Saturday 27 February 2016

lots going on

This would have been at the end of this blog but too important, do pass it on and sign it. Thank you to Laura Wild for passing it on to us.

https://www.change.org/p/help-my-son-get-the-autism-care-he-needs?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=525320&alert_id=LupYEFrzhV_826z%2F%2BuHbZIclI64jkXa2EIoSrOSm%2BT%2FiLYqtRm90wHw8ncrHc4GEOq9YSMEoDTw

Having worked with people who lived within all the units of Budock Hospital when i started, i have a deep gratitude and respect for those whose support and care for people who are vulnerable, ( family, staff, friends etc ) it makes all the difference to the quality of life for them and for us all, as we don't want to live in a society where people aren't properly cared for or supported.
"My brother is my life"

Also interesting, insightful, important, from Kneehigh's Mike Shepherd and including Anna Marie Murphy
http://thankyoujungle.com/

and Holifield's Open Day March 4th
http://www.holifieldfarmproject.co.uk/wp2/


We're about to enter a busy phase with visits to new places in North and East Cornwall through Feast funding for Doorways. Inspired by last years research and residencies a small group are going to "pop up" and perform a short piece in different centres, not quite Always New, we won't have our musician, but Landscapes we will have the landscape of the music but unrehearsed for many pieces and so truly spontaneous and adapting to the space and people. New members Anna and Jonathan are joining us one day each, along with Zoe and Colin are our established members and Joseph also on one day.
We hope Colin's ankle is well on the mend for then!

Six hours of meetings in one day is my record so far! business, project management and trustees - all going well. Welcome to Rob Pickering helping us look for funds to keep smaller groups going and long term funding. Welcome to Victoria our new Doorways project 'co-ordinator' ( not quite sure what title she has yet) much needed, many thanks to all helping us along the way.

Yesterday Dominic Power came to add a perspective and experience to out writers corner, there was an enthusiastic huddle in that area. Rob and Victoria visited and Pep is helping us and bringing his trumpet next week. With no George we tried to concentrate on recorded pieces and i am about to look at the jigsaw of work we are creating. It seems only a few of the old original works will be used as we have moved on with new performers and new styles, and the nature of the work is it is built on the artists strengths and interests.

Exciting meetings this week with Jules ( theatre ) and Philip ( music ) and Patrick and Jane ( Back Lane West). Having concentrated on spontaneity in my work planning isn't my strength, but i am always learning?! It can sit with dreaming and scheming...


Monday 15 February 2016

Doorways Improvisations and Art workshop and links


Nice day Friday, revisiting Improvisations with George, (despite many people absent with colds),
i really like this simple piece with Toby and Annis and then Zoe joins them
visit from Dominic to discuss support with creative writing and then lovely Art workshop with John and Alessandra. Everyone produced good work with preparatory drawings and we have them to continue working on for the next few sessions.

Tina and Toby's work

Al, Peter and Zoe

Sam's in the middle

Anna and Lydia

Katie's patterns top right


Some interesting links:

From Elaine http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35534510

From Roaming you can see Toby, Al and Sam in these photos http://www.roamingcic.com/roaming-pz-news

A class i am enjoying, http://movementtouch.com/workshops/
it takes me back to work i did alongside shadowing Wolfgang Stange, I went to Linda Hartley and Patricia Bardi's classes, on Body Mind centring etc.
http://www.patriciabardi.com/
http://www.lindahartley.co.uk/

Physical Postcards,  i went to a workshop with Lois Taylor, an interesting and engaging project http://www.physicalpostcards.co.uk/


Wednesday 10 February 2016

Participatory Arts day and Arts Compass website slowly beginning...

Thank you to CRS http://creativeskills.org.uk/ and Feast http://feastcornwall.org/for a really good day today on Participatory Arts. i have long wanted to include mentoring/training in some bids and that as well as other useful findings came from Artswork Paul Hamlyn project.  http://artworksalliance.org.uk/
http://www.phf.org.uk/programmes/artworks/
Being 'busy' means i don't get to see as much as i would like so it was great to hear from Rogue Theatre http://www.roguetheatre.co.uk/ (  their outdoor Tehidy Woods shows come highly recommended, who else can fill 3 shows a day, and they ran the best tent - for young performers - when i visited  Port Eliot Festival some years ago, they have a commitment to place and people) and to listen to and meet up with Tough Dough http://www.toughdough.co.uk/Alessandra and Lizzie after some years and hear more about their work.
Anna Murphy had some great suggestions of meeting to share, support etc regularly. It is good to see such open supportive relationships between artists.

A quick plug for new website http://artscompass.weebly.com/ in its early days.....my personal (outside Shallal) response to Arts for Health closing and what about the practitioners?!! talent, experience and networking...

Artscompass website

Why we are here.....
I feel very passionate about artists work and continuing provision.
Artscompass is in response to Arts for Health Cornwall closing. It aims to create a web presence where practising artists can advertise their information, experience and  contact details so they can connect and potential employers and funders can find suitable artists for their work/projects without randomly scouring the web.

The Proposal
 A proposal which  is this free weebly website, http://artscompass.weebly.com/
Suggestions please for short explanations, headings for different art forms etc.


Each artist can have a page under their art form/s.
To join
....be included you need to send me:
your art form
information about your work and experience
up to 3 photos, ( jpeg please)
and your contact details
to Jo artscompasscwll@gmail.com


Oh and last not least i think i recognise Thomas who we have met and worked with and is very talented in this group https://www.facebook.com/Far-Flung-Dance-Theatre

Saturday 6 February 2016

Godolphin talk and chat

Rambling introduction you can miss
'Work to avoid work' i have the evaluation for Cross Currents on the go and I am in artistic block/procrastination, listening to music- for next show-  answering emails and Michael has just shown me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZjFMj7OHTw
so my poor husband had to eventually listen to me last night - who else can cope with artistic mutterings!- and i have written down all potential Doorways pieces and as normal there is so much more than one thought, probably enough material already! so that is now moving....at least around a large piece of paper on my table, next stop conversations and music with George and into more structured rehearsals, tidying up and looking for order!

Godolphin Talk for Cornish Doorways.
Thank you to Ann Clegg and her husband from Friends of Godolphin for coming to give us such a brilliant talk on Godolphin Family History. The questions and following discussion were insightful from many angles, and we all wanted to know about the use of the 'under room' which we now know was a cider store.
Who writes history? where is the information found, kept? who interprets it?... the 'off the record'  stories and lives which supported and underpinned those we know of.


A wonderful short story within the talk has given us food for thought and with visiting artist Diane Hadden we will be returning to it for 3D art workshop 4th March.
Next week John Keys and Alessandra Ausenda visit for another Artists workshop towards installations, so we are moving on and hope to get Poetic support for some of writing we have been producing as well. (Dominic coming to meet us next Friday lunchtime )

new faces, Mike in blue t-shirt, Brian bottom left and Ben green t-shirt
                       3 of the 4 working groups collecting thoughts and ideas from the talk.


Still distracted .....
hey Shallal 2 how about this ???https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrHFg47Mopk&list=RDWZjFMj7OHTw&index=3 or something like it lets keep listening!
Shallal 2 have collected about 20 mins of new pieces this term! they are on a roll....and we hope to show them possibly in March.

More procrastination from emails: meeting with Jane and Patrick Lowry Back Lane West coming up early March as well as being invited to work with Jules ( Get Changed Theatre Co http://www.getchanged.com/) and Philip - very excited to be asked....

so from this it's clear i am an ideas? person and not a great finisher - as i warn everyone who works with me, which now includes potentially Victoria who came to visit yesterday - busy day - Mike's fourth session with us, he is coming from Wadebridge courtesy of CPD card.
Jacob Wheeler also came, really pleased to see him! - multi talented, as are all the family - and he is already providing techy support, we can use that !!



Wednesday 3 February 2016

Zoe and the Wardrobe Project

A while ago i posted a photo of people in Shallal using their ipads, technology has opened up communication for so many of the people in Shallal and i now often receive photos via email from Zoe.
This latest batch deserve to be seen, and celebrate Zoe's love of fashion and costume. We are nearing the end of the wonderful Wardrobe Project and are grateful to all involved.
Sadly due to ill health of one of our artist/mentors we haven't yet been able to finish the last stage as thoroughly as we had hoped but there is still hope!
I still have hope to find someone with the sensitivity, time and skill to work with Zoe to turn her sketches/drafts/mockups into reality....if you know anyone or are interested please contact Jo and Zoe via admin@shallal.org.uk

Katie modelling Zoe's creation

Zoe


Demelza in bridal outfit, photo by Zoe

Sidney nearly 1 and Doorways afternoon work

 Well today Ley rejoined us after an operation and winter illnesses, we were all thrilled to see him, and Sidney is 1 on Friday.
What a privilege! Sidney has been with Shallal 2 in the womb and now in the flesh and performed 3 times so far!!! Gyllyngdune Gardens, Porthmeor Studios and Falmouth Art Gallery, not bad for his age!.......we watch his future career with interest! ....(4 or more of us were away today so we post these photos for them.)
 Sidney's 'song' was the beautiful "An ending a beginning" by Dustin O'Halloran, which now has changed to "Once Again" by Hang Massive - suitable for mobile toddler. Sidney often leads us in our own developmental movement explorations - our very own expert.

Sharing birthday buns - thank you Rosie - at the end of the session
Miles, Maybelle, Zoe, Jo, Sidney, Rosie, Maz and Ley.

Working in the Friday afternoons on Doorways material.
 Lydia's vibrant painting, Peter's third attempt at getting the likeness he wants on his drawing of Godolphin House, and a creative writing group initially inspired by Toby playing with words: songs, stories and poems forming.
Tomorrow John and Colin visit Godolphin and i hope to go earlier and sit and dream and look at the performance space for a short time imaging all the ideas in situ.