What Now?

The 2020 pandemic has been devastating for hundreds of thousands of people across the world. I became ill with Covid last spring and am still recovering. Covid was followed by a dose of glandular fever in the summer which knocked me flat for a long time. I was so lucky to have the amazing support of my family, and I am convinced that being surrounded by trees, fields and wild life aided my psychological resilience and recovery.

Getting back into life and making steps into our enhanced world of virtual relationships, I am updating my blog.

I was delighted last spring to have a piece of writing ‘Companion of the Dead’ included in ‘Site Writing‘, an alternative catalogue to the Lisa and Robert Sainsbury collection, edited by Sarah Lowndes and Nell Croose-Myhil

Thrilled also to be included in the

Wild Wander project for artists, facilitated by Glasshouse Dance, which involved a group of artists walking together in the East Anglian landscape. Nov – Dec 2020. It was such a beautiful concept, and a privilege to share the experience, and hopefully make lasting connections with a lovely group of artists, writers and choreographers.

Wild Wandering

Notes from walk at Hardley Staithe January 2021 The wind is making itself felt, reeds pressing and bowing towards moored boats like a weightless mosh pit. Masts performing an opera accompanied by tribal rhythms on percussion, frantic whispering and shuddering. Challenging me to stay vertical, as I negotiate my way along the path, the mud varies in degrees of squelch, suck and slipperiness. It reminds me of rain drenched music festivals that I have been to. MR

Bee Listening

Bees are thought to sense sound vibrations with the second section of each antenna, and in honey bees the vibrations are picked up by organs in the legs.

Group Exhibitions Coming up 2021

Well of Deep Waters, 22 -28 August Pomegranate Artists Group, St Margarets Church, Norwich

After the Storm – September St Stephens Church, Norwich

Celebrating Trees 11-25 October St Margarets Church, Norwich

Fortuna Private View

FORTUNA POSTER

Reflections on Fortuna Private View

Artists: Ben Bell, Edward Bullinger, Dan Brown, Annie Brundrit, Daniel Clegg, Nicholas Denney, Mary Littlefield, Rupert Mallin, Mandy Rogers, Helen Wells                        Dancers: AbbyPage, Xenoula Eleftheriades

A great atmosphere and element of risk bringing together artists and dancers who hadn’t worked with each other before. The dance piece ‘Marking Time’ choreographed by Abby Page and Xenoulagh Eleftheriades  ignited the energy in this huge underground space. To find out more about them go to https://facebook.com.abs.xen/ or https://www.facebook.com/xenarts/ The black and white images are from the film installation, featuring dancers who performed live at the Private View.

Audience participation, after the performance was lively too.

Below are some images of my work in the show. I wanted to make pieces which would inhabit the space like some kind of subterranean life form, appearing at home in this huge, damp underground space.

 

If you missed the private view there is still time to see the show which is on until 22nd April, with two experimental drawing workshops happening on 7th and 12th April,  10am – 2pm, and a dance workshop on 11 April. See the above links to check out details for dance workshop.

More images from the exhibition.

Collaborative Projects

Through most of my working life, I have been interested in creating work with other people – artists, non-artists, musicians, dancers and more recently writers. The cross fertilization of ideas and creative media can be a potent mix.

For examples of collaborative work that I have been involved with see under category Collaborative Projects