photos /news/chat

Some lovely photos from Andy on flickerhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/fezparker/sets/72157632873909303/

so many possibilities

Andy and I have been hatching ideas for ages now we need to nail some down, exhibition, book/s ? we shall see what we can do...we had a chat today


Shallal 2; rehearsal photos from the fundraiser

everyone works their best, so i don't like to single anyone out but in this image you can clearly see Anne who everyone enjoys working with, she brings an artists eye and clarity to her work and is positive and enthusiastic in feedback on work.

Skye in the middle with Peter and Daniella to the left. Peter has just joined Shallal 2 from Friends and Dancing. Daniella is now working more in the main company, she and Colin will be running a skills share for us soon.

Anna and Skye whose main dance experience has been through Shallal love going to Freefall's regular classes in Falmouth. http://www.freefalldance.co.uk/
 They are friendly, relaxed, encouraging with fluid exciting movement.
Jessie and Rory can be seen on this video link;
for their Summer School; 
WATCH PROMO

Back into funding stress, like a chronic illness you can; forget it,- at your peril!-  live with it and on a good day ignore it but it always pops back up again!

Still the work generally brings joy and a good dose of fun and we are in rehearsal, probably my favourite time, lots of ideas and exploring, a real jazz feel coming through the main co work which was totally unexpected but suits the humour and style of many people at the moment. Katie did some strong and clear work, Lydia and Katie Sam are getting to used to how we work, (it can take time to settle in and we expect everyone to work at their full potential) and fantastic new dancer Daniel from Redruth Open House group came in this week and has already created duet piece with Demelza!
George -musician- and Tom and friends - film - back next week.
Jo from Shallal 2 came to visit and enjoyed the day out! it will be interesting to see how the fluidity between Shallal 2 and the main company develops.
We are busy hatching plans for Shallal2 for the summer and they did wonderful work this week with new people trying the session.

Thanks to all those whose support and encouragement keep us going,
 and love to Marjorie, who is unable to come to the main company for a while so we are creating a new piece to one of her favourite pieces of music for her and hope to give her a showing and include it in our repertoire! 
Marjorie 82, Zoe and i are the only original company members left we have worked together for over 20 years!
I'm soon 50 and will stop going on about it soon!?! but interesting when you are probably over the hill of one's life! the view/ perspective changes, all down hill? the momentum increases!
An urgency to seed the work more...

And if you've got this far; 
AGM Monday at The Old Dairy Bread St, Penzance 6.45pm

Still more; the sketchbooks have arrived ..........! 
many of us are eagerly awaiting ours!!

i could go on ....Duane brought in cling film and sellotape torso and all sorts, but for another blog.................

Doorways short film in Celtic media festival

News from Barbara
 'Doorways' (the short version) has been selected in the arts category in Celtic Media Festival!!!!  …http://www.celticmediafestival.co.uk/shortlist

digression!

A quick digression into the creativity that surrounds us, we are all interconnected and seeing other artists work, progress, creativity is really inspiring;

 Interesting conversations re international initiatives, things close to my heart, such as institutions ( working originally at Budock Hospital formed a lot of what i believe, about people, choice, creativity - it must never happen again but still does happen in many places! and it's not ok to swop a big institution for a small one, which inadequate staffing can do) and peoples creativity;
so;
http://tbact.org/


Then locally re met Michel;
beautiful work, worth a visit to kiln opening or website!
His invitation;

"On Saturday 2nd March, 2013, from 3pm to 5pm I'll be holding a Kiln Opening.

 Come and join me in the discovery of my new work as it emerges still warm from the kiln. "

"I use ancient timeless techniques to create functional vessels.

Be it bowls, jugs, or jars, they benefit from a purity of form giving them a sculptural quality.

 I craft my own glazes using Feldspar, Cornish stone and ash from local trees, such as Chestnut, Ash, and Beech.

By starving the kiln of oxygen, I draw minerals and oxides from inside the clay to the surface.  

There they react with the ash glaze-  the glazes act as prisms that filter and reflect light.

This process ensures that each piece is unique.

I Graduated from Falmouth University in 2002, then apprenticed at the Leach Pottery, St Ives.

Following from this, I set up my own studio outside Helston, off the B3302

(The Halye to st Ives Road. )

My recent Projects include co-designing and producing a new range of tableware for the Eden project.

I was awarded a research grant by AIR (Academy of Innovation and Research) to facilitate this.

My work has been shown in Paris (Gallery Art Présent),and London (Gallery 43 Mayfair)

In Edinburgh and Taipei (International Teabowl Exhibition).

Work is available for purchase, prices range from 10 to 400 pounds.

Russian tea and Chocolate cake will be served !" .....in Shallal we support initiatives which involve hospitality - tea and cake !

For more information visit www.michelfrancois.co.uk or call 01736 448 002

Directions to the Kiln & Studio:

2 miles from Helston Off the B3302 signposted between Helston and Halye. 

You will find a map here http://michelfrancois.co.uk/en/contact/

Feel free to check my website www.michelfrancois.co.uk

telephone studio :01736 448 002

And lastly this morning i received a photo from my brother working at his home in Kenya!

"I am currently shooting a timelapse of waterlilies opening in our 'studio' aka production office at the house."

www.deeblestone.com

Working within Budock Hospital was formative, also visiting the Serengeti many years ago, kindly funded by my brother  (when he and Vicky were first working there) was formative, so beautiful such an expanse of wildlife, balanced ecosystems etc. What would we be like if we lived in balance/harmony ? many questions, and just the pure vastness and sense of space, something you don't see in Cornwall!

and then creatively; just a body (and some space- optional) for dance, but film? look at all the equipment....

back to work, all this is inspiring and has been a pleasant distraction/inspiration but now back to budgets! or maybe just breakfast and last day of half term............

improvisations for improvisations!

Images from Improv!

film maker Tom  (Sam's brother) with his crew Ned and Ed being subjected to an improvisation from the clown/fool crew!

Poetry and dance group starting work, Demelza is singing Katie's rose poem

Studios photos

Thanks to Laura for the photos which keep us nicely linked in to the Studios and all the work being created!  Toby is now on his travels in Spain, we wish him well and he carries with him the first Shallal Sketchbook ! - thanks to Diana for the handover...

I hope to visit the Studios more in the coming months and we await news on funding, however our pre-pilot sketchbook initiative is happening within our current  2i's research and development project, a wonderful to have time to explore ideas and concepts within the installations. 

Macquets/ideas for future Poetry and Photography books maybe piloted within it all. A flip book of Zoe's many fashion ideas? i love to see the different threads some artists have within their creativity, and still hope to enable her desire to design, with some skills and support ...we are investigating all sorts...

Getting carried away remembering poetry and dance on Friday and wanting to bring in more BSL etc..

have a dvd of Paul Scott's poetry

interesting chats on Saturday; http://michelfrancois.co.uk/en/ .....beautiful pots

http://www.artincornwall.com/ellief.html.... some years ago Elly co ran Annexe Arts, a really successful community dance/art group with old Shallal friend Lisa Mortensen

Thanks again to Derwent for sponsoring art materials ...

Fundraiser, thanks and some links

A Big Thank You to Jessie, and to her support from Debs, Sarah, Lucy, Diana and all who worked so hard to make the Fundraiser such a success! It was, as always, lovely to see so many people all together. 
Thank you to the other dancers, Jessie Lobb, Ellie and Zennor who performed, to the film makers; Brett Harvey, Isaac Sakima, Rianne White and to Stuart on the guitar. Thank you to the artists, Zoe, Toby, Sam and Peter and for Andy's  photographs... and please forgive me if i've left anyone out, this may need to be altered! to acknowledge them!
( wishing Toby a wonderful time in Spain, we will miss him, but i am excited that he maybe taking one of our first Sketchbooks with him! so he can share some of his images on his return)

Thank you as always to our families, friends and supporters.

Well done to Shallal 2 for an excellent debut performance, I am really excited about our work together and to the style of work we are producing and exploring, everyone did really well.

Star, Tina and Kerry just got to the Fundraiser despite some major setbacks, thank you to everyone who helped!

As you know it was quite an adventure getting there after the accelerator cable snapped. 
Could you post thanks on the Shallal blog to Scott and Jason the 2 Camborne officers who were wonderful to us and to Andy ( Parker) who dropped everything to come and pick up Kerry and Tina to take them to Falmouth, and especially to Martin of the AA who went above and beyond to get the car repaired so that I could get to the performance in time....Star

shelter from the cold in the car

 photos from Star's phone

As an add on i found this link the other day and was very impressed..many people are attracted to working with us and some have many questions, the best people to answer are always the people themselves, however some of us are more articulate than others......descriptions change but our shared struggle and humanity don't, although the situations we live them out in can vary enormously to support us or not...

http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2007/05/12/margarets-guide-to-down-syndrome-18/

and Siobhan's description on  http://apexvoiceoutside.org.uk/siobhans-song/living-with-autism-by-siobhan/

Jean-Dominique Bauby.....  The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. 
Christy Brown......................  My left Foot
Christopher Nolan ................Under the Eye of the Clock

Shallal Fund Raiser

Outline of the evening to help you plan your visit!

...don't forget fantastic raffle with wonderful prizes! - see previous blog

Shallal Fund Raiser 

                  

6pm Doors open

Stuart J Blackmore performing acoustic guitar

Art Exhibition

Films to be shown by;

Barbara Santi 

Brett Harvey

Isaac Sakima

Jessica Webb

Rianne White

7.15pm Live Dance Performance

Dusty doors of Blue -- Star, Demelza, Debbie and Anna – members of Shallal Dance Theatre

Solo – Jess Lobb third year student at UCF

Duet – Feeling good - Ellie and Zennor –member of Cornwall Youth Dance Company and Duchy Ballet

Duet --  Zoe and Debbie – members of Shallal Dance Theatre Company

Solo – Lucy Cracknell  - third year student at UCF

Shallal 2 - group piece 

8.15pm Raffle to be drawn

8.30pm - Acoustic guitar performance

Bar Is open until 10pm

The poster shows Lucy who will be dancing a solo for us and came to Friends and Dancing for a term as part of her degree, and Eddie who is currently in Shallal 2 and will be performing in their new group piece, with it's first public outing at the fundraiser.

Shallal 2 are based in Falmouth and are an off shoot of the main company at a different time ( after school, college and work ) to enable other people to come, and to seed the performance work in another area. Last rehearsal we numbered 17 so it is growing and attracting a good mix of people, talent and skills - 5 of the main company attend - and has a nice wide age range! 12 - 50 at the moment. (5-50 if Luke joins in but he is unsure!)

Thank you again to all those working hard to make this happen.