It seems i could start each blog with, "there's so much going on" and i just wrote to a friend saying i don't update this blog as much as i used to.

It has and does serve as a good diary/reminder and place to air more detail/opinion at times...

so in pictures...last week...in our external world (as so much goes on each week in just the ongoing sessions and groups!)

hung this exhibition

look forward to 

printed set of 4 donkey postcards by Amy Lawrence

went to

 Shallal artists sold over £200 of original art work to support Flicka

 thank to all, especially Helen and Theresa a phenomenal team of unofficial ambassadors for Shallal at work i watched them in action in awe! and tried to pick up some skills...

Published our newsletter and did BSL with Jan

and from that ...sending off our new book 

which will be on sale at Krowji Open Studios 

Time runs on and so much as i like to chat away i hope this will do for now,

 and do follow our instagram for more images and updates

www.instagram.com/shallalarts

and we have a new podcast,  

Lots to be said on exploring this, and ensuring legacy of what we do,

 especially in creative process and dance improvisation performance and authentic movement and and and ....

and some more podcasts brewing in the background, as we do ground work planning towards a new project. 'Better Together'

Have a good day! the sun is rising in Cornwall, a beautiful deep autumn, early winter, soft flame sky with no wind

oh and large canvases being painted by some Shallal (dance theatre) artists on Friday afternoons - exciting!

'Old and New' Private View Eddie Callis and Kyle Coleman

 

Looking forward to the Private View 2-4 this Friday

At our favourite venue Proper Job Cafe, Krowji, delicious affordable food, friendly supportive people, and large wonderful walls which can hold a range of art work, this time we are hanging two large banners

The event will have background music of recordings of Eddie and Kyles tunes, both are amazing musicians. They are multi art form artists, creatives and good friends.

Both come to a range of Shallal activities including Shallal Dance Theatre, Shallal 2, the Studio and residencies.

'Old and New'
this exhibition shows old and new work by Kyle Coleman and Eddie Callis, two great friends who are both artists and musicians that work with Shallal.
It is the third in our series 'Better Together."
Most of the work is for sale.

🌞Private view 2-4pm Friday 10th October🌞

Weekdays October 9-4
@thegrowboxcafe
@krowji_

Thank you to all who helped especially:
@tonyminnion @curbishleycolin @jacqui.callis @anna__sophronia @thegrowboxcafe

More artists info and price list coming soon!

Back Lane West Residency 2025

 

Back Lane West Residency 2025

Shallal celebrates diversity, ability and community. 

We aspire to access and equity in the arts and work in Cornwall and further afield, including regular zoom sessions. 

We provide access to the arts for enjoyment in our community groups and then further opportunities to develop and exhibit and perform across Cornwall. 

We are pleased and excited this year to use our Back Lane West residency for a variety of in depth explorations, including:

A returning Artist reconnecting to their practice

Four Shallal Studio artists individually reviewing and sharing their work

A workshop for dancers mark making on huge shared canvases with Kerry Tomlins

Clay hand building workshop with Claire Menear for The Cornish Clay Trail

Creating art inspired by objects

R&D in response to an invitation for a Shallal chapter in a book

as well as our favourites, spontaneous collaborations across art forms

and..

Outreach visits to Eco Lab.Oratory to Participate with

Elizabeth Tomos Artist in Residence at Kennels Cottage, Tehidy Country Park, exploring print, natural pigments and outdoor performance.

drawing by Julia

Better Together a series of exhibitions

 Eddie wanted an exhibition at Grow Box Cafe, Krowji

Anna and Zoe wanted to have an exhibition together, 

and the thought came to have a retrospective of Peter's work after he returned to a painting from attending and really enjoying two sessions in the studio, particularly working in colour and movement with James.

Ideas always grow, Eddie with Kyle, one of his closest friends, both good multi artists.

So we often explore and celebrate our diversity in Shallal, this time it was fun to place people with their peers.

 I'm the 'silent' partner in Peter's exhibition without his understanding and support i wouldn't be working.

Anna in Shallal seriously since the age of seven and Zoe through some of her teens, both showed me Shallal can work for and with you through childhood and teens, no mean feat to maintain connection with your free childhood spontaneous creative self. They are both now art graduates.

Eddie and Kyle are tall men from creative families with a wide range of talents, they share a theme night every two weeks. Eddie has worked across Shallal since he left school/college and he encouraged Kyle to join Shallal Dance Theatre and Kyle works in the Studio and has also made art with Eddies dad Tony for many years. So a lovely opportunity for them to share outward work together and us to enjoy their work.

Then l enjoy Jack Johnsons music and his song "Better Together" is a great title i think, and i am tired, tired of groups for particular groups of people, i know they are needed but often i feel they are needed for solidarity, support, healing, education, understanding, but really we are better all mixed up and being community not tribal. We are Better Together, we learn from each other, enrich each other, in a symbiotic relationship.

This long ramble is as the last exhibition is coming up October 7th and the last party for the middle one is tomorrow!

Peter Willis Recent Paintings 'Pendentive'

 Peter Willis 

introduction to his work:

"My art has always been, and remains, a reflection of my search for meaning.  

In recent years, my engagement with painting has had to shift with the development of Parkinson's and the tremor in my right hand that accompanies it. Rather than a hindrance, Parkinson's has been an enhancement. The ethos of Shallal has freed me from the restraints of conventional fine art expectations. It has expanded and enriched my approach to painting, allowing my practice to encompass my changing abilities. Shallal works for everyone. 

Many thanks to Shallal, Grow Box Cafe, Oliver Raymond-Barker and Anna Willis."

'Pendentive'

List of Paintings 

as in zine/booklet

Pendentive l                          39.5ins x 39.5ins

Embrace                               18ins x 18ins

Vista ll                                   18ins x 24ins

Singing Stillness lll                19.7ins x 19.7ins                 

Singing Stillness ll                 19.7ins x 19.7ins   

Singing Stillness l                   20ins x 18ins

Pendentive ll                           39.5ins x 39.5ins 

Pendentive lll                          19.7ins x 19.7ins

Triply Radiant Sun                   36ins x 30ins

Desert Church                         18ins x 20ins                           

Vista l                                      18ins x 20ins

Descending Chevron              31.5ins x 31.5ins            

 

Child                                        18ins x 20ins

Chevron                                  31.5ins x 31.5ins

Royal Entrance                        18ins x 20ins

Universal Design - Audio description, a challenge, a reflection

 

So here we are the exhibition is hung yesterday - just - and today starts it's four days of being open to the public.

We have an accessible building, no mean feat in an old building in St Ives - but it was renovated.

We have warm welcoming artists, Saturday and Sunday, on site staff Monday and Tuesday - however they won't be in the room but an office on the way.

So my faults/reflections:

I didn't have a conversation around Access at the beginning of the project planning with myself or the artists involved.

As usual, in most unfunded 'passion' projects, you are squeezing in time balancing other work and life issues, both Zoe and Anna, the artists, have other issues they deal with on a daily basis and their working together and under Shallal was a help for their work to be seen without too much pressure ...so no spare cash or energy, or help in the project.

However no excuse for me, I believe passionately in Universal Design.

Reflecting on our last show Pendentive i wonder why this issue hadn't come up? and it is in a permanently staffed cafe, who i can't praise highly enough, as well as friendly artists, customers environment so someone would talk to you, answer questions - still not enough? but it's not a gallery space and wandering around with headphones might not work there?

So what am i on about, Audio description. 

What if i turn up to the Borlaes Smart room, Porthmeor Studios St ives and want to now about the exhibition and am partially sighted or blind.

In our ideal world of community and welcome someone articulate and friendly would welcome me and answer my needs for description.

However i might not want to interact/ask i might want to reflect alone, maintain my autonomy and choice and be enabled, as anyone else is, to have freedom to engage or not with the art on offer. In which case i need a set of headphones with audio description placed where i might find them on entry!!

We have head sets/headphines in the studio.

 A problem with Access ( audio description) is it can come in late and if so is there time capacity, skills and funding to do it well? - quick answer - no!

You can't describe an exhibition until it's hung. You can have the audio describer booked, the equipment and skills at the ready. and overnight/early morning do it in time for the doors opening today.

I'm up early making bread prepping my domestic and other lives before dedicating the last third of the day top the exhibition and private view for Resonance.

The reminder i had failed at Universal Design came while kneading bread dough!

The semi solution is to ask both artists to today describe their work into a whats app chat and see if we can upload it somewhere, combined with a description of the room ( requires an edit )  so it can be accessed online - this presupposes the person needing audio description has smart phone?! which is another hard area - digitally divide/poverty etc

or avoiding digital poverty, i get the headphones from the studio and attempt to put recording with them  (i haven't done this before) and therefore may not achieve it on time, plus extra stress, in very busy weekend...

Universal Design& Sustainable good practice need to be discussed and included in the first meeting and not be add ons.

I have only met the first step! an accessible building...free entry, friendly environment, a wish to incude/help,  no parking only drop off - this is St Ives one fof the least accessible places. We were invited to be part of Remapping St Project with Jo Mayes many years ago.

Yesterday i had wonderful walk around St ives and lovely chats in two (inaccessible) art galleries and one with only one small step but no ramp or signage for one if needed.

So imagine yourself using a wheel chair or unable to see far or clearly and how would you get around navigate this world of ours. I'm 62 my eyesight is far worse than it used to be, I miss it, I'm a visual person, my husband has mild Parkinsons, many of my family have had chronic fatigue, invisible chronic health and can't do much without exhaustion, so every excursion has to well planned.

And i failed, i will try to remedy it, life is work in progress, but this is a plea, I messed up and i care, please let's all; put Universal Design at the heart of what we do, life is easier for us all if everyone can be involved, is welcome, we all benefit.

Refuges on youtube

 Thanks to George for his technical help, the film camera is back up and running and took a record of the performance for us

You tube is the easiest place to share our work with each other

More background musings Refuges

 Refuges?

Where do we find refuge? 

Solace, support, companionship?

 Al Munden asks lots of questions and gives viewpoints from his personnal perspective on Journeys in our latest podcast.

 

 Last night fifteen of Shallal Dance Theatre improvised to 'Refuges' an album by Rene Aubry

https://reneaubry.fr/about/?lang=en

good feedback

""Incredibly sensitive moving  performance

wonderful use of space

- THANK. YOU SO MUCH"

Thank you to all the performers and toThe Centre, Newlyn: to Tremayne, Jerry and John for being such a supportive community venue.

Background musings before Refuges

 What is a blog post?

who is it for?

why do it?

when i started a blog it was to let people know what we were doing, as suggested by The Works, who i'd asked for funding help and advice from... that was added onto our first website

this blog is our second, and has gone on a long time, and needs more voices, i'm told,

which would be good, but who pays you to blog?

in a small wonderful community group which restarted, and then became a charity, in 2005, and ... and has at various times: flourished, lurched, survived, swum - to avoid drowning, "not waving but drowning or in the reverse or..." 

Here we are, and the reason for, this after the pre amble, is another show !

Pushing our boundaries exploring our limits and Yay 

and 

we have had no funding for indoor 'shows' as the pandemic came along but even before that performing moved outdoors, popped up, began being anywhere that would open their doors, or gates, to us, we haven't done a 'full on' indoor performance with lighting, costume  and all for years! We dream maybe in 2027 when we are grown up aged 40 years!

Our old historic Penzance support/partner The Acorn, despite having put in good access many years ago, a few years ago put in a fixed raised stage!! so we can run workshops there but not perform ....you can't take your finger off the pulse or push for equity and inclusion as inertia means moving backwards!

So today, a performance on a summer evening: a light, large hall, seats only two deep - for sight lines, performers bring their own costume choices on a limited palette then everything at least should fit well, we usually have a few lend and swops!

I do all the limited tech (untrained unskilled) with film help from George and away we... go low budget, for the love of it, art!

What could we do in a proper 'frame'?! the Tate event looked good!

Thank you to our funders this event is Awards for All

Thank you to all our audience supporters, dancers, artists, trustees and sheer good friends to all we do

Heres to More!

Open Theatre chat - Process conversation, & first BSL newsletter!

 1.

Chat today with Richard and Melissa of Open Theatre

 https://www.opentheatre.co.uk/about-us/meet-the-team-21/

I read about Richard's process, Non Verbal Physical Theatre (with music ) and it sounded like a similar well spring of inspiration to our Open Improv style, and we have each worked about forty years so I contacted them, and todays chat was the result..we hope and plan to do more... first off a zoom podcast about 'Process'.

2. Might wait until the autumn as have just lined up two 'Journey' podcasts and our timetable is full!

3.Second excitement is our first BSL newsletter, see it online here:

More interesting conversations this time with Charlotte from Newquay Orchard, looking  forward ti growing opportunities and event/s with them.

Members Meeting oneliners

Some memorable one liners from Members Meeting:

 

"Constant Source of Inspiration

Always Interesting"

"No Competition

No Experience Needed

Person Centred

Very Friendly

Dream for Us (I struggle mixing)

Community Sense and Belonging"

"Rye Sense of who we are and where we are going"

"Not Just Doing, (it's) About Sharing"

Journeys at Launceston Poetry Festival

 Journeys

We had the joy of three families of young children and mums dancing with us in our workshop.

And the joy of Victoria's extended family, a poet and volunteer and Kyle (our new marketing consultant - much needed!!) in our small, select audience!

 Lovely feedback: 

" Thank you for filling up my cup! 🙂"
"Lovely music, lovely dance, and fantastic dancers. I enjoyed every moment of it. Thanks!"

photos by Kyle Reed

of Shallal Dance Theatre performers in the workshop

KAREN MITCHELL...Studio artist

KAREN MITCHELL...

paintings on one wall

working on new art

Comments Book:

"I really enjoyed meeting Karen. Her work is so inspiring - powerful, beautiful,  moving.

Thank you 💗"

"I really enjoyed working alongside Karen and listening to her talk about the benefits of being partof Shallal Studio

Thank you 😊"

"Amazing and colourful. Puts a smile on my face."

"Brilliant work. Lovely to meet Karen 💗"

"IMPRESSIVE + REASSURING"

"Beautiful and so colourful. Keep on doing what you are doing x"

"Thank you we had a lovely time and Karen was so welcoming that warmed our day. Thank you both for your kindness and congratulations to Karen for her vast body of work! 😊"

BSL Conference

BSL Conference

as someone who supports signing being taught in school,  when we learn to read and before  

and feels we all would benefit from BSL as language,

for many reasons: 

so we can communicate with those for whom it is their first language

because we may need it if/when we loose our hearing

because it is beautiful 

Yesterday we worked with Susie Brooke BSL interpreter for our workshop and show, we had the joy of 3 young families joining us in our workshop - all the children had done some signing

in my inbox this morning was this conference

https://bslconference.org.uk/programme/?mc_cid=9883e3d2c8&mc_eid=350d365500

workshops that resonate:

Building our cultures into society.  Helene Jarmer

Why schools should sign: Academic, emotional and linguistic benefits of sign bilingualism

Dr Hannah Anglin-Jaffe

What works in Early Years? – The Evidence

Dr Katie Rogers

Programme for 'Journeys' by Shallal Dance Theatre in Charles Causley Poetry Festival - Friday 30 May

Programme Playlist

"JOURNEYS"

4pm Friday 30 March 

@CharlesCausleyFestival

https://causleytrust.org/the-launceston-poetry-festival/

Shallal Dance Theatre

Soil ( feat Nature ) .......Cosmo Sheldrake

Sleep on the wing ......... Bibio

Migration ........Katrin Finch

Roadworks by Jo Lumber inspired by 

Redruth Roadworks - Artwork by Sam While, printing supported by Tony Minnion

The Race .....Yello

Clarity.....Helen Chadwick

Railroad  ( Travel Song )....Meredith Monk, Brubaker

Over the sea.... Amanda Pascali

Run to You....vision string quartet

Winter Wash 24 ....Mon Rolva

The Armed Man  - A Mass for Peace:Xll Benedictus........Karl Jenkins, London Philharmonic Orchestra, National Youth Choir of Great Britain, Mike Brewer, Guy Johnston

BSL translation by Susie Brooke

help with everything! - Colin Curbishley

creative director - Jo Willis

admin - Hennie Boex

Dancers/spontaneous choreographers

Dylan Bradley Peer

Toby Bridge

Tina Butler

Colin Curbishley

Jilly Hellerman

Victoria Lawrence

Jo Lumber

Karen Moss

Star

Our love to performers who can't be with us today

Especially:

Kerry J for a good and speedy recovery from her shoulder op

and All The Wheeler's - see you soon!

Wonderful Comments! Cornwall Open Studios first weekend

 Wonderful Comments!

Shallal is the sum of it's parts and this first weekend of Cornwall Open Studios exemplifies that:

Artists volunteered to paint our ( paint laden ) walls and man the exhibition, introduce and talk about Shallal's work 

 in detail and broad outreach, exemplifying how it is "home" and those involved ( participants, artists performers etc )  often  have a better more nuanced understanding of all it's aspects. 

As usual I'm about to start with so much going on  ....but I'm going back to write ... Wonderful Comments!

so here goes:

Favourite Pictures

Monkeys & Puffin

Spot the dog & Cat with bird on head

Comments

Thank you for exhibiting all these works.
We especially enjoyed The Isabella Mouse book & illustrations

Well done Shallal.

A Great eclectic mix of art and I enjoy the bright, cheerful colours.

Fabulous Collection of interesting and involving creative work. Best wishes & good luck 

Lovely to catch up with Shallal our dear friend Lydia....used to love the dancing!

TOTALLY DELIGHTFUL! Terrific ethos and enthusiasm. Loved it. Thank you.

Hallo Shallal so lovely to meet you both. Thank you for sharing with me.

Wonderful inspiring work by lovely people. Thank you for the chat.

Thank you for a lovely introduction to your charity, much love

A very enjoyable exhibition and such a worthwhile cause

Loved the art work especially admired  Joseph's cows and Lily's animals x

Lovely we will treasure 'Bob the dog' -sold to them

Beautiful work and wonderful things happening here!

Really good work

A rather splendid exhibition - which tells me that art is so diverse. And everyone can do it.

Thank you for all you do. It's a fantastic project.

Really enjoyed learrning about the project. Lovely artwork! Keep up the good work!

Wonderful work and a great charity providing safe inclusive space for creativity. Thank you.... visiting from Nottingham

Absolutely Fabulous. Refreshing and Thought Provoking.

Love everything - the concept and the work - especially Isabella Mouse x

So interesting to hear about Shallal & the inspirational activities you carry out.

Beautiful organisation, love the ethos. Hopefully when my little one is older I can join in one day - a local neurodivergent creative x

How wonderful! What a brilliant thing in every way.

Wonderful and inspiring work and ethos

Rory is here + Rory likes the building filled with amazing artwork

Lovely pictures with much character to them. Interesting to hear about the charity. Sounds like great work!

Thank you Helen and Therese, and Colin and Eddie - great work explaining, greeting and hosting!

Thank you to all our visitors. We learn so much from this interactive experience together, looking at art work, following interests and ideas, conversing with visitors/audiences.

Amazing Animals Exhibition 7-24 April 2025

 

Successful Opening Tea Party yesterday.

Many thanks to everyone.

 

Xanthe for photographing Lily's work,

Oli https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/staff/oli-raymond-barker     for preparing it for printing.

Helen,Therese and Colin for support, and of course everyone at Falmouth Art Gallery and our community outreach funders The Henry Smith Charity, 

and most of all the amazing artists who created "Amazing Animals!"

I could write a lot about it, but I always feel we need to make the connections ourselves and let the art speak.

Already while hanging it i heard lovely comments:

"I love tigers" 

( favourite comment young boy walking up the stairs - i had placed that picture where it could be passed and easily appreciated)

"Oh look at this and it's made from Pukka tea packaging"

"Please tell me about it..."

"So bright and colourful"

"I look forward to working around it"

"Such a high standard"

As usual 

we try to put the info on here:

 

All works are sold unframed and are on paper or card

contact us for more information if needed.

Miles,   giclee print of painting            by Lily Harvey      £42

Endangered: Bengal tiger,   collage    by Helen     POA

Endangered: Golden lion tamarins, acrylic paint 

                                                                      by Helen         £105

Cottage Garden acrylic                           by Heather Clark   POA

Critically Endangered: Sunda pangolin, collage and acrylic 

                                                                      by Helen    £105

Garden birds, crayon                               by Rita Baker  POA

*Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, mixed media              

                                                                     by Colin Curbishley   £105

**Butterflies, mixed media                  by Katie Wheeler NFS

Smiley Cat, giclee print of painting   by Lily Harvey  £42

Goldfish,  collage and paint                 by Helen           £91

Seahorses and Seagrass,  mixed media 

                                                                     by Therese  £77.

Pinky, giclee print of painting             by Lily  £42

***Seagull pencil and paint                  by Rebecca  Smith POA

Wolfy, giclee print of painting              by Lily Harvey £42

Untitled,  giclee print of painting        by Lily Harvey £42   

Cows, metallic pen                                  by Joseph Wheeler £44

Polar Bear,  giclee print of painting    by Lily Harvey £42

Blue Butterfly,  oil pastel                       by Katie Wheeler £35

Hummingbird, pencil and felt tips     by Julia Wonnacott  POA

Critically Endangered: Amur leopard, acrylic  

                                                                      by Helen   £105

Disco Gecko 1,  mixed media                by Helen  £91

Disco Gecko 2, mixed media                by Helen  £91

The Big Pink Piggy, giclee print of painting

                                                                      by Lily Harvey £42

All works on paper and unframed.

Extra facts:

*Secretive tree-top dweller. The lesser spotted is our smallest, and rarest, woodpecker. These woodland specialists are one of the UK’s fastest-declining bird species.

Woodland Trust

** Scientists estimate that insects make up to 90% of all species of animals on the planet and more than half of all living things.

Royal Entomological Society

***Did you know there’s no such thing as a seagull? In fact there are a variety of species of gull that live in the UK and not all of them live by the sea,

Although gulls are a common sight in many areas……some species such as herring. Gulls and Kittiwakes are actually on the UK Red List. 

RSPCA

Shallal Arts Connection

Amazing Animals Exhibition

Shallal Arts Connection meet on zoom once a week.

We started in the pandemic and haven’t wanted to stop.

It provides creative community and connection and is open to all. 

We enjoy putting on exhibitions of some of our work.

We are aligned with Culture Declares Emergency and want our work to be relevant to our times, as well as joyful and celebratory.

We all need to care, for each other, we are interdependent parts of creation.

Join us on a Tuesday term time 11.30am-12.30pm free/donation

Contact Colin colin@shallal.org

www.shallal.org