I am gearing up to "The Big Draw" on 13 October here at St George’s. I hope the day works as well as as it could. Its almost impossible to anticipate which events will be eagerly seized upon by people and which will find no takers. I think people just get too busy. Anyway before that I am having a talk with my mentor, Bettina, tomorrow in Brighton with the aim of looking at where this year could lead. Also I’ll be reporting back on the various events that have happened since June when we met last.
In terms of work, I am becoming very interested in the route of a stream that runs through Arbrook Woods and want to do something in relation to it. I find it very difficult balancing planning ahead and working now. When I try to do both I find myself doing neither very well. Which is where Bettina comes in!
Friday, Saturday and today I have been at St George’s Church. It has been a combination of ‘Heritage Weekend’, Surrey Cyclists Saturday and my usual open studio on Fridays. So lots of visitors and lots of contributions towards the Elmbridge ‘Book’ that I have been working on. It is very interesting talking to the studio visitors. You can never predict who is going to make a real connection with the work and who isn’t. I have also been thinking and making plans about what I will be working on after this project is over. There are still five months to go if one includes this month but because much of the originally planned work with local people has already happened it feels as if time is flying by.
I’m spending the next few days catching up with things and assessing progress. Postponing the storywalk while being disapointing because I am not able to realize a larger scale installation right now is also a huge relief as it gives one the time to take stock. I am very much looking forward to moving forward on the ‘books’ I am making with community help at the St George’s Church studio. Work during the summer has been rather disrupted by trips and planning for events although I am very pleased with the trails made with Elmbridge children through the woods at West End, Esher.
Today was a much more encouraging one. I am working with children on an Elmbridge Borough Council holiday scheme as part of the Papertrails project. With the weather we have been having I imagined that we would be stuck indoors at the base improvising, however we were out all day and had fun making trails through the woods.
Well I thought that things might go awry with the Storytrail and they have. Is it a case of too many elements involved or just that people are on holiday? Anyway there are not enough people signed up to attend so the day is being postponed. I think its better to do this now rather than panic on the day, especially as so many other people are involved. Thanks to everyone at Elmbridge Borough Council who have put in time on this. We are going for dignified retreat rather than being put to rout.
