2 days bits and bobs and BLW

A collection of images that don't quite go on FB!

Firstly Sidney!in the last dance for Shallal2 in CLAY!

Thank you to Gemma for the flowers, and organising it all! a film was made, so we hope to be able to share that sometime soon!

Well done to everyone involved there are plans to do more and even to try to run a group in St Austell which i would love ....here's hoping!

One comment from film maker was "Amazing".

Performers at CLAY Wheal Martyn Clay Museum on Saturday!

Afterwards we went back to see the Sketchbooks, it was quiet as at the end of the Private view so we really enjoyed looking at them.

Then looking back to Friday!

Lunchtime with Lydia!

is usually an occasion to dress up, 2 or 3 outfits a day and she and Victoria are collecting photos for a sketchbook and then maybe Instagram who knows!

then the hats went to be filmed accompanied by Eddie, Peter and Jonathan!

at the end of the day i turned round to see 'Geraldine' the dummy!

resplendent in Zoe's latest creation

last of all first time at Back Lane West for Alice and Rebecca
Alices dancing was wonderful with Out There on Saturday we hope some of it was filmed.

CLAY at Wheal Martyn returning with friends.....

A busy month with return invitation to Wheal Martyn, many thanks to Gemma, and a chance to share work with 3 groups of children, Doubletrees School, Mevagissey Primary School Dance Club and St Austell area Home ed group!
Also to work with new associate artists Kerry Tomlins, and Anna Willis.
(Sadly we didn't get to work with Janice and Zoe with an extra group,  but another time!)

So do come!
Shallal 2 are revisiting some of our previous inspiration along with some new pieces,
there is new work created specially from the other group workshops  as well as 'Out There' with some of the Liskeard group in an new piece.
The machinery, that wonderful waterwheel and the 'floating' ponds of sinking clay feature strongly in our inspirations, along with the sheer hard physical work of moving clay!

We are thrilled to introduce Sidney!
Who some of you may remember dancing at Falmouth Art Gallery with Rosie and in a sling as a baby at AMATA from Always New residency!

Here he is with his sister Maybelle, dancing to music played by Erin!

new piece - we love the album Face to face by Alex Heffes and collaborators

Wheal Martyn project and Clair Milne community group funding has allowed us to bring on new trainee associate artists, we are really grateful and 2 of them have been in Shallal since children so they really 'get it' and can stretch it further and both their individual art practices are exciting, and Sidney is a lovely sign of continuing generations.

I do believe in art provision, not just as a project to tantalise people, open doors and then leave them but a continuing provision, which is a struggle for everyone who cares in the arts!
Projects have their place but then where!

We hope James aged 6 from the Home ed group will come to the Liskeard group .....
Last photo of Maz on the left, dancing to Erin's playing ( Erin is her 10 yr old daughter)  and their family have been into Back Lane West ( see previous blog http://shallal-arts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/creation-space-potential-new-studio.html) they enjoyed it so much they are going in again at half term!

Also i believe in the importance of having somewhere you can work in creative equality with your children! There are currently 5 families working regularly in Shallal sessions.

PS
George, Demelza, Anna and i went to Kestle Barton this week, lured by the improvised music of Spontonality.
I have been thinking of old Shallal friend Rory more recently, as he was the one who was going to make the book originally conceived from Doorways and i am collating it now - so i miss him!
So the joy of meeting Riya at Kestle Barton http://www.kestlebarton.co.uk/ and finding out Rory is her close friend !
despite the long cornish narrow lanes to get there,  the warm welcome and spaces are inviting so we hope to do something there next year!

gallery and gardens

Riya and Demelza - Happy Birthday to Demelza for next week!

Creation Space, potential new studio !

Exciting news that Shallal have Creation Space funding from Hall for Cornwall, for our early Research and Development work for Cross Boundaries which will take place within our Back Lane West residency!
which has just started, 3 collaborating artists in on Monday followed by a returning artist and Saturday Anna and Annis!
Many people have commented how they love this time of year and returning to Back Lane West and this year it is more simple and blank than ever, an open canvas space for anything to happen, be explored!
So far new artists and old returning and it all gets busy this coming half term week, with the artists who inspired this R&D coming in.
A chat with Janice has solved one problem how to show Anna and Annis's fantastic work! so a bizarre and quirky coffee table book is in the planning!

Anna and Annis setting up in Back Lane West 

Potential new permanent studio!
And i think i can now share that we are very excited to be at the beginning of what we hope will be a long partnership with recent Shallal friends who would like us to use their renovated cattle barn as our Studio!!
Its central to Cornwall and on the top of a wonderful hill with views for miles, sea glimpses! and when we went silver light was bouncing off the landscape!
Next step to create a timeline, and then we can share our progress as they insulate and finish off the interior.
Although not in the heart of a community,  it is in the hearts of those who want us there and is in the Cornish tradition of light and peace and nature surrounding us and has extraordinary potential for other projects in the garden and land around it and with others!!
Already talking to young emerging artists about early residencies and oh so many possibilities, we will start gently and build it up with a year trial.

light, tall and large space, parking to the door....

Photos from Zoe Wilton

Zoe often sends me photos and these I wanted to blog!
We hope we maybe able to set up an Instagram account with her so she can upload her work - thanks to Victoria from their Sketchbooks interview today!

Undateables title?

9pm Channel 4 today Eddie on Undateables.

Eddie asked his mum to help him write into the show and he went through quite a few interviews etc before being accepted and i really admire and support him in it!
It's hard to find someone to go out with in any social group and if you have support needs your opportunities and peer group are often reduced. I have watched friends in Shallal fall in love, nearly make it and as you know from other posts FB etc the joy of Esme and Davids wedding last year.
When the programme first started i received an email asking me to let people i worked with know about the programme. I wrote back saying, i couldn't possibly advertise a show with that name to people i care about, as it would mean i endorsed the shows title of them as Undateable! and it was insulting.
So for a long time i never watched it, however one of my children did and liked it and asked me to so ( despite the title ) i watched a few and was very moved by some of the very human stories with emotion and love in them.
I still really dislike the title and was pleased to read this article recently....

however it has worked for Eddie and along with many people on the autistic spectrum Eddie is happy for others to know about his autism, as it helps them understand and support him. However many people i work with have been very unhappy to be labelled, and so i tend towards that, as we are all human, all people and we all have vulnerability and support needs, some we are born with, some come along later in life, some come and go ....so people first and if i need to know your particular support needs then tell me about it so i can....
it's a big subject with human dignity in its centre and more importantly love...

so in cowardice i didn't FB the above article today but put it up here instead...

as didn't want to spoil the joy of Eddie's follow up...which i will be joyfully watching tonight !