Sunday 26 January 2014

Mark's new blog

Well every so often I just put up a link or something half related to this blog.
So this is a related link to my brothers' new blog!
It caused much amusement around our table as he writes beautifully and the images are stunning, so a break from what you read and see ( when it's my 'snaps' ) here and a different environment the African bush.
http://markdeeble.wordpress.com
Enjoy!

Friday 24 January 2014

Tina's last day in pic stitch! 24.1.14

About 10 of the main company were unable to be there this week, however we still had a good time and George played for us. Culminating in a piece with Zoe and Colin then joined by Trevor and Tina - it was her last dance with us, so a nice finish and everyone is aware of how she has progressed over the past year in range and confidence, which was shown in this lovely piece.
Annis joined us this week to try out the company, she already comes to the afternoon art session.





presentation flowers and hyacinth bulbs


Toby sketched during rehearsals last week, some lovely work he wants to continue with

Trying on Zoe's orange dress

Tina drawing, helping Barbara film a Moving Words BSL poem and cake - shared with Joseph whose birthday is on Monday

next , Zoe's new creation for Anna

Toby's work top left, and Sam's bottom right

Colin had time to continue on his project...

my minimal images on top and the fun of having Rowan and Luke visit and play...

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Moving Words and The Secret Fools Show

More photos from Moving Words at their last session and a press release written by Shallal's new friend Lou Brett.

final thoughts and planning 

animation for a poem

there was a good buzz of activity


Moving Words: Sign Language is the Key to Young Peoples’ Poetry Project
On 16th January the Falmouth Art Gallery was buzzing with activity as the first of four groups in Shallal’s  ‘Moving Words’ project worked to complete their creative challenges. The project aims to explore poetry and find links between spoken, written and sign language through a series of workshops.  Working with a diverse and inclusive range of young people in Cornwall, the project brings together hearing and deaf communities to enjoy the wide range of ways in which we communicate and to give British Sign Language an equal footing with other forms of expression.
Today’s participants included a group of young people educated outside of school and already learning British Sign Language.  Shallal facilitators Jo Lumber and Demelza Rouncefield were joined by film-maker Barbara Santi, enabling the young people to visualise and animate their ideas and adding an extra flurry of excitement to the afternoon.
The idea for an innovative project bridging the gap between spoken and sign language through powerful literature grew out of an enthusiasm for signing initiated by Demelza Rouncefield; “With sign language words come to life and become very direct and honest.” she explained.
Maya Peters of Falmouth who has been taking part in the workshops described the experience as ‘inspirational’, bringing out new talents in her peer group that she hadn’t seen before.  “Using poetry works really well.” she said. “Everyone seems to be learning more sign language every week and it gives the words a whole new dimension.”

Falmouth Art Gallery provided the venue for part of the project as well as ideas for much of the work in the form of its current exhibition.  The project is funded by the Clore Duffield Foundation.

Thanks to reporter Helen Dale. We were in the Falmouth Packet giving the project and education outside school exposure, and thanks again to Falmouth Art Gallery. We hope to plot new projects with them this year.

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We are looking forward to the next group which will be at Nancalverne School with Debbie O'Nyons and Jessie Webb, the challenges will be different and the signing will be mainly Makaton.

Whilst signing this off I came across Art and Spirituality's quote for this week, which seemed appropriate:
'In Modern life, so fiercely driven with economic pressures, so dominated by materialism and utilitarian values, it is more than ever necessary that art education should be an integral part of school life. And why? Because here we are primarily concerned with the child's creative energies and with the development of those finer sensibilities, those individual and personal potentialities for the praise or appreciation of the non-material, the spiritual things'.
William Johnston in 1941
Art & Spirituality meets Thursday at 6.00pm 
Espressini cafe, Killigrew St, Falmouth


Final reminder for ........

Tuesday 21 January 2014

New Year snaps! and New County Hall "You Matter"

Some snaps again!
For our third session for Moving Words we had use of Falmouth Council chambers as well as the Falmouth Art gallery as a space.
Anis, Anna and Skye creating a BSL poem

the council chamber, a fantastic space
It was exciting to watch the creative writing blossom into BSL, and start from BSL. The film element with Barbara Santi opened up the work already created into interesting cross art form experiments and the work took off. People worked in groups or individually exploring the way forward.
When Demelza and Saff translated Saff's Bat poem into sign language, it was beautiful and I felt that excitement you get when creativity and new worlds of possibility open up. By the 4th and final week everyone had something interesting going on and we look forward to the results and final edits. Thank you to everyone involved in the first Moving Words group and to Falmouth Art Gallery for their excellent and continued support. 

Next: Trevor danced with baby Ruby, so a photo was needed. 
Trevor is now 73 and has just moved to Truro, he is one of the most popular members of the main company and did 3 consecutive pieces in our recent County Hall Outreach show.
Debs, Ruby and Trevor at Friends and Dancing Falmouth.
And:
about a 50 + drawings for dresses later ( Zoe has been handing them to me for a few years now!) we finally mange to combine Geraldine ( our dummy) and Zoe with the orange material and some help from Zo. so eventually 3D costume/fashion design.
First exercise was to experiment with draping the material, I didn't expect success so early on but I should have realised as Zoe is a real creative and you just have to put the right materials and support in front of her!
First week pinned, second week tacked, this week we will try it on Katie, seated in background.
I have dreams and schemes to develop a R and D project from it, but we shall see.
Zoe has dreams to create dresses for different members of the co.
And meanwhile Anna wants to continue playing with plastic and I should look for some old net in the attic.
 On the orange theme - a much needed colour in the depths of grey January - Colin and Joseph both serious Man City Fans, lay down the base colour for their canvases. I hope to record their progress.
Off camera, Jo Lumber and Sam enjoyed a trip to Newlyn Art Gallery and there were lots of little groups of work from: textiles to sci-fi cities, pastel landscapes, painting, sketchbook on ipad- Kerry's exploratory work is delicate and lovely -, to chicken wire modelling- great to have sculpture element with Anne - thank you.
Colin and Joseph
 Last not least: our second invitation to open You Matter student event at New County Hall.
so the "in the round" setting of the Council Chambers was not such a shock, and efforts towards better access had been heard and implemented. Thank you to them for a great time. Well done to all the performers and supporters and we had some good feedback.


group photo - tea in the foyer afterwards


Amazing performances, great dances, great singing and totally hypnotic!
Kelvin Julian

Brilliant performance. Well done to all the performers, you all did fantastic!
Really good performance, Well done!
students

Such an impactive performance, passionate and fun. Well done, so inspiring :)
community police officer

 "I wanted to congratulate you on the fantastic performance at County Hall the feedback from our students was great!"
                                                                      Sarah Forbes
                                                        Student Placement Co-ordinator

                                                                    Truro College


Open House continues and has a good number of participants at Redruth last week.

Here's to the New Year and to survive and thrive!
Thank you again to all those who helped us fundraise last term it has really helped us enter the New Year.

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Campaign and a Show!


I was sent this:
Please join this campaign: http://chn.ge/JpmaaV
a friend wrote back

"Signed, I fear for those with disabilities I really do. The government is not content with demonising them, they will re-invent the poor house and the asylum.."

It's so important not to loose what we have.

So much has improved over the last 30 years but we can never rest, if you are vulnerable you need appropriate support.
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So two ways to start the New Year! 
Sign the petition and some entertainment for a dark January night:

Daniela who we have the pleasure to work with, ( in the main company and Open House with Colin - who is also in the show and designed the lovely poster) brings her style of "in the moment" work! with friends.....
worth seeing.....


“The Secret Fools Show”

a foolishly improvised show.
No one knows what will happen ! This Show is a show with improvised  dance, drama and music.
There will be NO scripts at all and everything will be created out of the moment, out of nothingness.
We are excited and hope you are ! Take the adventure and come to see this very special show.
Who else but a fool would step onto an empty stage without knowing what he is going to do, say or play.
You just get one chance because every show is different, mirroring back what is alive in that moment in time and with you, the audience, being present.

Players: Franki Anderson, Ray Bowler, Eric Mutch, Rikki Jacout, Al Head, Simon Jeanpierre , Colin Curbishley,

Ellena Fries, Daniela Schlemm (maybe Roman Bloodworth and George Bradley-Peer?)

No scripts! Just an empty space, an audience and a piano!
We hope you will enjoy it.
The entrance is free but we suggest a minimum donation of £ 5