I spent the last long weekend following a publicised Art Trail; visiting local Artists in their Studios, Galleries or their own homes and it was so inspiring to see the great variety and styles of art being produced. Apart from visiting the artists within 5 miles or so with daughter Annie, I went further afield with Julie, who is also an artist, into the mountainous areas of Snowdonia, where we've both lived at different times, so Sunday became a nostalgia trip as well, pointing out to my little great-grand-daughter the places where her mother grew up!
We visited Eleanor Brooks, a remarkable lady Artist in her eighties who still teaches at the local college. She lives in a very old stone cottage up a track by a tumbling stream where Julie lived one winter with her very young daughter. They were used to living this way in draughty rooms with ancient ill-fitting doors and open fires and amazingly, it hasn't changed! I was thrilled to realise that her late husband Jeremy Brooks was the author of a book I enjoyed reading recently called 'Jampot Smith'; an evocative recollection of a boy growing up in Llandudno in the War years. (Actually, Mark was given the book by a friend we visited in Leeds in the summer, who was originally from Llandudno and I think Mark took it with him to read on his journey.)
We'd taken very little food with us as we expected to get at least a nourishing snack along the way, but the Cafe at Cnicht only had cakes and drinks, while the Pub at Llanfrothen had stopped serving lunch by the time we got there and we ended up gorging on fish and chips in Beddgelert late in the afternoon, which smelt and tasted good, but gave us all a slightly sick feeling afterwards. After that there was no time to visit the two artisits in Waunfawr, where I used to live, as I was tired and wanted to get home before dark... and it's getting dark earlier every day now!
Unfortunately my camera battery ran out on Saturday while enjoying a day at a Forest Festival on Anglesey where Julie was entertaining the kids with art and play. She's great with children! So I took loads of pics there, especially as it was held in Newborough Forest, right by the sea, which is just such a beautiful and remote location. (Well, quite remote for this country, although less than 40 miles from here.) So I've been much inspired and shaken out of my recent lethargy to write this and attempt some art of my own.
I'll post pics later
2 comments:
Hi Pat,
Lovely account of being inspired and sharing some of your history with a younger member of your family! I've always felt creative beings benefit when cross-fertilized and inspired by fellow artists. And in passing along stories from our personal histories, we create context and connection for those who follow.
I'm about to start writing a picture book for my grandbaby who lives sooo far away that I rarely see her. At her age (2+), she's growing so fast and making so many memories, especially of the somatic sort, that I thought a picture book (perhaps using Microsoft's PowerPoint as the medium so I can include pictures, narration, text, and music), with the 2 of us as the main characters, could help us build our bond. I'm in the early stages where most of the book still lives in my imagination, but in the next week, I will get going. I thought of writing it in chapters, so it can develop as she grows.
Here's to inspiration and
manifestation! And to new ways to connect with loved ones across distances -- including one of my faves, webcamming!
What a wonderful project, which your granddaughter will cherish the more as she grows up!
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