I cover my edges, I build transparency and distance, I learn to move silently away.

More pictures of the Opening evening

Trying to speak about The Mother holds back the Flood. I didn’t mention the pink band at the top, but I thought of Rudolf Steiner and what he had said about peachy pink and it’s deeply sacred associations. There were many things I could have said in my talk but did not.Partly the heat of the moment, my nerves, but also not feeling confident enough that I could adequately articulate what was in my heart .

In retrospect I wish I had mentioned the surge of joy I felt when I read the first 3 pages of Penny’s first draft of her essay. I experienced a deep and certain surge of energy; I walked around the house and garden, I wanted to jump up and down, I could hardly contain what I felt: – but I did, and it was like a great charge to my inner battery.

In the talk I also wanted to describe how my dogs behaved when my Father died. I was in his house with Frankie and Missis, just waking to a dark dawn when the telephone rang. It was 6 am and I knew it could only mean one thing. The nurse told me he had gone. It was too early to make any other calls so I returned to bed. Frankie curled up in the curve of my belly, and Missis Darling stretched out around my spine. They kept me warm with their cuddle, and helped me to feel less desolate.

Seeds need darkness to germinate. Inside our bodies it is dark but so alive and full of activity. I wish I had been able to describe what the rich darkness means to me. It is full of possibilities and it is where the light comes from. We need deep roots to grow tall strongly.

Opening night at Newlyn, The Secret Worth A Thousand

Last night went very well. Over a hundred people came to the evening, most of them to the talk as well.  I didn’t get the chance to talk to as many people as I had hoped, but I did my best! It felt great to feel so much positive support from all my peers – thank you!

A few pictures of the show – more to follow!

First day at the gallery

Today was exactly one year since I received news that I had been selected to show my work at Newlyn, and it was the first day the show was open. I celebrated by taking a little walk around with Betsy (special dispensation was given; dogs aren’t normally allowed).