Wandering....

 Well it's been a while and I've been very busy doing everything but art.We're now approximately halfway through our summer holidays and it's been nothing if eventful!

A couple of weeks ago we had a fantastic week in Yorkshire. On our journey down we detoured into the beautiful Lake District,heading for Grasmere and Dove Cottage. My daughter who is studying Higher English and currently the Romantic poets was supposed to go on an English trip in October planned by her inspirational English teacher.The trip was going to take in places such as Somerset to visit the area that inspired Samuel Taylor Coleridge to write The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. On their return journey they were to visit Dove Cottage and the Lake District  that inspired William Wordsworth. Unfortunately the trip has been cancelled due to the number of children dropping out -so we improvised.....

Wordsworth lived at Dove Cottage for eight years from 1799 with his sister Dorothy and also Mary whom he married in 1802. Three out of his five children were born there.

In 1795 he met Samuel Taylor Coleridge ,publishing 'The Lyrical Ballads ' in 1798.His most famous work  'The Prelude' was published posthumously by Mary in 1850.

We toured the cottage early in the morning while it was still cool and fortunately before two coach-loads of tourists arrived.With dark panelled rooms and stone floors ,it was easy to visualize what life must have been like back then. Dorothy also kept journals which give a vivid account of her life of domestic chores and spending time transcribing her brother's work.

The garden to the rear of the property is beautiful and rises to give a fabulous view across the fells. As for Beatrice,she loved it and fell into conversation with some lovely American tourists about the drug habits of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Beatrice at Dove Cottage

I particularly enjoyed the museum where it was possible to see the writings .Paper was so expensive that every inch was covered.

So it was an inspirational visit for us all.....I felt the horrors of 'A' level English finally begin to dissipate...and how I wish I could have had an English teacher like my daughter has who tries to inspire his pupils by trying to arrange what would have been a wonderful trip.

 

Yorkshire Riviera

We have just spent a wonderful week in North Yorkshire enjoying hot sunshine and temperatures around 26-28 degrees. It gave us an opportunity to relax after a busy school year and everything else that goes on in a busy family unit.

A lot of time was spent down by the river,playing ball,collecting rocks and odd bits of old pottery ,fish watching ,paddling and swimming.

Ross found 'Africa'.....

He also found a large triangular lump of rock in the river which under close inspection had cup and ring marks on it. We upturned it and made our own water installation......

I waded out into the river and was struck by the beautiful underwater colours......

Looking forward to allowing these inspirations to become ideas in my work over the next few weeks.......

 

On vacation...

This week saw the start of the  school holidays here in South-West Scotland.It's been a week of cleaning,laundry,shopping,cooking,baking as we prepare to travel to Yorkshire for the week. It doesn't often happen however we'll be travelling light-T-shirts,suncream and beach towels! It's going to be the hottest week of the year so playing in the river and BBQs will be order of the day in North Yorkshire.

Tomorrow we're planned our visit to Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum in the Lake District. Eldest child is studying for her Higher English and they're currently doing the Romantic poets. I'm hoping to get my own inspiration too....
Meanwhile youngest child turns thirteen while we're away .From 6lb 15 oz to 5' 10" in 13 very short years.....

It's been a great start to the summer so far-congratulations Andy Murray,an epic win. Chris Froome,current yellow jersey in the Tour de France is also performing magnificently too.

Off to pack the car for our early start in the morning.  I'll be back next Saturday....enjoy your week folks,speak soon....x

Little Stainforth, North Yorkshire. May 2013.

On the slate....

Had a great day in the studio. After a frantic weekend I decided to leave the large canvas that is sat there waiting. I chose instead to play around with some of the papers I have accumulated. After making marks on a few, I decided to make little scrolls. This will most likely become part of one of my box-works that I'm currently developing. I managed to capture some images on a background of slate-the scroll made of modroc is yet to have colour added but on the whole I'm very pleased with the results......