HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
Over a posh cup of tea, Mags MacRae from Creativity Works invited me to propose an idea for Artist in Residence, as part of the Radstock Community Art/works Festival, 2010. I'm a bit tired, I reply, musing on how many social engagement projects I had delivered for the North East Somerset Arts Agency over the last few years. Well, I had a healthy diverse creative practice, previously commissioned to work in housing re-development and play consultation schemes, facilitate journaling workshops for women with mental health issues, photo document community festivals and create photo project books. Now there was the opportunity for me to come up with my own unique new body of work, an innovative storytelling project. So, whilst Mags carefully stirred her Earl Grey tea, I wonder at what we are doing in the posh Pump Rooms in which we are sitting in rain-filled Bath. Oh yes, a birthday treat. And so, when a small gift of a jug is received, and a healthy amount of dosh is placed on the table to play with, I gulp my darkening cup of tea and consider the health giving properties of the mineral water. Hmm, I decide, perhaps I will do it, could be a dream, thinking of my bank if not energy balance.
Journeys are often a theme in my work, so I thought, what if I visit Radstock as though on holiday? I immediately tell friends and family that I am going to create The Travelling Museum of Possibilities, inspired by themes of home and away. The offered items start to unearth folks memories and associations of childhood days out, picnics, journeys taken, home and away, rituals of everyday life, taking time out, the world of childlike play and imagination. I ring friend and creative collaborator Julie and ask if she fancies being my materials resource director and join me too...and so began a search for make believe budgies, pretend porcelain women with holes in their heads, mirrors, tea sets, travel dolls and dressing up stuff. And so it was my front room became filled with a collection of stuff, precious belongings, mother's kilts, fur stoles, holy water, icons, picnic sets, tins of biscuits, trays, oh yes a kimono, a few masks and a bag of hats, etc, it all had a rather 1950's vintage feel. My friends had always told me I had packing issues, but I try to gather the materials into storytelling baskets, boxes and bags, and hope it will inspire passerby folk to explore storytelling.
Over the ten day festival, myself and collaborator Julie Brandstetter & friends would engage folk with street installations, interventions and creative dialogue, which included Textile artist Monica Hicks, who knitted hopes and aspirations, whilst Poet Hilda Sheehan, had her jaunty outfit and story basket swinging ready to add to the story tray which I would set up and invite participants to use the items, add their own and tell stories of home and away. Commentary was jotted down in a journal and also audio documented. Dressing up became key to the week, from the Methodist Drop in Coffee morning, Elders lunch, Library, to Family Fun Day. I documented the process with Black & White photographs which told the story of enthusiastic response in dressing up and engaging in performative play/storytelling. My idea being that we could unearth a contemporary take on fairytale and myth within everyday life.
The resulting collection of images were shown at the festival in a digital media bus sponsored by Create Studios, Swindon. In further support and collaboration with Creativity Works 2011, the body of work was developed into a solo exhibition Dreams, Masks & Mirrors, the Royal West of England Academy, Bristol, with artist's seminar & storytelling day (with Hilda Sheehan), and a writers drop in session with University of Bristol. In addition to the 30 portrait installation, visitors also enjoyed on-line self-published full colour book of the collections, story trays & children's story boxes with comments, plus a B & W portrait photobook which was supported by an essay from Roger Watson, Curator, Fox Talbot Museum, National Trust, Lacock. "An engaging collection of photoworks and curiosities which explore notions around play, fairytale and myth". Its all about dreams and aspirations" said an elderly visitor to the gallery, getting out of her bag a pair of knitted clowns and presenting them as a gift to take on another journey, another time.
Over the ten day festival, myself and collaborator Julie Brandstetter & friends would engage folk with street installations, interventions and creative dialogue, which included Textile artist Monica Hicks, who knitted hopes and aspirations, whilst Poet Hilda Sheehan, had her jaunty outfit and story basket swinging ready to add to the story tray which I would set up and invite participants to use the items, add their own and tell stories of home and away. Commentary was jotted down in a journal and also audio documented. Dressing up became key to the week, from the Methodist Drop in Coffee morning, Elders lunch, Library, to Family Fun Day. I documented the process with Black & White photographs which told the story of enthusiastic response in dressing up and engaging in performative play/storytelling. My idea being that we could unearth a contemporary take on fairytale and myth within everyday life.
The resulting collection of images were shown at the festival in a digital media bus sponsored by Create Studios, Swindon. In further support and collaboration with Creativity Works 2011, the body of work was developed into a solo exhibition Dreams, Masks & Mirrors, the Royal West of England Academy, Bristol, with artist's seminar & storytelling day (with Hilda Sheehan), and a writers drop in session with University of Bristol. In addition to the 30 portrait installation, visitors also enjoyed on-line self-published full colour book of the collections, story trays & children's story boxes with comments, plus a B & W portrait photobook which was supported by an essay from Roger Watson, Curator, Fox Talbot Museum, National Trust, Lacock. "An engaging collection of photoworks and curiosities which explore notions around play, fairytale and myth". Its all about dreams and aspirations" said an elderly visitor to the gallery, getting out of her bag a pair of knitted clowns and presenting them as a gift to take on another journey, another time.
