Who do I think I am?

Thought I’d take a day out yesterday, to visit the tiny church at Fairfield on Romney Marsh. I’ve been going to the Marsh since I was a toddler, and love its huge open skies and green meadows . Having seen Fairfield Church from a distance, but never visited, I didn’t know what to expect. It’s a little brick building standing on a raised mound surrounded on all sides by dykes – truly picturesque!

The interior has a tiled floor and box pews in white painted wood, very, very simple, both rustic and domestic. A real gem. Most box pews carry a good deal of graffiti, some of it two or three hundred years old or more, but it took a while before I found, at last, just one set of initials under the white paint. There is no churchyard around the building, so no-one to be found who might be the owner of the initials. WF remains a mystery, to me at any rate.

The church seemed to me the perfect setting for the church in the children’s book ‘The Children of Green Knowe’, which I loved to read to my kids. Written by L.M Boston, it’s a magical tale, beautifully written, but not one that is very well known.

I went from Fairfield to St Mary in the Marsh – the church there a real contrast to Fairfield, it has survived since the middle ages. It too had white Georgian box pews, but these were removed in 1910 and replaced with plain pine pews, which themselves haven’t escaped the ravages of beetles. Fine brasses covered by a carpet, and too many folding tables and utility chairs! Edith Nesbit of ‘The Railway Children’ is buried in the churchyard there.

There is something about the Marsh that is mysterious and enchanting-

or do we always have that bond to the place of our earliest memories?

Hoorah! I was really pleased to hear that one of my digital prints has been selected for the Fabric of the Land Exhibition, in Aberdeen, next week. Having looked at the cost of travel I probably won’t make the Opening, but it’s an ambition fulfilled, so I’m really happy with that.

(Fabric of the Land is a series of exhibitions exploring links between art and science and is held in the Geology & Petroleum Geology Department at the University of Aberdeen.)

Now I’m getting back into my stride – have been working on a new digital series, extending the residential research I did last year at Brisons Veor.

Still thinking about micro-macro, and self-similarity, about the legacy of the Cornish mining landscape, and leaping from rockpools to planets.

While thinking about Emily Speed’s recent post, and understanding her frustration, I got to to thinking more about funding, and how it shapes the profile of contemporary art in Britain. ACE projects are required to attract new audiences, respond to contemporary influences, ideas, technology, AND be original. With the growth of digital technology, digital audiences can be mustered, but doesn’t it all risk becomingmere ‘entertainment’?

Speaking of entertainment, as I’m enjoying the benefits of my new studio, but, quite naturally, finding it hard to get going, I thought I’d try my hand at something simple and practical, and make some paper, something I’ve never tried before.

It’ll keep me from mithering, ‘until the muse returns’. (as an acquaintance put it, rather quaintly)

Following the instructions I soaked the paper, and dug out my old food processor- it leaks, but should be ok for this, I thought.

It took me as long to clean up the kitchen as it did to pulp the paper, but looking on the bright side, I did tackle that unpleasant housework that I’ve been ignoring, when I finally found the floor mop. And I have a bowlful of grey pulp that I can’t wait to turn into lovely handmade paper- when I can find a bowl big enough to take the frame I made.

A visit to B & Q beckons, and probably the local tip, with the food processor.

I should really change my clothes first, as the paper mush is beginning to dry on me. And the floor mop? Well, it was under the trampoline – where else?

On the bright side, it’s distracted me from reflecting on how hard it is to do what we do in the context of unimaginative and uncreative solutions to supporting artists in Britain.

Today is my birthday! No big deal, but cards from my family and friends with things like ‘TOTE AMAZE BALLS’ (which is a compliment apparently) and ‘we are not old – we’re retro’ emblazoned on the front are heart-warming.

Age is not a subject that’s tackled very often by artists – but look at Rembrandt! But that was a different time.

Sorting out my photos from yesterday, I also have the beginnings of a series I’m calling ‘The Last of England’.

Isn’t life amazing and strange when you’re an artist?

Have returned – my hopes realised, in part. The quarry is indeed rubbish strewn – but it must have a history, and that’s what I’ll search for over the next few days. Meanwhile some pics:

I fought through chin high nettles for these – my ‘machete’ was no more than a bamboo cane from the garden, which was soon reduced to a 6 inch stick, but I did wear thick trousers,boots and gloves!

Need to return with a tripod – that might be tricky!